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We prefer abusers like you to stop using Puffin instead of becoming paid abusers

30 pointsby johnx123-upalmost 4 years ago

16 comments

jasodealmost 4 years ago
For context, it looks like Puffin web browser&#x27;s architecture is to run on the server side and render in a virtual appliance -- something like a &quot;remote desktop&quot;. This would be a category of apps called <i>&quot;DaaS&quot;</i> or <i>&quot;Desktop as a Service&quot;</i>: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.google.com&#x2F;search?q=daas+%22desktop+as+a+service%22" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.google.com&#x2F;search?q=daas+%22desktop+as+a+service...</a><p>So, resource limits like cpu would be inevitable because Puffin&#x27;s servers are the ones running Javascript, etc. The remaining question is how Puffin is <i>communicating those limits</i> to potential users. Instead of being hidden, you have to be transparent about it to discourage unreasonable users from signing up and leaving complaints.<p>Interesting that the blurb on the app&#x27;s description says: <i>&quot;* Users can pay a subscription for unlimited use.&quot;</i><p>With dangling that <i>&quot;unlimited&quot;</i> feature to encourage people to <i>pay</i>, Puffin set themselves up for so-called &quot;abusers&quot;. Companies never seem to learn their lesson on advertising <i>&quot;unlimited&quot;</i> features.
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monkeybuttonalmost 4 years ago
Totally unhinged.<p>&gt;95% of the free users are good users. 5% of the free users are bad users because they are &quot;parasites&quot;. Parasite users think they are &quot;entitled&quot; to unlimited free usage. People with &quot;parasite syndrome&quot; are those who are on welfare with free handouts for so long that they expect the free handouts will last for the rest of their lives.<p>edit: Welfare is bad but redistribution of wealth (server resources) is good?<p>&gt;Daily quota is very effective to curb abuse so server resources are distributed more fairly to all users. In a zero-sum game, for one to get more, others must get less. Some users think they are special and should get much more than the others, but they do not realize they are just the others.
The-Busalmost 4 years ago
From a response to a user review complaining by the developer (CloudMosa Inc):<p>&quot;95% of the free users are good users. 5% of the free users are bad users because they are ‘parasites’. Parasite users think they are ‘entitled’ to unlimited free usage. People with ‘parasite syndrome’ are those who are on welfare with free handouts for so long that they expect the free handouts will last for the rest of their lives.&quot;<p>Well... that escalated quickly.
SommaRaikkonenalmost 4 years ago
I have never seen an app developer berate a customer for saying that ads are disgusting, but that changed today. From one of the review&#x27;s replies&quot;<p>&quot;You, instead of Puffin, are disgusting. You are OK to pay for the phone. You are OK to pay for the mobile data. You are NOT willing to pay for the app that you use extensively. You need to fix yourself for not being disgusting.&quot;<p>Image link with reviewer&#x27;s name blocked out: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;i.imgur.com&#x2F;gxmEmLu.png" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;i.imgur.com&#x2F;gxmEmLu.png</a>
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_Microftalmost 4 years ago
Oof, it&#x27;s one thing to complain about people &quot;abusing&quot; your service by using it excessively and a whole another to use dehumanizing language for these users by calling them &quot;parasites&quot;.<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;play.google.com&#x2F;store&#x2F;apps&#x2F;details?id=com.cloudmosa.puffinFree&amp;hl=en&amp;reviewId=gp%3AAOqpTOEly0FjOT6h0j4CDZ8Kc7LyAk6OMTiXlBzAnjZWB2XsYQrgetOmmjpP2cZr68DOyJfpUK7DQYA87yaG" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;play.google.com&#x2F;store&#x2F;apps&#x2F;details?id=com.cloudmosa....</a>
starkdalmost 4 years ago
What a bizarre business and marketing strategy. The free level is meant to attract paid subscribers. It is understandable to put reasonable limitations, but insulting the users it hopes to attract leaves a bad taste. Even for the &quot;non-abusers&quot;. It looks like their business has reached desperation level, because a deep bitterness is showing in their acid comments.
lykr0nalmost 4 years ago
What a sad state of the web, when websites are so resource intensive that a service can exist that you can offload the computation onto.
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tloganalmost 4 years ago
All SaaS run into similar issues (unlimited storage, unlimited sharing, “unlimited sms”, etc.)<p>There are two approaches:<p>- charge by usage (premium is not unlimited and then charge for extra)<p>- just ban abusers<p>You need both. Because abusers might be doing something which is illegal or you do not want to associate your service with certain users&#x2F;usage.
tclancyalmost 4 years ago
This feels like a sand mandala: build an app, get users, then destroy it all.
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sergiotapiaalmost 4 years ago
So this browser renders websites on a server somewhere and streams the visuals to the app, like PS Now on playstation?<p>Weird. Is this really faster than downloading html&#x2F;css&#x2F;js and rendering in browser?
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JoeyBananasalmost 4 years ago
A lot of people probably install Puffin just because it&#x27;s there without really understanding the deal that they&#x27;re agreeing to.
playcachealmost 4 years ago
So its a browser with a daily quota?
unstatusthequoalmost 4 years ago
The headline is in the comments. Figured I’d mention that for context to others.
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_ahalmost 4 years ago
Seems weird to shame users for liking your service...
metalliqazalmost 4 years ago
whew. you can only use the browser for an hour a day?
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echlebekalmost 4 years ago
Haha. Well... good luck with that.