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Apple adds a lot of value via the App Store for initial app purchase/download.

I agree they add very minimal value for recurring subscriptions, and their fee should be dialled back to be inline with what card processors charge (because they're essentially offering payment processing and not much else).


The app store provides value to customers for recurring charges by being a MitM and offering an interface for recurring subscriptions. I can go to the recurring charges bit of the interface and see all the apps that can charge me.

I never give CC info if I can help it. Once you give out your CC info, you have to be eternally vigilant because they can charge you on their terms. And to cancel, you have to hop through whichever hoops the company demands of you, like requiring a phone call.

For example, I would never have taken up Youtube's 3-months-for-$1 trail last week if I had to insert my CC info. I was only open to the idea because it went through Apple's payment system and it's easy to see that I'll be billed in March if I don't trivially cancel the subscription from the iPhone interface.

Since the app store billing system is the reason I coughed up the money to Youtube, it certainly makes sense for Apple to get some of that money. And I could make a case that they deserve a cut for the entire lifetime of my subscription.


What about PayPal? Would you trust them?

To me that's an equivalent service on the payment processing side


I almost exclusively deal with subscriptions through Apple. Dealing with multiple vendors is a pain and Apple adds a high level of service and security.

If you think your random app company is getting permission to do recurring billing, think again!


Maybe context should be taken into account?

I have no problems with people calling themselves doctors (whether fake or real) unless they are doing so in order to gain a certain advantage (trust, credibility, etc).

I only have a problem when someone pretends to be a doctor if they're trying to profit or harm people in some way, by for example making medication or similar.


1) London, United Kingdom

2) A lot (pretty much unlimited, considering anyone can resell DSL service from OpenReach, the company that manages phone lines nationwide).

In London we have Virgin Media which is an HFC/DOCSIS (cable, think Comcast) network, HyperOptic which is an actual fibre to the premises network (capable of 1Gbps and most likely more upon request), a few local fibre providers that can get you a leased line (higher price, but possible if HyperOptic/Virgin don't cover your area), and finally the dozens of DSL providers (which work anywhere you can get a phone line).

3-4) £64 for 1Gbps (symmetrical, so 1Gbps upload too) from HyperOptic. Failing that, 350Mbps (20Mbps upload) from Virgin Media for 50£.

5) 30Mbps Hyperoptic for 24£/month. DSL providers (which there are a ton) could probably go even lower at the expense of speed (especially upload speed).

6) Virgin Media is decent in terms of speed. Customer service is run by monkeys, akin to Comcast. No IPv6, etc. DSL providers are mostly trash so you get what you pay for.

7) No.

8) No (customer service is trash), but speeds are decent and since I'm not in a contract (I always choose the monthly commitment instead of yearly) I can switch if things get too crazy.


Job hopping every few months as a contractor doesn't seem to be an issue. At least it isn't for me - recruiters and clients reach out to me despite that and nobody ever questioned it.

> I am at a standstill on how to build up my reputation after wasting so much time not building it.

Not sure about reputation, but you can at least build a decent network on LinkedIn to guarantee a steady supply of contracts by engaging with recruiters.


TLDR: this site converts your 24 words into an URL encrypted with a questionable key derived from a pattern and a color (from a dozen choices or so).

This doesn't actually solve the problem of storing the resulting URL, and the added encryption can be brute forced trivially.

The author also makes the assumption that only entering the first few characters of a seed word (which is enough for the site to tell which word it is because the dictionary is limited) is effective at thwarting keyloggers. It isn't. If the site can infer which word you mean based on the first few characters, so can the attacker.


Doesn’t solve the issue of device fingerprinting. There are a lot of data points that can be used to create a near-unique fingerprint of a device.


iOS doesn’t provide a system-wide unique ID however there is still more than enough data (WiFi network names, device name, device type, IP address, etc) that Shitbook can uniquely fingerprint a device and identify a user.


I'm not sure they have playlists. They probably spend more time tweaking their system than actually listening to music on it, negating the need for a playlist.


I'm not sure what's worse.

From my limited observation of flat-earthers on YouTube, they at least seem to be willing to do measurements but then either misinterpret the results (due to lack of knowledge) or knowingly twist them to say what they want to say.

Audiophiles on the other hand seem to reject the whole idea of taking measurements.


> Groupon [...] pissed me off with retargeted ads, and earned a lifetime ban.

You too? Can't believe I'm not the only one. I used to see their crap every single time on Youtube a few years back (before I discovered adblockers).

Their brand was definitely imprinted in my mind so I guess it's a success... just a shame it's imprinted in the "go burn in hell" part of my mind.


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