How in-app purchases have destroyed the game industry

Re:How in-app purchases have destroyed the game industry by michaelt on Sunday February 02, 2014 @06:01AM (#7165631)

  All consensual and non-coercive transactions are ethical.

Another contractor and I are bidding to build a website. The customer is a guy in his 90s who wants a website for his antique furniture shop. The customer requirements aren't water-tight as he's not really into computers. For example they don't say the website should be accessible from the public internet or that I should hand over the source code and hosting credentials. My competitor has bid $1000. Is it ethical for me to bid $900 then later to demand an extra $200 to connect it to the internet, work that only I can do?

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Re:How in-app purchases have destroyed the game industry by brc on Sunday February 02, 2014 @07:31PM (#7168238)

In most jurisdictions, that would be in violation of laws. The laws are created to prevent shady operators, like people who go around 'fixing' the roof for old people. They agree to the work, then get charged a fortune for overages, which usually just amount to painting the gutters.

Another example is the phone scammers offering 'virus fixes'. These are generally in violation of different laws.

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Re:How in-app purchases have destroyed the game industry by sleazebreeze on Sunday February 02, 2014 @03:06PM (#7167329)

When I was a consultant in the construction industry world, our contracts all had an clause requiring a "reasonable standard of care". Basically, if something would be reasonably expected to be included (say accessing a website from the public internet which is the reason it's being built in the first place), you need to provide it.

Whether software contracts include that same kind of verbiage, I don't know.

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Re:How in-app purchases have destroyed the game industry by sneak on Sunday February 02, 2014 @03:17PM (#7167397)

That's simple extortion, and is obviously nonconsensual.

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Re:How in-app purchases have destroyed the game industry by michaelt on Monday February 03, 2014 @02:42PM (#7172941)

It sounds to me like you've redefined 'consensual' to make your philosophy produce the results you want.

Both transactions were consentual and noncoercive. There were no threats of violence. An adult business owner signed a contract for services which were provided exactly as specified. The customer didn't have to agree to the first, poorly negotiated contract. And they don't have to pay extra for the extra services later on - it's entirely their choice.

It's no more extortion than if you need a new ink cartridge for your printer and you find they're expensive.

I put it to you that the situation I've outlined is unethical, even though it's consensual and non-coercive.

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Re:How in-app purchases have destroyed the game industry by radisb on Sunday February 02, 2014 @07:01AM (#7165738)

It is as long as you say it upfront

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Re:How in-app purchases have destroyed the game industry by michaelt on Sunday February 02, 2014 @08:08AM (#7165864)

Of course I wouldn't say it upfront without being asked - Caveat emptor. If I wanted to be upfront I would have just quoted $1100 to begin with!

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Re:How in-app purchases have destroyed the game industry by akater on Sunday February 02, 2014 @07:08AM (#7165745)

Exploiting contracts is OK. Providing public with detailed info about contract exploiters is OK either.

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