CES.WS, or CrackedEggStudios.WS, was an affiliate recruitment portal for visitors to join the CESNetwork and one method for members of the Cracked Egg Studios web site to earn Network Partnership status, which provided certain benefits on the studio's web site. It launched on February 12, 2006, and closed on or about February 11, 2009.
History
In July 2005, John Phillips contacted Ted Phillips about a business opportunity he had discovered online through a company called Global Domains International. While that company heavily focused on the multi-level marketing commissions scheme it offered, the commissions were an exchange for referrals on sales of web site domain names and basic hosting. Since Cracked Egg Studios did not yet have its own domain name, Ted agreed it might be a worthwhile investment for the company, and the studio created its account on July 11, 2005, acquiring crackedeggstudios.ws.
However, John Phillips urged the studio not to use the domain name for its main web site content, but rather to further promote the commissions scheme. The studio opted to lean into the web presence building aspect of the scheme.
That summer, Ted Phillips also worked for the Egidio Semintilli New York City Council political campaign, and a number of coworkers at the campaign were impassioned by the idea, even going to the extent of proposing a deal between their international contacts and Cracked Egg Studios, where Cracked Egg Studios would build .ws web sites in developing countries while everyone earned the commissions. However, this deal was never finalized, as Ted Phillips left his work at Semintilli's office to attend New York University only a few weeks later and lost touch with those contacts.
On February 12, 2006, CES.WS became a companion service to CESHosting, calling the web sites that it had referred part of a CESNetwork, with their owners being Network Partners. Network Partners through CES.WS could redeem hosting packages at a reduced price.
After Q1 2006, Cracked Egg Studios deprioritized promoting CES.WS in favor of other web site and project development. During summer 2006, the web site removed its Affiliates link to the portal, kneecapping the service's exposure. By late 2008, CES.WS was no longer profitable, and Cracked Egg Studios allowed the domain to expire around February 11, 2009, resulting in the closure of CES.WS.
However, John Phillips urged the studio not to use the domain name for its main web site content, but rather to further promote the commissions scheme. The studio opted to lean into the web presence building aspect of the scheme.
That summer, Ted Phillips also worked for the Egidio Semintilli New York City Council political campaign, and a number of coworkers at the campaign were impassioned by the idea, even going to the extent of proposing a deal between their international contacts and Cracked Egg Studios, where Cracked Egg Studios would build .ws web sites in developing countries while everyone earned the commissions. However, this deal was never finalized, as Ted Phillips left his work at Semintilli's office to attend New York University only a few weeks later and lost touch with those contacts.
On February 12, 2006, CES.WS became a companion service to CESHosting, calling the web sites that it had referred part of a CESNetwork, with their owners being Network Partners. Network Partners through CES.WS could redeem hosting packages at a reduced price.
After Q1 2006, Cracked Egg Studios deprioritized promoting CES.WS in favor of other web site and project development. During summer 2006, the web site removed its Affiliates link to the portal, kneecapping the service's exposure. By late 2008, CES.WS was no longer profitable, and Cracked Egg Studios allowed the domain to expire around February 11, 2009, resulting in the closure of CES.WS.