Noah Hayes co-founded Axle Networks, the company behind GreedTube. He is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University and holds a Bachelors degree in Marketing and Communication Design. Visit their message board here.

What is GreedTube, how many people are working on it, and what is the story behind it?

Greedtube is a video sharing site that rewards its users with a 50/50 ad revenue split. The site is built around YouTube's embed tools and Google Adsense. Our goal is to empower video enthusiasts with the opportunity to make some quick cash from the videos they share. We don't require registration, so it's the perfect site for people looking to quickly share videos without any hassle. We're breaking new ground with GreedTube; our site takes the "Video Portal" model one step further by actually paying people and giving them a real world incentive.

The site is being developed by Axle Networks, a web 2.0 development/consulting firm. We currently employ 3 programmers, including myself. Axle Networks is all about user generated content. We've been building sites for about a year now, most notably, VGpro.com (launched 1 year ago is now one of the web's largest gaming file sites).

Axle Networks is dedicated to leveling the playing field for regular people. It's easy for programmers or web designers to build a site and make money, they have the skills and knowledge. On average, the people who submit YouTube videos, either don't know how to make a web site or simply aren't interested in learning. There are big opportunities for incentive based sites that make it easy for regular people to create content and get paid at the same time; we think GreedTube is just the start.

The way you've copied YouTube's logo and design has attracted a lot of attention. Is this a marketing tactic? If so, do you have plans to rebrand your service if you start facing legal troubles?

Lots of people have asked us if the similarities are driving traffic, or if this is an overall marketing tactic. The fact is, we're big fans of YouTube and our imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. GreedTube promotes the YouTube service; it's our goal to be completely supportive of their site. If we're asked to change the logo or even the name, that won't be a problem. We're confident that the idea of sharing videos and revenue incentives won't die with GreedTube. Overall, we think GreedTube fits well within the YouTube model. Once those guys (YouTube) start inserting advertisements into their video rotation, GreedTube will simply become another channel of distribution for their content. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

What did you choose to develop GreedTube in and why?

The site was developed in PHP, running MYSQL on Apache. We've kept the use of AJAX to a minimum to ensure the site is properly optimized for search engine spiders. I'm a big fan of open source software. It's been a terrific enabler for Axle Networks, allowing us to develop applications quickly and inexpensively. The great thing about PHP is it allows for extremely rapid development. GreedTube was designed and developed in less than a day; overall, I'm pretty proud of what we've accomplished with the site.