"We demand that big business give people a square deal; in return we must insist that when any one engaged in big business honestly endeavors to do right, he shall himself be given a square deal."
- Theodore Roosevelt
Why is it that so many on Slashdot feel that when a business provides a service, that they are somehow evil for trying to make a profit at the same time? I mean, seriously, is a McDonald's food stand any worse than ads on Slashdot? (But then again, you guys bitched about that too.)
You know what, if you don't like it -- don't buy it. They're not really doing you any disservice by offering this to you. Are they supposed to put in the capital to set up something like this and offer it as a free public service? Would you? Or, maybe they're supposed to generate revenue off of the ever effective revenue model of advertising. Yeah, that's been working out real well...
Its things like this that capitalism, that our country is built off of. Come up with a product. Come up with a price. Offer it to the public. If its well recieved, stick with it. If its not, change the product offered or the price. We watch tech stocks dive because they can't make money by offering free services, and then we complain when a new idea comes out and actually tries to make money....
"They are killing off small, independently-owned specialty bookshops. "
But doesn't this always happen in a capitalist society where one larger company can sell a better product at a cheaper price? I'm all for small businesses, but I'm also a big fan of economic survival of the fittest. I don't think that you can complain about over regulation of businesses by the government, and then complain because small shops fall prey to simple economical principals.
"I can name off many places that have the same products at a cheaper price"
Where exactly, do you recommend buying books cheaper than amazon? If you buy only one book at a time, I can see where the shipping cost would hurt, but I typically buy 3 books or so at a time. I recently ordered some books and had them at my door only three days later, and I saved a little money than if I had bought them at a traditional bookstore. Plus, the books I bought, I simply wouldn't have been aware of if I was shopping at a normal bookstore because of amazon's ability to refer me to other books with similar topics. If you have a site that offers this kind of service, with amazon's discounted rates, I'd love to see it.
Greg
Madden2K1 and SSX are the only two games that really have blown me away. But if those two are indications of things to come, the $300 investment could be worthwhile.
Slashdot Mirror
include (obligatory anit-big-brother/slippery slope comments comments);
"We demand that big business give people a square deal; in return we must insist that when any one engaged in big business honestly endeavors to do right, he shall himself be given a square deal."
- Theodore Roosevelt
Why is it that so many on Slashdot feel that when a business provides a service, that they are somehow evil for trying to make a profit at the same time? I mean, seriously, is a McDonald's food stand any worse than ads on Slashdot? (But then again, you guys bitched about that too.)
You know what, if you don't like it -- don't buy it. They're not really doing you any disservice by offering this to you. Are they supposed to put in the capital to set up something like this and offer it as a free public service? Would you? Or, maybe they're supposed to generate revenue off of the ever effective revenue model of advertising. Yeah, that's been working out real well... Its things like this that capitalism, that our country is built off of. Come up with a product. Come up with a price. Offer it to the public. If its well recieved, stick with it. If its not, change the product offered or the price. We watch tech stocks dive because they can't make money by offering free services, and then we complain when a new idea comes out and actually tries to make money....
"They are killing off small, independently-owned specialty bookshops. "
But doesn't this always happen in a capitalist society where one larger company can sell a better product at a cheaper price? I'm all for small businesses, but I'm also a big fan of economic survival of the fittest. I don't think that you can complain about over regulation of businesses by the government, and then complain because small shops fall prey to simple economical principals.
Greg
"I can name off many places that have the same products at a cheaper price" Where exactly, do you recommend buying books cheaper than amazon? If you buy only one book at a time, I can see where the shipping cost would hurt, but I typically buy 3 books or so at a time. I recently ordered some books and had them at my door only three days later, and I saved a little money than if I had bought them at a traditional bookstore. Plus, the books I bought, I simply wouldn't have been aware of if I was shopping at a normal bookstore because of amazon's ability to refer me to other books with similar topics. If you have a site that offers this kind of service, with amazon's discounted rates, I'd love to see it. Greg
Madden2K1 and SSX are the only two games that really have blown me away. But if those two are indications of things to come, the $300 investment could be worthwhile.