Kxmode wrote on May 3, 2021, 21:03:

The thing is, everybody charges 30% and has since the '80s at least! Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony all charge 30% for their respective platforms. That's just the price of doing business on a proprietary branded platform. It's not just the platform. A company also pays for the brand name they sell their product on and access to the userbase who buy products for that platform. Epic didn't say anything until Fortnite made them billions. Now they want to "change the world," or so they claim. That's not going to happen after they violated Apple's TOS agreement. Out of the gate, Epic took an arrow to the knee. That doesn't sound like a person thinking each step. It sounds like a person wildly swinging at success, hoping to reach it before their 15-minutes of fame dies (and with Fortnite's number waning, Epic's 15-minutes is almost up).

Epic charges 12%.they started that in 2017/18, iirc. Microsoft announced they will be going to an 88/12 split as well, starting July 1.

It makes me wonder if Discord was using it as leverage for investment injections. While I’m glad they will stay independent, there were a few things that bothered me about it.

1. MS’s track record with acquisitions. And if any company was to grab em up, I still would of rather it BE MS, than any other.

2. If MS did gobble em up, what would Apple’s response be? We already see a pissing match between the two with Apple blocking MS apps. Not to mention the recent controversy with Apple telling Discord to block NSFW content on iOS.

On another note, I was seeing people talk about how MS will just do a hostile take over. I made the comment that it couldn’t happen, considering Discord is a privately held company and doesn’t trade stock. Of course, I was flamed. Lol

I doubt it would be. They would put all the focus on Epic games / studios. Keeping competition out.

Blue,

I have. I lived in a condo complex that was doing that here in Washington. I knew, as a hunter, that geese are covered under the migratory bird act. And I found through the dept of wildlife that the HOA did NOT have permits, nor ever did. The Fish & Wildlife Department investigated and found the board was oiling the eggs to keep them from hatching. the board even went as far to say “its private land, we can do what ever the hell we want.”

The HOA was fined $250,000. They never did it again.

Love all the hyperbole. I have 1gig service at my home and my speed tests always are around 1100-1200. Uploads could be better, only 50-60. The unlimited does cost me $11/month, but it’s worth it to me.

Btw, most who say they don’t get anywhere near that are more than likely using wifi. Which won’t get near those speeds. Being a network guy myself, there are environmental, hardware, and configuration aspects that come into play. My phone for example will do 340 (Samsung Galaxy), but my wife’s does Does barely 200 (iPhone).

And the more wireless devices around, be it other AP’s, IoT’s, or interface causing devices (microwaves), slower it will be.

This is unsettling. Because it now sets a precedent and can open the possibility of artists suing you for just having “their” work in a photo or video. I also do not recall signing a disclosure that I had no legal rights to the artwork I had put into my skin. Even the designs I didn’t create myself.

Will we see game companies go after tattoos of game characters.

Oh shit.... I can see the trolls buying up the rights to abandonware games now.

First they said gaming companies would not be impacted. Now they're going after them.

This administration is going to piss the Chinese off to the point where they're going to call our debts due to them. They currently hold a bit over $2 trillion. If they call that debt in, our economy is absolutely screwed.

wtf_man wrote on Jul 28, 2020, 14:00:
I still won't buy an Xbox, though. Mainly because of needing to sign-in (and/or purchase an xbox subscription) to use Netflix / Prime / Hulu... and the telemetry associated, etc.

(Unless that has changed... which I doubt)

Misinformation check....

No you do not need a Xbox gold account to watch Netflix. You do need a account connected to the internet but as long as your account is at least silver and you are connected to the internet you can watch Hulu, Netflix, YouTube and all the other apps as well.

I don’t even pay attn to articles from express.co. They’re nothing but a UK version of the Enquirer.

Did you even read the article?

Obviously not, or you would not made that comment.

Acleacius wrote on Jun 22, 2018, 22:16:
Yeah, all the Westworld toons have 'Vault Tec 69' outfits, wtf is that all about?

It’s a sad day for America, when commentors don’t read.

maddog wrote on May 19, 2018, 00:57:
I don't see what's wrong with looking at changing the deal, as long as it's done in a legal manner.

USPS has been running at a loss for more than a decade. Amazon pays no federal income tax due to the same tax benefits that Trump put in place.

I see nothing wrong with him asking for more from Amazon. And this is coming from a lifelong conservative.

Life long conservative my butt! Your post is full of contradiction and false info. And before we continue, I’m an Ind that did NOT vote for him.

1. You say they don’t pay taxes due to Trump. I didn’t know he’s been in office for decades! Amazon is just like ANY other business, taking advantage of tax benefits (write offs such as depreciations that each of us have access to if running a business) and loop holes put in place by BOTH parties.

2. They DO pay taxes, both income and B&O taxes at state and federal levels. Why don’t you do some damn research instead of drinking the kewl-aid!

3. USPS authorities said they ACTUALLY DO make money off Amazon, unlike other companies they deliver for (junk mail senders for example). So to raise money on a company they make money from already when there are others they don’t, makes you sound like you live in Seattle and are one of the Socialist Sawant followers.

I’m so tired of people just spewing info they hear from the cubicle next to them or such without actually educating themselves.

Cutter wrote on Oct 15, 2017, 15:34:
So it's just like the Olympics?

So wrong, but hilariously true!

I asked my DOL today about a new license #and even though it was due to the Equifax breach, I’d have to pay $20.

EQ should have to pay for it!

Just made me some Blue’s Chili a few weeks ago for a work bbq, it’s always a hit!

I made a modified version last year with bison meat, sooooooo friggin good! And the meat is better for you too.

Didn't Comcast do this back a few years ago with Sandvine or such?

You'd think someone would say "Hey, someone already tried this..."

Seriously,

It must be must new medication. I had this dream that I woke up in the morning, launched Blues and was greeted with a long letter thanking everyone for their patronage, but at the end of the month, after 20 years, "I am hanging up the keyboard..."

These parents are idiots. Reading through everything since it first came out, it's quite clear they felt that the motion sensor should of triggered. I know all the alarm systems I've had, the motion sensors are NEVER active when I'm home in stay or instant mode. Only the window an door contacts.

Otherwise, the motion sensor would trigger the alarm everytime you moved.

When I had my alarm system from Comcast installed, they took over the ADT sensors and ASKED me if I wanted sensors installed elsewhere as well. ADT would not do my garage (detached),which had been broken into twice. Comcast put a door sensor out there, as well as glass breakage for the basement and two window sensors.

It's not the installers responsibility to make sure your home is secure, it's the homeowners. And this is one the of the biggest things that pisses me off about society today, no one wants to take responsibility for their own selves. IT's everyone elses job.

Ratty wrote on Jun 15, 2015, 14:39:

Comcast sometime ago stopped letting you fast forward through ads on most of their free on-demand shows and so I stopped ever using their on-demand and just made sure I recorded them the first time around on my DVR (which is perpetually 95% full). I'm waiting for them to phase in restricted fast forwarding on regular DVR recordings too - you know they're gonna try it at some point, especially with shows on networks they own.

Not entirely true. I skip through ads on the onDemand all the time. Just have to have your remote programmed for 30 second skip. While the fast forward will not work, the skip has never failed me.

Xoxotl wrote on May 9, 2015, 03:24:
I will summarize this article in one sentence: "Amazon is bringing too many white males into Seattle. We find this unacceptable."

So, yeah, it's basically one long racist and sexist rant.

I almost didn't respond because that was pretty idiotic. That was nto what the article was saying. As someone that lives in Seattle and has seen what is going on, what you say is far from the truth. If anything, Amazon is actually bringing people in from other countries on work visa's. But with the explosive growth they've brought to the downtown area, rents and housing are fast becoming unaffordable. The work environment is very caustic from reports of friends.

The people having to pay the price for this are those of lower incomes. There have been multiple instances of fixed income apartment buildings being sold and remodeled. This forces ALL the tenants out and of course are told they can have their apt back, for three times the rent they were paying.

And lastly, politically we are a cesspool. What the citizens want, doesn't matter. The businesses are what matter for the most part. because they want more room, they tear down historical sections of town and reduce the amount of parking. They push for more public transportation, but push the bill on the tax payers.

It honestly sucks to see this city beautiful going the way it is.

When it says free install, the installation of the equipment and that first outlet is usually covered by that. But when it comes to additional outlets or wanting work done a certain way, such as fishing the line through a wall, there are charges that come into play there.

Installing a modem and setting up the first PC is usually covered in the install if its free, want additional computers/laptops/tablets added, that's going to be extra if you want the technician to do it.

I work as a technician, there are many times I go out and the customer should have the initial part free and if it is not, I can get that fixed by calling dispatch. Any additional work though that is NOT on the order, or is, costs. We are given units per job. Adding more units is only done by adding other services to be installed. And that is the case most times. They don't tell the CSR they have 3 TV's, the expect those two to be free as well. And I hear it quite often when I explain the charges that they think the additional boxes are supposed to be free "that's what they told me on the phone." Never never never. There is always going to be fees, and all calls are recorded so they can go and review that conversation.

But I can tell you this, she has earned herself a do not service mark. While cable companies must provide service to people within the footprint, if something like this happens, they get blackballed.