In a reversal of position, Netflix is now deciding to keep its profiles feature. Citing an overwhelming response of its customers to the news, Netflix sent me this a few minutes ago.
We Are Keeping Netflix Profiles
Dear Ben,
You spoke, and we listened. We are keeping Profiles. Thank you for all the calls and emails telling us how important Profiles are.
We are sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused. We hope the next time you hear from us we will delight, and not disappoint, you.
-Your friends at Netflix
Woohoo, the customer wins! Not only that, this feature was boosted out of obscurity to a place of prominence. I found several ways to use profiles that sound pretty cools (i.e. create genre profiles so that you don't have 3 depressing documentaries at home at any given time).
Yesterday Netflix announced that it was discontinuing the Profiles feature that allows users with one account to keep separate queues and ratings of movies and tv shows. This absolutely sucks. I have come to rely on this feature and will be looking for alternatives to Netflix before the feature is eliminated on September 1st. I will look at DVD by mails services like BlockBuster or Intelliflix as well as on-demand services like cable/satellite providers or Apple TV. And yes I would switch regardless of the fact that it is likely that no other service offers this feature, just because of the way this has been handled.
What is even worse than the dropping of this feature, however is the way Netflix has handled it. Today I received this email:
We wanted to let you know we will be eliminating Profiles, the feature that allowed you to set up separate DVD Queues under one account, effective September 1, 2008.
Each additional Profile Queue will be unavailable after September 1, 2008. Before then, we recommend you consolidate any of your Profile Queues to your main account Queue or print them out.
While it may be disappointing to see Profiles go away, this change will help us continue to improve the Netflix website for all our customers.
They aren't giving any indication as to why they are pulling the feature, just vague allusions to making the site better.
There is a petition to show Netflix that there is support for the feature. Not sure how far that will go in light of recent claims by the company that is is the "final decision". Here is more from the Hacking Netflix blog.
While discontinuing the Profiles feature is not desirable for the passionate folks who use it, the decision will ultimately benefit all Netflix members. By discontinuing the feature, we will be able to put more focus and resources site and service improvements that benefit everyone, consistent to how we have grown the service over the years.
Netflix makes it sound that only a few passionate users will be affected by this and perhaps the feature was under-utilized. And maybe the folks who use that feature and will be pissed off by this are not the most profitable customers for Netflix (i.e. they watch more movies and so cost Netflix more money) but they are forgetting an important thing here. These customers are the Netflix evangelists. I have told countless people about how I love Netflix since my membership began in August of 2000. I know I have been responsible for at least a half dozen people signing up and who know how many people have read my write-ups here on Alt Text.
Netflix is making a big mistake in killing the Profiles feature but are stepping into an even bigger blunder with the patronizing messaging around the decision. Read more on MetaFilter.
While I still hate McHale and Taylor for what they did to the Timberwolves and for robbing Minnesotans of a chance to share this moment with KG, I have to feel good about KG getting his ring. He is a great player and deserves it. This photo sums it up.
Most of the iPhone 2.0 or 3G update is focused on the network (3G) and software (3rd party apps, GPS, etc.) but the hardware has some differences too. Here is a rundown of the differences between the new and old iPhones:
| Feature |
Old |
New |
| Height: |
115mm |
115.5mm |
| Width: |
61mm |
62.1mm |
| Depth (thickness): |
11.6mm |
12.3mm |
| Weight: |
135g |
133g |
| Case: |
Aluminum back |
Plastic back (better reception) |
| Color: |
Black/Silver |
All Black or All White |
| Heaphone jack: |
Recessed |
Flush |
These photos of a Mario Kart-Themed wedding cake were sent to me from someone who had been admiring the photos I took of some friends' Mario-themed cake a couple years ago.
Like this? Digg this!
I finally got around to uploading some photos from this year's minnebar (un)conference. I didn't take most of these as I was running around from place to place in between presentations and panels. Many didn't turn out because I didn't have the right lens. There are many more photos tagged minnebar up on Flickr. Luckily my awesome wife rectified that situation on for my birthday this year and got me this 50mm f/1.8 lens I have been coveting for years.
A couple photos of mine were used in Saturday's Wall Street Journal (both online and in print). There were from a Cloud Cult concert here in Minneapolis and have been among my most requested photos (the band uses them on their site, too).
Best Pho: Ngon Vietnamese Bistro (Frogtown, Saint Paul)
Best Gyro: Gardens of Salonica (NE Minneapolis)
Best Tater Tots: Bulldog NE (NE Minneapolis)
Best Cold Press: Dunn Bros
Best Text/Design Conference: minnēbar (it's tomorrow!)
To be continued next week...
Answer 5 questions to see if McCain will make a better President than Bush. There is an extra set of questions after that quiz that I highly recommend signing in for as well. I didn't do to well with 2 out of 5 correct answers. Clearly I am an optimist.
This year's minnebar (or Barcamp Minnesota) is going to be great. In addition to a session from your's truly about doing more with small teams and a panel discussion about the practice of "design coding" or designers who also do their own CSS/XHTML and sometimes more, there will be a greater emphasis on design and creative tech at this year's event. I want to make a concerted effort to get more people who are on the visually creative side of things into the mix. If you are one of them and want to present, lead a session, or just come and participate, please sign up on the wiki site for this outstanding free (un)conference.
Who: You! Everyone is welcome, and the event is free. Add your name to the list below.
When: Saturday May 10th, 2008 starting at 8:30am. Registration begins at 8:00 please come early.
Where: Coffman Union at the University of Minnesota Campus (Minneapolis)
Address 300 Washington Ave. S.E. Minneapolis, MN 55455-0110
Parking: There is metered and street parking around and also several large ramps.
Also, its not too late to whip out a t-shirt design for the event (but it almost is). Download a zip file with the Illustrator template. Just send it my way.
It's not too late to come by the Refactr offices tonight for the Groovy/Grails Users Group meeting. It's at 6pm and you can learn about some sweet technologies, if you are into that sort of thing. Get the details at groovy.mn.
Radiohead has released the pieces and parts (or stems) of their song Nude on iTunes iTunes Store URL you can remix the song however you wish and submit it to a contest at RadioheadRemix.com (more than 400 so far). If you buy all 5 stems by the 8th of April you will be given access to download special GarageBand project file to make it easier to get started.
June 30, 2008; 04:10 PM Discussion
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