Hello there, even though this is popped up on your podcast app, I just want to be clear

from the start that this is not an actual arse cast episode.

I just wanted to put something together to explain a development here at Ars blog and

something that is taking the side in a new direction.

Today, we are launching on Patreon, which is a service which allows people to subscribe

to a website or to contribute to pledge to a website or a creative person, an artist,

a singer, whoever it might be.

And it's something we've been considering here for quite a while at Ars blog.

Now, I just wanted to outline the reasons why we're doing this and why we're using Patreon

and all that kind of stuff.

So today is the 27th of February 2018.

On Ars blog began on this day, 16 years ago, can you believe that 16 years ago on the

27th of February 2002 and it began just as basically a hobby.

It was actually a way for me to practice web design.

I really never had any idea that it was going to grow into what it's grown into.

And 16 years later, here we are.

And it's still going and it's bigger and we do a lot more stuff.

And it's great.

Fantastic.

And it has become a very big part of what I do and my working life.

It was never intentional.

It has just organically grown, if you like, into this thing.

...