Services you just have to bite the bullet on

[Jschmuck2]

I'm sure everyone has to deal with these but it's nice to hear other's stories about them.

In LA there's a casting service that everyone uses, creating a de-facto monopoly. Over the last three years, their prices have increased exponentially to the point where it's $50 to upload a single picture and $35 to upload each picture after that. It's $25 to just change what your "primary" profile picture is.

Normally you would say "The hell with them, I'll just use a different service." In this case, though, you can't. Sort of like cable companies, I guess.

It's frustrating but what can you do?

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Autodesk.

 

[ahenkel]

Its probably common to a lot of people but I basically have one option for decent broadband. I can get cable at 10mbps or 40.00 a month or very unreliable DSL at 1mbps for 60.00 a month

 

[JS80]

You referring to Casting Networks or Breakdown Express?

 

[AMDZen]

It's frustrating but what can you do?

Get a real job?

 

[Krynj]

I own an Evo 4G, and don't even live within 200 miles of Sprint 4G coverage. Yet I have to pay the mandatory $10/month fee that all Evo owners are faced with, which Sprint says is for 4G data use.

 

[soulcougher73]

I own an Evo 4G, and don't even live within 200 miles of Sprint 4G coverage. Yet I have to pay the mandatory $10/month fee that all Evo owners are faced with, which Sprint says is for 4G data use.

But you didnt have to get that phone. So that doesnt really qualify for what the OP is asking. That is just a dumb move on your part

 

[BrokenVisage]

Casting? Is that like for getting into movies/TV or for fishing?

 

[gorcorps]

ticketmaster

convenience fee? lick my scrotum...

 

[Golgatha]

ticketmaster

convenience fee? lick my scrotum...

Ticketmaster was the first thing that came to my mind. Completely worthless service that has a monopoly on tickets for pretty much everything you'd ever want to see. They're right up there with scalpers IMO.

 

[gorcorps]

Ticketmaster was the first thing that came to my mind. Completely worthless service that has a monopoly on tickets for pretty much everything you'd ever want to see. They're right up there with scalpers IMO.

exactly

I still don't understand how they're allowed to do what they do.

 

[Locut0s]

Cable internet service. Only one game in town here for the vast majority of the city. There IS Telus which offers ADSL but it's much slower. To be fair they offer fairly good speeds and up time but it's expensive for what you get. Some more competition would be nice.

 

[Krynj]

But you didnt have to get that phone. So that doesnt really qualify for what the OP is asking. That is just a dumb move on your part

That's an interesting point. Even after the $10 tax, it's still cheaper than what I was paying on Verizon, so, it's not that bad.

 

[Lotheron]

Air Conditioning in South Texas... whole system getting replaced as we speak. I should post in that 2000 emergency money thread.

 

[trmiv]

Cable internet. Sure I can get worthless DSL, but if I want something approaching useful speeds I have to go through Time Warner. Well I can get Earthlink cable internet, but guess who supplies Earthlink's lines? Time Warner.

 

[zerocool84]

I own an Evo 4G, and don't even live within 200 miles of Sprint 4G coverage. Yet I have to pay the mandatory $10/month fee that all Evo owners are faced with, which Sprint says is for 4G data use.

It`s no longer a 4G tax. They changed it to a smartphone premium data fee for every smartphone. Yes it sucks but for what you pay you still get more.

 

[LordMorpheus]

Autodesk.

Maybe for architectural tasks, but I'm under the impression that for machine design, Inventor is running third behind Solidworks and ProE.

In spite of there being competition, pricing is still astronomical.

 

[Exterous]

Connecting to local utilities
Adobe

 

[Exterous]

Autodesk.

Hey - there is still Microstation!

 

[paulney]

AT&T DSL. I don't have a landline any more, so AT&T is the only provider who will do a dry loop. To add insult to injury, they will only provide 3Mbs down when Sonic.net (and independent ISP) could do 6 for half the price.

 

[Blackjack200]

ticketmaster

convenience fee? lick my scrotum...

Ticketmaster was the first thing that came to my mind. Completely worthless service that has a monopoly on tickets for pretty much everything you'd ever want to see. They're right up there with scalpers IMO.

exactly

I still don't understand how they're allowed to do what they do.

They have a monopoly, but they are providing a legit service. Imagine if you were trying to promote a concert or event: producing, distributing, and collecting the tickets would be a PITA, and expensive. They are outsourcing that to TM, but there's nothing stopping them from doing it themselves.

 

[Jschmuck2]

Get a real job?

That would be quitting

 

[highland145]

Air Conditioning in South Texas... whole system getting replaced as we speak. I should post in that 2000 emergency money thread.

You'd have to start your own $6K thread.

Amazon prime.

No, wait. I like that one.

 

[Jschmuck2]

They have a monopoly, but they are providing a legit service. Imagine if you were trying to promote a concert or event: producing, distributing, and collecting the tickets would be a PITA, and expensive. They are outsourcing that to TM, but there's nothing stopping them from doing it themselves.

Cmon just jump on the TM hate bandwagon.

 

[mugs]

Ticketmaster was the first thing that came to my mind. Completely worthless service that has a monopoly on tickets for pretty much everything you'd ever want to see. They're right up there with scalpers IMO.

Worthless service? Most people don't want to have to drive to the box office to get tickets, and if venues had their own option for online purchases you wouldn't need Ticketmaster.