The Traveling Salesman Problem Meets Starbucks

Call Me Black Cloud writes "John 'Winter' Smith, a contract computer programmer, is living the traveling salesman problem. His personal quest is to visit every company-owned Starbucks and he's not doing too badly. After 7 years he's hit over 4,000 locations in the United States and 167 in Britain and Japan. What motivates him? That's one for the professionals to answer, but since Starbucks opens an average of 10 stores per week it doesn't look like Winter will be stopping any time soon. His website offers insight into why he does this ('to be different') and has pictures of the 4000+ Starbucks he's visited."

Comments

Loser? ...

[auburnate]

mod this down if you must, but let me be the one to say what a friggin' complete waste of time. He says he wants to be unique ... freak guy ... hop on one leg, pull out your hair with left hand and slap yourself across the face with right hand and repeat the mantra "no one has done this before, i am unique" ad nausem ...

Oh wait ... a handful of /.ers are now doing this!!!

Not to be different -- to be famous

[GuyMannDude]

What a sad indictment of society that people have some desperate need to be different and decide that the best way to satisfy that urge is to do something completely pointless like purchase products at every store of a multinational conglomerate. How exactly is becoming a complete and utter corporate slave a demonstration of how unique you are? I'd be much more impressed if this guy was attempting to visit every NON-Starbucks coffee shop. But that wouldn't garner him headlines, would it?

Let's face it: this guy doesn't want to be different, he wants to be famous, in his own pathetic way. You want to be different? How about volunteering for your local chapter of the non-profit organization of your choice? Not too many people do that. If that's not different enough for you, how about starting your own non-profit organization? Even fewer people do that. Hell, as long as you have this need to show everyone how different you are, might as well make it something that can benefit someone other than Starbuck's shareholders. Of course, none of these causes would get him a mention on slashdot, or the evening news, or anything else.

Call me a party-poorer but when I see stories about people following such pathetic attempts at gaining recognition, it makes me want to retch.

GMD

Re:Not to be different -- to be famous

[argmanah]

Let's face it: this guy doesn't want to be different, he wants to be famous, in his own pathetic way. You want to be different? How about volunteering for your local chapter of the non-profit organization of your choice? Not too many people do that. If that's not different enough for you, how about starting your own non-profit organization? Even fewer people do that. Hell, as long as you have this need to show everyone how different you are, might as well make it something that can benefit someone other than Starbuck's shareholders. Of course, none of these causes would get him a mention on slashdot, or the evening news, or anything else.

Why is it that every time someone gets recognition for doing something that's not particularly useful, someone like you has to come along and insult his hobby and talk down to him about doing something more productive with his time.

Do you ever watch TV? Maybe you spend that time volunteering. Do you ever read Slashdot? Maybe you should spend that time volunteering. It's a ridiculous double standard you are setting when you and everyone else does pointless things to entertain themselves in their spare time, but when he chooses an activity that garners him some attention he is immediately admonished for not spending that time being productive instead.

Don't be a hater.

Re:Haha. Starbucks.

[Tenebrious1]

Here in Portland, we firebomb new Starbucks facilities. Fuck you and your corporate coffee. Quit Walmarting the good old coffee shops out of existence. They've just opened another one across the street from the tiny espresso shack I love to frequent in the mornings. If she ends up going under because of it, I think I might get in the mood for a little firebombing myself...

If that coffee shop goes under, it's not the fault of Starbucks, but the cheap customers. We have plenty of indy coffee shops in NYC that survive because there's enough people willing to put their money where their mouths are. If the shop goes under, then go rant to the PATRONS who decided the fate of the small shop; SB and WM only gives them the choice, they don't make it.

Re:Haha. Starbucks.

[strictnein]

You're right! Firebombing companies we disagree with is the wave of the future! Screw laws!

F'en idiots couldn't even firebomb the place right. THEY DIDN"T EVEN START THE PLACE ON FIRE. YOU BREAK THE WINDOWS FIRST, THEN THROUGH THE FIREBOMB IN.

I'm definitely not a Starbucks fan (I prefer Caribou (the #2 chain)), but maybe some people like to get coffee at a place where they're not treated like they're interupting the employees by wanting to order. Or, they can get service even though they happen to be in a good mood and aren't wearing a completely black outfit to show that they're deep, dark people. IT'S FUCKING COFFEE PEOPLE! COFFEE! THEY SELL COFFEE!!

Fuckin nitwit.

Best quote from your article:

"if neighbors don't want the Starbucks, they should stay away from the store"

Re:Four bucks a cup!

[bluekanoodle]

I don't think it takes a wealthy benefactor to drink a cup of starbucks coffee. After all, that's cheaper then a pack of cigarettes, and that has never stopped people (predominantly lower income) from smoking.

Re:Traveling Salesman Problem?

[winterene]

Hey, Winter here. The traveling salesman problem (as I remember if from my comp. sci courses) comes into play when I reach a city where I've numerous Starbucks to visit as quickly as possible before leaving. For example, today, Around Atlanta--Hiram, Austell, Suwanee, Kennsaw, and Conyers. Or anywhere in California.