Everything is Shit: Tracking the Great Enshittening

[Braff Zacklin 13,572]

20 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

20 hours ago, Armybrat said:

Yeah, our desktop is almost 10 years old and is all choked up.

I need to just buy a new one and throw that old sumbitch away.

I dunno, a good Gateway PC is a treasure, man.

[thunderlounge 7,830]

2 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

I worked at a large tech company 20 years ago, and we were building out servers to help speed up grocery store data collection, and the amount of transactions we were working towards nation-wide was insane.  My little group was working to speed things up to where custom coupons would be printed in real-time with the receipt, where the coupons would be based on what the person had shown a tendency to purchase over time, in order to bring them back to the store.

As the person is checking out and items are being scanned, the servers were looking at all of the person's transactions for the previous few weeks (it could be set by the chains, but we set it by default to a month or so because any further back and it slowed down the check out process) and the cashiers were told to chat the customers up a bit to buy some time so they wouldn't realize the cashier was waiting on the coupons to print..  The coupons had to be relevant and worthy enough to get the person back, but not go below a certain margin (for profit reasons).  One little mistake and the person is getting coupons for things they didn't buy, or bought months ago, or too much of a discount eating into profits too much. In the case where the person didn't have a the discount/member cards,  then  the coupons were based only now what they had just purchased which could be hit or miss. Ideally, you could see that they bought the same type of cereal every few weeks, so they'd get a coupon for that and want to come back, etc.  And coupons varied between people, even for the same items - the chains could program in things like if somebody was from a certain area, maybe the coupon was a little better than for somebody from a better area, etc.

It was interesting because at the time, it was mainly about two things - making sure that the customer would come back (personalized coupons), but also data on what they'd just purchased would be sent up the chain and if they bought a box of Fruit Loops, then some schmuck in a warehouse put a box of Fruit Loops on a pallet for a truck headed to the store (or a box was allocated for when they started loading a truck). The idea was that stuff that sold well would always be in stock and it would cut down on warehouses expenses of having stuff sitting around. Just-in-time and all of that.

Somewhere along the way the customer data itself became a lot more valuable than simply getting them back in the store with coupons (and later personalized mailers), but it was still up there with keeping warehouse expenses down (and not just the regional warehouses, but the backroom stock of stores).

How did that type of business weigh on your conscience?

Been looking for another dev gig, and turned down something “similar” to what you’re referring.

I just don’t think my conscience could bear it. 

[ClubWhatever 12,141]

So he worked for HP.

[atomheartbevo 89,662]

1 hour ago, thunderlounge said:

How did that type of business weigh on your conscience?

Not much, because at that time, the data was seen tone more about customer retention (customer coupons/mailers) and keeping store shelves stocked, without a massive inventory in the back versus later on where the customer data was more valuable.

What did bug me was that we were asked to submit proposals, etc. on what we all knew was this (but we thankfully passed as we were too busy, and other groups got involved):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Information_Awareness

41 minutes ago, ClubWhatever said:

So he worked for HP.

Not two letters.

[thunderlounge 7,830]

45 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

Not much, because at that time, the data was seen tone more about customer retention (customer coupons/mailers) and keeping store shelves stocked, without a massive inventory in the back versus later on where the customer data was more valuable.

What did bug me was that we were asked to submit proposals, etc. on what we all knew was this (but we thankfully passed as we were too busy, and other groups got involved):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Information_Awareness

Not two letters.

Interesting. Not a position I’ve been placed in. I can see your run though. We just never thought it would come to where we are today.

Today? Yeah, no. I don’t think I could do it, and they wouldn’t offer enough to change my mind. 

[Incredulity 11,671]

5 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

but it was still up there with keeping warehouse expenses down (and not just the regional warehouses, but the backroom stock of stores).

Anyone on Surly ever deal with an automated replenishment system that wasn’t a complete clusterfuck?  It’s like a SAP conversion(and yes many of the above are sometimes one in the same) I would guess there have to be good ones.  I just haven’t seen it.

[Parliament 14,259]

De-enshittening happens too.  Cocaine is getting better and better, while prices are holding stready.

[thunderlounge 7,830]

That’s cause of being cut all to shit. So I’ve heard, from those in the know, you can do a “wash” that gets rid of the cut. Can’t remember how it worked, but it was something akin to specific gravity and separation. 

[kevwun 15,787]

Speaking of FedEx sucking ass, we went salmon fishing in Alaska earlier this month and because we were on a cruise, I had to ship the salmon we caught back.  FedEx charged me $292 to overnight the fish.  They were supposed to arrive Tuesday of this week.  They showed up on Thursday.  Luckily the fish processor filled the cold bag with dry ice and they were still just above freezing.

[thunderlounge 7,830]

Got your money back though, yes?

[Brisketexan 105,135]

De-enshittening happens too.  Cocaine is getting better and better, while prices are holding stready.

Actually, I’ll offer another legit counterpoint:

Cars, in general. Total cost of ownership, ease of ownership and use, and safety? Compare 1974 to 2024. It’s amazing.

You can get a Hyundai Elantra for $23k. Seats four. Safer in a crash, probably 5x safer, than anything in 1974. Great mileage so cheap cost to drive. Minimal maintenance. Will give you 250k+ miles of life, so 10-12 years for that purchase price.

Buying and owning a basic family car has become easier, cheaper, and safer.

[thunderlounge 7,830]

3 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Buying and owning a basic family car has become easier, cheaper, and safer.

wut?

[HornOnTheBayou 8,922]

5 hours ago, Parliament said:

De-enshittening happens too.  Cocaine is getting better and better, while prices are holding stready.

If no one else is going to post it, I guess I will.

[Bevo 13,577]

3 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Actually, I’ll offer another legit counterpoint:

Cars, in general. Total cost of ownership, ease of ownership and use, and safety? Compare 1974 to 2024. It’s amazing.

You can get a Hyundai Elantra for $23k. Seats four. Safer in a crash, probably 5x safer, than anything in 1974. Great mileage so cheap cost to drive. Minimal maintenance. Will give you 250k+ miles of life, so 10-12 years for that purchase price.

Buying and owning a basic family car has become easier, cheaper, and safer.

I bought a Santa Fe in 2011 for $28K and the same car was $42K last year so I ended up with a Genesis for about the same. Every car that I looked at was mid-40s. Around 1998 my wife bought a Dodge Neon for about $12K. She didn't own it for long but it was fine. The Elantra is probably a pretty good equivalent but it is $25K which is pretty high for a new grad at payments around $450/mo. Inflation in cars and just about everything has been terrible since 2000.

Edited August 31 by Bevo

[HenryJames 66,051]

[thunderlounge 7,830]

[Parliament 14,259]

The UK's first "teacherless" GCSE class, using artificial intelligence instead of human teachers, is about to start lessons.

David Game College, a private school in London, opens its new teacherless course for 20 GCSE students in September.

https://news.sky.com/story/uks-first-teacherless-ai-classroom-set-to-open-in-london-13200637

[Braff Zacklin 13,572]

1 hour ago, HenryJames said:

 

[InkaUtexas 25,936]

21 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Actually, I’ll offer another legit counterpoint:

Cars, in general. Total cost of ownership, ease of ownership and use, and safety? Compare 1974 to 2024. It’s amazing.

You can get a Hyundai Elantra for $23k. Seats four. Safer in a crash, probably 5x safer, than anything in 1974. Great mileage so cheap cost to drive. Minimal maintenance. Will give you 250k+ miles of life, so 10-12 years for that purchase price.

Buying and owning a basic family car has become easier, cheaper, and safer.

So war on Drugs is winning if you are a cocaine user? Sucks for the grower, middleman, and those getting locked up, but think about the frat boy or lawyer on a Thursday night binge.

And I guess this is why the Cartels have had to move to other lucrative areas, like avocados.

[Deej 76,786]

Avocado toast is serious business. 

[Incredulity 11,671]

2 hours ago, Deej said:

Avocado toast is serious business. 

When its done right it is

[HenryJames 66,051]

[Armybrat 40,844]

On 8/31/2024 at 12:30 PM, kevwun said:

Speaking of FedEx sucking ass, we went salmon fishing in Alaska earlier this month and because we were on a cruise, I had to ship the salmon we caught back.  FedEx charged me $292 to overnight the fish.  They were supposed to arrive Tuesday of this week.  They showed up on Thursday.  Luckily the fish processor filled the cold bag with dry ice and they were still just above freezing.

Several years ago we sent two of these $37  Berdoll Texas tins of candied pecans to a friend’s house in central France. 
FedEx charged $192, so it came out to about $1/half nut.

 

[High Plains Drifter 11,049]

 

About a year ago, a Fed Ex "delivery truck" (actually somebody's van with a Fed Ex sticker on the side) broke down in our neighborhood. The driver basically abandoned it on the side of the road, right in front of somebody's house. It was there for over a week, before the county (or somebody) finally towed it. 

Walking the dogs by it everyday, looking at it up close, it was such a piece of shit. Mismatched tires, bumper dented in, damage on a quarter panel, cracked windshield, interior all trashed. 

 

 

 

[Buzzrock 14,920]

 

[Captainant 27,665]

I think an interesting framing for "enshittification" is "negative effects of monopolies". Ticketmaster, Google, Kroger, Tyson Foods, et al have been ever consolidating and improving margins and profitability while squeezing their locked in customers ever tighter with higher prices, worse service, worse food safety standards, and on and on. 

But hey, at least profits are up and shareholder value has been improved

[fattyflattie 4,639]

13 minutes ago, Captainant said:

I think an interesting framing for "enshittification" is "negative effects of monopolies". Ticketmaster, Google, Kroger, Tyson Foods, et al have been ever consolidating and improving margins and profitability while squeezing their locked in customers ever tighter with higher prices, worse service, worse food safety standards, and on and on. 

But hey, at least profits are up and shareholder value has been improved

I don’t understand why you waste the top half of your posts with bullshit, only to come with the correct answer at the end?  

[Brisketexan 105,135]

I don’t understand why you waste the top half of your posts with bullshit, only to come with the correct answer at the end?  

I mean…when the point is that enterprises are “accomplishing” those things via an abuse of monopolistic power…that is the fucking point.
“Hey, I’ve found a great new revenue center for our construction company!” sounds awesome. But when you ask me what it is and I say “construction in foreign countries of mass extermination facilities to rid the state of undesirables,” the “new revenue center” part becomes fucking problematic.
Legal and moral systems are not strictly results oriented; how you get there makes a difference.

[fattyflattie 4,639]

Shareholder value allows you to not have to buy shitty Tyson chicken if you choose.  Or shop at Krogers.  Or any of the other dumb fucking examples from that post.   Shareholder value is literally the only hope most Americans have at some type of retirement.   But yeah, fuck all that, because someone somewhere is making more money than I think they should be allowed to.  

[Captainant 27,665]

4 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

Shareholder value allows you to not have to buy shitty Tyson chicken if you choose.  Or shop at Krogers.  Or any of the other dumb fucking examples from that post.   Shareholder value is literally the only hope most Americans have at some type of retirement.   But yeah, fuck all that, because someone somewhere is making more money than I think they should be allowed to.  

Increasingly that is NOT the case thanks to market consolation and monopolistic practices by the parties I called out. They've been getting hit with antitrust actions left and right, and have been abusing their market power to stifle competition and extract greater margins out of Americans. 

It's not a matter of "HAY GUISE THEYS MAKIN MORE MUNEES THAN ME" - it's a matter of those firms abusing their market position and converting it from a free market to a captive market. Most of our markets today are captive and operated at the whims of a tiny unelected group. That doesn't sound like a good thing to me, and if it were the government doing it you'd be howling to high hell about it. I'm not sold on why a private, quarterly earnings driven entity being that sole determiner of outcomes is any better. 

[fattyflattie 4,639]

2 minutes ago, Captainant said:

That doesn't sound like a good thing to me, and if it were the government doing it you'd be howling to high hell about it.

Well, that depends 

[TwiceHorn 31,466]

Well, here's some enshittening.

Patently-o, the oldest and probably best patent law blog, is going to a monthly membership model starting today.  Twenty years free.

https://patentlyo.com/plans/join-2024

Not sure I blame him, but still.

[Buzzrock 14,920]

21 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

Shareholder value allows you to not have to buy shitty Tyson chicken if you choose.  Or shop at Krogers.  Or any of the other dumb fucking examples from that post.   Shareholder value is literally the only hope most Americans have at some type of retirement.   But yeah, fuck all that, because someone somewhere is making more money than I think they should be allowed to.  

You wouldn’t need $5M to retire comfortably if things weren’t so shitty. 

[wildcat09 29,354]

33 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

Shareholder value allows you to not have to buy shitty Tyson chicken if you choose.  Or shop at Krogers.  Or any of the other dumb fucking examples from that post.   Shareholder value is literally the only hope most Americans have at some type of retirement.   But yeah, fuck all that, because someone somewhere is making more money than I think they should be allowed to.  

That sure is a take.

[NeverMarryAStripper 21,907]

I’m glad that my sitting in the dark without air conditioning for 10 days in the middle of 100 degree weather this summer helped fund the retirement for all of the CenterPoint shareholders and I’m especially glad to have contributed to the bonus pool for their executives who have done such an outstanding job.  Of course, let’s not forget the few bucks I’m forced to throw their way every month to help fund the $800 million that their ex CEO paid to get laid.

Edited September 10 by NeverMarryAStripper

[Hefeweizen 5,321]

If you had been smart enough to invest in Centerpoint you might have had enough money for a generator.  Try not being poor and life is not as enshittified.

 

 My latest example is the state of Texas’ websites.  I am constantly getting SSL issues on the PUC’s websites, and links to various Texas.gov sites are dead from Google.  Literally nothing should be changing on these public facing sites but what used to take about 15 seconds to look up has become a fucking snipe hunt.

[tbone_ 14,123]

I’m glad that my sitting in the dark without air conditioning for 10 days in the middle of 100 degree weather this summer helped fund the retirement for all of the CenterPoint shareholders and I’m especially glad to have contributed to the bonus pool for their executives who have done such an outstanding job.  Of course, let’s not forget the few bucks I’m forced to throw their way every month to help fund the $800 million that their ex CEO paid to get laid.

Pics of $800M pussy?

[Brisketexan 105,135]

1 hour ago, tbone_ said:

Pics of $800M pussy?

That's ALWAYS the list price.  Some of us are just much better at haggling.

[NeverMarryAStripper 21,907]

No need to haggle when you can pass the cost through to the taxpayers

[tbone_ 14,123]

I just want the pic, not to debate economic policy

[Kennythetiger 9,382]

23 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

I just want the pic, not to debate economic policy

Pussy has been setting economic policy since the beginning of time. 

[thunderlounge 7,830]

7 minutes ago, Kennythetiger said:

Pussy has been setting economic policy since the beginning of time. 

 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21,907]

17 hours ago, tbone_ said:

I just want the pic, not to debate economic policy

Can't find any pictures of her gash, but this is her

[Brisketexan 105,135]

Blue-eyed brunette with crazy eyes?

[tbone_ 14,123]

I’d hit that. But I can’t afford it.

[HenryJames 66,051]

[Schulz2.0 28,951]

6 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

[gofuckyourself 8,236]

52 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

Need some precogs to really get it right though

 

[Parliament 14,259]

Captain America predicted this.

 

[HenryJames 66,051]