Slashdot Mirror
Google Chrome Extensions Are Now Available
kai_hiwatari writes "The Google Chrome Extensions site is now open for Windows and Linux users — but not yet for Mac — and contains around 300 extensions. AdBlock is not yet available, however. (The closest thing to it is Adsweep, but right now it seems to be broken. Who wants to take this on?) Does the availability of extensions put Chrome at risk of becoming bloated, like many complain about with Firefox?"
Really? It's hard enough to force people in my town not to steal or murder, some do it every day. But that doesn't mean that the police give up.
Okay, perhaps the business model can tolerate a small amount of free riding, but the long term consequence of your point of view seems to be that all ad supported content will either disappear entirely or run to hide behind a paywall.
Is that what you want? If so, go write an ad blocker. I just want to point out that it's a very political act that has consequences for more than just the author. It will erode a very useful business model that's spread knowledge widely with few barriers.
It's not our job to fix or sustain your business model.
Ah, but if you like the service or want it to continue, you better not undermine the business model. If you're seeing enough ads for them to drive you nuts-- something I can understand given some of the obtrusive ones-- then maybe you're depending upon the content. If the ads don't support the content, it will disappear.
And so you've got to decide how much you like free content. If you do, then you better find a way to help or at least not hurt the business model.
If you can't stand all of those ideas, then focus on providing your information in a way that is better: more convenient, more personalized, faster. Then sell those characteristics that make it better. (Hint: Textbooks and articles aren't better anymore.)
Here's the problem. This isn't just about me and my way of making an income. I stopped relying on textbooks a long time ago. I diversified and I've done all of those things. But as a consumer I like a world where I can buy a textbook written by someone else who is interested in creating a good textbook, not pushing t-shirts. I like a textbook over a speaking gig because I can choose when I read, how much I read, and whether I re-read it. A textbook is a neat, time-shifting device. So I like paying directly for it. I don't want to pay $50k to go to a college to take a course. I don't want to buy t-shirts. I don't want to spend extra for laminated reference sheets. A textbook is already more convenient and more personalized than all of those things. It's pure information created by someone who wants to please an audience.
I like a world where I can come together with other folks to share the cost of creating art or knowledge. It's not about asking damn kids to get off my lawn. It's asking you to quit destroying a marketplace that's perfectly adequate for many people. If you want free information, go create your information for free. If you want you to lock out non-sharing individuals, bind it up with a super GPL. But let those of us who like to support artists, support them.