Entries from June 2008
David Pogue reported that after the snafu and outrage expressed by its users, Netflix announced that they would NOT be phasing out profiles.
I’m not going to go into the back story here for those of you who haven’t followed this developing story that presents a great case study of the crossroads that any successful company, particularly those in the online world, will eventually encounter when its larger strategic and product development goals butts head with an engaged (and often enraged) customer base who can utilize the organizational power and mouthpiece allowed by the Internet to express their own opinions–and in some cases, as Netflix discovered, impact a real change. In the case of Netflix, a feature upgrade (or downgrade as many apparently felt) that had been roadmapped for god knows how long was shot down in a less than a month due to customer protests.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot, that is how do companies, particularly those with a certain loyal if not fanatical customer base, effectively manage their fanboys?
While they are essential to any company, nonetheless a company should not be run by mob rule. In the event of a backlash, when does the company fold their cards and give in to the inmates’ demands? And similarly, when should a company stay fast and steady and plow on ahead as scheduled?
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Categories: Technology
This photo sequence of a dog changing his mind about doing a jump at a dog competition is almost as cute as Wall-E.
HAHAHAHA. Look at his bugged out eyes in the last photo. Hysterical.
[Via]
Categories: Sports
This is for Winer, a long time reader and old friend going back to freshman year of college.
Behold the monster truck DeLorean!
[Via]
Categories: Music · automobile
I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat.
- Will Rogers
Categories: Personal
This is from a few years ago and I post this despite the danger of being smited, but some people voted the following as the best god joke ever.
Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, “Don’t do it!” He said, “Nobody loves me.” I said, “God loves you. Do you believe in God?”
He said, “Yes.” I said, “Are you a Christian or a Jew?” He said, “A Christian.” I said, “Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?” He said, “Protestant.” I said, “Me, too! What franchise?” He said, “Baptist.” I said, “Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?” He said, “Northern Baptist.” I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?” He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist.” I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?” He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region.” I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative†Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?” He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.”
I said, “Die, heretic!” And I pushed him over.
I’m just the messenger, folks. Although this messenger thought these two were also funny:
- When I was a kid, I used to pray every night for a new bike. Then I realised, the Lord doesn’t work that way. So I just stole one and asked Him to forgive me … and I got it!
- So I’m at the wailing wall, standing there like a moron, with my harpoon.”
Harpoon, haha.
Read more from the guy who created these jokes here.
Categories: News
Most likely a firm related tab, but wowza this is an absurd restaurant bill.
As Eater points out, note the 72 shots of Patron.
Categories: Personal
This is amazing.
[Via]
Categories: Personal
A video glimpse into a street gun kiosk in Mogadishu hawking M-16s, AKs, and RPGs any of which you can purchase for less than $200. As the two breathless journas in the report note the proliferation of small arms, not WMDs is what’s responsible for the instability and killing in many countries around the world.
Categories: News
