> But only some of that was paid by ads.
Ah yes. They were paid by altruists who had the foresight to know that 30 years later they will be able to track everyone and collect their dues.
Ah yes. They were paid by altruists who had the foresight to know that 30 years later they will be able to track everyone and collect their dues.
Also, you're pretending that all of those sites were making a profit, or operated under the assumption of making a profit. There was a lot of money thrown at any and all internet companies by the end of 1990s. It's just that the market was much smaller.