Because most people already have gmail accounts and Google makes it painless, simple and usefull. Microsoft makes it painfull, complicated, annoying and useless. I have no idea about Apple... I had to endure their craptastic MacOS 9 at workplace long time ago and developed very strong hatred to anything Apple since. The only way I'd touch anything with half eaten apple logo is with a hammer.
One thing to note is, is that people are lazy and they easily forget they've subscribed to lists. I don't know what kind of list you have, but i would advise you to put very noticeable unsubscribe at the start of the list instead at the end of it. IE: i get some mails that i know i have subscribed to, but aren't what they were supposed to be. It would be easy to mark them as spam (people react emotionally to disappointment) especially since they hide unsubscribe options with the smallest font possible at the end of the message.
So my suggestion would be: make it easy for people to do the right thing and they'll do it. If you make it difficult people are very resourceful at doing the unexpected.
Another thing to be noted is that people were "trained" to not click unsubscribe option ("don't click unsubscribe or you'll just confirm your mail address as active to spammers" advice we've heard many times).
Again, I don't know what kind of list parent runs, these are just general observations from the lists I encountered.
I disagree with you... You can go to any computer store and buy computer for 2500 € and it will play modern games. The only way to get one that can't, would be to explicitly demand something special (ie: server). As i see it Apple is selling their computers as general purpose computers which (especially at that price) includes playing modern games.
There is also another point. Apple prides itself in their customer care, how come the sales person didn't notice someone not familiar with their products and offer advice?
Car Analogy: This is like a person buying an expensive family car and then being upset that they can't drive more than 40 miles per hour. Then going out and buying another (cheaper) brand car and being pissed at the expensive car manufacturer because expensive car doesn't do what any similarly priced car on market can do.
The term Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday, the ceremonial kick-off of the holiday online shopping season in the United States between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas....
Origin of term
The term "Cyber Monday" is a neologism invented by Shop.org, part of the U.S. trade association National Retail Federation...
First let me say, that I agree with parent that Linux has come a long way.
There are 2 things that are the problem with Linux (at least how i see it):
1. The average user is used to windows. Most of this users (including me) don't see any reason why to make a switch. Let's say it's like getting a new fancy shoes that give you a blister. They will mold to your foot, but it takes a while. But you still wear them because the old ones are getting old and ready to throw them away. It's the same with OS, there has to be something worthwhile to go through all the trouble to make a switch. So either Linux needs something extra, that average (non-technical) windows user can see and desire or Microsoft must screw up really bad (which with all the DRM and stuff shouldn't be too hard)
2. And there's a support issue. If Joe Average has Windows problem there's surely a kid next door who will press a few buttons and have Windows machine run again. There's a bunch of small businesses who make a living by coming to your house and making your Windows computer work as it should again (at least here where i live that is). And you have an option to call MS support line. But all of this fails when it comes to Linux. When someone tells me that one does not need to do a maintainence on Linux computer i just ask them: Would you buy a car that has nearest mechanic 4000 km away?
Oh yes, because making people pay $100 for an inferior operating system rather then just getting a free one (Linux/BSD/etc.) is really going to tighten up the monopoly they have! I use Windows because it does what i want it without hassle. I use computer for work not for toying with OS. 100$ is peanuts compared to time I would loose to make Linux work as a usable desktop. I use it as a server because it's good at it. The secret is "use a proper tool for a job".
The only way MS can really compete with Linux in a free(ish) market is by lowing the price down to Linux's, free. Piracy is the only avenue that MS can hope to continue any dominance. I wouldn't call this in MS's best interest, being free (as in beer) is the only way they can compete, take that away and no more MS. Hmm, welcome to the real world. People don't want to go through hassle of learning new OS.
Obligatory car analogy: Linux is 1960's to 1970's muscle car. Great if you like to tinker with engine and take care of it. You can make it fast, robust, or anything you want if you put your time in and have know-how to do it. Windows is minivan for everyday use. You put gas in and drive, nothing fancy, but carefree (lol if i don't get modded down for calling windows carefree on/.).
As i understand this split isn't just about this particular option. The differences in opinions accumulated over time. The last UI change was just a straw that broke camels back.
Slashdot Mirror
Replying to undo moderation mistake.
Good point, sorry, I ment to say people already have Google accounts. My mistake for not being more precise.
Because most people already have gmail accounts and Google makes it painless, simple and usefull. Microsoft makes it painfull, complicated, annoying and useless. I have no idea about Apple ... I had to endure their craptastic MacOS 9 at workplace long time ago and developed very strong hatred to anything Apple since. The only way I'd touch anything with half eaten apple logo is with a hammer.
Could that be a bunch of computers behind NAT using the same external IP or you think those users were genuinely malicious?
One thing to note is, is that people are lazy and they easily forget they've subscribed to lists. I don't know what kind of list you have, but i would advise you to put very noticeable unsubscribe at the start of the list instead at the end of it. IE: i get some mails that i know i have subscribed to, but aren't what they were supposed to be. It would be easy to mark them as spam (people react emotionally to disappointment) especially since they hide unsubscribe options with the smallest font possible at the end of the message.
So my suggestion would be: make it easy for people to do the right thing and they'll do it. If you make it difficult people are very resourceful at doing the unexpected.
Another thing to be noted is that people were "trained" to not click unsubscribe option ("don't click unsubscribe or you'll just confirm your mail address as active to spammers" advice we've heard many times).
Again, I don't know what kind of list parent runs, these are just general observations from the lists I encountered.
I disagree with you ... You can go to any computer store and buy computer for 2500 € and it will play modern games. The only way to get one that can't, would be to explicitly demand something special (ie: server). As i see it Apple is selling their computers as general purpose computers which (especially at that price) includes playing modern games.
There is also another point. Apple prides itself in their customer care, how come the sales person didn't notice someone not familiar with their products and offer advice?
Car Analogy: This is like a person buying an expensive family car and then being upset that they can't drive more than 40 miles per hour. Then going out and buying another (cheaper) brand car and being pissed at the expensive car manufacturer because expensive car doesn't do what any similarly priced car on market can do.
I'm pretty sure Geocities pages don't load anymore. They were closed on 26th ;-)
Wouldn't this kind of errors with identical software indicate crappy hardware?
Ah, I stand corrected, i missed that link somehow.
You have put chimneys and smoke in a quicktime movie ... it seems correct to me that google only indexes IMAGES for their IMAGE search engine.
For lazy people here's a link to images from the site on google: http://images.google.com/images?as_st=y&&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&q=site:gulfportinflorida.com&&sa=N&start=0&ndsp=18
Wikipedia says:
The term Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday, the ceremonial kick-off of the holiday online shopping season in the United States between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas....
Origin of term
The term "Cyber Monday" is a neologism invented by Shop.org, part of the U.S. trade association National Retail Federation...
... give me something to resurrect myself in the morning on time. *runs off to work*
First let me say, that I agree with parent that Linux has come a long way.
There are 2 things that are the problem with Linux (at least how i see it):
1. The average user is used to windows. Most of this users (including me) don't see any reason why to make a switch. Let's say it's like getting a new fancy shoes that give you a blister. They will mold to your foot, but it takes a while. But you still wear them because the old ones are getting old and ready to throw them away. It's the same with OS, there has to be something worthwhile to go through all the trouble to make a switch. So either Linux needs something extra, that average (non-technical) windows user can see and desire or Microsoft must screw up really bad (which with all the DRM and stuff shouldn't be too hard)
2. And there's a support issue. If Joe Average has Windows problem there's surely a kid next door who will press a few buttons and have Windows machine run again. There's a bunch of small businesses who make a living by coming to your house and making your Windows computer work as it should again (at least here where i live that is). And you have an option to call MS support line. But all of this fails when it comes to Linux. When someone tells me that one does not need to do a maintainence on Linux computer i just ask them: Would you buy a car that has nearest mechanic 4000 km away?
As i understand this split isn't just about this particular option. The differences in opinions accumulated over time. The last UI change was just a straw that broke camels back.