Disqus - Latest Comments for dampier

Re: MSNBC Tests New Graphics Look Ahead of Monday's HD Debut - mediabistro.com: TVNewser

dampier — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:20:52 -0000

Oh my... I tuned in this morning after a blissfully Michael-Jackson-free-weekend (I refuse to watch the filibuster-like coverage) and I was stunned.

MSNBC is nearly unwatchable now. It reminds me of the bad days of Headline News and Bloomberg when the on-screen look was SO BUSY it drives you to distraction.

When will networks realize all of the junk they keep throwing on screen DOES NOT HELP viewership... it distracts it.

Morning Joe this morning is an excellent example.

The top bar is COMPLETELY unnecessary. It just eats screen real estate to show us the time and the network bug. It could go right back on the bottom of the screen where it was in a small box, not a ludicrous bar taking up the whole top of the screen.

The bottom is also stupid busy. Before the network would just run small text boxes it would rotate unobtrusively. Now we have text sliding in and out.

Having one text bar crawling isn't that annoying. Having that plus "section bars" with arrows moving back and forth is obnoxious.

LESS IS MORE. Get rid of the top bar at the very least.

Re: Beta Test Will Continue - No Changeover Tonight/Tomorrow

dampier — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:32:00 -0000

That is likely due to sizing/resizing issues. Had a reply to my concerns. Some of the work we have to do, some of the bugs will be fixed in the next version. I will be doing workarounds for most of them until fixes are in place.

Unfortunately, the theme design is set up to make you click on the headline within the pics, not the pics themselves. I think most people will continue to read in order content is released by scrolling down through it. Casual readers may explore based on what we feature.

Re: Beta Test Notes - Saturday Afternoon

dampier — Sun, 03 May 2009 22:04:17 -0000

Testing again.

Re: Welcome to the Beta Test

dampier — Sat, 02 May 2009 10:55:03 -0000

Testing Disqus. Of course, now oddly the comment box from before is still there, along with this one....

Re: A Framework for Discussing what the Nexus Tax Means

dampier — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:14:24 -0000

As the person referenced above, let me say that part of my argument's tone is intended to provoke, because there are far too many people on all sides of this equation who still have their heads buried in the sand on this issue. NY consumers will wake up June 1st and be outraged to find all of their favorite websites now charging sales tax, threaten to take their business elsewhere, frame it as a political argument about how evil this or that political party is (or the state in general), and then just pay it when they have to.

Merchants are not doing any favors for themselves either. Vague references to "new laws" are not exactly a great way to generate the kind of consumer backlash required to get this nonsense overturned by legislative action. Merchants should themselves be educating consumers about why they have to pay tax now, and give them appropriate avenues to take action.

And too many affiliates on website monetizing forums seem preoccupied only with one thing - their earnings, and they reflexively attack anyone that threatens their next check. Affiliates and merchants could be pooling resources and arguing the economic harm such legislation could have, but not just on themselves but also for consumers.

That takes money and effort, and a broadening of "self interest" to also encompass the customers who click the links that bring those checks.

Too often when I raise this issue, it becomes boiled down to "I don't care as long as I can keep earning... pay your taxes yourself and stop threatening my cash flow." No surprises that a lot of consumers seeing that kind of reaction, along with the well-publicized Overstock case (and the apparent lack of others taking legal action to get a temporary restraining order) means, for consumers, the best way out of this is to pressure retailers to suspend their affiliate programs for New York based websites until this gets sorted out in the courts.

The arguments are very strong to do just that, particularly when framed for retailers as NY'ers taking their business to competitors who don't have affiliate programs, and therefore won't have to charge tax. Online, 8% of a price difference is more than enough to push people to shop elsewhere. As I raised on 5 Star, Newegg and Chiefvalue are excellent examples. One has an affiliate program and now has to charge tax, the other doesn't and won't. Otherwise, these two companies share so much in common as to be nearly interchangeable. But now one has a signicant price advantage for at least one state's residents.

And while it's true New York would tax air if they could (they already tax dirt), what keeps them from doing so is a concerted, loud effort to suggest those that might try will not have a long career in public service. That requires people to get involved in protesting this. Consumers will en masse next week when they find out virtually all of their favorite sites are now charging sales tax. Retailers are already finding out in trying to figure out how to comply. Now affiliates need to also come out as strong. If it continues to be more of "leave me any my income alone - I don't care about your problems unless they impact me," then my reaction will be just one among many.