I remember it very clearly. My supervisor at the Kennedy Space Center (“KCS”) walked in and asked me, “We have been tasked to design and implement a new technology that N.A.S.A. wants to pursue called ‘The Internet’, are you interested in the project?”. I was a Network Administrator at the time working with two other guys, and our job was to research and implement new technologies for KSC. The year was 1994, and at the same time I was running a Bulletin Board System (“BBS”) out of my home. A BBS was usually a single computer located at a person’s house or business, connected to a phone line. The user of the BBS would use software to dial up the BBS, and a lot of times the number was busy, and you would have to dial back. Once connected, users could download images hosted on the BBS, message other users, and trade images. In most cases the BBS could only accommodate one person at a time. Well, coming back to the KCS, the first thing we researched and setup was a Web Server. We were all in complete awe of its potential. Unlike a single phone line BBS, the web server was located at a single I.P. address on the “Internet,” and anyone who had access to the Internet could access our web server (not just one person at a time), but as many connections as the hardware and software could support.
I took my new-found knowledge home with me and located a local Internet startup company that could provide me a static I.P. address at home, and the initial service they provided was via a 1,200 baud modem. My initial project had nothing to do with porn, that was the furthest thing from my mind. My goal was to setup a Gay and Lesbian Directory which would provide listings for anyone in the world that provided a service to the Gay and Lesbian community. With the Internet being new and nowhere near the volume of users that we see today, we were entertaining different suggestions in order to gain viewers to the site. An acquaintance of mine suggested that I consider having a section of the site which contained G Rated images and another section that contained adult images. At the time he was doing screen grabs of videos and a written review for an adult video distribution company. I never considered adding adult material and because I had a good job at the Space Center, I thought it might jeopardize my job. So, I passed on the idea at the time.
After a couple of months of paying $200 monthly for the Internet connection, I realized that I needed to find a way to pay for the connection if the site was going to grow. Due to lower than expected user levels the site could not easily attract advertisers, and I reluctantly considered the suggestion about adding the gay adult movie reviews and images to our site. I put up the very first set of images and review on a web page on our web server and linked it from our site. I got up the next morning, and when I looked at the web server activity, it indicated that thirty-five people were attached to the server. Up to that point I was lucky to see three people, so I thought maybe the web server software had a fault, and I restarted the software. I sat there and watched the user count go right back up to 35 and then go up to 37. I was elated as I looked at the log files. People from all over the world were finding the site and yes, going first for the adult content, and then oddly enough, they would go and look at the rest of the directory information. Within a week I was given 2 more reviews and images to go online, and my first introduction into system limitations began to occur.
The web server was maintaining 25-45 concurrent users at all times of the day, and as I put on more images, of course, people wanted to download them. I started getting complaints from people that it was taking way too long to download the images so I approached an Internet company in Alabama about hosting only the images on their faster web server that was also on an ISDN connection. I would keep all the text portion of the website on the local web server at home, and the images would be hosted on a remote system. Unfortunately, this did not work out that great as I received a call the next day from the owner of the Internet company that our traffic was killing the performance of his Internet connection and web server. I would have to find another way.
I approached my Internet provider, and they suggested that I consider getting my own domain name and consider locating my web server hardware in their Network Operations Center instead of at home. I went to the site Internic.net where I could register the domain name I wanted. My first option was not available, but my second option was my username in the BBS world, “Badpuppy”. I entered “badpuppy.com” into the registration field, and to my disbelief it was available. After securing the domain name, we moved the server to the Network Operation Center, and we started looking for additional ways to produce and acquire images for the site. My partner Steven (who, 23 years later, I am thrilled to say is now my lawfully wedded husband) and I started going with our friends to local clubs where we would recruit guys to let us take photos of them jerking off. These photos we added to the Badpuppy.com website along with the movie reviews and before long we had more traffic than we had ever anticipated. The photos of the Badpuppy models were also sold on a CD that we would burn and mail to people when they ordered online. Sales from the CD were at least paying for the content and the Internet service bill, but the website was definitely not geared toward making money itself.
In February of 1996, the Communications Decency Act (“CDA”) passed in the United States, and our attorneys suggested that we seriously consider how our website was configured. The new CDA made it a criminal offense to knowingly allow minors access to adult content. Up to this point, we had made everything freely available on the website and only charged for the CDs of images. We elected to take our adult content and put it behind a firewall where access would be granted to adults who had a valid credit card and wanted to join our community.
As connectivity to the Internet grew and connection speeds increased, images began losing their appeal to the masses. People wanted a more instant gratification and our users wanted to be able to not only chat with the models, but they wanted to actually watch them “live” on their computers. Streaming video had not yet been developed to a point where our models could hook up a webcam on their computer and just start broadcasting so that everyone could see them. Our solution to this was to have the camera on the model’s computer grab a still frame shot every few seconds, transit the file to the web server and publish it immediately via a web page. This proved to be quite a popular solution and during early 2000’s we established a great relationship with about 50 guys from around the world who established their own webcam sites and made them exclusively available to the Badpuppy community. Of course, since then, video over the Internet has become common place. Starting with the CuSeeMe reflectors from Cornell, proprietary video software from Video Secrets to the FaceTime we all enjoy today, we have seen a lot of changes in the video transmission arena. I’m excited to see what the next 20 years brings!
Another feature we enjoyed for a number of years was our “Contributors.” Early on we saw a need for the “little guy” to be able to publish their work. The big adult studios were finally starting to realize that they could greatly enhance their DVD sales by embracing the Internet and setting up their own websites. We found a niche with amateur producers from around the world where we worked together to bring their photography and video productions to the masses. In 2008 we had the privilege of acquiring one of our best Contributors, ClubAmateurUSA.com. Initially the producer for ClubAmateurUSA, Casey Black, intended to retire, but in 2011, we approached Casey to see if he had any interest in returning, and we’ve been working together ever since.
For the longest time, it was thought that there were two things that were recession proof, Starbucks and Porn. Well, the Great Recession of 2009 had negative impacts on the sales of both. Prior to 2009, Badpuppy had an incredible team of 17 people located out of our offices in Cocoa, Florida, but after, things were destined to change. Subscription sales plummeted and continued in a downward spiral for almost 4 years. We had to adapt, and I’ll admit that it was hard; but, it is obvious as I’m writing this today that we survived, and we are better for the learning experiences brought on by the last 4 years. We now have a much leaner staff of 6, operating virtually, in not only different states; but, also countries. We rid ourselves of having our own data center, and moved to hosting our servers with nationally recognized hosting companies.
There is still a major threat that we face on a daily basis which existed before the 2009 recession, but it was only made worse when money became tight for anyone affected by the recession. That threat is PIRACY. Badpuppy and our fellow adult production companies exist because a group of people like the products we offer. When our videos are uploaded to Torrent and Tube sites without proper consent, that cuts into the income for each company that is bringing you the adult material that you want. We would humbly ask that if you see our productions where they should not be, please let us know.
Over the last 2 years we have totally overhauled the websites for Badpuppy and ClubAmateurUSA. Both sites are now fully capable on Desktops, Tablets, and Smartphones. During the development period, we had period interruptions in service for our Roku offering, Badpuppy.tv, but we are pleased to announce that Badpuppy TV is now fully integrated into our new system and will return to the navigation for both sites in the coming days.
In the coming weeks, you will begin to see a broader base of Badpuppy models as we return to our line-up of producers from the past and some new ones for the future. As we launch new products and new productions go online, we always announce it on Facebook and Twitter. So if you happen to have access to both, please visit our page on Facebook and on Twitter, follow @Badpuppy and @ClubAmateurUSA.
If you have any suggestions, critiques, or constructive feedback, our doors are always open. So, feel free to contact us via email, Facebook, or Twitter.
I would like to thank each & every one of you who help to make Badpuppy and ClubAmateurUSA possible thru your membership. It is because of you that we are here, and that is why we value your input. Let us know if there is something that you want to see, and we will do our best to provide it for you.
In closing I want to say a very special THANK YOU to our team. They have worked tirelessly the last year specifically to get the websites updated with the newest technology. To our 2 long timers, Jeff Goodrich, who has managed Customer Support for 19 years, and Casey Black, who is the face behind ClubAmateurUSA, a very special public recognition for all that you have done. Both Jeff and Casey work daily to make sure that your experiences with Badpuppy and ClubAmateurUSA are positive, and they both go out of their way to make sure the customer is always happy.
I have tried to always make myself available to anyone, and if you want to reach me personally, you can contact me via email, on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
It’s been incredible serving you the last 20 years, and I look forward to what the next 20 will bring!
In closing, I need to let you know that we have had a technical problem that is preventing us from adding the new model shoots this week. We are actively working to get this resolved, and the three update will go online as quickly as possible.
As always, thank you for your continued loyalty to & support of Badpuppy & ClubAmateurUSA.
Sincerely,
William G. Pinyon
President & CEO
Badpuppy Enterprises, Inc.
May 28, 2015
