[tensor]

I am willing to pay for good content, and do, but still often have little choice. E.g. I can't pay for google maps without ads. And no, it's not a reasonable take to suggest I not use any map app.

I also pay for online news, AND STILL GET ADS, so fuck that I block them. It's still the case today that most of the time you do not have an option to pay to get rid of ads, and often when you do it's some ludicrous amount like $10 a month for some blog you might read three times a year.

Part of being able to pay for content is to come up with a fair price for it.

[mrWiz]

How do Kagi and Apple Maps factor in to your "can't pay for google maps without ads" assessment?

[tensor]

I pay for and use Kagi. Apple Maps uses yelp which makes it useless for actually checking reviews of places. Kagi reviews link to other sources with ads.

edit: and I hope you're not implying that all people who don't want ads should buy an iphone just to use an app tied to it? Again, there needs to be fair alternatives to ads.

[mrWiz]

I didn't realize that you were coming at it from a review angle, I was thinking of the "turn left at Subway" sort of advertising in Google Maps.

I'm not trying to imply anything, I just personally use two ad free map services that you seemed unaware of.

[tensor]

I'd say at least 80% of my maps usage is looking for restaurants or coffee shops and checking their reviews. Directions are maybe 20% or less. Apple has come a long way and their maps are good for directions, but not a good fit for the argument that the general public has little access to good alternatives to ad-based maps.

I assume kagi is based on open-street maps, I use kagi but not their maps as I have better alternatives. I really hope Kagi continues to succeed because its a model I believe in, but outside of basic search I suspect they have a ways to go.