LJ to restructure backend, redesign interface, eliminate advertising?

[charmian]

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ru&tl=en&twu=1&u=http://lenta.ru/news/2011/11/19/zhzh/&usg=ALkJrhhxg9B2Rg2k0WsNodEgzwrk3iiL9A <--Translation of a news article claiming LJ will not be using ads (however, users will be allowed to put their own ads on their journals).

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Flenta.ru%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11%2F19%2Fzhzh1%2F <--LJ will create a revamped system for ranking bloggers, update the site design (wow), described as being unchanged from 1999, and the backend will be rewritten, allowing uses to have more friends. Now, since this is all via google translate, I'm not sure how accurate this is (anyone who reads Russian want to confirm this?)

Servers may also be moved from the US to Europe (I've seen other sources saying some, but not all will be moved).

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Faspix.livejournal.com%2F133821.html <--Better picture of new interface, and mention that there will be more extensive use of Ajax.


Huh, if the servers are moved to Europe, what consequences will this have for US users?

Where are they getting all the money to pay for this? (Reduce/eliminate ads, new design, redoing backend)

Is there going to be much disruption to service if they're going to redo the backend?

What consequences will more Ajax use have?

I wonder what people will think of the redesign of the site pages.

Comments

[jd]

Well, yes and no. I mean, if they're physically outside the country, the government can't just go to that country and seize them. It's at least another layer of difficulty, is how I see it.