Markleshark
Sep 12, 08:49 AM
Um, Disney owns a ton of companies that don't make cartoons.
See, I thougt iToons was quite clever...
See, I thougt iToons was quite clever...
jessica.
Apr 21, 01:37 PM
Part of the issue is what defines "adequately voting"? The voting system on the front page is entirely subjective and- in my opinion- adds nothing to the appeal or disappeal of the story. Same for individual posts.
Very true. At the same time I will read and form an opinion of the topic all on my own. I'm sure I'm not alone there, but then again I am sure many will take the popular vote route and just form their opinion based on that. Either way, a post that is good for you and me may not be good for others. I've had a fair share of PMs about my posts, both in support of and against. It is all subjective, as you say, and this rating system will be similar.
Very true. At the same time I will read and form an opinion of the topic all on my own. I'm sure I'm not alone there, but then again I am sure many will take the popular vote route and just form their opinion based on that. Either way, a post that is good for you and me may not be good for others. I've had a fair share of PMs about my posts, both in support of and against. It is all subjective, as you say, and this rating system will be similar.
supmango
Apr 15, 03:21 PM
Seeing as that it doesn't have any place for the antenna (like the black area towards the top of the 3G iPad), i'm very skeptical with this picture.
I agree to be skeptical, but the antenna could have access through the front of the iphone. It does not necessarily have to be through the back shell.
I agree to be skeptical, but the antenna could have access through the front of the iphone. It does not necessarily have to be through the back shell.
jaigo
Oct 16, 08:33 AM
Bottomline, don't expect a true video ipod or macbookpro merom update until late 2007 :confused:
Hastings101
Apr 8, 04:06 PM
Soooooo long
Oh my dog, you could have shortened that to a paragraph and kept the useless bits of information out.
Oh my dog, you could have shortened that to a paragraph and kept the useless bits of information out.
lordonuthin
May 4, 07:04 PM
oh man. that's not good. what flags are you using?
-smp 12?
yeah, -smp 12 but one core now shows minimal use. Before I restarted it it showed 4 cores with minimal usage... :confused: I'm going to try tossing the config file and see what happens. And of course it loses the wu each time I shut folding down.
-smp 12?
yeah, -smp 12 but one core now shows minimal use. Before I restarted it it showed 4 cores with minimal usage... :confused: I'm going to try tossing the config file and see what happens. And of course it loses the wu each time I shut folding down.
Mistrblank
Apr 8, 02:01 PM
I wonder what the special promotion is.
Probably in the form of "bundles" where you're required to buy an iPad with their special accessory packs just so they can push overpriced accessories out of the door.
Probably in the form of "bundles" where you're required to buy an iPad with their special accessory packs just so they can push overpriced accessories out of the door.
Doctor Q
Apr 22, 01:55 PM
Is this going to be used ultimately to rate posters (kind of like the Apple site for one example)?
That's the "reputation system" question. I continue to dislike the idea that being a member is a competition (even though for fun I track statistics on who posts the most).
How is abuse of this going to be addressed?
See my earlier post.
If all it�s used for is the post itself, I don�t see any value for this.That's been addressed too. Putting the post-vote system in place necessarily has to precede using the data to provide other new features.
What are MR�s (Arn�s and the other Gods) thoughts on what they want to do with this?
It hasn't been decided, but it could include ways to find or highlight highly-rated posts. I hope there's a way to use the feature to find the best answers in technical/help threads. Perhaps there's a way to turn post votes into thread ratings; I'm not sure about that.
I do think there should only be "ups", but the icon could be a checkmark. When you click it some subtext would appear below/next to it. Something like "You liked this comment" or "You agree with comment" or "This comment was helpful".
Those are both worthwhile ideas. Most uses of the votes would be to identify good posts, not single out bad posts, so positive votes provide the more useful information. The data is there to tell you how you voted so feedback on your own vote seems like a nice touch.
Perhaps allow a post that receives a certain number of dislikes to be "hidden" from a general view unless someone decides to view it by clicking on a link.
I wouldn't favor an automatic system like this. Since you can't tell the reasons for people's votes, it could eliminate less popular posts in debates, leaving you unable to follow the discussion. And if all visible posts agree with each other, why have a discussion at all?
If there was such a system, I think it should be entirely voluntary, e.g., you can ask to see only certain posts based on votes. But I think the back-and-forth nature of discussion, with users quoting and building on previous posts, would make this less useful than it sounds. Perhaps it would be worthwhile having a User Profile setting to hide the voting system completely from users who aren't interested in using it. But we have to put our programming resources where they will do the most good.
Like some of the posters here I can think of ways to slice and dice the data, (what threads in a given forum have the highest percentage of positive-rated posts?) and ways to collect other information (rating posts by multiple criteria, e.g., "helpful") but the system has to be kept simple to work in practice. That's one argument in favor of having the arrows in all forums. But perhaps we'll learn that voting does more harm than good in certain forums, e.g., in political discussions.
Remember that forum features are designed to provide benefits to the overall membership. Your comments in this thread help us find the best ways to do that, so thanks for sharing your thoughts.
That's the "reputation system" question. I continue to dislike the idea that being a member is a competition (even though for fun I track statistics on who posts the most).
How is abuse of this going to be addressed?
See my earlier post.
If all it�s used for is the post itself, I don�t see any value for this.That's been addressed too. Putting the post-vote system in place necessarily has to precede using the data to provide other new features.
What are MR�s (Arn�s and the other Gods) thoughts on what they want to do with this?
It hasn't been decided, but it could include ways to find or highlight highly-rated posts. I hope there's a way to use the feature to find the best answers in technical/help threads. Perhaps there's a way to turn post votes into thread ratings; I'm not sure about that.
I do think there should only be "ups", but the icon could be a checkmark. When you click it some subtext would appear below/next to it. Something like "You liked this comment" or "You agree with comment" or "This comment was helpful".
Those are both worthwhile ideas. Most uses of the votes would be to identify good posts, not single out bad posts, so positive votes provide the more useful information. The data is there to tell you how you voted so feedback on your own vote seems like a nice touch.
Perhaps allow a post that receives a certain number of dislikes to be "hidden" from a general view unless someone decides to view it by clicking on a link.
I wouldn't favor an automatic system like this. Since you can't tell the reasons for people's votes, it could eliminate less popular posts in debates, leaving you unable to follow the discussion. And if all visible posts agree with each other, why have a discussion at all?
If there was such a system, I think it should be entirely voluntary, e.g., you can ask to see only certain posts based on votes. But I think the back-and-forth nature of discussion, with users quoting and building on previous posts, would make this less useful than it sounds. Perhaps it would be worthwhile having a User Profile setting to hide the voting system completely from users who aren't interested in using it. But we have to put our programming resources where they will do the most good.
Like some of the posters here I can think of ways to slice and dice the data, (what threads in a given forum have the highest percentage of positive-rated posts?) and ways to collect other information (rating posts by multiple criteria, e.g., "helpful") but the system has to be kept simple to work in practice. That's one argument in favor of having the arrows in all forums. But perhaps we'll learn that voting does more harm than good in certain forums, e.g., in political discussions.
Remember that forum features are designed to provide benefits to the overall membership. Your comments in this thread help us find the best ways to do that, so thanks for sharing your thoughts.
grmatt
Sep 28, 12:52 PM
It looks so long and narrow...
TWSS
TWSS
one1
May 4, 10:32 AM
It's basically the ultimate "access" machine. Just yesterday I used my phone as a dictionary, store, terminal to enterprise software, link to external contact database. (also made some phone calls) iPad would be similar. Lookup, lookup, lookup. Web browsing is covered under that, too.
One thing the iPad brings that any phone cannot is a level of professionalism. In the companies I deal with, using your phone during a meeting looks questionable, like you're fooling around. Using a tablet or laptop to do the exact same lookup of whatever would be ok. It's a little silly, but that's the vibe I get currently.
This is not to say everyone has use for it. I'm happy with the phone, I'm not in that many meetings.
What, you don't carry a projector in your back pocket? :D Even with the retina display I feel like my i4 is just too small to really "show anyone" anything on. It's almost like a toy coming out of the pocket when you are in a serious situation. The iPad produces a more serious tone to it. Still, if at all possible I use my iPhone much more because it doesn't take both hands to manage it. There will always be the size advantage/disadvantage between the two.
One thing the iPad brings that any phone cannot is a level of professionalism. In the companies I deal with, using your phone during a meeting looks questionable, like you're fooling around. Using a tablet or laptop to do the exact same lookup of whatever would be ok. It's a little silly, but that's the vibe I get currently.
This is not to say everyone has use for it. I'm happy with the phone, I'm not in that many meetings.
What, you don't carry a projector in your back pocket? :D Even with the retina display I feel like my i4 is just too small to really "show anyone" anything on. It's almost like a toy coming out of the pocket when you are in a serious situation. The iPad produces a more serious tone to it. Still, if at all possible I use my iPhone much more because it doesn't take both hands to manage it. There will always be the size advantage/disadvantage between the two.
ctdonath
Sep 29, 04:03 PM
maybe those with private baths for each bedroom care more about their guests/kids than you?
Maybe that's not an axiom for "degree of caring" for some people. To the contrary, and considering that Jobs seems to have an affinity to some Japanese aesthetic sensibilities, the "eating, sleeping, loving, and relaxing" imperative for family space presumes some degree of sharing of such spaces with no negative notion of "lesser". To make all such facilities that private makes them isolated, stifling the family-oriented intimacy of the desired imperative. Perhaps more so, the extra bedrooms get only part-time use, so there is no need to commit extensive resources full-time to serving each of them individually (see prior comments on why no library/gym/sauna/screening-room/etc.).
they don't think they deserve better than others.
"Deserve" is a loaded term here.
It's his home. You're a guest therein. Yes, the homeowner gets the best facilities therein, and only the snooty see that as a snub. If nothing else, he's there and using some areas full-time/daily, while guests are occasional.
Of late I'm more struck by how many people presume everyone else must think like them, and impute malice where others don't. Whither celebrating diversity?
Maybe that's not an axiom for "degree of caring" for some people. To the contrary, and considering that Jobs seems to have an affinity to some Japanese aesthetic sensibilities, the "eating, sleeping, loving, and relaxing" imperative for family space presumes some degree of sharing of such spaces with no negative notion of "lesser". To make all such facilities that private makes them isolated, stifling the family-oriented intimacy of the desired imperative. Perhaps more so, the extra bedrooms get only part-time use, so there is no need to commit extensive resources full-time to serving each of them individually (see prior comments on why no library/gym/sauna/screening-room/etc.).
they don't think they deserve better than others.
"Deserve" is a loaded term here.
It's his home. You're a guest therein. Yes, the homeowner gets the best facilities therein, and only the snooty see that as a snub. If nothing else, he's there and using some areas full-time/daily, while guests are occasional.
Of late I'm more struck by how many people presume everyone else must think like them, and impute malice where others don't. Whither celebrating diversity?
KnightWRX
Mar 10, 04:34 AM
Umm, a touch screen on a computer like that is really stupid because if your using it solidly for more than 1 hour your arms would fall off :rolleyes:
Funny how before Steve said that, you would have been one to repeatedly ask for a touch screen iMac. ;)
I just look to Steve to see the trends in posting on Macrumors. Whatever the guy says, it means it will become defacto opinion on this site.
Funny how before Steve said that, you would have been one to repeatedly ask for a touch screen iMac. ;)
I just look to Steve to see the trends in posting on Macrumors. Whatever the guy says, it means it will become defacto opinion on this site.
davepoint
Aug 11, 06:04 AM
I agree, some middle ground would have been nice
daneoni
Apr 29, 09:15 PM
1.17GB. Chunky
ohyeahwtvr
Apr 4, 10:34 AM
In the last 4 pages of this forum topic, I think I remember something about you saying you were able to see that persons IP address while they were logging on to xbox live through some program.
well, i don't own an xbox 360 or any console at that.. the last console I've owned is the Nintendo NES :confused: .. I don't know exactly how that program works, but if your able to get an IP address, you can go to http://www.urgentclick.com/address_trace.php
and find out what type of internet they are connecting through, and what company is providing them with internet service. ie: dsl, cable, satellite.
for example.
68.190.xxx.xxx traced to: 68-190-xxx-xxx.dhcp.gldl.ca.charter.com
thats my IP address, it's dhcp (Cable) in glendale, CA. @ Charter communications
at the time the xbox were to connect to XBox Live.. if you get the IP address and run this search, the police would be able to call the internet provider, provide them with the IP in question and a warrant (or whatever is needed), they would be able to give you the perpetrators address.
then just bust down that guys door and the xbox is yours again.
I used to work for comcast communications as a customer service rep, and whenever the police would call in with something regarding theft or IP trace, etc., the process was simple. Literally plug in the IP address into the database and after a simple search, the customers profile would pop up.
if this is done fast enough, you can most likely catch them in the act..
dont know if this has helped or not, or you've probably already tried this, but just thought i'd share my 2cents.
well, i don't own an xbox 360 or any console at that.. the last console I've owned is the Nintendo NES :confused: .. I don't know exactly how that program works, but if your able to get an IP address, you can go to http://www.urgentclick.com/address_trace.php
and find out what type of internet they are connecting through, and what company is providing them with internet service. ie: dsl, cable, satellite.
for example.
68.190.xxx.xxx traced to: 68-190-xxx-xxx.dhcp.gldl.ca.charter.com
thats my IP address, it's dhcp (Cable) in glendale, CA. @ Charter communications
at the time the xbox were to connect to XBox Live.. if you get the IP address and run this search, the police would be able to call the internet provider, provide them with the IP in question and a warrant (or whatever is needed), they would be able to give you the perpetrators address.
then just bust down that guys door and the xbox is yours again.
I used to work for comcast communications as a customer service rep, and whenever the police would call in with something regarding theft or IP trace, etc., the process was simple. Literally plug in the IP address into the database and after a simple search, the customers profile would pop up.
if this is done fast enough, you can most likely catch them in the act..
dont know if this has helped or not, or you've probably already tried this, but just thought i'd share my 2cents.
nishioka
Apr 5, 06:44 PM
anyone that would download this app is a complete moron
Or looking for ideas to stea- errr, borrow for their own iAd. :D
Or looking for ideas to stea- errr, borrow for their own iAd. :D
Glideslope
Apr 25, 01:12 PM
For the win...
ok, thought it was
War and World War II
USS Hancock World War II Photo
ok, thought it was
Mattie Num Nums
Apr 8, 02:49 PM
I'm a current employee at Best Buy and thought I'd offer my two cents on a few issues.
First, I don't really like Best Buy. I got a job there to work for around 4 hours a week to get the generous discount. It's particularly generous when dealing with open-box items. Even so, I am miserable leading up to heading in and I do not enjoy the time that I spend there. Thankfully, I have a good full-time job plus a lot of side work and I'm planning on quitting in the next month or so as the thrill of the discount has long worn off.
That said, I have no problem being very open and honest about Best Buy and my experiences there.
In regards to the iPad situation, I haven't been in since this issue came up and won't be in for awhile, so I don't really know what the buzz is on this matter exactly. I do know that they wouldn't put a freeze on selling new iPad 2 stock if they regularly had it for a random promotion, if only for the very reason that many think caused the initial problem: quota.
I'm betting 1 of 2 things happened:
1) They did indeed get in trouble with Apple for something. Sure, it's possible, and it's the easiest reasonable conclusion. I don't know why this would be though, and I'm skeptical about the whole hording thing. And again, this is coming from someone who has access to the inventory systems and all the places that would hide "horded" iPads. Plus, I have a good enough relationship with multiple managers (ones who know the score about Best Buy in an objective world...) who would be honest about this with me.
Generally speaking, when they say there are no iPads for sale, there are no iPads for sale. It's really that simple. Demand is real, and supply is lacking. When we have them for sale, they're in the cages, and this would occur after passing through the pre-order system. White Verizon iPads tend to be the ones most often available, usually just a couple, and they're gone almost immediately all the same.
Another factor in the equation though is processing shipments. I saw someone noted that after an open-box controversy between two customers, the manager was able to procure a new iPad 2 for a disappointed customer when apparently there were none for sale. Well, there probably weren't. He either bumped someone back on the pre-order list to be nice to the pissed off customer in the store or perhaps a shipment came in on the truck that had yet to be processed and he worked it out with the ops team to get them to process one so he could get it out. Oftentimes the managers do actually try to make the customer happy, even if it's somewhat unreasonable. The ops guys have their procedures, and it's rarely slimy in intent so much as rooted in overall efficiency, so sometimes a shipment won't go to the floor for sales until the next day because the processing takes time. If the manager pushes to work something out in that situation, the manager is doing you a favor and pissing off some ops guys to do so.
Anyways, on to the 2nd scenario...
2) This is what I'd really venture to bet is the problem: the pre-order system is a huge mess. It was a rush job authorized by corporate at the last minute and handled by less-than-informed employees who were also in a rush. From day 1 it was clear that problems were going to creep up, and they absolutely have. Nobody in store is happy about it. The employees don't like telling customers that they have to wait on a pre-order list, they don't like the 48 hour pickup window, they don't like having to deal with customers pissing and moaning and crying about conspiracy theories when only a 64 GB white Verizon iPad 2 is available once in a blue moon when a pre-order turns it down. It's not fun, for anyone, and unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it.
So what I'm guessing is really happening is that Best Buy is just digging out of this pre-order mess as fast as possible and skipping anything else until they get past the ramifications of a stupid decision. Considering there's little to skip seeing as supply is so low and we rarely have the most in-demand models available anyways, it's easier for them to just bow out of this for a couple of weeks and in a sense re-launch the normal sales when supplies are less constrained and they don't have a stupid pre-order process hanging over their heads. It's a cut and dry move that will allow them to gear up again in a more normal, focused way. Considering how things have gone there in the last month in dealing with anything iPad related, this might be the best decision for them.
All in all, Best Buy is Best Buy: a brick and mortar retailer lost in an internet-connected world. Best Buy isn't nearly as evil as they are lost and longing for the 20th century. Sure, there's a lot of margin on accessories, but it's because there's more often than not no margin on anything else. They don't make much money at all on TV's and Computers anymore. If they're on sale, and at Best Buy, almost everything is always "On Sale," it's likely at cost or within a few dollars of cost. There's little margin in the shrinking physical media world either. The only departments with major products that have margin still are appliances and for certain stores, musical instruments. This is why Best Buy will likely be dead in 5 years if they don't drastically change their business model. They did a better job at adapting to the new world than other electronics chains, but they haven't done nearly enough. It's not an easy business at this point though as it has as much to do with dealing with suppliers suffering the same pinch and customers who want to have it all but don't want to pay for it.
Also, in regards to stupid employees and sleazy mangers, yeah, they do exist. But more employees know their stuff than you might think. And there are quite a few managers who actually do care about trying to do a good job and help the customer.
As far as the employees, the biggest shock to me after working at Best Buy was realizing that so much of the supposed employee ignorance has more to do with incessantly having to dumb things down to the most absurd of levels with customers. 90% of the people who come in are nice people who just don't know much of anything about what they're buying. You have to learn to communicate on their level and not over-complicate things for them. It's easy to get stuck in that default mode and you have to actively snap yourself out of it on the rare occasion when you get customers who can actually hold their own in a conversation about the technology. And make no mistake, it's a huge relief for most of us when that happens because most of us that work there actually are pretty excited about the technology.
Now on the other hand, sleazy managers and supervisors can screw so much of this up. While most of the employees aren't making a career out of working at Best Buy, the sups and managers typically are on some level at least, and it takes a certain, umm, level of person to get, err, stuck, yes, at that level if you know what I mean. There's a lot of inconsistency in these types of people. If you get good ones though, they tend to hire good employees and foster a good environment for customers. My store has good management. It's the only thing that makes it remotely tolerable to me. The employees actually know their stuff and are honest with the customers. They also work as a team because the management pushes it and thankfully we don't have commission to muck things up. And customers do love us for it. You'd be shocked by how often a selling relationship turns into a friendship practically at our particular store. We get invited out after work all the time. Honesty goes a long ways, and when you're helping people save money by making sure they make a smart decision for their needs, it goes a long ways. And our managers are objective enough (and not locked into Best Buy corporate brainwash mode) to know that the only thing Best Buy has to offer over Amazon is the possibility of a good customer service experience. They do all they reasonably can to ensure that it happens.
But again, this simply isn't the case everywhere at all, and it so often boils down to the luck of the draw on management. Good managers hire good people leading to good teams leading to generally happy customers and good sales. Bad managers hire their dumb friends, play games with customers, lie, cheat, and usually they don't put up good numbers.
At the end of the day though, the good stores and the bad stores are equally screwed because the industry is a mess, the world is changing, and Best Buy corporate utterly and completely lacks the talent and leadership to be innovative in the 21st century. They refuse to reasonably acknowledge change, they're too scared to piss off manufacturers who have lines all across the store that vary dramatically when it comes to success and quality, and they're wildly inconsistent and disorganized with their processes and as they put it, "solutions." As said, if things don't drastically change, and I don't believe they will without a major shift in leadership, they'll be dead in 5 years. It's a sinking ship. I'll be happy to be out of there.
Again, I don't think they're near as evil and corrupt as they are just lost. When you're lost, things can get confusing real fast. Bear in mind that oftentimes when employees appear aloof, they're probably confused because corporate changes things all the time and does little to help keep us informed of these changes. Also, don't mistake conspiracy theories for sheer stupidity. Like we saw in this whole conversation, people will say some wild things. It's easy to think it from the outside. I can assure you from the inside, that oftentimes what looks like scheming and maneuvering is really just disorganization, stupidity and/or confusion due to the muddled processes and the ever-foggy way in which corporate outlines these processes.
I don't blame people for not liking Best Buy. I don't like them either. Just go easy on the guys on the floor and in the back. Unless they're the total goof-off employees which do exist, what you're pissed about is probably not their fault at all.
As a former BBY employee I can tell you a few things that are flawed.
#1 no former or current Best Buy employee would call themselves BBemployee, BBYEmployee would seem more likely. I know its stupid but it is the culture of Best Buy to shorten it to BBY.
#2 You would have no clue if Best Buy was in trouble. As a simple Blue Shirt or even a Black Shirt you would not have this information passed down to you.
#3 Your rant show that you either hate Best Buy for personal reasons or possibly a former employee who has a huge vendetta against the company.
#4 Your rant does nothing to support this discussion.
First, I don't really like Best Buy. I got a job there to work for around 4 hours a week to get the generous discount. It's particularly generous when dealing with open-box items. Even so, I am miserable leading up to heading in and I do not enjoy the time that I spend there. Thankfully, I have a good full-time job plus a lot of side work and I'm planning on quitting in the next month or so as the thrill of the discount has long worn off.
That said, I have no problem being very open and honest about Best Buy and my experiences there.
In regards to the iPad situation, I haven't been in since this issue came up and won't be in for awhile, so I don't really know what the buzz is on this matter exactly. I do know that they wouldn't put a freeze on selling new iPad 2 stock if they regularly had it for a random promotion, if only for the very reason that many think caused the initial problem: quota.
I'm betting 1 of 2 things happened:
1) They did indeed get in trouble with Apple for something. Sure, it's possible, and it's the easiest reasonable conclusion. I don't know why this would be though, and I'm skeptical about the whole hording thing. And again, this is coming from someone who has access to the inventory systems and all the places that would hide "horded" iPads. Plus, I have a good enough relationship with multiple managers (ones who know the score about Best Buy in an objective world...) who would be honest about this with me.
Generally speaking, when they say there are no iPads for sale, there are no iPads for sale. It's really that simple. Demand is real, and supply is lacking. When we have them for sale, they're in the cages, and this would occur after passing through the pre-order system. White Verizon iPads tend to be the ones most often available, usually just a couple, and they're gone almost immediately all the same.
Another factor in the equation though is processing shipments. I saw someone noted that after an open-box controversy between two customers, the manager was able to procure a new iPad 2 for a disappointed customer when apparently there were none for sale. Well, there probably weren't. He either bumped someone back on the pre-order list to be nice to the pissed off customer in the store or perhaps a shipment came in on the truck that had yet to be processed and he worked it out with the ops team to get them to process one so he could get it out. Oftentimes the managers do actually try to make the customer happy, even if it's somewhat unreasonable. The ops guys have their procedures, and it's rarely slimy in intent so much as rooted in overall efficiency, so sometimes a shipment won't go to the floor for sales until the next day because the processing takes time. If the manager pushes to work something out in that situation, the manager is doing you a favor and pissing off some ops guys to do so.
Anyways, on to the 2nd scenario...
2) This is what I'd really venture to bet is the problem: the pre-order system is a huge mess. It was a rush job authorized by corporate at the last minute and handled by less-than-informed employees who were also in a rush. From day 1 it was clear that problems were going to creep up, and they absolutely have. Nobody in store is happy about it. The employees don't like telling customers that they have to wait on a pre-order list, they don't like the 48 hour pickup window, they don't like having to deal with customers pissing and moaning and crying about conspiracy theories when only a 64 GB white Verizon iPad 2 is available once in a blue moon when a pre-order turns it down. It's not fun, for anyone, and unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it.
So what I'm guessing is really happening is that Best Buy is just digging out of this pre-order mess as fast as possible and skipping anything else until they get past the ramifications of a stupid decision. Considering there's little to skip seeing as supply is so low and we rarely have the most in-demand models available anyways, it's easier for them to just bow out of this for a couple of weeks and in a sense re-launch the normal sales when supplies are less constrained and they don't have a stupid pre-order process hanging over their heads. It's a cut and dry move that will allow them to gear up again in a more normal, focused way. Considering how things have gone there in the last month in dealing with anything iPad related, this might be the best decision for them.
All in all, Best Buy is Best Buy: a brick and mortar retailer lost in an internet-connected world. Best Buy isn't nearly as evil as they are lost and longing for the 20th century. Sure, there's a lot of margin on accessories, but it's because there's more often than not no margin on anything else. They don't make much money at all on TV's and Computers anymore. If they're on sale, and at Best Buy, almost everything is always "On Sale," it's likely at cost or within a few dollars of cost. There's little margin in the shrinking physical media world either. The only departments with major products that have margin still are appliances and for certain stores, musical instruments. This is why Best Buy will likely be dead in 5 years if they don't drastically change their business model. They did a better job at adapting to the new world than other electronics chains, but they haven't done nearly enough. It's not an easy business at this point though as it has as much to do with dealing with suppliers suffering the same pinch and customers who want to have it all but don't want to pay for it.
Also, in regards to stupid employees and sleazy mangers, yeah, they do exist. But more employees know their stuff than you might think. And there are quite a few managers who actually do care about trying to do a good job and help the customer.
As far as the employees, the biggest shock to me after working at Best Buy was realizing that so much of the supposed employee ignorance has more to do with incessantly having to dumb things down to the most absurd of levels with customers. 90% of the people who come in are nice people who just don't know much of anything about what they're buying. You have to learn to communicate on their level and not over-complicate things for them. It's easy to get stuck in that default mode and you have to actively snap yourself out of it on the rare occasion when you get customers who can actually hold their own in a conversation about the technology. And make no mistake, it's a huge relief for most of us when that happens because most of us that work there actually are pretty excited about the technology.
Now on the other hand, sleazy managers and supervisors can screw so much of this up. While most of the employees aren't making a career out of working at Best Buy, the sups and managers typically are on some level at least, and it takes a certain, umm, level of person to get, err, stuck, yes, at that level if you know what I mean. There's a lot of inconsistency in these types of people. If you get good ones though, they tend to hire good employees and foster a good environment for customers. My store has good management. It's the only thing that makes it remotely tolerable to me. The employees actually know their stuff and are honest with the customers. They also work as a team because the management pushes it and thankfully we don't have commission to muck things up. And customers do love us for it. You'd be shocked by how often a selling relationship turns into a friendship practically at our particular store. We get invited out after work all the time. Honesty goes a long ways, and when you're helping people save money by making sure they make a smart decision for their needs, it goes a long ways. And our managers are objective enough (and not locked into Best Buy corporate brainwash mode) to know that the only thing Best Buy has to offer over Amazon is the possibility of a good customer service experience. They do all they reasonably can to ensure that it happens.
But again, this simply isn't the case everywhere at all, and it so often boils down to the luck of the draw on management. Good managers hire good people leading to good teams leading to generally happy customers and good sales. Bad managers hire their dumb friends, play games with customers, lie, cheat, and usually they don't put up good numbers.
At the end of the day though, the good stores and the bad stores are equally screwed because the industry is a mess, the world is changing, and Best Buy corporate utterly and completely lacks the talent and leadership to be innovative in the 21st century. They refuse to reasonably acknowledge change, they're too scared to piss off manufacturers who have lines all across the store that vary dramatically when it comes to success and quality, and they're wildly inconsistent and disorganized with their processes and as they put it, "solutions." As said, if things don't drastically change, and I don't believe they will without a major shift in leadership, they'll be dead in 5 years. It's a sinking ship. I'll be happy to be out of there.
Again, I don't think they're near as evil and corrupt as they are just lost. When you're lost, things can get confusing real fast. Bear in mind that oftentimes when employees appear aloof, they're probably confused because corporate changes things all the time and does little to help keep us informed of these changes. Also, don't mistake conspiracy theories for sheer stupidity. Like we saw in this whole conversation, people will say some wild things. It's easy to think it from the outside. I can assure you from the inside, that oftentimes what looks like scheming and maneuvering is really just disorganization, stupidity and/or confusion due to the muddled processes and the ever-foggy way in which corporate outlines these processes.
I don't blame people for not liking Best Buy. I don't like them either. Just go easy on the guys on the floor and in the back. Unless they're the total goof-off employees which do exist, what you're pissed about is probably not their fault at all.
As a former BBY employee I can tell you a few things that are flawed.
#1 no former or current Best Buy employee would call themselves BBemployee, BBYEmployee would seem more likely. I know its stupid but it is the culture of Best Buy to shorten it to BBY.
#2 You would have no clue if Best Buy was in trouble. As a simple Blue Shirt or even a Black Shirt you would not have this information passed down to you.
#3 Your rant show that you either hate Best Buy for personal reasons or possibly a former employee who has a huge vendetta against the company.
#4 Your rant does nothing to support this discussion.
JayMysterio
Dec 6, 12:41 AM
I was playing this game today and the final kill cam was of a guy getting shot who was standing in the middle of a road (where he spawned) aimed at the sky shooting at a helicopter with what looked like a Light Machine gun of some sort. The guy who shot him was in a room looking out a window. As the replay was going on i stated over the mic "now there's an intelligent player" referring to the guy who was under no cover trying to take down a chopper with a gun. The guy who was shooting at the chopper stated that he was trying to fulfill and achievement by taking the chopper down.
I thought about this and realized that this goal/reward system in the game (this goes for most online FPS's) in a way made this player do something so stupid. The player was only looking to fulfill his own personal goals and thought nothing of the team and the loss that occurred cause of it.
So I ask you, (the reader) does this make sense to have in the game when it forces players to go out of there way for personal goals and shift away from the overall team play?
I thought about this and realized that this goal/reward system in the game (this goes for most online FPS's) in a way made this player do something so stupid. The player was only looking to fulfill his own personal goals and thought nothing of the team and the loss that occurred cause of it.
So I ask you, (the reader) does this make sense to have in the game when it forces players to go out of there way for personal goals and shift away from the overall team play?
SevenInchScrew
Nov 14, 02:30 AM
A few things...
1 - The AK74u is the best gun in the game, in my opinion. With the Grip and Rapid Fire attachments, it feels like cheating. The Galil is a close second. Both guns are totally amazing.
2 - "Hardline Pro" is the best perk, hands down. Use that, and then set your Kill Streaks to "SAM Turret", "Care Package", and "Sentry Gun". Every time you get a package drop with Hardline Pro, you can double-tap X and swap it out. More often than not, you'll get something good.
3 - The second best is "Hacker Pro". It doesn't happen much, but booby-trapping an enemy care package is most excellent. The standard benefit of seeing enemy equipment is nice as well.
4 - The spawns in this game are downright shameful... and that is putting it lightly. If they aren't fixed with the first update, this game can go to hell. Soooo farking pitiful.
5 - Nuketown, combined with the aforementioned assy spawns, might be the worst thing I've ever experienced in a game. The map is a total mess, made even worse when the enemy spawns on top of you, or behind you, all the time. Not fun. I don't even mess with it now. If it shows up, I quit out. Not worth the hassle.
My current go-to setup....
1 - The AK74u is the best gun in the game, in my opinion. With the Grip and Rapid Fire attachments, it feels like cheating. The Galil is a close second. Both guns are totally amazing.
2 - "Hardline Pro" is the best perk, hands down. Use that, and then set your Kill Streaks to "SAM Turret", "Care Package", and "Sentry Gun". Every time you get a package drop with Hardline Pro, you can double-tap X and swap it out. More often than not, you'll get something good.
3 - The second best is "Hacker Pro". It doesn't happen much, but booby-trapping an enemy care package is most excellent. The standard benefit of seeing enemy equipment is nice as well.
4 - The spawns in this game are downright shameful... and that is putting it lightly. If they aren't fixed with the first update, this game can go to hell. Soooo farking pitiful.
5 - Nuketown, combined with the aforementioned assy spawns, might be the worst thing I've ever experienced in a game. The map is a total mess, made even worse when the enemy spawns on top of you, or behind you, all the time. Not fun. I don't even mess with it now. If it shows up, I quit out. Not worth the hassle.
My current go-to setup....
mrzeigler
Mar 28, 03:11 PM
So much for thinking outside of the box. Apparently it's gotten so bad that they give boxes to the winners.
balamw
Oct 10, 07:15 PM
I think Apple should keep the name "True Video iPod," just as a salute to all the rumor mongering.
I'd laugh. (and then buy one)
Do you think it's a coinkidink that the acronym for True Video iPod just so happens to be TVi? TVi, iTV, what's the difference.:p
B
I'd laugh. (and then buy one)
Do you think it's a coinkidink that the acronym for True Video iPod just so happens to be TVi? TVi, iTV, what's the difference.:p
B
spillproof
Sep 28, 10:50 PM
omg Steve Jobs please build myHouse.
Does Stevey know feng shui?
Does Stevey know feng shui?
Gem�tlichkeit
Apr 10, 03:29 PM
Fair question - mostly for the flexibility of watching multiple channels and/or playing PS3 while watching multiple channels.
Plus - given the size of the room it would be difficult to achieve an ideal viewing distance for anything bigger than 50".
Wow, I'm the complete opposite of this haha. 5 years ago I donated my TV and never looked back :)
Plus - given the size of the room it would be difficult to achieve an ideal viewing distance for anything bigger than 50".
Wow, I'm the complete opposite of this haha. 5 years ago I donated my TV and never looked back :)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment