5 ms·

You know, for a while I thought “the doors aren’t automatic at the REI” might be the ultimate first world problem, but now I think “I have to suffer through my

You know, for a while I thought “the doors aren’t automatic at the REI” might be the ultimate first world problem, but now I think “I have to suffer through my pandemic passtime shows in standard definition? where are my LAWYERS?” might be in first place.

Dylan16807 7y ago
Remember what the opposite side of the coin is. This isn't a consequence of the virus. This is offsetting the other first world problem of slightly slow internet. There's no greater cause being served here.
- TeMPOraL 7y ago
  This is not "other first world problem", it's an unprecedented situation in which a good chunk of the world's population needs to be kept at home for extended periods of time. Preserving morale is important for preserving social distancing, which is important for dealing with the pandemic. Not to mention, everyone who isn't on Netflix now is probably videoconferencing. Which also elevates this problem to "important for preserving the economy" level.
  - Dylan16807 7y ago
    You can do plenty of morale-preserving things on a slightly janky connection. And being worried about some visual stutter on your teleconference is solidly in the unimportant problem pile.
    - macleginn 7y ago
      Teleconferencing very quickly becomes unusable on a really congested line.
      - immigrantsheep 7y ago
        Specially in Germany where the quality of the internet connections is really bad.
- mcv 7y ago
  There are a lot of vital services using the internet. If internet grinds to a halt because everybody has to stay home watching Netflix, and vital services have their internet access reduced, then scaling down Netflix bandwidth makes sense.
rdslw 7y ago
No. I don't have problem with netflix reducing it. I have problem with netflix not reducing price together. They're essentially painting themselves in glory AT THE PRICE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS.
- lultimouomo 7y ago
  I don't even have a problem with Netflix not reducing the price. It think they should take the hit in place of their customers, but whatever, if your problem right now is that you're paying for 4k and not getting it, suck it up. But really the praise for Netflix is a bit off tone - they're not making any sacrifice at all.
  - jsjddbbwj 7y ago
    "If you don't get what you pay for, then suck it up." Remember some Netflix clients pay MORE to enjoy higher quality. If Netflix artificially limits that quality, no matter the reason, then they shouldn't be charging that full price. Netflix is getting the best part of it: charging the same money, paying less for bandwidth, and they excuse themselves because the EU asked them to do it. It's the ISPs that should be solving this via QoS, but of course it's the ISPs that have the politicians in their pockets. No commissioner is going to demand them to do anything.
    - illumanaughty 7y ago
      It's a global pandemic right now. Netflix has taken immediate action in a way that matters (ensuring internet access) and has yet to take action in a way that doesn't matter nearly as much (making their high paying customers happy). Yes, you pay more for HD content. But people are dying, so chill.
    - lultimouomo 7y ago
      We pay for schools and our children stay home. We pay for street maintenance and we're locked in our houses. We pay for government and elections are being postponed. We pay for healthcare and people are not getting the care they need. We keep paying, because if we stop after the epidemic there won't be schools, there won't be road maintenance companies, there won't be a functioning government, there won't be hospitals, because they will have run out of money. 4K Netflix? Suck it up, or feel free to sue them. Courts are in lockdown as well so you might have to wait a few years to get your 10$ back.
gorgoiler 7y ago
Yours is a fun take, which I enjoyed :) I’m sure we agree that there are legitimate grievances here about consumer rights†, that are worth thinking about. As the most powerful entities in the economy — not even by virtue of the goods they produce, but by the amount of people they employ and the money they spend — companies like Netflix have to uphold their social contract and be seen to be upholding their social contract! † In the Netflix example, not the REI example.

Dylan16807 7y ago

Remember what the opposite side of the coin is. This isn't a consequence of the virus. This is offsetting the other first world problem of slightly slow internet. There's no greater cause being served here.

TeMPOraL 7y ago
This is not "other first world problem", it's an unprecedented situation in which a good chunk of the world's population needs to be kept at home for extended periods of time. Preserving morale is important for preserving social distancing, which is important for dealing with the pandemic. Not to mention, everyone who isn't on Netflix now is probably videoconferencing. Which also elevates this problem to "important for preserving the economy" level.
- Dylan16807 7y ago
  You can do plenty of morale-preserving things on a slightly janky connection. And being worried about some visual stutter on your teleconference is solidly in the unimportant problem pile.
  - macleginn 7y ago
    Teleconferencing very quickly becomes unusable on a really congested line.
    - immigrantsheep 7y ago
      Specially in Germany where the quality of the internet connections is really bad.
mcv 7y ago
There are a lot of vital services using the internet. If internet grinds to a halt because everybody has to stay home watching Netflix, and vital services have their internet access reduced, then scaling down Netflix bandwidth makes sense.

rdslw 7y ago

No. I don't have problem with netflix reducing it. I have problem with netflix not reducing price together. They're essentially painting themselves in glory AT THE PRICE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS.

lultimouomo 7y ago
I don't even have a problem with Netflix not reducing the price. It think they should take the hit in place of their customers, but whatever, if your problem right now is that you're paying for 4k and not getting it, suck it up. But really the praise for Netflix is a bit off tone - they're not making any sacrifice at all.
- jsjddbbwj 7y ago
  "If you don't get what you pay for, then suck it up." Remember some Netflix clients pay MORE to enjoy higher quality. If Netflix artificially limits that quality, no matter the reason, then they shouldn't be charging that full price. Netflix is getting the best part of it: charging the same money, paying less for bandwidth, and they excuse themselves because the EU asked them to do it. It's the ISPs that should be solving this via QoS, but of course it's the ISPs that have the politicians in their pockets. No commissioner is going to demand them to do anything.
  - illumanaughty 7y ago
    It's a global pandemic right now. Netflix has taken immediate action in a way that matters (ensuring internet access) and has yet to take action in a way that doesn't matter nearly as much (making their high paying customers happy). Yes, you pay more for HD content. But people are dying, so chill.
  - lultimouomo 7y ago
    We pay for schools and our children stay home. We pay for street maintenance and we're locked in our houses. We pay for government and elections are being postponed. We pay for healthcare and people are not getting the care they need. We keep paying, because if we stop after the epidemic there won't be schools, there won't be road maintenance companies, there won't be a functioning government, there won't be hospitals, because they will have run out of money. 4K Netflix? Suck it up, or feel free to sue them. Courts are in lockdown as well so you might have to wait a few years to get your 10$ back.

gorgoiler 7y ago

Yours is a fun take, which I enjoyed :) I’m sure we agree that there are legitimate grievances here about consumer rights†, that are worth thinking about. As the most powerful entities in the economy — not even by virtue of the goods they produce, but by the amount of people they employ and the money they spend — companies like Netflix have to uphold their social contract and be seen to be upholding their social contract! † In the Netflix example, not the REI example.