I still don’t understand why small website owners don’t just use their server logs.
They can not be defeated by privacy focused browsers or by JavaScript being inactive.
The only real problem with them is that they (typically) requires access to CPanel (although you can make the stats ‘public’) and that the interfaces are ancient and typically not mobile-friendly. Thinking of AWStats in particular but the rest seem similar.
Some cheaper hosts also kill your old stats (and logs) after a year or so, so you lose cool 5-year growth stats.
I mean, we LITERALLY, already have the data we need. Sitting right there. On our own servers. But we don’t look at it or have good (easy) tools, so we sling third-party JavaScript onto all our webpages and consult someone else.
Something has gone backwards (again) on the internet.
This misses the point. It is not equal. I choose Apple's store for one Very Big Reason over almost all other third-party services: I trust them with my financial details.
I don't have to 'beg' to later cancel my subscription. I don't have to worry about my credit card being stolen. I don't have to worry about a bunch of sophomoric engineers breaking their own website and creating grief for me.
I am in control with Apple. I prefer it. I am the customer.
I realize Netflix is no startup. I realize I may be paranoid and not even a fan of the Stripe madness that every two-bit startup uses.
But Netflix is still YAFS (Yet Another Friggin Subscription) that I have to manage on some other platform.
I prefer to have Apple be the "overseer" of even Netflix.
Would I cancel my Netflix subscription if I'm not at least provided the option of continuing my Apple management of their subscription? I'm leaning heavily toward it.
Don't be naive, everyone. This is more than just about the 30% cut. This is also about Netflix having a LOT of extra data on their customers they can't get within the Apple ecosystem.... home addresses, full names, credit card data, and possibly (yes, quiet possibly) cross-referencing that with other data providers to determine credit scores, income brackets, lifestyle choices, etc.
Why wouldn't' Netflix want a complete 'subscriber per zip code' breakdown. Yes, they could guesstimate it with IP addresses (and probably do), but now they could even say, "Hmmm... these subscribers appear to have 700 beacon scores, are single, and pay with a Titanium credit card. Surely, we could charge them more per month and they'd still pay. Or at least spam, er, offer them premium packages".
Not saying they don't have the right. Just as long as they don't say I don't have the right to stick with my Protective Shield of Apple.
After 2018 and all the data breaches the past two years, it's almost enough to want to pay cash for everything - or just bow out altogether. What little things I want to stay with, I prefer some 'middleman' that I can trust. Like Apple.
P.S. I am not an Apple Fanboy. But they are devoted to my privacy like no other Big tech company. So, they get my business. For now.
They can not be defeated by privacy focused browsers or by JavaScript being inactive.
The only real problem with them is that they (typically) requires access to CPanel (although you can make the stats ‘public’) and that the interfaces are ancient and typically not mobile-friendly. Thinking of AWStats in particular but the rest seem similar.
Some cheaper hosts also kill your old stats (and logs) after a year or so, so you lose cool 5-year growth stats.
I mean, we LITERALLY, already have the data we need. Sitting right there. On our own servers. But we don’t look at it or have good (easy) tools, so we sling third-party JavaScript onto all our webpages and consult someone else.
Something has gone backwards (again) on the internet.