• @[email protected]
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      1 year ago

      The stock price will fall if we don’t make more money then we did last year.

      • But why?

      Because we are legally obliged to do what is best for shareholder, or they can sue us.

      • Right so the company needs to make more money again and again and again until the company or the world dies

      About sums it up

      • @[email protected]
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        161 year ago

        Accurate. The laws need to find a balance as I get shareholders who took a risk on business would like to see a return, but it is way too slanted to the point that the risk is on our entire society. We need people to be in those laws not just shareholders.

      • @[email protected]
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        1 year ago

        I think it’s a great idea in theory. Basically a form of decentralised loans. You need money to invest, you sell shares of your company to get some cash. In return the shareholders get a return if you succeed. And of course they can sell their shares if now your company is worth more. Seems alright with me tbh.

        But nowadays it just seems like a fucking casino.

        • Franklin
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          131 year ago

          I don’t know if you can have that ideology without it eventually turning into what it currently is.

          • @[email protected]
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            1 year ago

            I’m by no means an expert. So I asked the old CharlieGPT

            This list seems pretty good to me though:

            Transforming the stock market from its current state, which many perceive as being overly speculative, to a more stable and purposeful system would be challenging. However, here are some suggestions that could help mitigate its “casino-like” nature:

            1. Limit High-Frequency Trading (HFT): HFT can exacerbate market volatility. Some argue it provides liquidity, while others feel it allows for manipulation. By setting limits or additional regulations on HFT, you might reduce some of the rapid, short-term fluctuations.

            2. Enhance Financial Education: Educating the public about the fundamental analysis of companies, rather than speculative trading, can lead to a more informed investor base that makes decisions based on a company’s intrinsic value, not short-term price movements.

            3. Tax Incentives for Long-Term Holding: Offer tax benefits for long-term investments. For example, increase capital gains tax for stocks held less than a year and reduce it for those held longer. This would incentivize investors to think long-term.

            4. Increase Transparency: Companies could be required to disclose more about their financial health and business operations, making it easier for investors to make informed decisions.

            5. Reduce Leverage: Limit the amount of leverage retail investors can use. Excessive borrowing to buy stocks can magnify gains but also amplify losses, leading to more volatile markets.

            6. Strengthen Short-Selling Regulations: While short-selling can be a useful tool for price discovery, unrestricted or manipulative shorting can destabilize markets. Strengthening regulations and increasing transparency around short positions might help.

            7. Limit Derivatives or Complex Financial Products: Overly complex financial products can mask risk. By limiting or more strictly regulating these products, one might reduce systemic risks.

            8. Robust Regulatory Oversight: Enhance the powers and resources of regulatory bodies to monitor market manipulations, insider trading, and other unethical practices.

            9. Circuit Breakers: Strengthen and refine circuit breakers, which are mechanisms that temporarily halt trading on an exchange during significant declines for predefined periods.

            10. Restrict Speculative Products for Retail Investors: Limit access to highly speculative or complex products for inexperienced retail investors.

            11. Promote Stakeholder Capitalism: Shift the focus from purely shareholder returns to considering other stakeholders, such as employees, the community, and the environment. This can encourage companies to think long-term and align their strategies with broader societal benefits.

            12. Enhanced Shareholder Rights: Grant shareholders more power in corporate decision-making, making it easier for them to hold company executives accountable.

            Remember, the stock market serves as a crucial mechanism for companies to raise capital and for investors to grow wealth over time. Any regulations or reforms should be considered carefully to ensure they do not stifle innovation or economic growth.

            • Franklin
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              1 year ago

              Those sound like a great ideas, although I have to question the immense burden it would put on any governing authority, still seems better than the current system though.

              As a counterpoint, stock markets (or any structured form of capital investment) require infinite growth, not only is this unsustainable, but it will always prioritize the profit motive over ethical concerns.

              In addition, in a market where capital controls expansion, it will always benefit those with capital and by extension power to loosen those regulations.

              To summarize, regulation will win you the battle but never the war.

        • J Lou
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          1 year ago

          It isn’t a great idea even in theory. Even ideally, workers inalienable rights to appropriate the fruits of their labor and to democracy are still violated. These rights flow from the moral principle that legal and de facto responsibility should match. In a company, employees are jointly de facto responsible for using up the inputs to produce the outputs, but receive 0% of property rights and liabilities. The employer is held solely legally responsible resulting in a mismatch

    • andrew
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      51 year ago

      Also fire.

      “OH MY GOD! WE’RE HAVING A FIRE… Sale.”

  • @[email protected]
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    1141 year ago

    Please vote with your money. Don’t waste money and buy overpriced stuff and certainly don’t support this kind of business practice. And fuck the shareholders too. If they want money, then work like most people.

    • @[email protected]
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      201 year ago

      Already do. Used to buy new phone every year. Now it’s every three years or so. That is completely due to price and lack of compelling innovation. Don’t care if shareholders make money or not. I just like good value.

      • @[email protected]
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        111 year ago

        I’m the same. I just got a 15 as my xr screen is cracked and the batter lasts half a day.

        I’m home sick and didn’t even open the box yet.

        I’m not particularly excited for a new phone, but my xr is just not working well enough any longer.

      • oce 🐆
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        11 year ago

        You can try 5 years with Fairphones, it’s the length of their warranty and you can repair it yourself easily.

      • @[email protected]
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        1 year ago

        Is this sarcasm? I don’t think I’m a genius, just giving a reminder, and perhaps pointing a flaw in capitalism.

    • @[email protected]
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      421 year ago

      One of the biggest drawbacks of buying iOS devices is you can’t leave. I swap everything out on my laptop and phones as needed, but on iOS you’re stuck with Apple’s app store, Apple’s operating system, oftentimes Apple hardware, and there’s nothing you can do about it. It simply ends up being so expensive.

      • Pyro
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        891 year ago

        It might feel that way, but people switch from one platform the other all the time.

        It’s not impossible, just inconvenient. People nowadays often seem to conflate the two.

      • @[email protected]
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        271 year ago

        I’ve swapped between iOS and Android several times. There’s literally nothing stopping you from switching other than minor inconveniences.

        • @[email protected]
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          61 year ago

          You have a high opinion of the average idiot being able to navigate any of this. These are people that are confused by a two button mouse…

          • @[email protected]
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            51 year ago

            And you generally have a shitty opinion of people and their ability to navigate technology.

            As with most things, it’s generally a cost benefit of convenience versus effort. Anyone can learn anything or transition to something else if they’re willing to put the effort into it. It’s just that most people aren’t willing to put the effort into most technologies and that’s their prerogative.

        • Flying Squid
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          41 year ago

          Unless there are apps you use regularly that cost a lot of money and you don’t want to pay for them again.

          • @[email protected]
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            61 year ago

            Do you regularly buy apps that cost hundreds of dollars? A vast majority of apps are within the $1-$5 range. We’re talking about buying phones that are well into the high hundreds to thousands of dollars. That’s a drop in the purchase and operating cost of the device.

          • LUHG
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            51 year ago

            Same said for other ecosystems like windows, android, playstation, Xbox and so on… Not apples fault.

            • @[email protected]
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              51 year ago

              I made a switch to linux recently and some of my paid software works there too.

              Most steam games, Matlab. Wine and proton make it possible to run many Windows applications

            • Flying Squid
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              11 year ago

              Sure. I’m just explaining why it can be a problem if you want to switch.

      • @[email protected]
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        121 year ago

        They do a great job of integrating devices. As for the App Store, us in the EU will soon be allowed to install alternatives. I think the deadline is the end of March.

      • @[email protected]
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        31 year ago

        I have a Mac Mini because I like Logic and GarageBand DAWs, but outside of that I dont have anything to do with Apple stuff.

  • @[email protected]
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    821 year ago

    I do not understand all the rage, Apple does not provide any vital services or products. They can charge anything they want. If you don’t like it then don’t buy it.

    • @[email protected]
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      301 year ago

      It’s always been trendy to rage at Apple and Apple owners. This is just the current rage.

      • @[email protected]
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        31 year ago

        If it’s “always” then it’s not a “trend.” Maybe if there is “always” rage at Apple, there is a good reason for it.

        • @[email protected]
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          1 year ago

          Yeah. For some, hate is eternal.

          It’s supposed to be a personal computer - some folks don’t respect personal choices.

    • @[email protected]
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      251 year ago

      but you still lock yourself in their offer space when you also bought devices that kind of depend on those services: music streaming for the homepod, fitness+ for watch, cloud storage for iphone photos…

      every time you switch from apple to a third party, it’s ever so slightly less convenient, and they probably conceive their products around that notion.

      • @[email protected]
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        151 year ago

        Yes you have to decide if the cost of the convenience is worth the lock in and price of Apple products. At the end of the day you still have a choice.

      • @[email protected]
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        101 year ago

        That is their business model, no? The convenience and integration of their products is what makes Apple unique. Seems weird hold it against them.

        • @[email protected]
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          11 year ago

          Yea i buy apple because it just kinda works and it’s what i’ve used since my first mobile device, being an ipod 5. The switch to android just isn’t worth losing all my paid apps and whatever else

      • @[email protected]
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        51 year ago

        None of the products that had the price increased are locked in. Apple TV plus doesn’t even need an Apple device and has many competitors, Apple News has plenty of competitors, there are games you can buy without Apple Arcade though most do stupid in app purchases.

  • @[email protected]
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    641 year ago

    The solution is simple: Don’t participate in the Church of Steve Jobs, don’t turn yourself into an Apple disciple (and apologist).

    • @[email protected]
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      51 year ago

      The problem is that since there is no real competition all this shit propagates to other companies. If Apple is charging 1000 for a shitty phone, you better believe others will follow suit and charge 900-1000$

      Meanwhile the fucking phone should actually cost 200$…

      • @[email protected]
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        1 year ago

        $200? what fantasy world do you live in?

        The cost of making an iPhone 14 Pro was $570 and it sold for $800.

        They are focused on services for making big profits, which is why you have to subscribe to a million services

  • @[email protected]
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    1 year ago

    They are epitome of passive aggressive capitalism. “Will keep doin unethical shit til they make a law not to and even then you have to sue me to make me stop”

    It’s nestle’s MO.

  • @[email protected]
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    581 year ago

    I had to read the title several times before I understood that the article isn’t about Apple Jacks, the cereal.

  • Ghostalmedia
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    531 year ago

    I can get the TV+ hike. I don’t like it, but I get it. When TV+ launched it had very little content and no one was going to pay for that little content unless it was cheap. But now there is a pretty good library of new stuff, and it’s usually of better quality than what’s floating around on HBO.

    Arcade price hikes - now that seems like a good reason to cancel Arcade. If they’re going to add better games that take advantage of the new fast processors, I can understand console tier pricing. But the games still mostly feel like mobile games. And not mobile as in “Nintendo Switch,” mobile as in “flappy bird.”

    • @[email protected]
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      271 year ago

      The logic is that others raised subscription prices and got away with it, so they can too. Masks have come off in the last 1-2 years and corporations try to milk us for every last cent, using any excuse (e.g. Covid, energy prices) they can. Inflation is not a law of nature, it’s corporate greed for more profits

      • Ghostalmedia
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        51 year ago

        You got downvoted, but I agree. HBO isn’t what is once was, although there are a few gems. TV+ seems to be the place where people are allowed to spend an ungodly amount of money on a show right now.

        • @[email protected]
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          21 year ago

          I’m so excited for that… But that’s definitely Williams St/Titmouse before the merger being awesome as usual with discovering new talent.

      • @[email protected]
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        21 year ago

        I am subscribed to Max because I’m a stupid fucking DC nerd as well as a Studio Ghibli weaboo shithead. I am slightly ashamed

    • @[email protected]
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      11 year ago

      Honestly, arcade is a cool idea, but it’s never been cool enough to buy on its own. I feel like the majority of people that have it just get it as part of Apple One.

      • Ghostalmedia
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        11 year ago

        Yeah, I agree. I might be cool if you have kids. I don’t, so I’d rather just buy the one or two mobile games I play each year.

  • @[email protected]
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    461 year ago

    The thing I loved about Apple 15+ years ago was that even though the hardware was expensive, it was semi modular and tightly integrated with the software and you got an offline product that you could also buy Apple server equipment and software for. 10 years ago was still ok but things were starting to erode.

    These days there is no server software, no modularity, no ways to use enough of the new features without a cloud subscription and the hardware is just as expensive and designed with defects to limit it’s lifespan (in my opinion). They want to have their cake and eat it too. I was a proud Apple fan boy but not a blind one. Well now they can fuck off. Bye.

    I’m now fanboying about Framework and Pine64.

    • Semi-Hemi-Demigod
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      161 year ago

      Apple’s been ignoring professional users for a while now. Folks in sound and video production were the ones who kept them alive in the 90s. But they turned Final Cut Pro into iMovie+ and their professional machines are impossible to upgrade or repair.

      Remember the outrigger cases? Or the G3/G4? Beautiful design, great airflow, and one latch and the whole thing opened up.

      • @[email protected]
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        31 year ago

        Remembering the G3 and G4s had daughterboards? So you can not only change out the memory, but also change out the CPU/GPU. It was a great time to be an Apple fan back then.

        • Semi-Hemi-Demigod
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          11 year ago

          Yeah! IIRC there were even daughterboards with full Intel systems on them so you could run Windows/DOS applications

    • @[email protected]
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      21 year ago

      Was also a fanboy 15+ years ago. First they got rid of the Macbook 17". Then they got started soldering memory to the motherboard. Thats when I left. It just got progressively worse ever since.

      • @[email protected]
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        401 year ago

        Very untrue. Consumers have the power to buy far cheaper Android phones where they have far more freedoms, but not only do the majority of American consumers refuse to do this, they voluntarily and systematically shame those who do.

        Statistically, Most American consumers are pretty dumb and act against their own interests

        • @[email protected]
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          101 year ago

          Apple iPhones are awesome if you like being three years behind in tech and paying double the price for that privilege

                • @[email protected]
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                  1 year ago

                  Again, these sorts of tribal sentiments for products is pathetic and embarrassing. They’re both OSes from two massive corporations that couldn’t give two shits about you. Be as pragmatic about this as they are to everyone else.

        • admiralteal
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          11 year ago

          Consumers literally do not have a choice to buy the services the article was discussing – apple’s media streamers – from someone else. Apple monopolizes that content.

          RTFA. It is not about phones.

          And even for phones, to get a functionally-acceptable product, your choice is one of maybe 5 manufacturers who all tacitly collude to keep prices up and keep unprofitable consumer choices far, far away.

      • roguetrick
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        171 year ago

        Workers and consumers actually have all the power, they just don’t want to inconvenience themselves by using it. Collective action has destroyed empires and absolutely can annihilate multinationals.

      • @[email protected]
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        21 year ago

        The power to buy a product or not is all the power. Consumers may be apathetic about a price raise but they are still choosing.

  • @[email protected]
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    381 year ago

    And why would I want an apple anything? They get cheap labor so…what the investors want more money? Never had an iPhone or apple product never will.

    • @[email protected]
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      181 year ago

      Hate to burst your bubble on that one, but all of the latest and greatest phones are made by cheap labour these days. Apple uses China and India, Samsung uses Vietnam, Google uses China and Vietnam with some assembly in the US.

    • @[email protected]
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      41 year ago

      I just have second hand ipod touches and manage my collection by burning cds through media monkey to them. There is so many mp3 players out there that look good but when you get them the software is junk.

      • @[email protected]
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        71 year ago

        Why would anyone need a dedicated piece of hardware to play mp3s these days? My $250 smartphone accepts SD cards up to 1 terabyte, plays flacs, and runs whatever media software you want. I was using GoneMad until updates turned that to shit and now I’m happily using PowerAmp. But there are dozens of others I haven’t even tried.

        I had a 5th Gen iPod video back in 2006 and loved the thing like it was my firstborn child but eventually it broke and I got a smartphone and have never felt the need for another one.

        • @[email protected]
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          1 year ago

          Output quality is a reason. Even if you have headphone jack, it’s usually built as cheaply as possible. Granted, Bluetooth headsets can be OK these days.

          Come to think of it, do Bluetooth headphones only use class D amplifiers? Seems like it’d be hard to fit any kind of decent class AB amp in there. Class D amps have improved a lot in recent years, but you still want to use an AB if you’re serious (not even audiophile nonsense, just somewhat serious).

        • kamenLady.
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          21 year ago

          I had the first gen iPod 20 BG, that heavy white brick. It was glorious, the only focus was to hear music. There was like 19.5 GB just for your music, nothing else installed, than the music player. The mini LCD screen was perfect and quick.

          Also loved my Nano ipod Video, the last nano.

    • @[email protected]
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      1 year ago

      Or juice “profits.” (I’ve never understood people having cereal with juice, but maybe it works with Apple Jacks.)