And it's easy to miss the small print saying it's supplied by someone else
It's kind of hard to miss. I just made a purchase not 10 minutes ago, and it split the items into several different orders, with different shipping options, etc.
I guess if you only bought one thing, you wouldn't get that, but they do make it clear on the item's page where it's coming from.
Don't act like you're entitled to it just because you weren't happy with your previous purchases.
Think what you will, but you are NOT entitled to a refund, a free download, or a rubdown just because you made a stupid purchase. It's admittedly been a long time since I purchased media from Walmart, but I distinctly remember signs saying something like "no returns on opened merchandise". The sales clerk even said something to that effect and had me sign the receipt, which had the return policy printed on it. That's pretty common practice for the industry, no matter where you buy your media.
Regardless, saying that "No other industry refuses refunds for broken or crappy items" is simply not true- I can't buy a bottle of wine and return it after opening it because I didn't like it- even if I didn't drink it. As noted earlier, the tourism, service and entertainment industries don't offer refunds as a general rule. I can't buy a lapdance and take my money back if I didn't enjoy it (well, I can try, but I'm pretty sure the Guy With The Muscles would beat me down).
Caveat emptor. The return policies obviously aren't news to you, so don't act like it's a surprise when it bites you in the ass.
First, the network has no obligation to make their content available to you at any price, even if they did broadcast that content for "free" previously.
Second, they have no obligation to make their DVDs reasonably priced. One would expect that the free market would settle on a reasonable price, and maybe it has.
Finally, I am all for downloading the content. I've donated money to the Pirate Bay and I've received more than my share of free media. I never said that was a bad thing and I never will. Just don't kid yourself about what you're doing, and don't act like you're entitled to it.
Another vote for the camel book. If only for the chapter on regexes, which defines the standard used for this oh-so-useful-if-you-understand-it tool in so many other languages.
If you can't afford it, go without. As noted, the entertainment industry doesn't owe you anything, and you don't have to have it.
If you bought it and didn't like it, consider it poorly spent entertainment money. If you go to a concert and the entertainment is lousy, they don't have to give you back the cover charge. If you go to a restaraunt and the food is lousy, they don't have to give you free meals. They can, but they don't have to.
If $50 is a huge chunk of change for you, you really should be renting or borrowing, as others have noted. I don't feel sorry for you because you make bad purchasing decisions.
Again, I have nothing against piracy and see it as a viable alternative to buying DVDs. I certainly have no interest in the RIAA, but I don't try to justify my actions, and I certainly don't blame others when I waste money.
And for the record, Season 2 of Heroes was excellent.
Wait, you seriously thought that those shows weren't going to suck?
I'm all for piracy, but your excuses for doing it are pretty weak. Suck it up and buy the stuff, or pirate it and stop your whining.
As was mentioned earlier, there is always rentals, reviews and borrowing from a friend. If those aren't valid options for you... tough shit. The discontinued-tv-shows-industry doesn't owe you a favor.
While we're abusing the anecdotal evidence, I know people who are emotionally dependent on porn, shopping, the Internet, video games, and work. By your logic, they are all addictive drugs and should be made illegal.
You can believe what you like though. It seems that you already do.
People want to learn and understand, but they need to be explained in simple terms
You know, you're totally right. The people who make policies for us don't need to actually understand what they're talking about, they should just have a general idea... by the way, the Internet is a series of tubes. Now let's make some laws!
Slashdot Mirror
And it's easy to miss the small print saying it's supplied by someone else
It's kind of hard to miss. I just made a purchase not 10 minutes ago, and it split the items into several different orders, with different shipping options, etc.
I guess if you only bought one thing, you wouldn't get that, but they do make it clear on the item's page where it's coming from.
Sorry, I'll finish my sentence:
Don't act like you're entitled to it just because you weren't happy with your previous purchases.
Think what you will, but you are NOT entitled to a refund, a free download, or a rubdown just because you made a stupid purchase. It's admittedly been a long time since I purchased media from Walmart, but I distinctly remember signs saying something like "no returns on opened merchandise". The sales clerk even said something to that effect and had me sign the receipt, which had the return policy printed on it. That's pretty common practice for the industry, no matter where you buy your media.
Regardless, saying that "No other industry refuses refunds for broken or crappy items" is simply not true- I can't buy a bottle of wine and return it after opening it because I didn't like it- even if I didn't drink it. As noted earlier, the tourism, service and entertainment industries don't offer refunds as a general rule. I can't buy a lapdance and take my money back if I didn't enjoy it (well, I can try, but I'm pretty sure the Guy With The Muscles would beat me down).
Caveat emptor. The return policies obviously aren't news to you, so don't act like it's a surprise when it bites you in the ass.
First, the network has no obligation to make their content available to you at any price, even if they did broadcast that content for "free" previously.
Second, they have no obligation to make their DVDs reasonably priced. One would expect that the free market would settle on a reasonable price, and maybe it has.
Finally, I am all for downloading the content. I've donated money to the Pirate Bay and I've received more than my share of free media. I never said that was a bad thing and I never will. Just don't kid yourself about what you're doing, and don't act like you're entitled to it.
Another vote for the camel book. If only for the chapter on regexes, which defines the standard used for this oh-so-useful-if-you-understand-it tool in so many other languages.
Try not paying at a hotel sometime because you didn't like the service. That'll be fun.
Sure, you can talk to the manager and maybe he'll give you a freebie, but he doesn't have to. Doesn't matter if he should. He doesn't have to.
It must be nice to having a rich mommny-and-daddy who can buy whatever you want.
It probably would be. I don't see what that has to do with anything.
If you can't afford it, go without. As noted, the entertainment industry doesn't owe you anything, and you don't have to have it.
If you bought it and didn't like it, consider it poorly spent entertainment money. If you go to a concert and the entertainment is lousy, they don't have to give you back the cover charge. If you go to a restaraunt and the food is lousy, they don't have to give you free meals. They can, but they don't have to.
If $50 is a huge chunk of change for you, you really should be renting or borrowing, as others have noted. I don't feel sorry for you because you make bad purchasing decisions.
Again, I have nothing against piracy and see it as a viable alternative to buying DVDs. I certainly have no interest in the RIAA, but I don't try to justify my actions, and I certainly don't blame others when I waste money.
And for the record, Season 2 of Heroes was excellent.
Wait, you seriously thought that those shows weren't going to suck?
I'm all for piracy, but your excuses for doing it are pretty weak. Suck it up and buy the stuff, or pirate it and stop your whining.
As was mentioned earlier, there is always rentals, reviews and borrowing from a friend. If those aren't valid options for you... tough shit. The discontinued-tv-shows-industry doesn't owe you a favor.
I get the impression I'm either missing an incredibly funny joke, or I hang out online with a bunch of losers. ...
No worries. Nano-worms can be easily squished with a good pair of boots.
I had a micro-porsche when I was a kid, so it can't be that far off.
While we're abusing the anecdotal evidence, I know people who are emotionally dependent on porn, shopping, the Internet, video games, and work. By your logic, they are all addictive drugs and should be made illegal.
You can believe what you like though. It seems that you already do.
People want to learn and understand, but they need to be explained in simple terms
You know, you're totally right. The people who make policies for us don't need to actually understand what they're talking about, they should just have a general idea... by the way, the Internet is a series of tubes. Now let's make some laws!
Good job, you got the joke. Your parents must be proud.
The soylent may be green, but that still doesn't make it horde.
Ironically, it was, then somebody modded it down.
Don't worry, there'll be a quake or duke nukem port soon enough.
But how much ink got wasted by everybody on /. firing up their laser printers?
Bonus tip: if you put everything in quote tags, it saves on black electrons.
You got green? Mine is black text on a black background. I have to guess what everybody is saying.
I'm going to make the cookies tonight. I'll let everybody know.
Really, guys. I'm not that funny.
I print on the finest amazon rainforest paper, with several layers of black ink, and then dust the wet ink with ground up dark-roasted panda bones.
Yeah, but it uses up all your gray ink.
That said, I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about
Don't worry, it doesn't show.