4 ms·

The Power to Fight Eviction

2 points by bootload 18y ago

gravitycop 18y ago
The power landlords have over tenants is overwhelming, unless restricted by law. Wouldn't competition - the invisible hand of the marketplace - also restrict abusable power? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invisible_Hand http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invisible_Hand
- bootload 18y ago
  "... Wouldn't competition - the invisible hand of the marketplace - also restrict abusable power? ..." How? I didn't see this invisible behaviour ( "an individual pursuing his own self-interest tends to also promote the good of his community as a whole" ) when stikkit, pownce shut down. They simply allowed you to download your data and suggested alternative services. Downloading your data while better than nothing, doesn't stop users loosing their subscriptions, disrupting their work flow. By having some sort of agreed plan at commencement might allow a smooth transition for users in the advent of closure or sale. The power unbalance is where at any time you can be evicted at short notice.
azanar 18y ago
I don't think that holding services legal liable for short-notice service cancellations is the correct way to go, as annoying as the cancellation might for the users involved. It would become yet another diversion of time and money away from the goal of improving and keeping the service running. It might be an absorbable cost for a company as large as AOL, but it might be the difference between living and dying for a small company just trying to get going. Even if they could survive though, it doesn't mean they should be held liable. Forcing them to spend money being graceful at shutting down one service might result in collateral damage of other services to offset the cost. It's ultimately a question between corporate and personal responsibility. In the end, they are another data storage mechanism. And as with all means of data storage, you need to keep backups somewhere else. Metaphorically comparing this to tenant eviction just doesn't work. One's livelihood is not threatened by losing some photos or blogposts, and the cost of maintaining backups is insignificant compared to the cost of maintaining an alternative place to live.

2 points by bootload 18y ago

The power landlords have over tenants is overwhelming, unless restricted by law. Wouldn't competition - the invisible hand of the marketplace - also restrict abusable power? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invisible_Hand http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invisible_Hand

bootload 18y ago
"... Wouldn't competition - the invisible hand of the marketplace - also restrict abusable power? ..." How? I didn't see this invisible behaviour ( "an individual pursuing his own self-interest tends to also promote the good of his community as a whole" ) when stikkit, pownce shut down. They simply allowed you to download your data and suggested alternative services. Downloading your data while better than nothing, doesn't stop users loosing their subscriptions, disrupting their work flow. By having some sort of agreed plan at commencement might allow a smooth transition for users in the advent of closure or sale. The power unbalance is where at any time you can be evicted at short notice.

azanar 18y ago

I don't think that holding services legal liable for short-notice service cancellations is the correct way to go, as annoying as the cancellation might for the users involved. It would become yet another diversion of time and money away from the goal of improving and keeping the service running. It might be an absorbable cost for a company as large as AOL, but it might be the difference between living and dying for a small company just trying to get going. Even if they could survive though, it doesn't mean they should be held liable. Forcing them to spend money being graceful at shutting down one service might result in collateral damage of other services to offset the cost. It's ultimately a question between corporate and personal responsibility. In the end, they are another data storage mechanism. And as with all means of data storage, you need to keep backups somewhere else. Metaphorically comparing this to tenant eviction just doesn't work. One's livelihood is not threatened by losing some photos or blogposts, and the cost of maintaining backups is insignificant compared to the cost of maintaining an alternative place to live.