Yeah, I'd be perfectly happy if I just knew who was gonna give me what trouble when I needed x service.
One time, I had a laptop that was actually still on fire when I called HP. Amazingly, they didn't make me go through any of the diagnostic steps at all, they just took my word for it that it was hosed.:)
I guess that what I'm vaguely getting at is that my experience has been six of one, a half dozen of the other with these and most large hardware manufacturing companies.
WTF?!? I'm not jangling your chain about your Dell comment, I've been doing this shit for years and Dell's TS gets worse with each turn around the sun.
That saod, WTF do you mean IBM doesn't dick around?!? They INVENTED dicking around! Also, many of the TS people that Dell sends out to you are contracted to Dell, but actually work for IBM....
the Billy Joel song "Pressure" is different. This is a Queen song called "Under Pressure", written by David Bowie (who also recorded the song, singing lead vocals with the dudes from Queen).
As I have not been living under a rock, I realize that there are fan clubs (that's why I use the word "clubs" many times), but I thank you for your mindless knee-jerk sarcasm.
What I am trying to do is promote discussion on other ways the music industry could make money. My point was that here is a way for the record companies to make money off their artists, probably about the same amount of money (assuming maybe $15 per year for membership) that you would spend on a CD each year, while encouraging you to buy other things as well.
Why is that any more of a rip-off than buying the CD outright?
What I am suggesting is sort of like www.artistdirect.com only with more features, which would help justify the fee.
The Recording industry is just being a little slow here, a little stupid. They'll see eventually that they must learn to make their money in ways other than selling records, for example: corporate sponsership of concerts, selling advertising on label-owned artist web sites, stuff like that.
I have this idea: Many, if not most artists, I think I can assume, don't produce more than one albumn or so per year. Maybe the artist's record label could set up a "club" for each artist under their wing. Maybe the club costs you, the consumer, $15-$20 per year to join.
You would enjoy benefits such as:
-one free copy of any albumns produced, and discounts on additional copies (hey, you could steal it anyway, but this way the record company can make people feel like they are getting something cool, and you already paid your 15 bucks).
-the ability to get the albumn before it hits the stores (which really doesn't cost them anything extra, but again, people would feel like they were special)
-access to a hoopty-doo "members only" web site, with exclusive content, maybe interviews, interactive chats, special downloads of music and pics, that sort of crap
-discounts on, or at the very least, advance sales of, concert tickets (which would encourage club members to buy tickets, making everybody involved MORE money)
-exclusive merchandise (which again, encourages club members who may not have bought that shirt to do so if they feel like they are getting something special)
Many other industries have had to change their methods of making profits in our new economy, and the recording industry can do the same, they just need to get their heads out or their collective butts, stop whining, realize that suing people ain't a good way to make a living, and get on with the business of business, which is making lots of money by making consumers think they need some more crap.
The Grateful Dead made lots of their money not thru record sales, but thru merchandising and concerts, why can't that work for others too?
Dave Cooley
"Computers have allowed us to make more mistakes faster than any invention in the history of mankind, with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila."
It's relative, my friend. My Celeron 333 is in no way worth one month's wage @ minimum wage, but it plays Quake 3 just fine, and it's WAY nicer than the 286 Tandy that I bought in 1989 for about $2500.00 That machine didn't have a hard drive, and I payed extra for a nice model that did 16 colors and had a better-than-usual soundboard. In my humble opinion, the computer you could buy today for that $600 of pay is fully capable of running modern software (I run Win2000, WinME and Mandrake on my c333) and will perform average user tasks speedily and without too much pain.
Here is a price quoted from http://www.pricewatch.com:
$399 + $45 + 116 + 40 = $600 , and that was including next day air freight charges within U.S.
That, to me, is an okay machine for the AVERAGE user, speedy and with plenty of RAM (assuming the average user is running Win98 and some crappy office suite and AOL, or even broadband). Of course, by forgoing Win98, buying it clean and putting Linux on it, you would spend even less than than $600.
then to me is seems the argument could be made that copyrights are a lot like software licenses. If I own 10 licenses for Mac OS 9, I don't have to use all ten CD's to install it. I can use one CD, since there is no license number, to install ten copies. Therefore, [begin logic-stretching sequence now] I believe that when I bought Graceland on Cassette in like 1987, that gave me the license to listen to the data contained within as I wish, including grabbing CD quality versions from Napster. If this is not the case, then perhaps we are not paying for a user license at all, rather we are paying for the media it's printed on. In that case, then since there is no stolen media involved when I use napster, it's all cool.
Maybe I just used up all my logic resources this week already, too. (Score: -2, burned-out)
I disagree; Students usually have to pay some sort of "technology fee" or something like it with each semester's tuition. Even at schools where there is no fee, the tuition itself can be considered payment. At state-run schools, the taxpayers have payed for the bandwidth.
You know, I wonder if, in a generation or so, one will notice a correlation between the privacy policies of a University, and the demographics of the student body... Perhaps that exists now, but I assume it is a very small, small number. Food for thought...
Cooley
Slashdot Mirror
What is this "Microsoft" that you speak of?
That's because
It's made of people!!!!
Soylent Green is made of PEEEEOOOOPPPPLLLLEE!!!
Yeah, I'd be perfectly happy if I just knew who was gonna give me what trouble when I needed x service.
:)
One time, I had a laptop that was actually still on fire when I called HP. Amazingly, they didn't make me go through any of the diagnostic steps at all, they just took my word for it that it was hosed.
I guess that what I'm vaguely getting at is that my experience has been six of one, a half dozen of the other with these and most large hardware manufacturing companies.
Duh, have you ever been to the US? What do you think we smoke, dude?
WTF All the big PC makers did that... in 1997. Dells have not been "closed case" for a long time.
You mean like when Henry Ford said "You can get the Model T in any color you want, as long as you want black".
LOL I don't want to blow shit about your girlfriend or anything, but I LMAO seeing such a sensitive post coming from a username like "smacktits".
I'm bored right now, you insensitive clod.
WTF?!? I'm not jangling your chain about your Dell comment, I've been doing this shit for years and Dell's TS gets worse with each turn around the sun.
That saod, WTF do you mean IBM doesn't dick around?!? They INVENTED dicking around! Also, many of the TS people that Dell sends out to you are contracted to Dell, but actually work for IBM....
Once again, the state of Indiana is a full year ahead of the rest of the country.
http://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/
Works great for us. Best of luck to you late adopters out there.
That was as Star Trek TOS episode anyway.
the Billy Joel song "Pressure" is different. This is a Queen song called "Under Pressure", written by David Bowie (who also recorded the song, singing lead vocals with the dudes from Queen).
you get $3 back? You must be combining your federal and state refund....
Dude,
That's pretty sweet, thanks for letting me know. I even dig that band.
Cooley
As I have not been living under a rock, I realize that there are fan clubs (that's why I use the word "clubs" many times), but I thank you for your mindless knee-jerk sarcasm.
What I am trying to do is promote discussion on other ways the music industry could make money. My point was that here is a way for the record companies to make money off their artists, probably about the same amount of money (assuming maybe $15 per year for membership) that you would spend on a CD each year, while encouraging you to buy other things as well.
Why is that any more of a rip-off than buying the CD outright?
What I am suggesting is sort of like www.artistdirect.com only with more features, which would help justify the fee.
Cooley
Thanks for the informative post. You forgot one, however:
13. Label sends cowboyneal to break band's legs
The Recording industry is just being a little slow here, a little stupid. They'll see eventually that they must learn to make their money in ways other than selling records, for example: corporate sponsership of concerts, selling advertising on label-owned artist web sites, stuff like that.
I have this idea: Many, if not most artists, I think I can assume, don't produce more than one albumn or so per year. Maybe the artist's record label could set up a "club" for each artist under their wing. Maybe the club costs you, the consumer, $15-$20 per year to join.
You would enjoy benefits such as:
-one free copy of any albumns produced, and discounts on additional copies (hey, you could steal it anyway, but this way the record company can make people feel like they are getting something cool, and you already paid your 15 bucks).
-the ability to get the albumn before it hits the stores (which really doesn't cost them anything extra, but again, people would feel like they were special)
-access to a hoopty-doo "members only" web site, with exclusive content, maybe interviews, interactive chats, special downloads of music and pics, that sort of crap
-discounts on, or at the very least, advance sales of, concert tickets (which would encourage club members to buy tickets, making everybody involved MORE money)
-exclusive merchandise (which again, encourages club members who may not have bought that shirt to do so if they feel like they are getting something special)
Many other industries have had to change their methods of making profits in our new economy, and the recording industry can do the same, they just need to get their heads out or their collective butts, stop whining, realize that suing people ain't a good way to make a living, and get on with the business of business, which is making lots of money by making consumers think they need some more crap.
The Grateful Dead made lots of their money not thru record sales, but thru merchandising and concerts, why can't that work for others too?
Dave Cooley
"Computers have allowed us to make more mistakes faster than any invention in the history of mankind, with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila."
Actually, the sweet part of the slashdot effect is that their site has apparently gone down, probably simply from handling too many requests.
WTF, man? That was funny, I just wish I had some shit that made me Code like that.
Good show.
Cooley
I have fallen for that one myself. I hope you will be able to start sleeping again within a few weeks, friend.
It's relative, my friend. My Celeron 333 is in no way worth one month's wage @ minimum wage, but it plays Quake 3 just fine, and it's WAY nicer than the 286 Tandy that I bought in 1989 for about $2500.00 That machine didn't have a hard drive, and I payed extra for a nice model that did 16 colors and had a better-than-usual soundboard. In my humble opinion, the computer you could buy today for that $600 of pay is fully capable of running modern software (I run Win2000, WinME and Mandrake on my c333) and will perform average user tasks speedily and without too much pain.
Here is a price quoted from http://www.pricewatch.com:
AMD DURON 650 MHz COMPLETE SYS WIN98 2nd edition & LIC CD(customizing availible) 64MB RAM, 10GB HDD, Socket A MB, 8MB (share), 52xCD, 56K Modem, NIC, Sound,FDD KB/MS/Spk MED ATX Case W/300W
$399.00 insured (shipping = $29-$45)
17inch SVGA monitor 0.28 dpi 0.28 dpi-1 year manufacturers warranty $ 116 (shipping $40)
$399 + $45 + 116 + 40 = $600 , and that was including next day air freight charges within U.S.
That, to me, is an okay machine for the AVERAGE user, speedy and with plenty of RAM (assuming the average user is running Win98 and some crappy office suite and AOL, or even broadband). Of course, by forgoing Win98, buying it clean and putting Linux on it, you would spend even less than than $600.
Anyway, that's my two cents.
then to me is seems the argument could be made that copyrights are a lot like software licenses. If I own 10 licenses for Mac OS 9, I don't have to use all ten CD's to install it. I can use one CD, since there is no license number, to install ten copies. Therefore, [begin logic-stretching sequence now] I believe that when I bought Graceland on Cassette in like 1987, that gave me the license to listen to the data contained within as I wish, including grabbing CD quality versions from Napster. If this is not the case, then perhaps we are not paying for a user license at all, rather we are paying for the media it's printed on. In that case, then since there is no stolen media involved when I use napster, it's all cool.
Maybe I just used up all my logic resources this week already, too. (Score: -2, burned-out)
I surely grock those geodesic domes. Hoopy frood, indeed.
Maybe the towel can be used as a shield or shelter after the comet strikes.
I disagree; Students usually have to pay some sort of "technology fee" or something like it with each semester's tuition. Even at schools where there is no fee, the tuition itself can be considered payment. At state-run schools, the taxpayers have payed for the bandwidth. You know, I wonder if, in a generation or so, one will notice a correlation between the privacy policies of a University, and the demographics of the student body... Perhaps that exists now, but I assume it is a very small, small number. Food for thought... Cooley