On a largely non-technical mailing list this morning I got involved in a discussion about Amazon. I asked (only half joking) if I was the only person left who was boycotting them. This lead to me having to explain to a number of people just why anyone might be boycotting them in teh first place. The majority feeling on the list (from both non-techies and techies alike) seemed to be that the boycott was pointless and that no-one was taking it seriously any more.
So what's the current situation? Did I miss a memo saying that the boycott had been called off? Is there anyone else still boycotting them?
Oh, and please don't point out the obvious irony of an author campaigning against Amazon. I'm well aware of the amount of money I've made from Amazon sales over the last two years and I've already lost quite enough sleep over that little moral dilemma :)
hm
RoMo on 2003-01-20T13:42:25
the latest two patents on honor system and similarity/recommendation are very important and more distressing than the old one-click thingy...
RSE still boycotts:
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/amazon.html
I'm Still In
Herkemer on 2003-01-20T15:53:36
I haven't used Amazon since the whole one-click thing started. Surprisingly it hasn't really been that painful. You can pretty much find anything that is on Amazon other places on the web. I have on occasion visited for some information tidbits, but never purchased.
So, if there was a memo, I missed it as well.
Not the only one
kellan on 2003-01-20T17:02:54
No, your not the only one. I still don't buy from Amazon, too many small local bookstores are failing daily to undermine them by shopping at the self professed online Walmart.
The one thing I do struggle with is whether or not to link to Amazon. After casting around for an alternative, I find that Amazon is one of the few resources that it makes sense to link to when writing about books. They have everything listed, plus commerical and community reviews, collaborative filtering, and Amazon Lists which act like mini-blogs. Nothing else gets you that rich information on a single link.
We need a community sponsored replacement for *that* Amazon functionality.
Losing Sleep
chromatic on 2003-01-20T17:28:58
You're not the only one.
(Ambiguous enough?)
Me too!
md5 on 2003-01-20T20:20:50
I'm still boycotting Amazon. If I need a book, I'll go to a local retailer; if they don't have it, I'll have them order a copy. Any bookstore worth their salt should be willing (and hopefully able) to special order whatever a customer wants.
alldirect.com
wickline on 2003-01-21T11:25:21
'nuf said
Out of the loop...
Lunchy on 2003-01-21T14:36:52
I've heard of people boycotting them, but I haven't really payed attention to it. What should I know about them that'd make me wanna boycott them?
Re:Out of the loop...
davorg on 2003-01-21T14:57:10
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/amazon.html
