Focus. Just because something has little to no maintenance doesn't mean you don't think about it. When it doesn't match your existing portfolio of products it makes it harder to incorporate into your overall plans.
If they aren't focused on it, it is a distraction and can potentially tarnish the brand. Plus, they aren't going to sell for nothing, so they get immediate capital they can invest in areas where they expect a higher rate of return.
I'm assuming in their favor that they really believe $480k would be fair deal - which means they've simply lost touch with reality and can no longer discern how much of their revenue stems from the brand and how much from actual product value.
The rational move would be to hire an admin for $100k (remember we're in alternate reality), tell him to keep the site up, go about his life and not call. And collect the remaining $100k until the product fizzles out.
Btw, I'd volunteer to take that admin-role when your sale fails. $100k may not mean much to 37signals anymore. For me it would be a lot of money. I promise to not call you ever, you can just forget that site after you handed it over. I will guarantee 100% uptime (yes 100%, via anycast, at my expense, included with the 100k).
> The rational move would be to hire an admin for $100k (remember we're in alternate reality), tell him to keep the site up, go about his life and not call. And collect the remaining $100k until the product fizzles out.
That's what any prospective buyer could do, and they haven't exactly been coming out of the wood work. Heck, if it's so easy, you could do it.
Yup, that's more about the brand issue. You have to shut it down eventually, and they've been awfully patient (likely because of the incoming capital).
