3 ms·

actually it would cost engineering time/money. those engineers are likely contractors or some of the highest paid folks at the paper who are likely barely staff

actually it would cost engineering time/money. those engineers are likely contractors or some of the highest paid folks at the paper who are likely barely staffed and dealing with the page load of a big article.

Dylan16807 4y ago
They already showed their willingness to spend money on a cutoff. They could have done a different cutoff instead.
- kube-system 4y ago
  Why would they do that? The problem they were intending to solve is their legal liability. The problem that Europeans can’t read their news without ads is not a problem they want to solve. They don’t want people reading their news without ads.
  - Dylan16807 4y ago
    The premise of this line of comments is that the international traffic is so small it's not even worth making an adsense account. Given that premise, there's no reason to want Europeans blocked other than spite or embarrassment. Simply not caring enough to put in extra effort wouldn't look so bad, but that's why I'm pointing out there's no real difference in effort.
    - kube-system 4y ago
      > Given that premise, there's no reason to want Europeans blocked other than spite or embarrassment. Yes, there is another reason: legal liability under GDPR. if(maxmind.lookup(request.ip).isInEU()) { return 451 } …is the cheapest and easiest way to meet their legal obligation. It is way easier than setting up some alternative revenue stream and ensuring that it is compliant.
      - Dylan16807 4y ago
        if(maxmind.lookup(request.ip).isInEU()) { return $body_text } Wow look I coded a version that still has the article with no more effort. > It is way easier than setting up some alternative revenue stream and ensuring that it is compliant. The premise of this comment chain is already that we are NOT setting that up. My previous comment was NOT suggesting we set one up.
        kube-system 4y ago
        They are a business and their goal is to make money. Monetarily, both solutions are approximately equal: get fined zero dollars and make zero dollars. This is all they care about. You may have a preference for one solution over the other, but this doesn’t mean they do. I think that the solution that they chose demonstrates quite well that they just simply don’t care.
        Dylan16807 4y ago
        ...yes? In my very first comment I was saying they could do either and it was only unimportant petty motivations that made them choose.
        kube-system 4y ago
        It wasn’t “petty motivations” it was a lack of motivation. WJTV’s signal doesn’t even reach across the entire state of Mississippi. Why do you think they even for a moment considered EU visitors to their website? Nobody from the EU wants to know about traffic detours, city council elections, or the weather for the morning commute in Jackson Mississippi. EU readership just isn’t even remotely relevant to their operations.
        Dylan16807 4y ago
        It's not just a lack of motivation. What they did takes roughly zero effort. The alternative also takes roughly zero effort. They made an active choice. Calling their choice "lack of motivation" is not right. They wanted to take the ruder option.

Dylan16807 4y ago

They already showed their willingness to spend money on a cutoff. They could have done a different cutoff instead.

kube-system 4y ago
Why would they do that? The problem they were intending to solve is their legal liability. The problem that Europeans can’t read their news without ads is not a problem they want to solve. They don’t want people reading their news without ads.
- Dylan16807 4y ago
  The premise of this line of comments is that the international traffic is so small it's not even worth making an adsense account. Given that premise, there's no reason to want Europeans blocked other than spite or embarrassment. Simply not caring enough to put in extra effort wouldn't look so bad, but that's why I'm pointing out there's no real difference in effort.
  - kube-system 4y ago
    > Given that premise, there's no reason to want Europeans blocked other than spite or embarrassment. Yes, there is another reason: legal liability under GDPR. if(maxmind.lookup(request.ip).isInEU()) { return 451 } …is the cheapest and easiest way to meet their legal obligation. It is way easier than setting up some alternative revenue stream and ensuring that it is compliant.
    - Dylan16807 4y ago
      if(maxmind.lookup(request.ip).isInEU()) { return $body_text } Wow look I coded a version that still has the article with no more effort. > It is way easier than setting up some alternative revenue stream and ensuring that it is compliant. The premise of this comment chain is already that we are NOT setting that up. My previous comment was NOT suggesting we set one up.
      - kube-system 4y ago
        They are a business and their goal is to make money. Monetarily, both solutions are approximately equal: get fined zero dollars and make zero dollars. This is all they care about. You may have a preference for one solution over the other, but this doesn’t mean they do. I think that the solution that they chose demonstrates quite well that they just simply don’t care.
        Dylan16807 4y ago
        ...yes? In my very first comment I was saying they could do either and it was only unimportant petty motivations that made them choose.
        kube-system 4y ago
        It wasn’t “petty motivations” it was a lack of motivation. WJTV’s signal doesn’t even reach across the entire state of Mississippi. Why do you think they even for a moment considered EU visitors to their website? Nobody from the EU wants to know about traffic detours, city council elections, or the weather for the morning commute in Jackson Mississippi. EU readership just isn’t even remotely relevant to their operations.
        Dylan16807 4y ago
        It's not just a lack of motivation. What they did takes roughly zero effort. The alternative also takes roughly zero effort. They made an active choice. Calling their choice "lack of motivation" is not right. They wanted to take the ruder option.