>Space exploration offers significant benefits long-term but generally provides no immediate pay-off next quarter.
Really? What about all the inventions discovered during the space race...The biggest impact inventions being integrated circuits, satellite communications and GPS, but there were so many others like Corningware[1], Tempur foam [2], LEDs, Freeze Drying Technology, etc [3] that one could argue provided many short term benefits and enabled discoveries of countless others.
These short-term benefits are minuscule compared to both the costs and the long-term benefits. There are more cost-effective ways of developing better frying pans, pillows and small blinking lights than running a space exploration program. OTOH, there is no other way to ensure long term survival of human civilization than diversifying our real estate away from one planet.
The only reliable way to argue for space exploration is by explaining how important the long-term benefits are.
A lot of startups use this tactic, it's not uncommon. The email clearly says you're on the list, if you don't like waiting, tweet about it. What's wrong with that?
Thanks for signing up for an invite to join Sway Preview. We've reserved a spot for you.
Hate to wait? Follow us and tweet why you're excited to use Sway, for a chance at earlier access.
I would give out invites first to people telling the world why they're excited to use my product. It's better for my product, really, what's wrong with it? They don't force you to tweet to get an invite, that would be different (and tactically, but not morally, wrong).
I think that's it. Asking me for free advertising for a product I haven't even had the chance to use feels like you just want to use me to promote your product, no one wants to feel used even if that means getting something out of it.
I would give out invites first to people telling the world why they're excited to use my product.
...before they've used it. It's deceptive marketing in that sense. I was surprised and annoyed when Ello wanted me to to promote in exchange for early access, after all that aspirational talk in their manifesto.
I agree, shouldn't a new service (especially one from Microsoft) be able to get traction without asking people to use another social network to help publicize itself?
The need for marketing does not go away when you become as big as Microsoft and what larger marketing platform is there in todays world than social media. I'm confused by the number of folks on HN who are confused by the use of social media for marketing.
Really? What about all the inventions discovered during the space race...The biggest impact inventions being integrated circuits, satellite communications and GPS, but there were so many others like Corningware[1], Tempur foam [2], LEDs, Freeze Drying Technology, etc [3] that one could argue provided many short term benefits and enabled discoveries of countless others.
[1] http://www.corning.com/about_us/inside_corning/did_you_know/...
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempur-Pedic
[3] http://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2008/tech_benefits.html