Slashdot Mirror
Inside the Free iPod Offer
jonathanhowell writes "David Lazarus, The SF Chronicle's tech guy, has an article in today's paper with an interesting investigation into the work you have to do to get a "free" (as in beer) iPod. I'm trying not to call it a scam, because it appears completely legal, if ethically challenged." From the article: "What it doesn't say is that the offer terms will expose you to reams of spam and marketing solicitations, that the user survey is actually a lengthy marketing ploy, and that the sponsor offers needed to qualify for that free music player will almost certainly cost you money."
Duh, anybody thinking anything is "free" today doesn't value their time, other people's time, or their sanity.
people offering free expensive things are usually lying!
Join my Folding@HOME Google Toolbar team
Plain and simple. Same with all the other Free deals.
Whether you consider the Pyramid Scheme a scam, is up to you.
Are you sure about that, chief? Because I think it might be free (as in speech).
Why do so many Slashdotters insist on adding the "as in beer" or "as in speech" qualifier when it's patently obvious which type of "free" is being discussed? Oh yeah, because a lot of those people think they're really clever. In the words of Tyler Durden, how's that workin' out for 'ya?
Personally, I'm a big fan of free (as in beer) speech.
I don't know if the iPod's competition would be qualified as equally good. Most have a couple of good features but none come close to the experience that has been called iPod.
I know seeing my sigfile makes this post look like irony, but it's on topic, and I'm posting cause I think this program is exactly as descibed in the article. Having said that, anyone who thinks their personal information *isn't* being passed around for $ right now by different 'marketing' companies is naive. Yes, if you sign up you get spam, but guess what? If you don't signup you get spam! Yes, it's a fact of life now, and is why we're all hopping from free email to free email; after time they become unuseable. Time will tell if Gmail will suffer the same fate, but spam prompted me to learn how to build a LAMP and have my own mailserver with spamassasin at home.
End of my story is; I have many friends who have gotten their free ipod. I don't look down upon them, they made an informed choice, something I'm making sure all ppl that sign up through me do. If you don't like it, fine, but again, I see no harm, as all of this crap is going on in the background anyway.
Sincerely
bo
bad_outlook
--
Is this vague enough for you?
He's one author who's social views really offend me. Which is a shame because some of his writing is pretty good. Anyway - wayyyy off topic, but I don't mind saying it logged in because I'm happy that I've found other people who feel the same. Even if I don't know who you are.
Now, come get me mods!
I must say, well done. Sometimes putting up with these little sociological hiccups can be rewarding. Sure, you're right, for every story like yours there are dozens more people who get screwed, but that's a risk you take when you sign up for these silly schemes. Nevertheless, you beat the odds. Congratulations!
You're right, I wouldn't steal a car. But if it were possible, I sure as hell would download one!
7. You helped perpetuate the spamming, pyramid scheme insanity.
I mean, even the "freecreditreports.com" is a scam that is not free. Duh, why would they pay for an ad on TV for free stuff?
FWIW, I foe everyone that has free crap in their sigs on slashdot. This is simply something that is driven by greed, for what? A toy that any working person could buy. They are only what, $400. For the six months and bothering some unknown pyramid amount of people you could have simply saved $67 a month and just bought the thing. Poor people suck. Go ask Kenny.
There is some degree of merit for working to obtain what one wants in life. Then there is apparently some kind of merit for those that feel the need to exert annoyance on people and exploit people to get what they want in life.
There is no such thing as a free lunch. There is no such thing as a free iPod. For the $400 they paid you, think about how many of your beloved greedy referrers and their referrers and their referrers were somehow affected by this scheme. Lets be conservative and say it was 128 people total from you that participated, and odds are none of them got iPods. Thats as whopping $3 to "market" to each of them (with results!). Its cheaper, and I imagine more effective than any other form of "marketing".
The good side, is that it will not last. People will be over the scam in 6 months to a year.
Where you deceive that person. Any other questions?
Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
Tomayto, tomahto, I guess.
In my opinion it's not a scam because they make it completely obvious that it is a pyramid scheme. Pyramid schemes are not automatically scams, it's just when they lure you in and you don't realize it's a pyramid scheme until you're already signed up.