My adventure with the net started in 1994. I was the owner of PC XT. As XT 640kB RAM was already a relic, fax machine/modem was quite a modern device, besides it was the most expensive in the computer set. It cost as much as 60 dollars. My Japanese friend encouraged me to buy it. Unfortunately, its biggest advantage was faxing, while faxing it reached the speed of 9400 bps, but when it came to computer data transmission it was only 2 400 bps. (modern modems reaches 56 000 bps).

Real beginning

My passive fascination by the Internet started from the scandal in 1997 evoked by the "inappropriate relations between Bill and Monica", when the server of USA Congress was visited by four million Internet users within one day. I created first web pages in the middle of 1998. I started from a virtual business card, which I made for a befriended foundation. Satisfaction was the prize. Information, textbooks, programmes e.g. to send files, everything I downloaded myself or I got for free from the Internet. I really liked the fact that people made so many things available selflessly. Today, I try to give a lot for free, because in the past I was given a lot. I don't want to be mawkish, but I think it is the best side of the Global Network. Do remember this!

Every next page which I did was better. For my second web site which was promoting a book, as payment I received a picture, maybe it was kitschy, but it was important that I got it. I remember, that first photographs placed on the web I scanned with......... a telefax. It was my first adventure with the so called e-business.

Travels in the net

I like to travel and with pleasure I created tourist pages about Malta, then about Crimea. And where Crimea is, there has to be Rome, too. There were trip reports, guidebooks, practical information and a dozen or so photographs of high definition. Those web pages are still very popular, they met the demand. Not too long ago, there were no such web pages which would treat the tourist seriously and honestly. Do remember that the best solution is to start from a niche subject matter. Malta and Crimea were not as popular as they are now and even a modest web page could gain big popularity.

Internet users started to write to me, add their own comments and pictures, almost a discussion forum was created. As some of those who visited the page demanded more precise information, I agreed with the publishers, who had suitable guidebooks and in effect a form was placed on the site allowing to order the book. There were more and more people who ordered books, so publishers decided to sign a fee-for-task agreement and to pay me a commission on each item sold. My modest work (rather a hobby) of creating a web page, started to bring in a profit.

Real money

Then, it was time for other books and equipment like: photographic equipment, scanners, digital supports, batteries and chargers. I started also to be a mediator when it came to selling services, e.g. web hosting and English lessons on Malta and the like ' contrary to popular opinion that only pornography can bring profits on the Internet.

For some time I thought that those who create the Internet earn the most: starting from CISCO, through telecommunications companies and end with Internet providers. It's true, at the beginning only they reaped the profit. Nowadays, with the moderate budget and high quality of the product (service), and most of all with a good strategy, you can earn decent money.

Money is everywhere

I recently heard a view that it's difficult to earn on the Internet. I don't share this opinion as sometimes I have the impression that money is everywhere, especially on the net. It's true that there are certain sectors or economy branches which could be difficult to adjust in the net (but I am not able to give any example). For someone who is not a fisherman, fishing is very difficult. But miracles happen so sometimes it is worth casting a net.

How to start.

Bigger companies often exist on the net, but only as a card with an address, telephone number, fax number, photo of the seat of company or photo of a chairman. At the bottom there is an e-mail address written in small font, and only to a webmaster who passes on each question to the management.

This form of virtual existence may be quite useful, but no more than information found in a phone book. The Internet is an interactivity, an automation, cheap and fast mean of communication with the whole world. Serious enterprise cannot squander possibilities like these.

What is important, is an appropriate design, design of the page, which correspond with its activity, but don't exaggerate! Very often I see beautiful, overdone design, pages without any value. Unfortunately, a lot of webmasters are interested only in design of a page, and they don't care of the real aim and strategy of existence in a virtual world.

Thanks to the web, traditional companies can increase the sale for even about several dozen per cent, others can even exist only virtually and still earn money. I have sold a lot of books that I haven't even held in my hands. There was no need of having a bookshop, shelves or sellers. There is no need to invest in something that raises the cost. Client mentality is the only problem. But even a client, if he counts how much money and time she/he can save, can change his/her mind for sure. I knew a couple of companies very resistant to the Internet, especially the Internet which meant something more than a card, something which is called full interactivity. Some of those who became convinced to the new approach, exist thanks to the new Internet strategy till this day.

Earn money sitting at home

Small entrepreneurs, pupils, students or a part-time employee earning extra money to their family budgets, should start from creating their pages and from experiments on free servers. Those, who think seriously about earning on the web should rather focus on a good sever without advertising, so the server should be payable.

What should the subject be?

The subject should give you pleasure, should be connected with your hobby or knowledge that you have. Money is not everything and you should remember this. From my youth I was told that work is only an obligation and earning money is a necessity and we should not expect any pleasure from it. But it is not true, it does not have to be like that. The best way is to start by cooperating with an older brother as a part of partnership programme or affiliating programme.

It is also worth setting up a monitoring program to see who visited you, why and from where he/she has clicked, where he went to ask about an opinion, etc.

Money is out there on the Internet - all you have to do is cast a net.