This post is already degenerating as most do. I seldom post on forums for this reason.
I didn't know what to make of PoBs when I started out alone and off-peak hours - many just seemed like empty husks selling nothing as I guess I was missing all the ones filled with ores, or the timing of these fills.
Over time, I'd explored the forums, talked to more players, and found out more about them and creating them - a chance for a piece of Discovery that I could mold and sculpt into my RP that players could visit and interact with - and with F9 I could relay messages ingame with our purpose (do players even read those anymore?).
I built and bought my way up 12 or 13 bases that I had an admin access too - Lots and Lots of RP involved with lots and lots of different groups and players that I try to keep involved with even still. It was and still is a lot of fun to play your role as base admin whether dealing with locals or advertising the greatest promotions the sector has ever seen!
As there is now another post here asking about the opposite, I'll keep my comments here positve! The down-side I'll post over there.
1) You own a piece of Discovery you can reference in RP and In Game.
2) Storage for your stuff, without the need for others in Conn for xfers.
3) Ore sale storage
4) Equipment creation
5) A focal point of game efforts for your group / faction
