Netflix Bullshix

Netflix Bullshix 092111

A Fringe Bitter Complaint About the March of Change, With Irony

Netflix, the on line mail movie rental that brought great movies to the hinterlands has clearly gone nuts.  First, CEO and cofounder  sent me an email.  He sent it to me, personally, and I don’t mind sharing it with you, he starts like this:

“I messed up. I owe you an explanation.

It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology. Let me explain what we are doing.”

Note the use of the word “apology”.  The CEO and Cofounder goes on to say “We need to focus on rapid improvement as streaming technology and the market evolves, without maintaining compatibility with our DVD by mail service… we will rename our DVD by mail service to “Qwikster”. We chose the name Qwikster because it refers to quick delivery. We will keep the name “Netflix” for streaming.”  It’s this kind of apology: “I’m sorry I called your mother a bitch; by the way, I’m leaving you but don’t worry, this other guy will step and take my place; you’ll never know I’m gone.”

It’s like we didn’t know a “quickster” was a smooth talker with a bed in his van. 

Many of us don’t have the kind of internet that “streams”.  Our internet trickles, even the Postal Service is quicker, even if they shut down every Post Office and we have to go to Portola to get mail.  DVDs is how we watch movies.

But “Netflix” hopes to move on to the international market with streaming.  Currently, there are more videos on DVD than streaming, but new movies are coming out streaming first.  More and more, to try to get us used to the change, Netflix has pushed us toward movies that are available for streaming, but not DVD.

Part of the issue is the burden on the mail.  Many complain that the deal Netflix has with USPS is too sweet, and they’ll have to pony up more.  That coupled with the cost of handling millions of DVDs, jackets and mailers.  It’s a solid waste issue, too.  Streaming is burdening the internet, but the infrastructure for the internet is likely to grow, and the USPS shrinks in service.  If you had to bet on one in twenty years, bet on the internet. 

But, your Fringe Editor doesn’t care about futuristic mumbojumbo when his source of DVDs is threatened.  The snow took the TV antenna down a couple of years ago, and it was a change for the better but left me Netflix to fill the void of my settin’ hours. 

Now, this crappy “apology” has left me feeling used and abused.  “Quickster” (wasn’t “Quickflix” for sale?) is as great an idea as the New Coke.

As we know, bad news hits those of us in the bacabeyond hardest, and this is no exception.  As pixed as we’ll get at Netflix, we have no choice but to say “hi, Honey” to Mr. Quickster.  Blockbuster sucked, and the nearest kiosk is Reno or Quincy (at SavMor).  There really is no other choice for DVD rentals.

There will be other choices for streaming, though.  Netflix is rushing for market advantage in streaming, but there will soon be other streaming companies, and even some from Europe.  If you can support streaming video, mirror servers make European movies (OOLALA!) available, too.  In other words, “go, go you SOB, but you’ll be sorry, you’ll be back, but it will be too late!  By then we’ll be Mrs. Quickster.