4 ms·

How about from a profitability perspective? I think we should suck it up, and realize large companies aren't going to subsidize what we want to do on the intern

How about from a profitability perspective? I think we should suck it up, and realize large companies aren't going to subsidize what we want to do on the internet, forever. If Last.fm isn't €3/month, don't pay it.

batasrki 18y ago
I realize that, but at the same time, I realize that they've offered this service for free for a long, long time. Also, I wouldn't mind it so much, if they were to charge everyone. However, charging everyone but the English, Americans and Germans is patently unfair. Also, the people from those countries already get services and features no one else does. So now we're talking about the rest of the world subsidizing what users from only three countries consume from Last.fm. You cannot tell me that that's fair or that it even makes sense.
- mikedouglas 18y ago
  The UK, USA and Germany are large enough markets for them to sell ads in. If anything, over the last few years, ad sales in those countries has been subsidizing everyone else. Hulu, Kindle, GrandCentral, etc. It's not like this is a new experience for Canadians. It sucks, but I don't blame the companies for being forced to realize market realities.
  - batasrki 18y ago
    If what you say is true, that was not indicated in their announcement. As for market realities, it's a reality that they've offered this service worldwide. Hulu, Kindle, etc. have not. It's unrealistic to not expect a huge backlash against a service that's restricting itself to only those markets where they think they might make money. As some commenters have rightly indicated, losing the scrobbling ability of the whole wide world will inevitably degrade the service of the "special" ones. And trust me, I've already stopped feeding them information. Also, come end of March and I will take my business elsewhere. I don't mind paying for a service. I do mind discrimination and senseless discrimination I mind even more.
    - mikedouglas 18y ago
      "It's unrealistic to not expect a huge backlash against a service that's restricting itself to only those markets where they think they might make money." Which, in one sentence, explains the insanity of the mindset of web startups at the moment. Fortunately, it looks like that's starting to change. "And trust me, I've already stopped feeding them information. Also, come end of March and I will take my business elsewhere." Great. Especially if you think Last.fm is wrong about the value of your market, why not start a competitor? "I don't mind paying for a service. I do mind discrimination and senseless discrimination I mind even more." There shouldn't be a taboo against saying you don't think last.fm (or any web startup) isn't worth paying for, but I hope you still don't think this is the result of CBSs xenophobia.
      - batasrki 18y ago
        I don't follow the last sentence. I do think last.fm is worth it, had they 1) made these rules from the get-go; 2) applied them equally and with no discrimination (I think this is where CBS's xenophobia fits in?) Am I on the right track? If not, please feel free to correct me. :)
        aardvarkious 18y ago
        If they are able to offer the service for free to some, why is this a bad thing again? I'm Canadian, so am a little bit sad that I won't be enjoying last.fm for free (or, in my case, at all) anymore. However, I'm not mad that others will be able to. And why is it a bad thing if you offer your service for free at first?
        batasrki 18y ago
        It's bad because the expectation you set with your users is that that service is free. With last.fm, it was free, but you could upgrade if you wanted to. Until this point in time, it wasn't "free, but only if you're from the right country". Had that been stated in the beginning, they wouldn't have been as successful and probably wouldn't have been acquired by the CBS. They basically did the worst thing possible. They've collected user data, which they needed for their recommendation engine. They got users to fill out information about the bands whose music was on the site. Now, they're cashing in. As DHH and 37signals and various other people have said: Don't be afraid to charge for your product. They screwed up and now they will face the wrath of the community.

batasrki 18y ago

I realize that, but at the same time, I realize that they've offered this service for free for a long, long time. Also, I wouldn't mind it so much, if they were to charge everyone. However, charging everyone but the English, Americans and Germans is patently unfair. Also, the people from those countries already get services and features no one else does. So now we're talking about the rest of the world subsidizing what users from only three countries consume from Last.fm. You cannot tell me that that's fair or that it even makes sense.

mikedouglas 18y ago
The UK, USA and Germany are large enough markets for them to sell ads in. If anything, over the last few years, ad sales in those countries has been subsidizing everyone else. Hulu, Kindle, GrandCentral, etc. It's not like this is a new experience for Canadians. It sucks, but I don't blame the companies for being forced to realize market realities.
- batasrki 18y ago
  If what you say is true, that was not indicated in their announcement. As for market realities, it's a reality that they've offered this service worldwide. Hulu, Kindle, etc. have not. It's unrealistic to not expect a huge backlash against a service that's restricting itself to only those markets where they think they might make money. As some commenters have rightly indicated, losing the scrobbling ability of the whole wide world will inevitably degrade the service of the "special" ones. And trust me, I've already stopped feeding them information. Also, come end of March and I will take my business elsewhere. I don't mind paying for a service. I do mind discrimination and senseless discrimination I mind even more.
  - mikedouglas 18y ago
    "It's unrealistic to not expect a huge backlash against a service that's restricting itself to only those markets where they think they might make money." Which, in one sentence, explains the insanity of the mindset of web startups at the moment. Fortunately, it looks like that's starting to change. "And trust me, I've already stopped feeding them information. Also, come end of March and I will take my business elsewhere." Great. Especially if you think Last.fm is wrong about the value of your market, why not start a competitor? "I don't mind paying for a service. I do mind discrimination and senseless discrimination I mind even more." There shouldn't be a taboo against saying you don't think last.fm (or any web startup) isn't worth paying for, but I hope you still don't think this is the result of CBSs xenophobia.
    - batasrki 18y ago
      I don't follow the last sentence. I do think last.fm is worth it, had they 1) made these rules from the get-go; 2) applied them equally and with no discrimination (I think this is where CBS's xenophobia fits in?) Am I on the right track? If not, please feel free to correct me. :)
      - aardvarkious 18y ago
        If they are able to offer the service for free to some, why is this a bad thing again? I'm Canadian, so am a little bit sad that I won't be enjoying last.fm for free (or, in my case, at all) anymore. However, I'm not mad that others will be able to. And why is it a bad thing if you offer your service for free at first?
        batasrki 18y ago
        It's bad because the expectation you set with your users is that that service is free. With last.fm, it was free, but you could upgrade if you wanted to. Until this point in time, it wasn't "free, but only if you're from the right country". Had that been stated in the beginning, they wouldn't have been as successful and probably wouldn't have been acquired by the CBS. They basically did the worst thing possible. They've collected user data, which they needed for their recommendation engine. They got users to fill out information about the bands whose music was on the site. Now, they're cashing in. As DHH and 37signals and various other people have said: Don't be afraid to charge for your product. They screwed up and now they will face the wrath of the community.