[LINK] More on OS advertising patents

Jan Whitaker jwhit at melbpc.org.au
Tue Nov 17 11:17:43 AEDT 2009


At 10:44 AM 17/11/2009, Pilcher, Fred wrote:
> > I can't see anyone *buying* an OS that
> > interrupted them at irregular (or even regular) intervals to
> > advertise at them.
>
>One word: Foxtel.
>
>I don't have it, but I was amazed to see ads at a friend's house. He
>said that initially it was ad-free, but then they introduced ads. He was
>annoyed, but not enough to cancel the service.

Classic bait, hook and switch. There have been lots of business 
models where you get the user 'hooked' and reliant on something, then 
change the conditions. I used to work in the audio-visual industry. 
At first, overhead projectors were dear. Then the companies who 
vertically integrated supplying the transparency film realised they 
could make more on the consumables. So they would give away the 
projectors and sell the recurring item just that much more so that 
once the hardware was amortised, the on-going purchase of the film was gravy.

Phone plans are similar, only without the advertising. "Free" doesn't 
really mean free. You're paying through some other part of the 
contract. It's all a marketing gimmick.

To some businesses, the by-word is "just because you can, you 
should". Or in the words of PT Barnum of circus fame, "There's a 
sucker born every minute."

Jan



Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or 
sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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