"If you start a systematical approach, writing down, for example the top 1K alexa sites, and their respective business model" Okay - now wait a minute. You wan

"If you start a systematical approach, writing down, for example the top 1K alexa sites, and their respective business model" Okay - now wait a minute. You want to review 1,000 websites. Fine. You're going to do so by figuring "out by a combination of public announcements + general available info on the net + business logic" their business models? No chance. You might do 10 or 20 but you aren't doing 1,000. But let's play a game - let's pretend that you do this project and you make it through all 1,000. How long does it take? 40 hours per week, perhaps it takes only three years - I think that's probably a fair estimate. One person working full-time on such a project could likely accomplish that in 3-5 years. One person trying to herd cats into helping them might be able to accomplish such a task in only 18-24 months if they work full-time. But what of the opportunity cost? What else could you have done - for the world, for yourself - during that time? This project is of mild interest to a slim percentage of people in the world. Notice that you posted it on HN and it got three votes - 1 for free and 1 from me b/c I wanted to see opinions. I don't think it has merit but it is interesting to talk about and, if I had to guess, that's sort of everyone else here's opinion. We'd rather work on our own business models than pore over others'. I'm not trying to come down on you - not at all. But I don't see how it can make you any money long-term. And if it can't make you money long-term, then it's a time-suck; it's taking time away from something that could be making you money. Now if you just enjoy doing it, great - I understand completely. But don't fool yourself into thinking you're going to have the time to create this great database of up-to-date business models. The internet has plenty of abandoned projects; it doesn't need another. The best way to learn is to do. Go create your own company with your own business model. It will be wrong. You'll learn or you won't. Reviewing the top 1k alexa sites will not help you learn how to create a business model for your own company.