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HBO Max new Captcha system

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Re: HBO Max new Captcha system

#291

Post by withzombies »

tombert wrote: post #236
bobthepanda wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The entire thing reeks of bad decisions. The new CEO from the Discovery side of the merger cancelled a bunch of HBO Max programming that was doing well, because their background is in cheaper to produce reality content. It seems fated to join the very long list of bad media mergers.

What I do not understand about business is basically everything, but I still don't really understand why they felt the need to remove existing programs. I can understand canceling Close Enough and Infinity Train because they're too expensive, but I don't really understand what it's hurting for them to just say on the servers and continue to be streamable. Hard drive space is pretty cheap, especially at HBO's scale. I…

There's also the possibility that royalties were negotiated poorly. Some back catalog shows could cost more to show than they make due to things like music royalties or other production royalties.

Re: HBO Max new Captcha system

#292

Post by engineer_22 »

SecretDreams wrote: post #249
poopiokaka wrote: post #237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I have a PhD in Computer Science and if I am failing multiple basic addition problems, I assure you that it isn't me, the answers are wrong I also have a PhD in Computer Science and I assure you that the degree does not give me as much blind faith in my math ability

This person has the more believable PhD. One of the requirements to getting a PhD is the knowledge that a PhD is not the proof of intelligence you thought it would be when you started. It is better a proof of resilience, patience, and being dead inside.

Man, you guys are tough. Who cares if he has a PhD. Just about any adult who is on HN has enough math skills to count up dice

Re: HBO Max new Captcha system

#293

Post by engineer_22 »

poopiokaka wrote: post #237
jacurtis wrote: post #9

I experienced the HBO Max captchas just a few days ago. Everyone did since they launched a new app and made everyone switch to that and re-login. Some of the solutions are clearly just wrong. I have a PhD in Computer Science and if I am failing multiple basic addition problems, I assure you that it isn't me, the answers are wrong. I had to do the same audio puzzles and got the first audio puzzle wrong too, and I even…

> I have a PhD in Computer Science and if I am failing multiple basic addition problems, I assure you that it isn't me, the answers are wrong I also have a PhD in Computer Science and I assure you that the degree does not give me as much blind faith in my math ability

Please, restore some of my faith in the education system. Can you confirm you are able to sum the rolls of 5 dice?

Re: HBO Max new Captcha system

#295

Post by pc86 »

engineer_22 wrote: post #293
poopiokaka wrote: post #237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I have a PhD in Computer Science and if I am failing multiple basic addition problems, I assure you that it isn't me, the answers are wrong I also have a PhD in Computer Science and I assure you that the degree does not give me as much blind faith in my math ability

Please, restore some of my faith in the education system. Can you confirm you are able to sum the rolls of 5 dice?

Not if you can only see 4 of them.

Re: HBO Max new Captcha system

#296

Post by pc86 »

ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #261
mdasen wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some it was probably "this gives us an excuse to rewrite the system, but better this time!" Rebranding often gives a certain amount of cover to do things you want to do even if you don't have to do it. Often new management wants to put their stamp on things. I've been in situations where we've had to do major redesigns because a new leader wanted to leave their mark. I've been in situations where each new leader want…

I can tell you that the old app (on AppleTV) was a bug farm. It was constantly crashing and hanging. I often had to force-quit it. I haven't had enough time with the new app, to see if it's better. To be fair, many of the other apps also suck. I think it may be because Apple allows TV apps to be written in JavaScript, and some of them are almost certainly poor ports of Web apps.

Same on my (admittedly older) Samsung smart tv, but I wonder how much of that was due to resources devoted to writing the new app as opposed to fixing the old one. The new one is 100x better in terms of a usability and generally just working.

Re: HBO Max new Captcha system

#297

Post by mwexler »

wrs wrote: post #16
jacurtis wrote: post #9

I experienced the HBO Max captchas just a few days ago. Everyone did since they launched a new app and made everyone switch to that and re-login. Some of the solutions are clearly just wrong. I have a PhD in Computer Science and if I am failing multiple basic addition problems, I assure you that it isn't me, the answers are wrong. I had to do the same audio puzzles and got the first audio puzzle wrong too, and I even…

I am baffled as to why they had to launch an entirely new app rather than just rename the existing one. Could Apple have made them change the bundle ID? It's like they're putting in deliberate obstacles for existing subscribers.

The new leadership at HBO came from Discover. They have a stable of brand names they could have used (Max came from the Cinemax collection, known in the US for it's "After Dark" soft porn movies, aka "Skinemax").

From news reports and interviews with the leaders involved, it appears that new guard wanted to have something new they could own and take credit for, and HBO was owned by the previous regime.

None of Discovery's marques were strong enough, and the $$ to get Discover as a brand into the right place was high.

So, least of all evils, given their problem: scrub HBO off the name, make it one of many brands in the app, and hope "Max" on its own, with some marketing, can expand to fill the gap.

If it works, Discover team takes credit. If not, Discover team blames holdovers from HBO days and says that this was just an intermediate step on the way to a brand new experience that will launch "real soon now".

Lots of problems with this approach, but business isn't always rational.

Re: HBO Max new Captcha system

#298

Post by badwolf »

tombert wrote: post #236
bobthepanda wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The entire thing reeks of bad decisions. The new CEO from the Discovery side of the merger cancelled a bunch of HBO Max programming that was doing well, because their background is in cheaper to produce reality content. It seems fated to join the very long list of bad media mergers.

What I do not understand about business is basically everything, but I still don't really understand why they felt the need to remove existing programs. I can understand canceling Close Enough and Infinity Train because they're too expensive, but I don't really understand what it's hurting for them to just say on the servers and continue to be streamable. Hard drive space is pretty cheap, especially at HBO's scale. I…

They don't want to continue to have to pay residuals

Re: HBO Max new Captcha system

#299

Post by vitorgrs »

wrs wrote: post #16
jacurtis wrote: post #9

I experienced the HBO Max captchas just a few days ago. Everyone did since they launched a new app and made everyone switch to that and re-login. Some of the solutions are clearly just wrong. I have a PhD in Computer Science and if I am failing multiple basic addition problems, I assure you that it isn't me, the answers are wrong. I had to do the same audio puzzles and got the first audio puzzle wrong too, and I even…

I am baffled as to why they had to launch an entirely new app rather than just rename the existing one. Could Apple have made them change the bundle ID? It's like they're putting in deliberate obstacles for existing subscribers.

Well, HBO Max app still need to exists because foreigner accounts can't use Max yet. So it would be a PITA for those who travel to the U.S and want to watch stuff.

Re: HBO Max new Captcha system

#300

Post by dagw »

vitorgrs wrote: post #299
wrs wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am baffled as to why they had to launch an entirely new app rather than just rename the existing one. Could Apple have made them change the bundle ID? It's like they're putting in deliberate obstacles for existing subscribers.

Well, HBO Max app still need to exists because foreigner accounts can't use Max yet. So it would be a PITA for those who travel to the U.S and want to watch stuff.

On the other hand HBO is now broken for people from the US who travel, since the MAX app doesn't work outside the US.
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