The Art of Overcomplicating

[Lsbcal]

I'm not so sure about that. I use Costco to stock the freezer. The cost of gas at a Costco station is worth the $50 -- it's cheaper per gallon than the lowest cost station around. The Fred Meyer stores (Kroger chain) offer a 10 cent/gallon discount at their stations or Shell stations -- turns out Costco is still cheaper.

YMMV.

-- Rita

Hi Rita, for some the membership is well worth it. For us it did not make sense. Clearly one size does not fit all.

 

[audreyh1]

This transformation took place a little over a year ago, and at last count we now have 6 Apple devices (just bought an Apple TV today) and counting (thinking seriously about getting an Macbook Air soon).

We're really enjoying our Apple TV. Now that sure simplified things! It does have it's initialization issues too, though, but that's now long past.

Audrey

P.S. I somehow knew that the first thing to do was plug my iPad into my Mac which launched iTunes. The rest was obvious. I agree that the first step is non-obvious unless you've initialized iPods etc. before.

 

[clifp]

We got the Executive membership this year ($100) which they promise to refund back to the regular cost if you don't make more. I think I'm way ahead. I buy tons of food - and other stuff - at Costco. I don't read any of the crap they send me on any cards. I pay them off each month in full. AMEX doubles the manufacturer's warranty (I think it adds up to a year) on things bought with that card so I use it most of the time (plus get 1 - 3% off by using the Costco Amex True Earnings (?) card). Free Amex card...

I hate to sound like an ad for Costco but they really do pay attention to quality.

+100

My general rule is if I can't buy it at Costco I don't buy it.
It is true that Amazon and online have stuff cheaper (sometimes) and certainly a wider selection, but the Costco return policy and general customer service is really excellent.

 

[CuppaJoe]

A new product, “coming this X-mas: The Pad-Pad, $19.99” designed to de-complicate your life. One page says, “ Hmm, finding a pen and a random notebook made my day.”

 

[Nords]

My experience is exactly the opposite. I have seen no degrading of accuracy in billing. And with all the on-line bill paying and auto-pay I hardly have any paperwork! It's great these days how much you can do with so little paper, yet you still have all the info at your fingertips whenever it is needed.

I remember the good ol' days well enough to know that I ain't goin' back there.

Especially not to the part where I was writing checks, addressing envelopes, and licking stamps every couple of weeks.

 

[DeborahB]

I remember the good ol' days well enough to know that I ain't goin' back there.

Especially not to the part where I was writing checks, addressing envelopes, and licking stamps every couple of weeks.

I automated all the bills - hardly write any checks (yay). But I'm constantly having to call about health insurance coverage (lately), or fight with the cable company over the equipment... and it's always very wearing.

 

[Nords]

... or fight with the cable company over the equipment... and it's always very wearing.

I wonder which is better-- dysfunctional cable company equipment and customer service versus 1960s rabbit ears with three black & white channels.

I'm thinking, I'm thinking...

 

[REWahoo]

I wonder which is better-- dysfunctional cable company equipment and customer service versus 1960s rabbit ears with three black & white channels.

I'm thinking, I'm thinking...

You forgot to include the ever-present aluminum foil on the rabbit ears - and the constant tweaking necessary to get the best reception. Ah yes, the good old days..."Good night, Chet. Good night, David."

 

[audreyh1]

I remember the good ol' days well enough to know that I ain't goin' back there.

Especially not to the part where I was writing checks, addressing envelopes, and licking stamps every couple of weeks.

Not to mention waiting in line at the Post Office to get signature confirmation on my estimated tax payments.

Audrey

 

[CyclingInvestor]

I agree, might be an Apple issue. Some years ago I got a Nano as a gift. Ran into the same kind of thing. Somebody forgot the out-of-box checklist.

Itunes appears to be just a way to force users into entering their virtual store to buy stuff. Once the Nano lost all the CD's I had downloaded into it. I think this was an Itune's bug. Didn't want to go through the loading hassle again. The Nano's in my drawer. Itunes is history on our PC's.

Maybe it's just my anti-Apple bias. Don't like to contribute to Steve Jobs and resent the high Apple PC pricing.

+1

Other mp3 players just pop up as a new storage device when plugged into my desktop, I can just drag the mp3s in. Setting up my friends new iPod was a big pain by comparison.

 

[Danmar]

We got the Executive membership this year ($100) which they promise to refund back to the regular cost if you don't make more. I think I'm way ahead. I buy tons of food - and other stuff - at Costco. I don't read any of the crap they send me on any cards. I pay them off each month in full. AMEX doubles the manufacturer's warranty (I think it adds up to a year) on things bought with that card so I use it most of the time (plus get 1 - 3% off by using the Costco Amex True Earnings (?) card). Free Amex card...

I hate to sound like an ad for Costco but they really do pay attention to quality.

Agree. Quality is first rate. Also have the exec card and always make about $50 over the $100 cost each year.

 

[freebird5825]

I always operate my stereo, CD, DVD and TV equipment by hand. Yes, I get out of my seat and push buttons manually versus swearing at the remote(s).
It must be the engineer in me to prefer to calmly put aside non-standardized overcomplicated "user-friendly" multi-button devices from h*ll.

 

[bright eyed]

+100

My general rule is if I can't buy it at Costco I don't buy it.
It is true that Amazon and online have stuff cheaper (sometimes) and certainly a wider selection, but the Costco return policy and general customer service is really excellent.

Agree! but think they must send the sub par associates to the pizza kitchen? Must be the Siberia of Costco? They've screwed up so many simple orders, it's silly...

 

[bruce1]

I wonder which is better-- dysfunctional cable company equipment and customer service versus 1960s rabbit ears with three black & white channels.

I'm thinking, I'm thinking...

How about three good UHF antenna, one pointing at Erie PA, another pointing at Buffalo NY and one at Toronto Ontario. Total 25 or so off the air digital channels (some duplicate networks) with no cable or satellite company.

 

[FUEGO]

+1

Other mp3 players just pop up as a new storage device when plugged into my desktop, I can just drag the mp3s in. Setting up my friends new iPod was a big pain by comparison.

+2

After a few hours puzzling around trying to set up DW's ipod shuffle, we gave up. It is sitting in a box collecting dust right now. If only we could drag and drop mp3s on there it would be so much easier. I guess if you are a devout worshiper of itunes then it works like a charm, but for us, it was a huge hassle versus the other "inferior" mp3 players we own.

 

[ERD50]

+2

After a few hours puzzling around trying to set up DW's ipod shuffle, we gave up. It is sitting in a box collecting dust right now. If only we could drag and drop mp3s on there it would be so much easier. I guess if you are a devout worshiper of itunes then it works like a charm, but for us, it was a huge hassle versus the other "inferior" mp3 players we own.

I don't recall having any problems getting my iPods (a shuffle, and an old mini I 'inherited' from DD) recognized by iTunes (it does get more complex to understand if you have multiple accounts and/or devices on one computer or across several computers). And, iTunes does offer some nice advantages over the drag/drop method (play counts and where you were in a track and other data is synced between them). But I'm far from a 'devout worshiper' of iTunes.

But I do agree with you, that iPods/iPads should offer drag/drop as an option. I love the fact that USB has these standard modes that you can rely on regardless of OS and what software you may have installed. That means you always have a very simple/reliable method to get something done.

-ERD50

 

[FUEGO]

I don't recall having any problems getting my iPods (a shuffle, and an old mini I 'inherited' from DD) recognized by iTunes (it does get more complex to understand if you have multiple accounts and/or devices on one computer or across several computers. And, iTunes does offer some nice advantages over the drag/drop method (play counts and where you were in a track and other data is synced between them). But I'm far from a 'devout worshiper' of iTunes.

But I do agree with you, that iPods/iPads should offer drag/drop as an option. I love the fact that USB has these standard modes that you can rely on regardless of OS and what software you may have installed. That means you always have a very simple/reliable method to get something done.

We had to install and configure itunes since we never used it before. It never really worked that smoothly. We got some songs on the ipod, but changing and updating what songs are on the device and syncing and all that is a little over my head (even though I consider myself fairly tech savvy in other regards). I'd rather spend time listening to music than spend time messing with file management, syncing etc to enable listening to music. I'm sure if I sat down and spent a few more hours devoted to learning about this and setting it up, it would make future apple device setups much easier. Since I don't plan on owning any apple devices in the near future, that is a moot point.

 

[DangerMouse]

We got the Apple TV the other day and installation seemed easy to me as I sat and watched DH figure it out. Now we have that it's going to be adios to Comcast and their DVRs. We figure Apple TV has less content but it also means we will only pay for what we watch and hopefully will spend less time watching rubbish.

As to Costco, I am not a fan. I can see how it works for a larger family, however I like to buy my food fresh I never really have much in the way of freezer food. Also I hate going to Costco as they seem to have the laziest customers, they drag their heaving carcasses back to their car and dump the shopping trolley just out of range of their monster truck and leave it where someone else is sure to get a ding in their car.