Tuesday, January 3, 2006

The Million Dollar Homepage - Own a piece of internet history!

I can't stand it. I can't stand that people come up with the most simple ideas and become millionaires. Yes, MILLIONAIRES.

This guy decided to sell some ad space on a web site. You buy a pixel for a dollar. It stays on his site for a minimum of 5 years. The only requirement is that you buy 100 pixels - a mere $100.00 investment.

How big is 100 pixels? Below is a screen shot of an ad 100 pixels (10 pixels tall by 10 pixels wide). I erased all the other ads around it so you can see it all alone. Look close, it's up in the left corner. I made a little red arrow pointing up to it.

His first sale was on August 29th, 2005 and to date, he has sold 999,000 pixels. Yeah - that's $999,000. What about the last 1,000? They are for sale on Ebay. Oh, and the current bid is $23,200.

From his FAQ:

Are you genuine/is this a joke?

I am completely genuine and although this site might be funny in various ways, it is not a joke! I really am selling pixels for $1 each, because I don't want a monstrous debt when I graduate. I am pixel hustler and proud!

Some people have even asked if I am actually 21 and going to University. Fair question I guess. The answer is of course yes, as this photo of me and my uni acceptance form should prove to any doubters:

Alex Tew with UCAS form

The Million Dollar Homepage - Own a piece of internet history!