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I really hate how we are moving more and more towards "managed experiences" in products. Used to, you would buy a product and use it how you see fit. But these
by _fat_santa 5y ago
I really hate how we are moving more and more towards "managed experiences" in products. Used to, you would buy a product and use it how you see fit. But these days it seems that's not what the company wants you to do. You buy the product and enjoy a "managed" experience from the company.
We see it everywhere with printers, coffee makers, phones, laptops, treadmills and even cars now. Everyone knows why this is being done, simply making money on a $99 coffeemaker is not good enough anymore, we have to make that $99 plus we have to make money in perpetuity because the customer now has to subscribe to our "managed experience".
Now I understand this on some level with cheaper stuff like printers, that printer doesn't cost $20, it costs that because the company assumes you will buy the pods from them. But with a treadmill that goes for thousands it's a completely different ball game.
Were going to get to the point where one day you will hop in your car and start driving into the countryside. At a certain point your car will just shut off because "Ford has decided that this route in unsafe for your vehicle, for the best experience, please drive back to the city, on your way back, consider enabling cup holders for an improved coffee drinking experience".
The glimmer of hope on the horizon are companies like Framework and Pinephone. These companies realize that consumers are not happy with this shit and market themselves as the antithesis of these practices. I really hope these types of companies take off in the future.
- waffle_maniac 5y agoI bought a replacement $400 Canon printer recently. Same model, price is at least double what it was several years ago. The reason to buy the more expensive model is because there are readily available cheap third-party cartridges. A lot of the new cheaper models don't have that.
- fendy3002 5y agoWhat I've read people write online is to ditch inkjets altogether and go with laser printer or use megatank printers. Don't know how better they are though.
- asdff 5y agoIn reality printers are such small potatoes unless you are printing like hundreds of pages a year. I got mine from an online listing for free, and I spend maybe $30 on ink once a year. It mostly exists to print shipping labels. I'd just get a printer for as cheap as possible and not worry too much about what kind it is if you are going to only use it sparingly.
- waffle_maniac 5y agoPrinter head cleaning can burn through quite a bit of ink if the printer hasn’t been used in a while. And sometimes my parents go long stretches without using the printer.
- MiddleEndian 5y agoThe real question is, do you (or your family members) really need a home printer at all? I just go to a print shop when I need to print something out a few times a year.
- waffle_maniac 5y agoWe print a lot of Amazon return forms, church newsletter crap, and live in a rural area. Although frankly, I would do anything to not add another item to my errand list when I'm in town.
- MiddleEndian 5y agoIn that case, unfortunately you do need a printer.
- JasonFruit 5y ago"Please enjoy a complimentary game of centrifugal bumblepuppy!"
- _fat_santa 5y ago"In order to have the best experience, please confirm your AdChoices"
- marginalia_nu 5y ago"Please drink verification GatorAde to continue!"
- A4ET8a8uTh0 5y agoOh good grief, don't give them ideas. Incidentally, I distinctly remember reading something about skippable ad on tv ( skippable if you do something adveriser wants -- like McD ad and its only skippable if you yell 'i m lovin' it'). Your idea is next level though:>
- marginalia_nu 5y agoIt was a reference to this: https://imgur.com/KGzbkBn https://imgur.com/KGzbkBn
- A4ET8a8uTh0 5y agoI think the worst part is that I can absolutely imagine a world where this is a reality. Thank you for sharing this.
- horsawlarway 5y agoI've been thinking about this for a while, and my proposal is pretty simple: --- Legally - prohibit selling physical goods that contain digital locks unless the owner is given a key. Period. --- That's all you have to do. If I own the device, I get the keys for the physical locks, and the keys for the digital locks. I'm completely ok with manufacturers locking down computers for security, in much the same way that I appreciate that cars have door/ignition locks. But if I own it - I get all the keys. I may never use them, but they are mine, as part of ownership.
- FredPret 5y agoThat makes sense. With these treadmills, gyms can simply keep their NordicTracks locked to prevent people messing with them. And if you buy one for yourself, you can watch Netflix. All at the owners’ risk. Treat adults like adults. I like it.
- dont__panic 5y agoYeah, it's fine for a corporate device or a child's device to have some safety rails in place. But it's bullshit that an iOS device I purchased won't run any application or customization or OS version that I want.
- AndrewOMartin 5y agoYeah, wouldn't it be great if there was a foundation to advocate for being able to have the keys to your digital locks? We could call it something like the Freedom from Locks on Software Foundation, or maybe something a bit snapper.
- horsawlarway 5y agoMy take is not nearly as strong as the fsf's. I'm fine not being provided with source code, and not being able to distribute the original code itself. Basically - I don't expect to have companies hand me code they wrote to run the device (I happen to like it, so I tend to support companies that do), but I don't believe that's a reasonable (or particularly useful) practice when so many functions depend on external web services. I do expect to have them legally prevented from blocking me from writing my own code to run or repair the device.
- monkeybutton 5y agoWant to unlock your car with the keyfob? Want to use the heated seats? Subscriptions. Anyways, please drink a verification can. Consider also reading "Unauthorized Bread".
- enobrev 5y ago"Sorry, these cupholders do not work with this brand of soda. Your GPS screen is now showing the nearest store where you can purchase a brand of soda that will work in your cupholders. You'll be enjoying delicious X Brand Soda in just 17 minutes!"
- shostack 5y agoSomething similar recently happened with Toyota actually. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29667208 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29667208
- Kaze404 5y agoI really don't see how else a system that encourages infinite growth can evolve.
- AniseAbyss 5y agoMaybe companies don't want to get sued and end up in the American justice system clown world. Personal responsibility seems to go right out of the window when people smell money...
- Kaze404 5y agoBecause it's such an easy task for an individual to sue a company and an entire team of lawyers?