What makes him different is his newfound profession. He is Dean, Adult Webmaster School (AWS) the world’s first and only online such educational institute. For a tuition fee of $140, Brandes, along with his partners, trains aspiring online pornographers. Excerpts from an interview:

How and why did you start this business?:
A few years ago, a friend of mine wrote a manual outlining aspects of the Adult business and how one could earn money off it. I found it, one day, and suggested creating an online school based on it. We did it, updated the manual, and set up course guides and video tutorials.

Could you give us more details about the course, especially the money back offer?:
We provide course guides, getting-started guides, and video tutorials. There are also chat rooms, message boards, and a resource centre. If you ever get stuck, you are free to e-mail us questions, which we answer promptly. As for our money back guarantee, it requires that you follow our course and perform the required Web building. If you do not generate at least $140 (the cost of tuition) after completing the course, we will refund your money.

What was the initial reaction? :
It's been maddening. We were flooded by phone calls and e-mails, mostly from prospective students and other reporters. There are just five of us here, so we have been going crazy trying to get back to everyone.

How much time and effort do you put in the schoolwork?:
All of us teachers here maintain Adult sites of our own to complement revenue generated by the school -- this takes no more than 45 minutes per day.

Did you face any sort of legal trouble before or after the launch, owing to the delicacy of the subject?:
None whatsoever. I have launched many companies before and, thus, our legal bases have been covered.

Do you receive a lot of hate mail?:
None. People are fascinated by the concept -- I see no reason why they would hate us!

Doesn’t the slogan ‘Get paid to look at porn,’ send the wrong message? Also, what is your target audience?:
Yes, we like to keep a more conservative approach. That phrase may be a bit risqué, but it is the truth. We wanted to appeal to the stereotypical ‘guy,’ you know, the kind that watches sports, reads Playboy, chugs beer and belches. We thought getting paid to look at naked beautiful women would appeal to them. We are learning, quickly, that this isn't exactly our demographic. Our target market is more conservative.

What is the demographic profile of your students?:
I really do not know precisely. Once we get enough students, I imagine we will have them fill out a survey to figure out exactly what sort of people they are. However, due to the nature of the business, we do not pry into their lives. Everyone’s contact information is kept strictly confidential -- in fact, the only records we maintain here are their names and e-mail addresses.

Where do most of your students hail from? Are there any from India?:
Mostly from the US, although we are seeing an increasing number from Great Britain, Australia, and Italy, too. I don't believe we have enrolled anyone from India yet.

Pornography on the Internet has been an issue of concern worldwide, especially in Third World countries. What kind of a future do you foresee for this industry?:
The online pornography business is becoming more and more mainstream. It is quickly transforming from a subject no one talks about to a legitimate method of generating revenue. A lot of companies will soon realise that, hey, these porn sites get millions of people just like you and me.... this is a very cost effective way to advertise.

Do you surf for porn as your job profile demands it? :
We run a few sites of our own and are always keeping a pulse on the industry. I am very happy that the majority of Adult Webmasters out there abide by strict moral codes when it comes to distasteful (and illegal) pornography such as child porn, rape, and other pictures depicting violence towards women. If any of us find this while we surfing, we contact the authorities immediately. We are all very professional, and there is no reason for that sort of content to be posted. If we catch any of our students promoting that sort of material, we immediately expel them and contact the authorities.

What is your opinion on the quality of porn online?:
I think it is getting better. As broadband becomes more easily available, you’ll see more interactive material such as chatting and movies. Right now, the majority connects through dial-up modems; as this changes, the quality of the material will get better.

More and more laid-off dotcom-ers are trying to make a career in the online porn industry? Do you think this is a good career move? :
A lot of them have prior Web building and/or computer experience. Since half the course deals with teaching people how to build pages, they already know how to do this or pick it up very quickly. It’s a great business too. You work your own hours and aren't subjected to the stereotypical corporate environment comprising cubicles, upper management, etc.

Is pornography a sure sign of earning millions? :
On one side we have people who have raked millions. On the other, we have people who have eaten humble pie, owing to the huge competition. I say this business has the best ratio of time to money. You can work very little and earn a great living. I work about an hour a day running these sites on the side, and my yearly income rivals that of doctors and lawyers. Obviously, this won't work out for everyone. However, if you simply follow our course, there is no reason why you couldn't earn an extra hundred or thousand dollars a week.

How would you describe your school in a single sentence?:
A virtual learning institution, which teaches people how to profit from the lucrative online Adult Industry.



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