New toys.
Apple’s news is kind of cool, if you ask me. Interesting business model – 99 cents per song, I’m just wondering what the backend of the transaction looks like.
The term I’m beginning to really, really loathe: business model.
Ugly expression.
Using PayPal, the subscriptions around here are running right at a tad over 10% for the overhead. In other words, I’m losing a little less than 12% for every transaction, netting a little over $2.50 per individual, per month.
Which brings up an even more interesting point, about demographics. For years, I was assured that 80% of the readers of astrology sites were: female, between 18 and 36 years of age, and single, divorced once, with 1.25 offspring.
From the names that appear in the notification email of a subscription payment, though, it really looks like to me that the numbers are a lot more evenly split. Looks like it’s closer to 55/45 female to male.
But that’s just judging by the names that appear on the registration forms. Doesn’t mean it’s accurate. I’ve already blown this once – this year. I’m not about to jump to conclusions.
The backend tech, the way the credit card is processed, and the fees associated with that card transaction, for Apple’s jukebox, is what has me wondering.
I wouldn’t even think about doing that here, even the thought of trying to put a transaction through at $2.95 was prohibitively costly.
But their model and ideas are pretty darn cute.
When I rip a CD, it’s one that I actually own. I’m either mixing up the music for a road CD, or I’m doing a compilation for my own pleasure. Road CD’s are different, like, I don’t want to travel with originals, even though CD’s are pretty durable, in the event to CD wallet gets stolen or misplaced. Doesn’t matter, it’s just a copy.
For certain West Texas drives, I don’t want to carry the whole boxed set of a certain 4-opera set, just a copy of the third opera in that cycle is sufficient. Since I would be devastated, not mention financially inconvenienced, to lose that set, just burning up a copy is a good idea.
Apple’s been cooking along with this idea for while. I’m wondering, being announced under Mercury RX, if it takes while for it to get ramped up to speed. From the first blush, though, I’d guess it was good.
What I’m interested in next is the industry backlash. Or support.
I’m not buying any music right now, not just yet. But I’m sure I will when sunnier economic times ensue. Or Mercury isn’t RX.
It’s back to that “dharma” thing. I have a little built-in “moral compass” that suggests, like with software, if I use it to earn an income, I should own a duly purchased and registered copy of the software. Same for music. Some artist I like? I’ll buy the band’s CD’s. Afterwards, I may rip some – or all – of that music onto a portable, disposable CD. But I did purchase the software/CD the first time around. It’s legal. More important to me, it’s all straight on that big ledger in the sky.
Whatever.
The way it should be.
Woke up and looked at the inbox, stuffed full of junk mail. Not much in the way of news I could use. Thought about a horrendous amount of editing I wanted to do, and decided that Mercury was RX. Ambled off to work at the other job.
Ran up and down three flights of stairs, several times. See, I’ve got this theory about package delivery. The usual guy who wears the brown uniform, Taurus, me and him, we have a deal, and it’s part of the job. If a tenant isn’t home, I sign for the package then go up and deliver it later. So, to expedite the matter, when that brown truck pulls in, if I’m not overwhelmed, I’ll just go up to the door of the apartment with the guy. We talk about important things, like he doesn’t have a girlfriend right now. Saw he was making time with the Leo down the street. Typical guy talk.
So the theory is, if the tenant isn’t home, I won’t be available to run up the stairs, and one of us will have to make two trips. But if I go with the guy, then the tenant will be home, and there’s two of us, standing at the door, grinning.
The obvious question, and I’ve encountered this with one of the maintenance contractors, is why does the stuff on the top floor break when it’s hot out? Pouring rain? Sure, ground floor. Cold weather? Second floor. Hot weather? Always the third.
Folks who live on the third floor are more apt to purchase something that gets delivered in the afternoon when I’m there. I haven’t got a handle on that yet. Always the third.
I did amble by the springs, and I did go for a swim. About halfway through my lap, though, I realized I was fatigued. Given the news about Barton Springs and pollution, though, I certainly didn’t want to walk to the shore, after all, that gravel and muck along the bottom is where all the pollution is concentrated.
My shorts were still damp while me and that Pisces had Zen, Amy’s and conversation. Just right. I figure the funniest moment, for me, proof that Mercury was retrograde, I pulled out my pocketknife, and I was showing it to her, as her husband makes and collects knives, and I couldn’t recall the brand name. Nor could I see the name – but I know it’s made in Matador [TX>. Close to Lubbock. Or Amarillo. One of those towns.
