You have to understand we are not normal users. Anyone even remotely interested in federated software are not normal users.

Bluesky may not have 57 third party apps and that’s why people are flocking to it. It’s easy. The signup process through the app involved no selecting of servers, no understanding of what it actually is under the hood, and users are greeted by a default algorithm that feels very much like old Twitter before Musk.

Basically, regular users do not care about the fediverse and just want a competent and polished app and site experience.

The Southern China Morning Post may or may not be a completely unbiased source in the matter.

Asking the real questions.

Nah. Ultra left socialist.

Bought my first home right at the end of low interest rates. I wasn’t planning on staying but I can’t afford to move now.

iMessage is the iPhone’s default texting app. It comes preinstalled on all their phones.

No, that’s normal and how it should operate. The problem arises when everyone is using the same software suite so everyone has immediate access to current prices, and the software essentially tells you what you should price your units at to maximize your income.

Maybe cartel was the wrong word as it wasn’t an intentional agreement between companies, just an outcome of the system and accelerated by instant access to information. A runaway feedback loop may be more appropriate.

While true, there are some markets where these properties are fighting for a very finite supply of tenants. If they see they are lagging behind in their leasing, they really don’t have any other choice than to lower their prices to make sure they don’t have any vacant units. The industry term is called “vacancy loss” and it’s the one thing the upper management money men actually fear. A unit without someone inside it is literally bleeding money from them so they’ll do nearly anything to fill it.

Hopefully soon they won’t be able to share their prices as easily and they’ll have to fight for their lives by lowering prices to fill vacancies before another property snaps them up.

I work in this industry. The biggest problem with the software is it gave the management companies instant access to everyone else’s current prices. The industry has used “market surveys” for years but you had to actually call around and gather those prices yourself. It’s a very time consuming process so many only did their surveys sporadically.

With the software you had instant access to current price data and everyone pretty much raised their prices to match the market average. Then the newer/fancier properties saw the new higher average and thought “We’re a better property so we can raise our prices above the competition.” Which then led to a higher average that the rest then met again. Rinse and repeat and you have a de facto price fixing cartel.

You should sub to his newsletter as well. Happy to say I’ve been the recipient of an “Official Rollie (No Prize)”. It was quite the honor.

“Should I give up? Or should I just keep chasing penguins?”

Saul is there too. Look to the left of him.

That’s what the meme is about? Is that not the Noita witch?

Noita is a gem of a game.