So Long DOT.TUNES

I fired up DOT.TUNES Version 4 this morning to share some music with my daughter. I've written previously on the pros and cons of this software. It works well enough so I use it. Then today, I get this bullshit:


Which makes no sense to me because at no point during the original install was there any mention of "expiration". Since I'm firmly entrenched in the "don't fix it if it ain't broke" camp I'm irritated by this mystery arbitrary expiration. Regardless, I go to the indicated URL, because maybe there's some heartbreaking security problem and upgrading is something essential. Maybe I go there because I'm a sheep.

The page primarily references downloading an ostensibly new product called Hook Up, a Mac OSX product which is useless to me. Below the fold there's a banner for the DOT.TUNES v4 product that interests me. The odd lack of prominence for v4 doesn't give me hope they plan on continuing their free license for v4 over the long haul. They might as well have their hyperlink in the closet, buried under cleaning products, an old broom and a mop that's seen better days. I follow the link.

Right off, I'm irritated as all get out. The DOT.TUNES v4 page has music automatically playing like a shitty MySpace wasteland. Not even good music; I thought a rat was chewing on my woofer cables at first. So be it, I find the pause icon and end that nonsense.

The first thing I notice, and maybe most people don't notice these things, is that there's not a stitch of information about DOT.TUNES v4 being new in any sort of way. No new anything. I click on their blog to see what announcements might be relevant to why perfectly good software has suddenly threw up on its own shoes. The light bulb goes on.

Because it's free (as in beer), there's always been a hidden expiration as a marketing tool to force you back to the mother ship if you want to use the software. Very uncool. I could see doing this, but making it up front when you install it (so you can make an informed decision). I could see a expiration that forces an announcement to freebie users. I could see a nag screen that can only be removed by returning to their new product screen and subsequently upgrading.

But, I can't see using a hidden expiration to disable perfectly good software for marketing purposes. That's flat out sheisty. So, goodbye DOT.TUNES. I will not be upgrading. I will not be using or recommending your firm's software to anyone, ever. I know that I wasn't part of your revenue stream, nor was I going to be anytime soon - so you might say good riddance to me. But maybe if enough bloggers (who also aren't in your revenue stream) expose how devious your firm operates, your bottom line will be diminished.

Despite my already enduring love of open source software, it still takes an occasional kick in the groin to remember why.

Losing an Hour of Sleep Is Insane

When will we waterboard the guy who invented the daylight savings time formula?

I try to read few blogs regularily, because mostly they are crap, but one that tends to push the idea envelope more times than not is Mark Cuban's blog. However one thing about him that always sticks in my craw is the love affair he (and his HDNet) has with Dan Rather programming. Identifying Dan Rather in the same paragraph with the occupation of news reporter is tantamount to the same as using Karl Rove and civil servant.

His attempt to re-legitimize Dan Rather through HDNet programming is a pathetic shining example of how media moguls will do anything, no matter how toxic, to hang on to what they've got.

Neither Sleet Nor Snow

Just give it up already

I don't want postal mail anymore. Nothing. My wife isn't on board yet, but I've drawn the line in the sand. On January 1st 2010 I plan on removing my mail box from its brick enclosure, tastefully filling the opening with bricks.

I've already asked my United States Post Office insiders what the consequences would be, and they were delightful! All first class mail would get returned to their senders as undeliverable, postage due - but fuck them. Why are they mailing me shit anyway? It's 2010 damn it. I don't have fiber optic Internet piped into my house so I can get my slippers wet and muddy to retrieve the real spam in this world. All other inferior-class mail just gets hooped into the trash by the mail carrier. My slippers are clean.

Now my wife doesn't think this is a good idea, but I'm set on this course of action. I don't really see how she can stop me. I'm quite insane.