The Virtual Store Concept And Thoughts

On April 21st, 2008 The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) reported that Apple filed a virtual stores patent in which customers might be able to see where other shoppers are in the store and possibly interact with each other.

TUAW makes an intriguing point that "this system would also allow for storewide announcements of special events or sales going down."

MacNN where Apple's virtual store patent was first revealed tells of some of the creepy almost stalker-like features in Apple's patent (under the headline "Caution: A Work In Progress").... which would probably be or quickly become annoying!

Now as TUAW mentioned "I doubt the old methods of clicking and browsing by yourself are going away anytime soon."

The reason the standard web interface of today won't disappear anytime soon boils down to why people are shopping online and what their purpose is.

More frequently than not people who are "shopping" online are just looking for more information... whether it be more information about a particular product or any number of things...

But it all comes down to the basic marketing concept that people are looking for a solution for a problem they have... even if it is just a problem only that they perceive! (But that's a post for another day)

In such a case where people are looking for the solution to their problem or want more information about a particular product then the idea for such an interactive virtual store may be an attractive option...

And may also be perceived as a good option for people who are really interested in making a purchase but are a little unsure... and need that little extra social proof or assistance.

However, in the case that I'm sure we all frequently come across is quite simply the fact that we want what we want and we want it now!!

Many times we've already done our research about the thing we're going to get and the only thing standing between us and having it is the distance between our chair and the place where the thing we want is...

And we don't want to bother with anyone else - they'll just slow us down - so if we can log online, put the thing we want in our shopping cart, pull out our credit card and have it show up at our door we couldn't be more satisfied!

Why try and put any extra steps or roadblocks in our way to get what we want. Plus, why would you want to add a whole new level of complexity to everything that we didn't ask for or ever wanted....

Which is why the standard web interface of today won't... and shouldn't disappear!

It will be a nice feature separate of the standard web-based shopping interface for those who would like it, but give us all the option to do things as we would normally do as fast as possible...

Because if you start adding those extra features into the load-time of the website, it has the potential to make it a much more agonizing experience to get through all the steps for getting what we want!

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A New Direction

Lately, I've sorta been bummed and a little depressed at how things are going, and what I'm sorta forced to do do because of my various circumstances.

So I've been thinking quite a bit about what I really want, and what I really want to do... and what I really desire to become.

What I'm about to tell you might come off as unrealistic, selfish or some other negative reflection... but I really have to write this stuff down as a way to make it more realistic and more official as a direction for what my aims are.

Oh, and these things might not be as best said or everything, but it's the core of what I really want... so with no further adieu:

What I really Want...

The time and resources (mostly monetary to get the stuff I'd like to have, but also includes non-monetary things) to do whatever I want when I feel like doing it.

Have the coolest, latest technology (mostly computer devices - hardware, software and accessories).

To sleep when I want for as long as I want, or stay up whenever I want for as long or short as I want... so that I can do whatever I want... or in other words - Not be tied to a schedule.

To work on my great web 2.0 / revolutionary web app ideas.

Have my own web hosting to sell as well as to differ the costs of hosting my websites / web app ideas mentioned above.

The Solution...

Based on what I just listed above as what I really want, the solution is provided therein.

Since I listed my desires from greatest to least (for the most-part), as a solution if I work on the list from the bottom up then each item I work on will provide the solution for the previous item.

Which is why I am so eager to start my own web hosting business.

The End Result...

The end result then would be that I would be the owner of a web technology business.

And that is what I really want to become...

AntiTrust

Gary Winston

Sorta like the movie AntiTrust, where I would be like the owner of NURV... but instead of creating the communication software stuff, it would be for creating and developing my sweet web app ideas that I have and may get.

I would be like a mix of CEO Gary Winston and the programmer Milo Hoffmann where I would enjoy running the company and using my genius to do any of coding that I would like.

However, I won't use any of the sneaky, underhanded methods that Gary Winston uses... and hopefully won't have the problems that they encounter with the law.

... Other than perhaps an unintentional monopoly!

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What's With It... I Get It

This post is going back on some things that I came across quite some some ago. I was going to post it then, but never found the time... and since I'm catching up on some posts, I thought "Why not just put it in here now?" - so here goes:

In this post we have to go back to like the 3rd week in August (I told you it was long ago)...

It was then that I came across and read this post by this girl.... If you don't want to check it out it is basically the lyrics for Chevelle's song I Get It "because it's stuck in [their] head".

The lyrics that she posted weren't anywhere near all that correct... I've got her version and the actual version of the lyrics side-to-side with the differences highlighted:

Actual Lyrics

So You Say You're Ignored
As It Is
Well Give Us Your Sad, Sad Trip

You're Right, I Get It
It All Makes Sense, You're The Perfect Person
So Right, So Wrong
Let's All Live In Your Imaginary Life

Assumed It's Whether We're Right Or Wrong
We're Doomed
And There's Plenty
For All

How Dare You Catch Me Counting
How Dare You Call At All
How Dare You Call This Suffering
How Dare You Call At All

You're Right, I Get It
It All Makes Sense, You're The Perfect Person
So Right, So Wrong
Let's All Live In Your Imaginary Life

Press On
These Tannins
They Double In Time
The Touch Of Life
Once Failed To Mention So Far

Of Course The Law Is Fountains
Of Face To Face Remorse
A Fast And Restless Blackmail
Like Pent Up Fetish Force
 

You're Right, I Get It
It All Makes Sense, You're The Perfect Person
So Right, So Wrong
Let's All Live In Your Imaginary Life

Do You Want It Enough
Do You Want It At All
Should You Need It All
Takes A Minute To See
Do You Want It Enough
Do You Want It At All
Should You Need It At All
Do You Want It Or Not

You're Right, I Get It
It All Makes Sense, You're The Perfect Person
So Right, So Wrong
Let's All Live In Your Imaginary Life

Life, Life, Life

Her Lyrics

So You Say I Make A Man
As It Is,
Well, Give Us Your Sad, Sad Trip

You're Right, I Get It
It All Makes Sense, You're The Perfect Person
So Right, So Wrong
Let's All Live In Your Imaginary Life

Assumed It's Weather
We're Right, I'm Wrong
We're Doomed, And There's Plenty For All
 

How Dare You Catch Me Counting
How Dare You Call It Off
How Dare You Call It Suffering
How Dare You Call It Off

You're Right, I Get It
It All Makes Sense, You're The Perfect Person
So Right, So Wrong
Let's All Live In Your Imaginary Life

Dress All These Turings
They're Doubled In Time
The Touch Of Life, What's Failed To Mention So Far
 
 

Of Course The Lionous Fountains
Or Face The Face We've Mauled
Of Fast And Restless Blackmail
Like Pent-up Vanished Falls

You're Right, I Get It
It All Makes Sense, You're The Perfect Person
So Right, So Wrong
Let's All Live In Your Imaginary Life

Do You Want Enough?
Do You Want It All?
Should You Need It At All?
Takes A Man To See
Do You Want Enough?
Do You Want It All?
Should You Need It At All?
Do You Want It Or Not?

You're Right, I Get It
It All Makes Sense, You're The Perfect Person
So Right, So Wrong
Let's All Live In Your Imaginary Life

Life, Life, Life.

---

Now, I can't say if she got the lyrics from somewhere else, or just 'made them up,' but seriously let's try to get them right the next time.

That's not what I'm really writing about...

As it turns out that there's this real terrible [female] DJ that works at the Zone at the late-night hours... did I mention she's annoying...

Well at work during breakdown, only a couple days after reading the post above, she said something like "Chevelle has a new single called I Get It and I'm going to play it now because it's stuck in my head, and you know what it's like when you get something stuck in your head..." blah-biddy-blah-blah, Right?

So I've been sorta wondering...

What Is It With Women And This Song?!!

Honestly that's two chicks (in the same geographical area nonetheless) that had it stuck in their head -- I don't recall it being on the radio that much... though I live a totally opposite day than everyone else (nor do I really care to listen to the radio -- especially Rochester's crappy 'rock' stations)!

Is it because this song so deeply resonates with women that live in their own little fairy-tale imaginary lives apart from reality that they get this song stuck in their head.

Or that this song strikes so much at the truth that women have this predisposition to think that they're always right (perhaps even - no matter what) and everyone should acknowledge it in them.

What's With It?

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Honestly Guys

You know what... Honestly I don't really care anymore!

No, I don't!!

You see, I've been involved in all this Thirty Day Challenge stuff, and I'm almost not quite sure why I do it....

Yeah, I want to have my own business and make money through it and stuff, but the way the Thirty Day Challenge stuff is really isn't my style.

No, I'm not diss-ing Ed Dale or Dan Raine or anything.... or even Frank Kern who was part of it in the past!

I really look up to these guys and they know what they're talking about... they're geniuses.

So What Is It?

I am not quite entirely sure of that myself... but here are a few guesses of what it might be:

My Job...

First, and probably foremost is the fact that I work... yes, I work a horrible job... at the worst time of day...

I work at Wegmans... which might be a great place to work anywhere else, but working on the night-crew is tough.... tougher than anyone might expect.

Sure, it's just stocking shelves but that's not necessarily the issue.

It's the fact that you have to take a lot of flack from management and all of their incompetence... stupid annoying managers, power-tripping managers, managers that don't know a [blooming] thing... just plain dumb managers!

Don't get me wrong. Some, or most of the managers I've had are great... but it's those few managers that [stink] beyond all telling that totally ruin it!

But besides just management working on the night-crew is extremely stressful... it's stressful on the body and can be stressful mentally.

Sometimes it's enough to make you
totally want to give up on everything!

And then there's the time factor...

I dont' have the time I would like to have - working over 40 hours a week most of the time - to work on the stuff I would like to work on... which isn't even going into the fact that if I ever have a little time I'm worn out from work or so mentally stressed that I can't concentrate on much of anything!

Debt...

Probably one of the other top most reasons for my mass confusion is my debt...

I should explain that for the last few years I have managed to rack up debt in excess of $7,000 just on my credit cards.... which has been paying it's toll on me for the past year and a half.

And most if it wasn't really stuff that helped me any, between at least $500 in school books and $3,500 in a really crappy online business coaching service that didn't even tell me anything I didn't already know!... I could have avoided a lot of it!

I've been gradually been paying that off for the first year... but since I've gone full-time at Wegmans I've been trying to get rid of that burden once and for all!

I am actually pretty close to paying off the debt on my credit cards and expect to have all paid off by the end of next month. Horray!

But that doesn't even touch the surface when it comes to my school loans, though!

Yes, like every little boy and girl (Who doesn't have mommy and daddy or someone else pay for their college expenses in full) I had to take out student loans to pay for my stupid lame-old college education...

And quite honestly it really hasn't done anything for me and probably never will (to any great extent)... since business is something you learn in practice, not in books!

So as a result I had racked up school loans of like $21,354.

So if you can do the math I have, or had, debt of almost $30,000!

Okay, sure that might not seem like a whole lot to some people, or at least just looking at the numbers... but in comparison to the diddly-squat amount that I make, it's surprising at how much I've been able to do with my credit card debt!

I barely make enough money for anyone to live out on their own... not to mention anyone with huge amounts of college loans to pay off!

I barely make $15,000 a year and having to pay my parents rent every month (which is only a couple hundred less than renting anywhere else, though food and meals are included) plus other financial obligations...

I'm surprised that I've been able to sanely make it this far (though some people might question that).

Not Doing What I Like...

I guess that's what it pretty much boils down to.

I'm not doing anything that I like!

Quite honestly I would rather be sitting up in my room or small office and doing web design and coding stuff all day long... that's what I find fascinating and interesting and fun.

But the trouble is with all these other barriers in my way - mostly financial - that I can't just go and do that... unless someone would offer to pay off all my loans, and provide me food and housing with the web space and stuff to do that!

That would be great... I'd love it... but it's very improbable!

Which is probably why, once I finish paying off my credit card loans and stuff I will start to look more thoroughly for a job where I can do the things that I like!

A job where I can be involved in web design or stuff on the internet... and work during the day or on my own hours where I won't put my body through so much stress!

Wow, that was longer than I expected it to be, so I'll just leave it at that for now.

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My Blog

Hey there!

This is my blog... The blog belonging to Ben VanScoter, and so it shall be!

I have the right to post anything and everything or nothing for that matter that I want!

... And if you don't like it, that's fine too, but don't whine to me!

This great nation has given everyone the right to say whatever they want so I shall exploit my right to that here.

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