5 ms·

But what if it's a few thousand $ cheaper? Like the $50 Kindle Fire tablet.

by xs 9y ago

sincerely 9y ago
Great! What we really need are more cars on the road.
frfl 9y ago
What if that kindle was $25, but every time you wanted to use it, you had to watch a 30s ad and then while reading give up 20% of the screen for a banner ad? Still wanna buy/use that kindle? I think what GP is trying to say, from my perspective, is where does it stop? All this effort just to get the end user to consume more and more. The brainpower that's being wasted on delivering ads! Could that not be used to solve actual -- real -- problems instead? Why is delivering ads such a big problem that we're spending so many resources and so much effort on it? You pay $50 for that kindle and save some money, but don't fool yourself into thinking it's not costing you -- really use as a civilization -- a lot more.
- tylerhou 9y ago
  > Why is delivering ads such a big problem that we're spending so many resources and so much effort on it? Showing ads isn't really that difficult of a problem, especially on tablets which have built in video players. > You pay $50 for that kindle and save some money, but don't fool yourself into thinking it's not costing you -- really use as a civilization -- a lot more. Isn't it bit presumptuous/egotistic to assume that you're a more accurate judge when it comes to the value of not seeing ads for a given consumer than them themselves?
jakeogh 9y ago
We have different def's of "cheaper".
shostack 9y ago
And what if the subsidized cost resulted in a new form of public transit that massively reduced fatalities and expanded people's work range while reducing pollution and traffic? Some things may be worth a few ads if tax dollars can't fully fund them to the level they would need to get prioritized.
- nickonline 9y ago
  If it's really needed, why the aren't tax dollars enough?
  - shostack 9y ago
    Because we unfortunately often see competing political viewpoints on what should be a major win for most, and so things don't always get the political funding they deserve.

But what if it's a few thousand $ cheaper? Like the $50 Kindle Fire tablet.

by xs 9y ago

But what if it's a few thousand $ cheaper? Like the $50 Kindle Fire tablet.

sincerely 9y ago

Great! What we really need are more cars on the road.

frfl 9y ago

What if that kindle was $25, but every time you wanted to use it, you had to watch a 30s ad and then while reading give up 20% of the screen for a banner ad? Still wanna buy/use that kindle? I think what GP is trying to say, from my perspective, is where does it stop? All this effort just to get the end user to consume more and more. The brainpower that's being wasted on delivering ads! Could that not be used to solve actual -- real -- problems instead? Why is delivering ads such a big problem that we're spending so many resources and so much effort on it? You pay $50 for that kindle and save some money, but don't fool yourself into thinking it's not costing you -- really use as a civilization -- a lot more.

tylerhou 9y ago
> Why is delivering ads such a big problem that we're spending so many resources and so much effort on it? Showing ads isn't really that difficult of a problem, especially on tablets which have built in video players. > You pay $50 for that kindle and save some money, but don't fool yourself into thinking it's not costing you -- really use as a civilization -- a lot more. Isn't it bit presumptuous/egotistic to assume that you're a more accurate judge when it comes to the value of not seeing ads for a given consumer than them themselves?

jakeogh 9y ago

We have different def's of "cheaper".

shostack 9y ago

And what if the subsidized cost resulted in a new form of public transit that massively reduced fatalities and expanded people's work range while reducing pollution and traffic? Some things may be worth a few ads if tax dollars can't fully fund them to the level they would need to get prioritized.

nickonline 9y ago
If it's really needed, why the aren't tax dollars enough?
- shostack 9y ago
  Because we unfortunately often see competing political viewpoints on what should be a major win for most, and so things don't always get the political funding they deserve.