On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 23:30:33 +0000 (UTC), Andy Jacobs
<andy.TakeThisOut@redcatmedia.net> wrote:
>I've just shut down a non-profit making site because it used 21.5GB in 3
>weeks and I only get 20 per momth for my whole server. If I could have had
>1p from every unique visitor it would have paid for itself 
(
I doubt that this was meant to be a point of serious discussion,
but IMO it is:
The way things are going, "popular sites" have to find a revenue
stream that is not "banner/advert" related to survive into the longer
term. However, the lack of a (globally co-ordinated) micro-payment
scheme is preventing this. Within the UK, they tried Mondex(?) - which
failed.
Now we have regional mobile phone operators trying the same thing
[1][2]. We still do not have any basic consent/authentication schemes
in place for premium rate telephone numbers or the "rip off" SMS short
codes - to stop such services making millions at the expense of
minors.
Aside from the "hidden charges" advertising policies of these
companies. IMO, charges "for SMS messages received" (by the caller)
services are open to more abuse than services that are charged for by
calls sent by the caller.
...If a minor tries to take money out of their parent's bank via a
cash card, they are asked for a PIN Number (sic), but if they "borrow"
their parent's phone (mobile or otherwise) - to vote on BB, for
example, they are not asked for any authentication whatsoever. These
companies are taking money from minors and hiding behind the
meaningless "Ask the bill payer for permission" phrase. It is an
unregulated cash cow, and that is what the programme makers are
counting on.
To be fair - and much to my surprise - the USA BB producers do not
partake in this act - unlike the UK scum, who even have forced
(non-MHEG) program overlays asking you to play "snap" at 25-50p
(15-30c) per pair of cards. The on-screen "Hot Topic" crap was simply
embarrassing - it comes to something when I am more embarrassed by the
UK programme makers greed than Hollywood's inate greed.
In previous years I would have maintained that USA TV programme
producers were "after the money" more than UK producers. Although,
even, the MPAA, even with its fascist dictatorship of "paid for"
politicians, is not as bad as the UK TV companies that knowingly use
premium rate phone numbers and SMS short codes for revenue - while
knowing that a very large percentage of the callers are under-age.
This year's BB4 USA has been an eye-opener for me. The USA TV
executives do not appear to be as mercenary as their British
counterparts. The USA version seems far more interesting, yet has (so
far) no public evictions. IMO: the UK version would not survive
financially if it did not have a million viewers paying 25p (15c) per
vote on eviction night. Does the USA telecoms market not allow this
sort of rip-off, or is it simply not the sort of con-job that the USA
public would fall for?[3]
Trying to get back on a "web" point, I do object to paying for a
"Real Pass" to see content that was free a year ago. I also object to
being told to watch video in Real's proprietary format when MPEG or
MPEG 2 would be of far higher quality and more accessible. Although,
maybe that is an indication of the failure of the above scheme's.
Given the BBC's refusal to provide access to BBCi to license payers
- depending upon their ISP's providing BBC branded content, may be
this is the future
Where is that mountain that John Connor (and his future wife/widow)
is hiding in... it sounds like a nice quiet place...
[1] Is it Voda or O2 doing the "newest" mobile payment scheme? I
assume that it is Voda as O2 UK can't even provide MMS/Fax services to
their XDA users in the UK/IE - even though they have been available
for months in Germany and Asia.
[2] It can't be a global thing anyway, since the USA is several years
behind Europe technologically and uses their own frequencies rather
than the global standards - a bit like their version of environmental
issues or Never Twice the Same Colour [NTSC]
FFS their primary
mobile phone networks are still analogue... it may be "quaint", but
it's a sad state of afairs for the world's only remaining
super-liar^Wpower to be in.
[3] Even though they don't like salt & vinegar on their "chips" /
"fries" 8-(
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