longtime reader and commenter.. I graduated from UCF.. This is the part that really stuck out to me
The obtuseness and hypocrisy of the university is astounding. The administration all but comes out and says, "Screw the students. They can use our clunky, nearly-useless software and like it. After all, they're paying for it." And as for Arnold's monetization of a useful service? How many goods or services does the university charge for? Fees for labs. Fees for the library. Transcript fees. And, of course, this is over and above thousands of dollars per semester and hundreds of dollars worth of books, all paid for by the students.
UCF seems to be going out of its way to make an example out of the guy who made its system actually usable. God knows what the adminstration's motivation is. All it's actually going to do is project an image of ivory-tower insulation that won't be easy to shed.
I got a ticket from them, claiming I had illegally parked in a handicapped parking, since they match the placard to the parking decal and when the driver doesn't match, they simply ticket you.. well I happened to be carpooling with a blind person, when I appealed? It was denied. I had to pay a $250 fine in order to lift the registration hold they put on me (which was never refundable). I had to have a series of "hearings" where I had to drive to campus, with the person I had carpooled with.. Now, I lived an hour away from campus. During the series of conferences and hearings, I had to listen to the parking attendant explain how they got their facts, and then the blind person I was helping, who had to take time out of her schedule, had to tell them that I wasn't parking illegally.
I went there during these incidents, I was glad not to be part of the 200... And the professor? One of the department professors for my major. Let's just say I'm glad to see someone finally blowing the whistle on the administration's ivory tower bullshit. They will fight tooth and nail with all of the clout they can muster to stamp out any shred of anything they don't like or makes them look bad or doesn't help them earn that one extra nickle or dime.
I was thinking the same thing, give away the print edition for a day, or a week, or whatever $40,000,000 is worth..
they also could have tried something less gimmicky than a see-through paywall... like slap bracelets (I know it sounds silly but I got one from Chegg and everyone I know is like OMG A SLAP BRACELET!!)
they could have used that money to partner with and advertise a deal with say, starbucks? dunkin donuts? a receipt from either store could get you a free printed paper?
speaking of gimmicks, how about a "special edition" printed paper that is in a magazine format, with glossy paper and everything, and make it cost the same as a normal paper. (that's that scarce good, this reminds me of trent reznor's color changing cds)
what else can I pull out of my ass or off the top of my head? you would think with $40,000,000 at stake, someone would have thought of better ideas than these, which I think are better than they one they went with...
Not really, thats a quote from NBK.. but I do live on the "space coast" of florida, I was also in elementary school.. but since we could see the shuttle just by going outside, thats exactly what we did..
Even as a small child, I knew that we would fly again. We shouldn't cut NASA's budget, it is something we can all point to and say "this is where smart people do great things" and to the people who cite its "large budget".. I think you should look it up.. it makes up about 1/2 of 1% of the federal budget...
I can't help but feel like there is a conspiracy to limit travel of all forms, if you are fat, or old.. if you are a child, or have a brain in your head, they would simply rather you did not travel.. flying is a privilege, not a right.. but in this day and age, is it really feasible to sail to australia?
I care, just not about reddit, never been to the site in fact.. it's some kind of thing? or something? I hear the name, I'd go there now, but I think I'll wait, out of spite..
great point, I think the love lost for music is kind of the same too, like I kind of sorta remember some 50's reels always about hollywood "we really do it for you, the viewers!" and now, what all of these ENTERTAINMENT industries have done is shown that no, we don't do it for you, the fan, we do it for the money, it's always been about the money and now more than ever, we need the money, please pay us the money, or go fuck yourselves (thanks gilbert, I wonder if he did it for the money, or if he is in on some kind of joke that I, for one, am laughing at)
how about a shirt that says "the streisand effect" with the infamous photo of her house, do any of your offerings give to a cause people can't refuse? a la colbert's wrist-strong bracelet proceeds going to the yellow ribbon fund? (who hates war vets?)
how about a pay what you want for something? like this next year's crystal ball? isn't it just an artificial scarcity? how about an ipo for techdirt cafe inc! mmm... topless gaming cafe with vodka and red bulls plz!
most spelling mistakes are made by people using pens and pencils! pens and pencils are dedicated to spelling mistakes! I know what we'll do! ban pens and pencils! also the bathwater is bad, throw it out, don't save the baby we'll make a new one, one that doesn't dirty the bathwater next time.. yes!
this is apple, they police raid peoples houses at their behest, the patent office uses them specifically to point out how successful patents are to "the economy" I'm sure his highness king jobs could patent dirt and ice and sue penguins and sue the north pole for infringing
I play League of Legends.. I guess I've paid more in a month than most subscriptions.. but I don't see myself keeping that up.. what I like about it the "freemium" offering is that the game is a level playing field for everyone.. sure you can get "experience boosts" but that just propels you to a higher level which only pits you against those who got there by grinding the at the "free" level of experience per match.. meaning you will likely face people who have more experience playing.. the only thing you can't get without actual money is special "skins" for the characters in game, special costumes, which I see plenty of during my gameplay.. of course I only have the promotional material to go on but they are apparently successful.. (way better than demigod, even though I shelled out more money for it, because I liked stardock's policy regarding DRM.. the playerbase is a ghost town since there is no free to play element)
just some food for thought when considering freemium..
can I host topless wait staff?
what about free wifi?
can I get some kind of formal paperwork for my dollar?
how much of a vested interest would the folks at Floor64 have in such a business once it became a reality? would this be like a franchise that I have to keep up to corporate specifications? is this like an internet cafe or a starbucks style cafe?
if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! I would like to see someone set this sort of thing up and only go after politicians.. I bet the laws would change once they affect the people who can do something about it.. otherwise.. wheeeee free money!!
if you cause hassles for legitimate customers, they will think the problem is somehow so severe that "this is what it has come to".. and so it breeds this air of severity
it would be nice if they smartened up, with the justice dept in their pocket I don't see them dying ANYTIME EVER
UCF? Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here!
I got a ticket from them, claiming I had illegally parked in a handicapped parking, since they match the placard to the parking decal and when the driver doesn't match, they simply ticket you.. well I happened to be carpooling with a blind person, when I appealed? It was denied. I had to pay a $250 fine in order to lift the registration hold they put on me (which was never refundable). I had to have a series of "hearings" where I had to drive to campus, with the person I had carpooled with.. Now, I lived an hour away from campus. During the series of conferences and hearings, I had to listen to the parking attendant explain how they got their facts, and then the blind person I was helping, who had to take time out of her schedule, had to tell them that I wasn't parking illegally.
What did I get for my trouble? a big fuck you!
Remember this?
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101118/21485811928/200-students-admit-to-cheating-exam-bigger -question-is-if-it-was-really-cheating-studying.shtml
Check this out!
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-08-31/news/os-ucf-racial-profiling-alleged-20100831 _1_ucf-police-mixed-race-assistant-professor
I went there during these incidents, I was glad not to be part of the 200... And the professor? One of the department professors for my major. Let's just say I'm glad to see someone finally blowing the whistle on the administration's ivory tower bullshit. They will fight tooth and nail with all of the clout they can muster to stamp out any shred of anything they don't like or makes them look bad or doesn't help them earn that one extra nickle or dime.
(untitled comment)
(untitled comment)
(untitled comment)
they also could have tried something less gimmicky than a see-through paywall... like slap bracelets (I know it sounds silly but I got one from Chegg and everyone I know is like OMG A SLAP BRACELET!!)
they could have used that money to partner with and advertise a deal with say, starbucks? dunkin donuts? a receipt from either store could get you a free printed paper?
speaking of gimmicks, how about a "special edition" printed paper that is in a magazine format, with glossy paper and everything, and make it cost the same as a normal paper. (that's that scarce good, this reminds me of trent reznor's color changing cds)
what else can I pull out of my ass or off the top of my head? you would think with $40,000,000 at stake, someone would have thought of better ideas than these, which I think are better than they one they went with...
(untitled comment)
I sawr it all go down in grenada
Even as a small child, I knew that we would fly again. We shouldn't cut NASA's budget, it is something we can all point to and say "this is where smart people do great things" and to the people who cite its "large budget".. I think you should look it up.. it makes up about 1/2 of 1% of the federal budget...
thoughts...
Re: Re:
oh.. and google "south park simpsons did it"
(untitled comment)
(untitled comment)
how about a pay what you want for something? like this next year's crystal ball? isn't it just an artificial scarcity? how about an ipo for techdirt cafe inc! mmm... topless gaming cafe with vodka and red bulls plz!
(untitled comment)
(untitled comment)
Re: Denial
Re: Re: Funny thing ...
they = the
scratch "and sue penguins" I realized that was dumb and meant to say glaciers or the north pole so there..
Re: Funny thing ...
hmm
just some food for thought when considering freemium..
Techdirt Cafe?
can I host topless wait staff?
what about free wifi?
can I get some kind of formal paperwork for my dollar?
how much of a vested interest would the folks at Floor64 have in such a business once it became a reality? would this be like a franchise that I have to keep up to corporate specifications? is this like an internet cafe or a starbucks style cafe?
this is great!
hmm
so I think I've figured it out
it would be nice if they smartened up, with the justice dept in their pocket I don't see them dying ANYTIME EVER
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