Thread

1. matheusmoreira · 1789992443 · focus · HN ↗

   It literally never fails.

   If you pay to avoid ads, you are merely letting them know that you have disposable income to spend on this sort of stuff. You're doing their job for them by segmenting yourself into the upper echelons of the market.

   At some point, some shareholder value maximizing CEO is going to show up and notice how much money he's leaving on the table by not advertising to all of those people full of disposable income.

   1. bunderbunder · 1789997239 · focus · HN ↗

      This is part of why last year I mostly switched to just borrowing DVDs from my public library. Avoiding ads by not paying seems to do the trick rather nicely. The quality and variety is better than what I can find on any one streaming service, too.

      1. jerf · 1789999895 · focus · HN ↗

         Every year it gets more and more important to learn how to not be sucked in by a small amount of convenience. "Capitalism" has figured out how to abuse your desire for maximum convenience. You need to figure out what your price is for it, and stick to it like glue.

         The funny thing is the sooner you get off of some particular convenience treadmill the easier it is to stay off.

         1. bunderbunder · 1790000583 · focus · HN ↗

            The funny thing is, it may be less convenient but it's also more enjoyable.

            Endlessly scrolling some algorithmic feed hunting for something to watch can be done without getting off the couch, but it isn't actually fun. Walking to the library with my family to return a stack of books and movies and check out some new stuff is one of the highlights of our weekend.

            For anyone who's wondering where to start, I'd like to suggest that your library probably has a copy of WALL-E.

      2. eecks · 1790000717 · focus · HN ↗

         Why DVD and not Blu-Ray?

         1. bunderbunder · 1790004478 · focus · HN ↗

            They've got those, too, but I didn't feel like paying extra for a Blu-Ray player.
      3. Melatonic · 1790006297 · focus · HN ↗

         I love libraries but DVD are pretty ancient in terms of video quality
      4. dleslie · 1790006588 · focus · HN ↗

         I highly recommend asking if your library has access to Kanopy. It's a video streaming service for libraries, and works on a monthly token system.

         My local library has access to Kanopy, Libby, and Blackstone. And as a Canadian, I've got CBC gem as well.

         The available library of films, documentaries, books, and so forth is enormous. All bereft of ads, and mostly bereft of slop.

         1. persedes · 1790007166 · focus · HN ↗

            For now at least:

            <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;ninelives.karawynnlong.com&#x2F;p&#x2F;the-coming-enshittification-of-public-libraries" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;ninelives.karawynnlong.com&#x2F;p&#x2F;the-coming-enshittifica...

            1. dleslie · 1790010638 · focus · HN ↗

               Ugh. It&#x27;s never enough, is it? They can&#x27;t simply be happy making a decent profit and maintaining a reasonable customer relationship.

               They always have to squeeze, crush, and destroy. Rob every customer, ruin every product, so they can enrich themselves.

            2. toofy · 1790130653 · focus · HN ↗

               omg. thanks for linking this. i had no idea.

               kkr of all vultures is scary. libraries need to act quick to find alternatives and shut this firm out.

               there’s a reason the mere mention of this particular private equity firm causes shivers to anyone who has heard of them.

               1. persedes · 1790176212 · focus · HN ↗

                  I try to post this link everytime someone praises libby :|

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