Now Is This A Promise?

[Umbran]

Ah, but a subscription doesn't quite work that way eh?

They're saying, "Hey, here's what we'll have."

And you go, "that sounds good" and subscribe.

Or, you go, "that sounds good, but I want to be sure," so you find someone who has subscribed, and you ask them if it is everything that they've offered (or everything you want).

When you're posting on a messageboard upon which discussions and reviews of gaming products are a daily occurrence, the implication that you have to commit without knowing what you're getting rings pretty hollow. Seriously hollow. Like, downright empty.

 

[The Little Raven]

Or, you go, "that sounds good, but I want to be sure," so you find someone who has subscribed, and you ask them if it is everything that they've offered (or everything you want).

When you're posting on a messageboard upon which discussions and reviews of gaming products are a daily occurrence, the implication that you have to commit without knowing what you're getting rings pretty hollow. Seriously hollow. Like, downright empty.

And plus, wouldn't they announce when it's going to subscription what is available under the subscription at that point? Combined with how quickly news spreads on ENWorld, I don't see anyone being "tricked" into subscribing for something they won't be getting unless they just aren't paying attention to what they are paying for.

 

[Cadfan]

So, the question was: "Now, is this a promise?"
Are we dodging the answer?

I don't think we're dodging the answer, I think we're addressing the implicit question- whether this is the sort of "promise" that, if broken, it makes sense to respond to as if we were dealing with a spiteful ex-lover.

I imagine that you can figure out my opinion from the way I phrased the question. The degree to which we should be bothered by a hypothetical breaking of this "promise" is context dependent. In this particular context, we have not paid for any services in reliance upon WOTC's statements, nor are any of us likely to do so. After all, we can always just check what content is available on the actual date of release, and make our decisions accordingly.

 

[Umbran]

So, the question was: "Now, is this a promise?"
Are we dodging the answer?

Dodging implies that the question is meaningful and relevant, but you don't want to answer it. I question whether it is relevant.

 

[Fifth Element]

So when you get gas that's supposed to be $3.56 a gallon and it turns out you're being charged $4.00 a gallon, you're okay because the gas pump didn't promise it to you?

That's not a fair comparison.

A fair comparison would be if the gas station told you that in a month's time, they'll try to have the price of gas be $3.56, but then when the time comes, it's actually $4.00.

 

[Jack Colby]

I don't have the answer, but I can promise I will not be subscribing.

 

[TerraDave]

I feel obliged to post something...p word and all...




If its not a "promise", you subscribe, and print material is added months late, would you feel any less disapointed?

 

[Raven Crowking]

Dude, its a company selling a product. Quit acting like its your good-fer-nuthin' husband makin' up stories about when he's gonna to get home from the pub.

When subscription services go up, I expect there will be something telling us what's available. On that date, I'll decide whether I want to subscribe. Simple as that.

Obviously, the term "false advertising" isn't well known to this crowd.

If you make a bunch of claims about a product, and then the product fails to live up to those claims, that is known as false advertising, unless there are very strong reasons to consider it otherwise. Once you advertise something, you need to take all reasonable efforts to make it so.

"Bait & Switch" is where you advertise one thing, but when the guy goes to pay, you only have something lesser at the same price -- take it or leave it.


RC

 

[Starbuck_II]

That's not a fair comparison.

A fair comparison would be if the gas station told you that in a month's time, they'll try to have the price of gas be $3.56, but then when the time comes, it's actually $4.00.

Didn't like the President say that same thing?

Hmm, so does that mean if you subscribe you don't need to buy the new books? That would be pretty great value as long as internet is working.

Then the question becomes: how long after a book comes out before they add it to the DnDInsider?

 

[Scribble]

The word "promise" is a weird word to use in a business sense in my opinion.

If they advertise a product to me, take my money and then fail to deliver, they haven't lived up to their end of our business relationship. I will cancel my side, and if they've done enough harm, take further action.

If you want to call that a "promise" that's cool. Just to me, promises are things friends and lovers make to eachother. They usually don't concern money. (Usually)

Right now, even thought they've announced what they plan for their prices to be, and their intended level of service, they haven't asked for any money. In fact there's not even a way for me to even purchase the product yet.

They can talk about how awesome they think it will be and how much stuff they plan for it to have all they want. Once they actualy begin to sell DDI though, what they indicate I get for my money better be accurate. Just like I expet it to be in any business relationship.

Obviously I'll give a bit of lattitude though. Case in point my cable TV. Occasionally it goes out. It's annoying, but as long as I feel they are making every effort to ensure it doesn't happen a lot, and it's corrected quickly when it does happen, then I'll cut them some slack.

If I sign up for DDi and every so often an article comes out on tuesday as opposed to Monday, I'll cut them some slack.

If I sign up for DDi and can almost never download content, or log into the system. Then I won't, and like any other product I will not continue to pay for it.