Only because I don't want to strike
I've read the "reasoning" behind the strike, if that's what you want to call it. There's only one word that comes to mind for me - dumb.
So I'm only posting so that nobody thinks I was joining the idiots in the strike!
Sorry to those of you who participated.
So I'm only posting so that nobody thinks I was joining the idiots in the strike!
Sorry to those of you who participated.
You're right, the most recent thing impacts new users...except for prior changes that affect potentially everyone, one of which - for exmaple - is the elimination of certain 'interests' that any of us could choose and/or form communities around. By barring certain topics, people can't keep their LJ communities which have often been around for years.
More broadly, though, it's the attitude that was taken...not a matter of finding out what the community might accept or not accept, or how best to implement certain changes, etc.
And I agree...businesses need to make money and they have the right to do so however they want. I wholeheartedly agree on that one. I also know people have the ability to vote with their feet, normally... Perfectly right, perfectly capitalist and in an ideal world, it works great.
Problem here is that there's a kind of monopoly. If, say, I were to leave LJ because I disagreed with a new policy (which is my right as a 'consumer'), the communities won't necessarily move, nor will all of my friends and acquaintances. Of course, I *can* keep in touch in other ways...but not quite the same and in many cases, it just wouldn't happen, on one end or the other.
I think part of the overall issue is that people may not know where the business is going...including the owners. If they have a plan, it may in fact involve driving some people off...which is certainly their right, but it should really be communicated as such. "We're interested in taking the business in another direction that unfortunately doesn't align with your interests..." Give people a chance to see what's going to happen, what's coming next and/or just have a dialog somehow concerning what might keep people around. For all anyone knows, people are willing to pay to stay around...but no one knows if that's part of the issue or if it's been considered...people are just being run off.
That's my take on it, anyway... Six Apart failed to make money on LJ and their 'more mature' LJ replacement has failed, too, to make them money. Now another company is trying...no doubt they'll fail, too. Cutting the basic free account isn't going to change much...but it seems like a sophomoric attempt at cutting the losses, eliminating the free level. I think it's a good entry level, myself...but that means there has to be something extra/new/whatever offered in order to make people want to subscribe. I doubt they'll get many new subscribers, especially if those new subscribers have nothing invested in the community.
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Not true. There are many livejournal-like sites out there. GreatestJournal, InsaneJournal, DeadJournal and Blurty to name a few. Livejournal is open source, so should you decide to leave, you could just open your own site using their source.
Six Apart failed to make money on LJ and their 'more mature' LJ replacement has failed, too, to make them money.
Again, not true. Since Six Apart aquired Livejournal, they made more money than Brad did, prior. They sold more permanent accounts, they made more money off of paid accounts, paid add-ons and virtual gifts. As for their 'more mature' replacement, Vox seems to be going strong still. Make money? I don't know if that was ever their goal with Vox.
By barring certain topics, people can't keep their LJ communities which have often been around for years.
By barring certain topics, Livejournal will continue to be around for people to form their communities. Had they not chosen to clean up the topics, they would have been shut down. Did they go about it wrong? Most likely, but they did what they felt was best at the time and as a business, they have that right.
Honestly, the bottom line of it all boils down to the fact that each and every one of us CHOSE to use livejournal, whether or not we post for 24 hours is a choice that we make and it does not impact business.
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I'm well aware of GJ, IJ and others :) I check them daily for expatriates who've left LJ after the prior BS Six Apart pulled with changing how they handle their customers...
...point of the 'monopoly' comment, though, is that while any individual can decide to walk and use one of the other *Js, that doesn't mean their communities and cliques and friends will go. You're beholden to LJ, still...you do not have a choice if you dislike a new policy. You can go, yes, or you can run your own, sure, but very few people here can make their circles/friends/etc. leave, too. I can use YIM instead of AIM but that won't mean my contacts will be available...I'll lose touch.
As I said, it's understandable...but it doesn't mean it's good for the users.
As for making money, yes, they made money...but not what they thought they were going to make. That's part of the issue overall...what started out free wasn't easily translating into a pay model. Extra usericons and voice posts and whatnot...many took advantage of it (I did) but it doesn't seem to have been what they had hoped.
I can see the business reasons for deciding to do things...I can forgive them their poor PR, too... The only reason I participated in the strike was to show that users can do things, too, just as the company can. Other than that, I don't care one whit about which communities are affected or what the new owner had said... Companies can do as they see fit for their business, but consumers have ways of getting points across, too. Just flexing that muscle, that was my involvement.
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