I was going through my Wal-Mart+ subscription plan that I got for free and I saw their offers. One of which was EMeals, that was a 60-day trial. I thought that this was like Blue Apron or other meal delivery services so I thought I’d take a crack at it and hope that it would get me on a path to eat better.
Turns out, it’s just a meal planner. And it’s absurd to me why and how would anyone pay for something when there are countless and countless recipes and meal planners readily available for free. Who’d the fuck would want to pay for a planner? That’s like paying for a calendar app.
- Books
- Porn
- Streaming Services
- Bottled Water (if you have access/the means of purchasing a filter)
- “Buy now, play later.” Just buy it later and avoid the fees.
- A lot of “Courses.” There are so many free resources online.
Ad-free internet stuff.
Computer Operating Systems
A lot of Software actually
Antiviruses
Adobe. Someone said they pay $60 a month for it, and are locked in for the year, which they didn’t even know about! All for editing photos. Just editing photos.
Holdup. It’s $60 a month for the adobe suite, which give you access to like 30 aps, including a video editor, DreamWorks, illustrator and a whole bunch more. It’s only $20 a month for thw photo suite, which gives you lightroom, photoshop, and bridge. The $60, a month for the suite is absolutely worth it depending on what you are doing.
It amazes me the amount of people that think theres no alternative to adobe, just for their casual use. I know that for professional it has some features that no other has.
I recently purchased Affinity photo, which did most of what I used to use Adobe for. No subscription, one time purchase, and I’ll likely never need to worry about that again.
I tried gimp a few times and found it frustrating to use.
Streaming. OS’s, disposable shavers/ head, prime. Very few subscriptions are a good deal and if they are a good deal thats just them cornering the market to eventually close in.
disposable shavers
I have them, but clean them with a squirt of alcohol and they last ages. I think the last time I bought a pack was 2020.
The cheapy ones like bics? I’m using an old school de razor and the blades are stupidly cheap, minimal waste and no single corp locking me in.
Oh those. I meant the Gillette Fusion razor heads. They are supposed to be disposable, and I do eventually get rid of them, but I extend the lifespan by a lot with a squeeze bottle of alcohol on them to clean them. A head that should last weeks will end up lasting me months with just a little care.
Thats a pretty good idea tbf. More people need to stock up on IPA the stuff comes in handle
Social media.
Windows
Streaming services. I’ve been balls deep into piracy since I was a kid but I remember once I was house sitting and my friend had netflix and I Was drunk and wanted to watch He-man. I turned on their netflix and it didn’t have it. I was like, why even pay for this shit whats it good for? I have been morally opposed to paying for streaming ever since. Ive been taking some classes recently and some of the Gen Z kids are like, baffled I don’t have spotify. I am baffled they can’t pirate songs. My friends, you dont have to pay for that single. I can download it during the span of this conversation with my phone.
Also on that note, any of WotC’s D&D tools. I remember the D&Dinsider debacle. 4e was a cool game but basically unplayable without some automation. They tried downloadable software but found people had way too easy a time hacking it. So they launched a constantly crashing version behind a paywall that ran on silverlight (so it couldn’t run on Mac. As a webapp.) And hackers still kept up the downloadable character builder with updates. It was more consistent, didn’t crash, and is still functional to this day. I ban D&Dbeyond from my games. I encourage everyone to use 5e.tools (if they must play 5e).
I default to piracy too, but I’m guessing you don’t listen to a lot of new music. The thing a music service offers isn’t just access, it’s discoverability. It didn’t replace my FLAC collection, it expanded it. What it replaced was listening to the radio to find new stuff.
For video I’m more with you. I’m happy to rely on word of mouth. Especially since the streaming services drop movies all the time and discriminate against watching in a browser. Getting a good rip means you can watch it anywhere, anytime, and not have to worry about it disappearing.
I recommend Spotube. It uses Spotify’s data API and YouTube, Piped.video or JioSaavn as an audio source so no ads or paying for premium.
While this might have been true for a while, but payola is alive and well. My spouse has Spotify and still has to listen to music podcasts for real discovery. Otherwise she’s one more person swatting down Espresso playing over and over.
For dnd, so you have a character creator that is as easy as dnd beyond? I’ve looked at some open source versions, but nothing come as close for ease of use. Thanks!
Have you tried dungeonmastersvault? It is really easy to use and with like half an hour on searching you can get all the source material in there
Just do it manually?
I was surprised to hear that a coworker suscribes to one of the streaming services to stream shows from PBS. First of all, it’s free OTA. Second, I think they have an app.
The app is paid. It’s absurd to me that one would need to pay for a pbs subscription since the you’re paying for the original funding in the first place.
WinRAR
WinRAR is legitimately a great program and whomever made it deserves some compensation
Maybe it was good 10-20 years ago. What’s it got to offer today? Why should we use a proprietary format when there are faster and more space-efficient open formats widely available today?
7-Zip has long replaced WinRAR, for me.
I just cannot stand the 7zip UX
You mean you can’t figure it? It’s solely the best compression tool around that you can think of.
I compare features, speed and compression ratio’s of a bunch of options about twice a year. Up until now, winrar kept coming out on top, at least for my dataset
I agree that winrar is better (or at least historically better since I don’t routinely test like you do).
However the need to compress files is different than it has been. Storage space is always getting bigger and cheaper so I don’t need to store anything compressed.
Compression is best for sharing files, which that has evolved greatly since the creation of rar files. And recently windows has added native 7z support so it’s become the convenient choice.
Interesting. Mind sharing which compression algorithms you compare and how?
winrar, (almost) all options available in peazip, I explore the options available in the then latest tar and zip commands under debian, and I look around to try some novelty stuff or if there’s anything experimental.
I go one by one, setting up scripts to compress a directory with a particular algorithm and compression configuration. (and to record timstamps, check integrity, etc). Then collect a reasonably representative set of files from my ssd’s.
Writing those scripts takes a few hours, but after that I hit run, and usually just screen record to a seperate ssd. After (usually) about a little over a day I can look back and see how long things took, and also have a video of all of them. I scrub it just to make sure nothing glitched out.
I have to say though, winrar’s lead had shrunk a lot in my last test. Despite the new rar5 thing. Perhaps the next time will be different.
When is the next time? When I feel like it. After all, this is just a weird hobby I really enjoy.
What are the results?
I’d have to dig down my pc files for details. But winrar and 7z we’re at the top of the stack, and lzma was a surprising 3rd place. Apparently some updates were made to the algorithm
Operating systems and porn.
Free porn tends to be full of abuse towards its actors. Not that paid porn is automatically ethical but there are definitely indie options where no one is being coerced into performing sexual acts they’re not comfortable with. Also if you have a niche fetish sometimes the only options are paywalled.
How is it surprising people pay for operating systems? The vast majority of computers sold are bundled with an operating system license, and most people just use what came with the computer.
Because they pay for a worse experience.
Uhhhh you answered your own question. Why pay for an OS when it should either be included, or free Linux.
Therefore it’s surprising when people pay for an OS.
I use windows. I haven’t paid for a windows key since windows 7 iirc. Windows has been free for years. (I know you pay with your data etc. Good luck convincing average Joe who uses all social media services that this even matters)
Sames. I haven’t paid for a Windows OS since Windows XP.
The only way I ever got to the latest Windows OS, is either being given a machine with the latest version on it or I get a PC built but pirate a serial or a copy.
Exactly. Which is why it’s surprising to pay for windows OS.
Where are these surprising purchases then? People either use it for free, in which case they haven’t paid for it, or they bought it in a bundle with their PC, which is again very common.
Who is actually buying Windows standalone?
Who is actually buying Windows standalone?
People who build their own PC and want to use an OS that they are familiar with. Especially when you want to game, windows is just easier than any free os and you can get a legit key for 20-30 bucks, while pirating windows has become a lot more complicated since XP.
Every time I saw someone I know built a PC, they reused the license key from their previous one. And the first one was a free key from their university.
It definitely happens though!
Exactly. You can buy windows OS standalone without it coming in a package with a pc. It’s rare. That’s why it’s surprising.
Fair enough. To me the fact people don’t do it and that it’s rare is perfectly expected. In other words, I would be surprised if people commonly did that, but they don’t, so I don’t see anything surprising. But I can see your point of view, it’s looking at it a bit differently.
But “included” doesn’t mean free. You still paid for it.
That’s not the point. You’re buying a pc, it comes with it and sometimes costs extra.
This sub is about what’s surprising things people buy. Buying an OS is surprising, because it’s either part of the package deal for a new pc, or you can just use linux.
I think what you are trying to say is “buying an OS not as part of a package deal is surprising”. To that I would agree.
But most people are buying an OS as part of a package deal, so most purchases of an OS are not surprising.
I’m not “trying” to say anything lol. OP said operating systems. I’m talking about operating systems. Not a pc that is packaged with one.
I’m talking about operating systems. Not a pc that is packaged with one.
So yes, looks like I correctly understood what you are trying to say, and agree with you that buying a standalone operating system is weird. But nobody does that.
Looks like you consider buying something in a bundle to not be buying it, which is a valid opinion, though myself I disagree. Most OS purchases happen in a bundle with a PC, and every time I bought a laptop I asked for Windows to be removed from the bundle, which made it cheaper a bit (as I was going to install Linux anyway). If removing Windows from the bundle is making it cheaper, then clearly you were buying it and paying for it for when you don’t, as most people do.
I’m currently on Emporium. But I have paid for more porn than I’ve stolen. And porn is cheap.
So many people I know complain about windows having ads, that it’s auto installing bloatware, has annoying checks, forces you to login…
I paid the full price about a decade ago and haven’t been bothered by any of that. And yes, I’ve upgraded to windows 11
I’ve had the exact same experience. People on this site don’t like when others don’t hate Windows.
I like it because it just works.
It definitely “just works” alright. And damn do I appreciate that on the machine I like to use to relax
Online subscription models, gacha and AAAA price tag games.
Not everyone wants to be a cybercriminal, god knows I’m one of them, but almost every person already has a backlog of games, an old classic that they want to experience again or community favourite that has gotten a lot of mods. Those are all free. And even if you want to spend money on something, why would you spend it on this year’s hyped up game when last year’s is still just as playable and at a discount?
That being said, I did buy Balatro full price, so I ought to know the answer.
Oh man. In-game currency and gacha stuff can get fucked.
I’m not a big gamer but I like having something on my phone to pass the time.
Happy to pay to install or for expansions or to remove advertising or whatever but paying for finite in-game stuff is just shit.
My problem is that I wait 20 years to late to play games and they cost more second hand than they originally did. GameCube fan problem
The Youtube channel “answer in progress” made a video about gacha and I still don’t get it. I hate collecting junk, even more when I can’t choose which junk I get.
Oh, you mean that video, about blind boxes and gachapon.
Seen that one as well, really absurd to see that channel promote “healing your inner child”, by buying into something that feels like an amalgam of lootboxes, that ruined online games, and Funko-pops, which cannibalised physical game stores. I read through the comments many times to maybe understand, but it seems few people actually care about the gambling addicts there as well.
I’ve never played any of those games myself, but here’s what I have gathered from a video essay:
You just begin to play it somehow, you get introduced to the Gacha mechanics, and then it’s one of 2 ways: Either you spend a lot of money in the game because they are literally designed like Casinos to fuel your gambling addiction, like clouding your judgement how much a round of gambling is actually worth with many in game currencies.
Or you spend time in the game to grind premium resources, and your brain rewards you for it with the thought “at least I’m not spending money”, not realizing that the
housedeveloper also wins if you do that. An example i giving rewards for players who write strategy guides, something they otherwise would have to pay real money to a developer for.We really have to hate more on those regulators who failed to protect gambling addicts from candy crush on crack.
As an American, Turbo Tax. I’ve been using FreeTaxUSA for almost 20 years with no problems, without paying for filing software.
But if I weren’t American, my answer would probably be: tax software.
Most countries don’t have tax software.
They have a website usually. A free one, from the government. That calculates their taxes for them. You just have to check if it is correct from your side.
Right, that’s what I was getting at with my second part hah
It’s funny that the IRS has now been offering their own tax-free service. Intuit thought they could strong-arm people but even the IRS thought “no bruh, you’re crazy”.
I just never saw the appeal of paying for tax software/services, well maybe I can see it in services because there’s still a lot of people that have trouble with filing taxes and they may be in unique tax situations that they don’t understand.
But Tax Software makes it stupid easy to understand so it should not be something we pay for.
In many other countries (such as mine) you dont use tax software. The government figures out what you owe or overpaid. Because they have all the info they need to know that.
How are they at dealing with investments?
For my simple needs (mortgage, 401k, couple different IRAs, and a managed investment account) it did great.
Do they do imports from like betterment and vanguard?
Books.
Most librarians are knowledgeable and love helping you find something, or getting it in from another library.
As a library assistant, I second that message
Not everyone has access to libraries. However anyone with internet access and a device capable of reading ebooks can read for free with libgen, zlib, and sci hub.
If you have access to the internet you’ll be able to get access to library ebooks. There are some libraries that’ll give non residents access.
Any examples?
Which country are you in? In the US, Harris County Public Library in Texas gives free access to basically anyone with an email address.
I researched last year and there were several libraries. Unfortunately I didn’t save my results. Check out Reddit heh.
Usually only available to citizens of the same country. I don’t actually know of any libraries that allow access to people who are neither residents nor citizens of the country, but there may be some.
Every book I try to check out has a 3 month to 3 year wait-list. Not exactly a convenient way to read.
Where are you? My wait here (mid size city in Florida) is usually 0-3weeks, unless they don’t have it at all, then I request and it can be 6 weeks to infinity. But they will send hard copy books around between libraries not even in our county, and the electronic collection is huge too.
I’ve been trying e-books, usually when I find something I want to read it will say something like you are 38th in line. Minnesota.
Here when there is a big line like that, usually they will temporarily rent more licenses. So it will say 38th in like for one of 8 copies, not just 38th. If it’s a popular new book they do that. I read mostly sci fi and fantasy, occasionally smut, it’s been solid for those categories. Have found many enjoyable reads and those sorts of books are great to read on the device. Stories. Informational/resource books less so, for me it is easier to go back & forth with a paper book.
ETA I don’t know why someone would down vote you for sharing your experience, that’s silly.
I see this often as well. I usually put in holds on several things at a time. I often find that the had is passed to me much quicker than the estimated time when queues are long like this. I suspect people are in line for several things and just pass along when it becomes available and they’re reading something else. I similarly will pass on holds when the become available and I am reading something else.
Tldr, I recommend putting in the hold anyway, and seeing what happens. But put in holds on lots of options for best results.
I like owning my own stuff.
By that proxy you could also just rent your home instead of owning a living space.Books, though? If I had to buy every book I’ve read, I would be destitute and need a hundred storage units. Even with a converted effort not to buy books I have a whole shelf of them.
That’s a crazy comparison. If I could rent a home for free from the library I would feel like I’d won the lottery. I absolutely would do that. Is renting from the library not free where you are?
Depends. My local library is but the major library in the neighbouring city has a fee associated with being a member lending something. Entry is free though.
Also quite a few great books in the public domain. Here is a website that curates, fixes up, and publishes free copies of classic public domain literature: https://standardebooks.org/
Water
Yeah ok.
In my 20’s I over-enjoyed a great many things.
Now in my 40’s I don’t drink booze, do drugs, smoke cigarettes, and also try to avoid sugar and caffeine. I also have kids now so I sold my motorbikes because that seemed irresponsible.
So yeah, I do purchase poncy imported italian sparkling mineral water because… it’s a nice indulgence.
As somebody who grew up with perfect tap water and then moved to Detroit, I used to think this.
Edit: I guess I should say I still think this for a lot of places. When I go to my parents house the first thing I do is drink a big cup of their amazing tap water.
Hear hear. When I rented the water was great, didn’t use a filter. Out where my parents live, their water is brown occasionally.
Where can you get free water? Unless you have a well or something.
Tap water is so cheap it might as well be free, and it’s probably included in the rent in a lot of places.
I guess it’s not free in places that need to have a revolution first?
Slightly more expensive in places with local water scarcity, like the American southwest. But yeah, we still need a revolution
My water is inexpensive: 1 Cubometer of water about USD 0.29 and USD 0.13 to deliver it to the apartment (pipe system, water infrastructure).
Where I am the cost of water is rolled into the local authority tax. It’s not metered, so it feels free. It’s pretty good water too.
I think this persons means bottled water.
