I used Netflix during the summer of '01, and I've been using RentMyDVD for the past 4 months. In my experience, here's how they stack up:
Netflix costs $20/month (can't remember if this includes tax) for 3 movies out at a time, while RentMyDVD costs $24/month (tax not included) for 4 out at a time. I'm pretty sure Netflix's default plan used to be 4-out, and I believe they grandfathered those folks. But now they are 3-out by default.
I turn my movies around pretty quickly. With Netflix I averaged around 10 movies a month, while RentMyDVD is much higher - I just clocked a 20-movie month! I'm certainly getting higher throughput than the 3-out vs. 4-out plans would indicate. I attribute this to being on the east coast. Since RentMyDVD has an east coast distribution center, the turnaround time seems to be 3 or 4 days rather than the 6 to 8 I was experiencing with Netflix.
Netflix lets you store unlimited numbers of movies in your queue, while RentMyDVD has a 50-movie limit. In general, Netflix has a nicer UI. Adding a movie to your Netflix queue is very quick since they do a nifty little Javascript popup/form-submit, while RentMyDVD reloads the whole friggin' page.
I'm guessing I've rented at least 100 movies from the two services combined. I've only gotten 1 damaged disc from each service. All others have played fine.
While this is hard to confirm, my general sense is that Netflix's selection is slightly broader (more titles) but not as deep (fewer copies of each title). That could be very wrong, but that's the way it feels.
Neither one measures up to my dream rental service, but I'm pleased that I switched to RentMyDVD. 20 movies for $24 bucks is hard to beat.
I didn't really care for Sourcery. And just to show how subjective it all is, Small Gods was the first one I'd read, and I enjoyed it (the gods-die-without-believers premise reminded me quite a bit of Harlan Ellison's Deathbird Stories). I'm currently reading the 3 "Night Watch" books. I loved Guards! Guards!, am currently enjoying Men at Arms, and am looking forward to Feet of Clay. I'll have to check out Jingo after that (actually, this page suggests that Jingo is another Watch book?).
A poll would be cool, but really long. I wonder what the longest (most options) Slashdot poll is... --
Every month, I shell out the $7 for the printed version of Wired magazine
A subscription is only $12 these days (I think they're trying to boost their readership now that they have so many more ads). $1/issue delivered to your snail mailbox is a heckuva lot better than $7 from the newsstand. --
"fan buys CD/goes to tour/buys shirt" brings in more money than "fan downloads MP3/goes to tour/buys shirt".
I guess there's always the money lost from the "won't go to the tour and buy a shirt from this obscure band unless I miraculously happen across their MP3 first" crowd, but somehow that doesn't seem like a rent-paying portion of anybody's income.
But that just refers to obscure bands. For known bands, you can probably make your "go to tour/buy shirt" decisions based on airplay. Unless of course you want to hear the songs over and over again, in which case we're back to buying vs. downloading. The latter still seems like a money losing proposition to me.
Don't get me wrong - I'm all for a pay-by-the-song distribution model. But that's a separate-but-related issue to "are artists losing money." --
While the print version is at the top of my to-buy list (definitely the next time I place a book order), the online version is terrific. Greenspun's tone and style are quite refreshing. He's very direct, and not shy at all about conveying his likes and dislikes, while backing up his assertions with plenty of technical information. While I'm sure he has his own biases (don't we all?), his work *feels* honest and forthright. Very cool. --
I've never heard of the book Brin mentions, "The Screwfly Solution." I can't find it on Amazon or Bibliofind. Does anyone know who the author is, or whether or not it's worth checking out? --
Slashdot Mirror
- Netflix costs $20/month (can't remember if this includes tax) for 3 movies out at a time, while RentMyDVD costs $24/month (tax not included) for 4 out at a time. I'm pretty sure Netflix's default plan used to be 4-out, and I believe they grandfathered those folks. But now they are 3-out by default.
- I turn my movies around pretty quickly. With Netflix I averaged around 10 movies a month, while RentMyDVD is much higher - I just clocked a 20-movie month! I'm certainly getting higher throughput than the 3-out vs. 4-out plans would indicate. I attribute this to being on the east coast. Since RentMyDVD has an east coast distribution center, the turnaround time seems to be 3 or 4 days rather than the 6 to 8 I was experiencing with Netflix.
- Netflix lets you store unlimited numbers of movies in your queue, while RentMyDVD has a 50-movie limit. In general, Netflix has a nicer UI. Adding a movie to your Netflix queue is very quick since they do a nifty little Javascript popup/form-submit, while RentMyDVD reloads the whole friggin' page.
- I'm guessing I've rented at least 100 movies from the two services combined. I've only gotten 1 damaged disc from each service. All others have played fine.
- While this is hard to confirm, my general sense is that Netflix's selection is slightly broader (more titles) but not as deep (fewer copies of each title). That could be very wrong, but that's the way it feels.
Neither one measures up to my dream rental service, but I'm pleased that I switched to RentMyDVD. 20 movies for $24 bucks is hard to beat.I didn't really care for Sourcery. And just to show how subjective it all is, Small Gods was the first one I'd read, and I enjoyed it (the gods-die-without-believers premise reminded me quite a bit of Harlan Ellison's Deathbird Stories). I'm currently reading the 3 "Night Watch" books. I loved Guards! Guards!, am currently enjoying Men at Arms, and am looking forward to Feet of Clay. I'll have to check out Jingo after that (actually, this page suggests that Jingo is another Watch book?).
A poll would be cool, but really long. I wonder what the longest (most options) Slashdot poll is...
--
the only book I've read of Pratchett's I found not that funny
Which one? I've read 3.5 Discworld books, 2.5 of which are/were quite funny, and one that was blah.
--
Every month, I shell out the $7 for the printed version of Wired magazine
A subscription is only $12 these days (I think they're trying to boost their readership now that they have so many more ads). $1/issue delivered to your snail mailbox is a heckuva lot better than $7 from the newsstand.
--
Seems like a money-losing proposition to me:
"fan buys CD/goes to tour/buys shirt" brings in more money than "fan downloads MP3/goes to tour/buys shirt".
I guess there's always the money lost from the "won't go to the tour and buy a shirt from this obscure band unless I miraculously happen across their MP3 first" crowd, but somehow that doesn't seem like a rent-paying portion of anybody's income.
But that just refers to obscure bands. For known bands, you can probably make your "go to tour/buy shirt" decisions based on airplay. Unless of course you want to hear the songs over and over again, in which case we're back to buying vs. downloading. The latter still seems like a money losing proposition to me.
Don't get me wrong - I'm all for a pay-by-the-song distribution model. But that's a separate-but-related issue to "are artists losing money."
--
While the print version is at the top of my to-buy list (definitely the next time I place a book order), the online version is terrific. Greenspun's tone and style are quite refreshing. He's very direct, and not shy at all about conveying his likes and dislikes, while backing up his assertions with plenty of technical information. While I'm sure he has his own biases (don't we all?), his work *feels* honest and forthright. Very cool.
--
I've never heard of the book Brin mentions, "The Screwfly Solution." I can't find it on Amazon or Bibliofind. Does anyone know who the author is, or whether or not it's worth checking out?
--