Sometimes people are just daring you to boycott them...

[scribblinlenore]

You know, I wasn't all that in an uproar about LJ deciding not to offer free accounts anymore, because they're in business to make money, and the change seemed fairly inevitable to me. I did find it more worrying about the data mining, but again, I don't really labor under the illusion that privacy actually exists anymore, most especially on the Internet. Part of my cynicism on that score comes from working in advertising, and part of it comes simply from living in the world.

But you know what I do have a problem with? Having a business that I give money to publicly and loudly express their disdain for their customers. That really pisses me off.

So, even though I wasn't planning to take part in the boycott on Friday, now I am. Because when somebody gives me the finger, I give it right back.


ETA: Here are two translations of the interview:

http://darkrosetiger.livejournal.com/373663.html (thanks to kymbr for the link)

http://furiosity.livejournal.com/472399.html (thanks to lapetite_kiki for the link)

There's some difference of opinion in the translation, and it may alter how inflammatory the remarks seem. Although I'm not sure it does for me personally.

Comments

[linaerys.livejournal.com]

I wasn't planning on it either, since requiring free accounts to have ads doesn't seem beyond the pale to me, but that was a really obnoxious interview. I too will be suffering withdrawl pangs on Friday.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

There's an endless supply of PR people in the world. I don't know why nobody at LJ will ever hire one.

(I can't actually remember the last time I went a day without LJ, which is kind of disturbing when I think about it.)

[psycholibrarian.livejournal.com]

Me too, except when I'm out of the country. And I will now be participating in the boycott as well. :/


But may I point out that the boycott calls for not posting and not commenting... which doesn't mean we can't lurk about read OLD posts. Especially if this does not require logging in. I'm just sayin'.

(Says the girl slowly working her chronological way through some old fic communities in search of little-known Good Stuff ;D)

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

But may I point out that the boycott calls for not posting and not commenting... which doesn't mean we can't lurk about read OLD posts. Especially if this does not require logging in.

That's very true! I might try to go without just to see if I can do it, though. It's a little sad that I consider that quite the challenge. *g*

[psycholibrarian.livejournal.com]

LJ helps get me through the workday, but I have a secret: I've been playing old TV shows on the Netflix "Watch Now" service while I work, open in a small corner window. Strangely, I think this actually makes me more productive. *g*

[keepaofthecheez.livejournal.com]

Man, I don't blame you.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Why can't anyone who owns LJ ever hire a PR person? It's amazing, really.

[iamza.livejournal.com]

So, even though I wasn't planning to take part in the boycott on Friday, now I am. Because when somebody gives me the finger, I give it right back.

Yep, same here.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

I'm always amazed when companies talk smack about their customers. It's just so...dumb.

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

Right on.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

I probably shouldn't have been so amazed at what SUP had to say about its customers, but I was. Hello, boycott!

[creativepseudo.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you pretty much said it better than I could. I'm starting to really get annoyed because each time SUP decides to suck, I have to scan over my flist members and figure out who's decided to leave/switch blogging sites.

I'm trying to figure out what the hell to do on Friday now.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

I really wish there were a clearly better alternative to LJ, so fandom could just move on and get it over with. But sadly I don't really see that alternative out there yet.

[yavannauk.livejournal.com]

Totally in agreement with you on this, the tone of that interview utterly disgusted me. It's at times like this that I wish I didn't have a permanent LJ account.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

It's at times like this that I wish I didn't have a permanent LJ account.

*nods* I can understand that. Although, honestly, I don't really see a better alternative to LJ out there yet, even with all the problems. I keep hoping.

[ahab99.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that interview is pissing me off. I feel like we're heading for a collision between American and Russian styles of capitalism, and we're all going to be caught in the middle!

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

I really think you're right, unfortunately. Reading that article made me think of a friend of mine who's a Polish copy writer who did some work for AT&T. She was complaining that the direct mail copy always wanted to talk about value. Value, value, value, and it was impossible to say that succinctly in Polish. She said there a million ways to say "unhappy, screwed over customer," but not too many ways to say "good deal." I don't think a Russian company is used to having demanding consumers who think nothing of making their displeasure known.

[ms-hecubus.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen/heard the interview. Can you point me to it?

[kymbr.livejournal.com]

http://darkrosetiger.livejournal.com/373663.html

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the link! I added it to my entry in case there are other people who haven't seen it.

[ms-hecubus.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[pun.livejournal.com]

You are correct as usual!

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Your icon says it all!

[witchway.livejournal.com]

dude, I JUST got back onto Live Journal and THIS shit happens! pththththt.

Oh well -- not getting on LJ Friday will be easy -- I just won't turn on the computer!

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Aw, that's too bad you had to come back to this. Unfortunately, there's been a lot of this kind of tumult on LJ lately.

Oh well -- not getting on LJ Friday will be easy -- I just won't turn on the computer!

I like that approach!

[trystan830.livejournal.com]

Because when somebody gives me the finger, I give it right back.
hehehe awesome! ;D

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

It's a life philosophy! *g*

[trystan830.livejournal.com]

works for me. :D

[lapetite-kiki.livejournal.com]

There is another translation of that article here: http://furiosity.livejournal.com/472399.html

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the link! I added it to my entry in case there are other people who have't seen it. It's always interesting to get another translation. Although I still feel much the same way about the whole thing.

[lapetite-kiki.livejournal.com]

I came across it, so I thought I would share.

When I read the first translation I didn’t take it to heart much seeing that it was a translation and I didn’t know the person who translates it. After reading the second translation, from who I didn’t know either, I’m not shock or anything by what was said and the way it was presumably said. My cultural/personal background might help me, because I didn’t interpret it as you did, the terms that was used didn’t sound that much out of place.

[anitac588.livejournal.com]

Power to the girl fans!
PS so what do we have to to -- not go on LJ on Friday?

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, fangirls unite!

We're supposed to not post content or comment on anything from midnight GMT on Friday to midnight on Saturday. I'm going to try to steer clear of LJ altogether, unless I go into withdrawal or something. *g*

[dhrachth.livejournal.com]

I, for one, still don't plan on taking part in the boycott. I don't post or comment everyday, so it may be a moot issue--but I'm not going to criticize LJ for refusing to provide a completely free service. Ads seem fair to me.

As for the interview, considering the cultural differences I don't find it offensive. I too doubt the boycott is going to amount to much, which means he's simply calling it like it is.

Of course, the sudden deletions without warning that have driven users to other journals may still spell the end of LJ as a viable company. Asking people to pay for a service is perfectly reasonable, but having your words just disappear one day really isn't acceptable.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Of course, the sudden deletions without warning that have driven users to other journals may still spell the end of LJ as a viable company. Asking people to pay for a service is perfectly reasonable, but having your words just disappear one day really isn't acceptable.

*nods* It's definitely an interesting time in the history of LJ, not all that surprising I suppose, considering that most companies go through bumpy times after a growth spurt. I'll be curious to see how it all plays out.

[chasethecat.livejournal.com]

Man. They just really don't understand Web 2.0, do they? *shakes head*

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

They really, really don't seem to. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out.