Look At All Our Downloads!

from the one-two-four-eighteen dept

Plenty of companies tout the number of downloads of their software as if it's a meaningful metric -- with Skype as one of the most egregious examples. It's pretty obvious, though, that those figures are pretty useless, for a variety of reasons. For instance, MySQL says nearly 1 in 100 people in Japan have downloaded its software, a pretty staggering statistic. Of course, they count incomplete or failed downloads, and don't bother with counting unique users. So the next time somebody touts all their downloads -- and parlays that into a billion-dollar deal, take it with a grain of salt.
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  • identicon
    bigpicture, 3 Feb 2006 @ 5:23pm

    Preaching to the Choir

    You are stating the obvious to the people who know anything about the internet. Why don't you ask the RIAA how they get their download information, that they use to prosecute the hell out of people. Maybe theirs is more accurate, don't you think?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Andrew Schilling, 3 Feb 2006 @ 8:09pm

      Re: Preaching to the Choir

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        bigpicture, 4 Feb 2006 @ 1:50pm

        Re: Preaching to the Choir

        Sorry, I was maybe improperly using sarcasm about this subject.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Adrian Kimberly, 4 Feb 2006 @ 6:29pm

          Re: Preaching to the Choir

          My, how quickly the wheels fell offa this little Radio-Flyer thread. Near record time. I used to love Skype (and I still use it every day, saving me a LOT of money), but I don't trust it like it did before the completely evil eBay bought it. And it's download counter (and their unseemly braggling about it) always was but a sideshow to the treat that is Skype. They have a sense of human and it shows. I rather like that as a marketing tool.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Evan, 3 Feb 2006 @ 6:28pm

    Downloads...

    I download VirtualDub everytime I use it, hehe.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Andrew Strasser, 3 Feb 2006 @ 11:25pm

    They'll get it sooner or later...

    The VHS warning didn't scare us if you give us a product we will use it. If you expect us to not use our products then we might as well all just quit. There wouldn't be need if it had no purpose the one thing I think this site has been trying to get across for quite some time.

    Compare this to maybe every person that got a windows system within the last few years and didn't get their windows disk for their operating system should then maybe all bajnd together and sue? I mean where does it stop?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Diogenes, 4 Feb 2006 @ 2:44am

      Re: They'll get it sooner or later...

      Andrew,
      You really do not want to know the true answer to that question.But since I did stop and make a comment I will leave some clues as to my meaning in the form of: a statement, an axiom, and an aphorism
      Statement:
      While we have enjoyed a Pax Americana for the last 60 odd years, the summer wanes and winter comes.
      Axiom:Those who forget the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them.
      Aphorism:
      I would rather die early doing a job I love, than live than live longer doing a job that I hate.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Duck Grossberg, 4 Feb 2006 @ 3:25am

        Re: They'll get it sooner or later...

        Uh......wow....You shure told him.
        Now we can go watch Tron on our Beta Max.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Diogenes, 4 Feb 2006 @ 4:50am

          Re: They'll get it sooner or later...

          Duck,

          lol, I am not exactly speaking from beneath the depths of great and still waters Duck.

          If we are going to use the references of relics and the lessons of things come and gone to exchange barbs, I would recommend that you speak to Ozymandias in the hopes that it might quicken your wit and sharpen your tongue. After which this might offer some small sport.

          Ever at your service,
          -Diogenes

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Andrew Strasser, 4 Feb 2006 @ 6:20am

            Re: They'll get it sooner or later...

            ouch...


            Alpha waves anyone know other than it's the area for telekinesis it's classified.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Andrew Strasser, 4 Feb 2006 @ 6:27am

              Re: They'll get it sooner or later...

              Then again I won't grace ere again so what.... It falls from the top as the weekend progresses.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

              • identicon
                Andrew Strasser, 4 Feb 2006 @ 9:17pm

                Re: They'll get it sooner or later...

                No wonder I don't use this much it's e-bay related... I had wondered why I hadn't used it much. Glass of Vlos anyone?

                link to this | view in chronology ]

                • identicon
                  Phil, 4 Feb 2006 @ 11:25pm

                  Re: They'll get it sooner or later...

                  "No wonder I don't use this much it's e-bay related"

                  written from you windows machine ;-)
                  after having talked with your friend with Yahoo messenger, or MSN ?
                  Come on guy, all these companies are evil...
                  Only little plus for Skype is that it is forbidden in French universities because the Governemnt cannot tap into it. They never forbade any other messenger or VoIP... guess why :-)

                  link to this | view in chronology ]

                  • identicon
                    Andrew Strasser, 5 Feb 2006 @ 12:00pm

                    Re: They'll get it sooner or later...

                    There are other forms of communication... Much easier really for the govt. to look at what goes on on your computer no matter what software you run. Maybe not in France, but the US has proven it's a bit different than France before.

                    link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Professor HighBrow, 4 Feb 2006 @ 4:49am

        Re: They'll get it sooner or later...

        Pardon me, but what the hell are you talking about Diogenes Nostramus?

        So what is the "true" answer to the question?
        Andrew stated a clear point. People are entiled to a products use or the now unclear "fair use" if they buy it. And he's correct, no one gives a crap about the scare tactics and FBI warnings on video tapes or DVDs or anything else for that matter.

        People are tired of the "debate" because there really is no debate. It's the consumer vs. self-serving companies that could care less about your privacy, your rights as the purchaser of a product, or their abuse of civil courts to sue people that can't afford to defend themselves.

        [E.g. You buy a PC with Windows included, but can't upgrade your system as they please and still install a "legal" version.] - That liscensce is yours for that version no matter what you do.

        If it weren't large monopolistic organizations with plenty of [your, and the artists they ripped off's] money, they would have any business left, because people would just go somewhere else.

        That is NOT a free market, and favors the corporation over the consumer.

        Until politians become tech savvy and represent the opinions of their constituants and take action (This would be a cold day in Hell)
        OR
        Somehow organized Boycotts can have a substantial affect;

        The public will continue to get screwed over with DMCA, Copyright law perversion, and whatever else "they" think they can get away with.
        Bend over further, John Q. Public. We can't quite stick yah deep enuff.


        Professor Highbrow



        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Diogenes, 4 Feb 2006 @ 5:09am

          Re: They'll get it sooner or later...

          Professor
          The true answer? do you really want me to answer? you may find the response a bit bleak to your taste, given what I little I can glean from you just wrote.

          awaiting your response and ever at your service,
          -Diogenes

          link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Coward, 4 Feb 2006 @ 6:10am

      Re: They'll get it sooner or later...

      Holy second grade writing skills Batman!

      link to this | view in chronology ]


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