Managing Site Growth?

markmcb asks: "I started a web site about two years ago. When it began it was simple. The code was 75% hacked, and administration was easy. However, the times they are a changin'. Now I get hundreds of thousands of hits and have a steady flow of new users. I'm noticing an ever-increasing gap in terms of my site's popularity and its technological progression. Specifically, I have all sorts of 'XYZ for Beginners' books that are no longer of use to me. Even the so-called non-beginner publications seem to only scratch the surface of running a site. As problems get more complex, trying to Google every situation/issue I have with site administration has become less useful as well. I'm finding things like writing optimal code, configuring servers for high-volume, balancing ad income vs. server costs, and maximizing the efficiency from my moderation team have all become issues and that aren't addressed most books. What is the best way for a low-income, non-professional, but enthusiastic web designer/administrator like myself to manage site growth as it leaves the realm of just-for-fun?"

Find a local nerdling

[T-Ranger]

Offer him some Coke and M&Ms. Profit.

lollerskates

[larry bagina]

please disregard any suggestions from "CmdrTaco."

The Slashdot(TM) Method

[identity0]

1) Have fun.
2) Allow posting comments on your stories.
3) When people abuse comments, put in moderation system to stop them.
4) Hire some random writers with axes to grind, like "Geeks are oppressed by stupid conformist society".
5) When people abuse moderation points, throw in meta-moderation system to stop them.
6) Hype yourself up, claiming you are part of some revolution in media that will bring control to the masses.
7) Sell out to some venture capitalists.
8) Abuse moderation and metamoderation system yourself when comments piss you off.
9) Cover the site in more ads than Times Square.
10) Stop putting any effort into the site whatsoever.
11) Let people pimp their own blogs in story submissions.
12) Charge money to preview stories so people can read links before hordes of visitors take sites down, a problem you caused in the first place.
13) Charge money to view the site without ads.
14)???
15).... profit!

As you can see, the main goal of the Slashdot Method is to cause problems yourself, then charge people money to fix them. But remember, the most important step is to have fun! Hope you have as much success as they did!