*sigh* if it's not the internet that's taking all my time and money, it's the bird or a 30 year old VW bus...

I wouldn't say the internet is a total scam. After all, it does have its useful applications. I think you're talking about people wanting to make money without a business plan, which is something people on the internet used to be able to do. For the past 10 years, we've had the luxury to use the web as a get-rich-quick tool for various forms of media. Either people were creating or organizing information and using their skills to sell. As the internet has grown over the last decade the curve is starting to level, letting anyone without computer skills to create journals and radio shows to share their work.

My rule of thumb is that if you plan on doing a project without a business plan, make sure its only a hobby and you really enjoy the subject matter. If you plan on making your website into a business, then you'll need a business plan, some developers (interactivity and maintaining account information is important!), and probably some capital to start. Know the difference between the two types of site.

The internet has a lot of potiental to make cash, but you have to find something conductive to the audience that uses the internet. Look at sites such as MySpace and Google. They provide services that people want and use. The term coined as Web 2.0 (check out the list) is a term for useful web applications that have become so popular. If you can come up with a service that can lure in a big enough audience and find out a way to use those numbers to create a business model, you'll have your cash.

I hope I debunked your mystery. Good luck!

"Zero Dollars, A Little Talent, and Thirty Days...

This was a very interesting PDF, a chronicle of a woman who sought to raise awareness of a breast milk bank with shirts she designed for cafepress.com. Slogans such as "That's my baby's lunch you're staring at...", "nip/suck", "These Breasts Save Lives", "Eat at Mom's", etc. were available for print on the site's many products. The prospect of her success was quite titillating (sorry)
She did reap a profit, but only after pouring a LOT of time into acting as her own Search Engine Optimizer.
I do have my own plan for promoting a book I've written, which will likely be available on cafepress, as well as mdse depicting various characters from the book. I plan to use her methods to direct my own promotional efforts. After all, this was, in part, the intent of her book...it is both a kind of documentary, as well as an instruction manual. Check it out. Her name is Jennifer Laycock...maybe you're familiar.