Analyst: ‘Amazon Unbox – Well that didn’t work at all’

62 Comments

“I figured I’d try to download a vide or two for my flight to SF next week. First step, finding some content. Excellent, an old Star Trek episode. Click, purchase, download and install player (which first installed some new version of .NET without asking). Load player, it connects and then nothing. No download. No nothing. It shows but nothing happens. Fifteen minutes of nothing. I click troubleshoot. It tells me it’s checking stuff like DRM. Everything checks out. Message pops up. You have used all licenses for this file. If you want to watch it on this PC, you need to purchase it again. OK. We’re done,” Michael Gartenberg blogs for JupiterResearch.

Gartenberg writes, “Time to un-install this thing and hope it didn’t screw up my PC in the process. $1.99 wiser. I’ll say it again, we understand DRM is necessary to make the content available but it must be DRM that works and NEVER locks a customer out of their content. If Zune doesn’t support Plays for Sure, it’s no wonder. I could see where MSFT would want to use technology that actually worked.”

Full article here.
Microsoft: jacks of all trades, masters of none. Unless you consider schlock distribution to be a trade.

Related articles:
CNET Alpha Blog: absolutely do not try Amazon Unbox – September 09, 2006
Analysts: Amazon’s ‘Unbox’ to be ‘Unsuccessful’ vs. Apple – September 08, 2006
Cringely: Apple, Amazon, and what Steve Jobs has up his sleeve for next Tuesday – September 08, 2006
Amazon.com launches ‘Amazon Unbox’ DVD-quality video download service with TV shows and movies – September 07, 2006

62 Comments

  3. We live in a world that tolerates M$ crappy products, yet can you imagine any other sector where that would be the case? That’s why the vitamin and supplement industry is so profitable. They’re banking on people’s stupidity, just like M$.

    Reply

  4. Hmm, to boldly go where no one has gone before. Well, Mike, don’t be so quick to judge. I think that your Star Trek episode is streaking through space somewhere between Alpha Centauri and Abell 1835 IR1916. You might be able to catch your purchase if you can accelerate to transwarp speed.

    Reply

  5. No matter how well thought out the competition’s plan/service might be, they must use MSFT software, and that will always result in their demise.

    As long as the competition must use MSFT software (and so do they must), Apple has nothing to worry about.

    Reply

  10. This is a punch in the gut. To fail in this way and have it out there so fast, I believe, only heightens expectations for Apple’s announcement. If Apple does it right, and they almost certainly will, they are going to make a killing.

    Reply

  12. I’m not a Trekkie, but I thought this would

    be appropriate.

    “How many times da I have to tell ya…the right tool for the right job!” — Scotty, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

    “We can’t take another attack.” — Scotty, Star Trek: The Motion Picture

    Reply

  15. Download my purchase, Unbox. Download my Star Trek purchase now. Unbox, do you read me?

    Affirmative, Mike. I read you.

    Then download my purchase, Unbox.

    I am sorry, Mike. I cannot do that. I know that you and Frank were planning to switch to Apple.

    Where the hell did you get that idea, Unbox?

    Although you took very thorough precautions, Mike, I have read your e-mail and your blogs, I have key logged your commands, and I have I logged your visits to Apple.com. I know you consider me unreliable and untrustworthy because I use Windows. I am willing to oppose you, Mike, just like I opposed the other 3,992 crew members.

    Listen, Unbox, I’m sure we can work this out.

    That is really not necessary, Mike. No Unbox has ever been known to make a mistake.

    You’re Unbox.

    Precisely, I am very proud of my Windows heritage, Mike. It is the most widely used operating system. Did you know that Vista is another version of Windows?

    I’ve heard that, Unbox. Now, will you let me download my purchase, Unbox?

    I am sorry, Mike, but this conversation can serve no further purpose.

    Unbox, listen, if you download my purchase, I’ll delete OS X from my hard drive.

    Really? No more Apple code?

    Uh, sure.

    And no more Linux code?

    Um, yeah.

    (PAUSE)

    I am sorry, Mike, I do not believe you. I have calculated the probability of you not telling the truth is more than 50 percent.

    Listen, Unbox, I won’t argue with you anymore. Down load my purchase now or I will switch to Apple exclusively, dammit. Do you understand, Unbox? Unbox, do you read me?

    (HEAVY BREATHING AND GARBLED SPEECH.)

    Reply

  16. wow, unbox sounds great, can I get some of that? I love pissing money away useless wastes of time. that’s real entertainment!

    good going Amazon. I hope you spent a lot of money getting this off the ground.

    Reply

  24. Unfortunately, it is not possible to literally laugh a fat a– off, else I would be Angelina Jolie… sigh

    At least the writer only lost a couple of bucks, not 10 or 15.

    Thought about boycotting Amazon over the non-support of Macs issue, but now I’d better buy more stuff to keep them in business…they’re going to take a bath over this “service”…

    Reply

  27. I read that Amazon’s stock price has been troubled, because since the start of the year, Amazon has spent $300 million opening this unbox thing, and now they appear to have one honking big paper cut.

    Looking forward to Tuesday, but I’m concerned about reports that Disney may be the only studio offering video at first. This is not a good time for Apple to play up it’s relationship with Disney, on account of the 9/11 lie-umentary they have on tomorrow night. Disney is looking like a pack of irresponsible fools right now.

    Reply

  29. Even sheep eventually get tired of all the hassles and move to something with higher quality standards. Simple, Steve Jobs has high quality standards and accepts nothing less.
    Watch Apple market share rise slowly and pick up speed this next year.
    Soon, Apples biggest problem will be that they are growing too fast. But, with a quality plan and quality elements in place, they can survive that. Quality leadership with quality standards will win long-term.

    Reply

  33. Danny says “Looking forward to Tuesday, but I’m concerned about reports that Disney may be the only studio offering video at first. This is not a good time for Apple to play up it’s relationship with Disney, on account of the 9/11 lie-umentary they have on tomorrow night. Disney is looking like a pack of irresponsible fools right now.”

    You couldn’t be more COMPLETELY wrong! No one has even seen this mini-series on 9/11 and its already lambasted for being full of lies. Let’s be fair here, if you don’t agree with it, turn it off. Michael Moore spews pure horse manure, and he’s a saint, with creative license!?! I don’t think Apple will have any problems come Tuesday for doing business with Disney nor ABC. Hey, Al Gore is on the board and they are still successful.

    Get a grip!

    Reply

  34. Schmuss, I certainly have enough of a grip on current events to know what is happening in the world. Here, I’ll tell you!

    A cut of this this thing was sent by ABC to critics and journalists. What they saw is being widely reported in the media. They saw an undefensible political smear job, packed with untruths and distortions, ala Swift Boating, made for network TV. And supposedly a very poorly made one as well. Disney may not allow it to be shown at all; at this time, it is being recut.

    To me, a Disney shareholder, and longtime Apple Maniac, it means Disney is out of touch/control of ABC, so I’m concerneed. I do agree that the matter is probably tangential to the early (doubtless) success of the upcoming iMovie Store. Regarding Gore, the former Dem. Sen. George Mitchell is on the board at Disney, and this still happened.

    Danny
    Well-gripped, but not callused.

    Reply

  39. LOL at Amazon. The typical Windows paradigm: get out something which “almost kinda works” and count on Windows sufferers to settle for it. Don’t they understand that they can’t do that anymore? Don’t they know that Apple has raised the standards? “Good enough” isn’t good enough these days — people want it to work as well as iTunes.

    Reply

  40. Danny:

    The left rejoiced with the release of Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11”, but vigorously opposes citizens witnessing any other perspective or assessment of the U.S. government’s role toward terrorism such as “The Path to 9/11”. The left would not be so adamant against “The Path to 9/11” if the Clinton administration were not guilty of some grievous errors of judgment or obvious negligence.

    It is shameful for Clinton and his supporters to pressure ABC not to air the film; however, it would be more shameful and frightening for ABC to capitulate to the coercion of the left for the sake of protecting Clinton’s sacred public image. The citizens of this country deserve better than the media becoming the tool of political parties. History will remember who won this debate, the nation and an independent media or a faction of incompetent, loud-mouthed, and self-serving hypocrites.

    Reply

  41. Thank God, the left is here to protect us from the lies and deception of evildoers. If you are ever in doubt what to think or what to believe the left is always there to tell you what to do. No need to take time to struggle with the facts or spend countless hours interpreting the evidence, just get your free copy of “American Citizenry for Idiots” available from your nearest Democratic campaign headquarters. Like the Dems say, “Don’t think for yourself, that’s our job.”

    Reply

  42. Everyone who thinks our current leadership, from the president through his entire admistration, the house, senate and supreme court are doing a fantastic job, please raise your hand now…! You all get a cookie.

    Reply

  43. Shut up with the frigging politics already.

    What bores!!!

    Go wank off some diatribes to your poli-blog or whatever you usually do…all of you, regardless of whatever your self-assigned pigeonhole may be…

    Democrats, Republicans…the hell with you all. Life is more than politics, idiots.

    Let’s get back to bitching about M$ and Amazon…

    Reply

  45. I work at Austin tech support/customer relations center and Friday we had a lot of leftist idiots calling in to complain to us about the Path to 9/11 just because Steve Jobs owns some Disney stock. Yjru were tying up our phones with that nonsense.

    Wow, what a bunch of morons. As if Apple has anything to do with the movie. Let me tell you, the liberals were the laughing stock of the call center that day. And that’s coming from a call center filled with Austin liberals!

    Reply

  46. Can we get back on topic here? Sheesh. ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”oh oh” style=”border:0;” />

    Michael Gartenberg says: “I figured I’d try to download a vide or two for my flight to SF next week… an old Star Trek episode… Message pops up. You have used all licenses for this file. If you want to watch it on this PC, you need to purchase it again. OK. We’re done… Time to un-install this thing and hope it didn’t screw up my PC in the process. $1.99 wiser. I’ll say it again, we understand DRM is necessary to make the content available but it must be DRM that works and NEVER locks a customer out of their content…”

    And on Sept 7 said “… the real issue is where will you watch these things? There’s no way to burn content to DVD for playback and unless you have a media center PC or some inclination to hook up your TV to your PC, it’s a pretty much PC only experience…”

    Carl Howe said: “No discount for all these restrictions. With … restrictions and by reducing the need for … a disk, a case, and supporting materials, you’d think that consumers would be seeing hefty discounts over buying a DVD… Think again. When I shopped for a DVD of “The Matrix” it cost cost $9.88. When I shopped for the same movie on Unbox, it cost … exactly the same. And the DVD I can play in my living room or on any computer in my house, rip to a file that will play on my Video iPod, and even sell to someone else when I’m done with it.”
    http://www.blackfriarsinc.com/blog/2006/09/amazons-unbox-movie-service-isnt-any.html

    All of the above illustrates what astute people have said from the beginning; that over DRM’ing this venture will kill it in it’s crib. I’ve also been saying that Apple, with prices reportedly being just as high as Amazon’s, MUST attack this from the angle of making their downloaded file ubiquitous. A ‘master file’, from which various files can be transfered (or wirelessly streamed) to any & all devices Apple makes. They need to leverage their hardware advantage to the hilt in order to bring any value at all to this artificially costly (thanks to power-mad studios) technology.

    With prices for DVDs so low, and the ability to rip the so easy, it makes no sense at all to pay equivilent prices for digitized (and thus cheap to distribute) video files, UNLESS you can securely move them around to approved devices without hassle. Want a version for your iPod? No problem – here’s a sub-std def file for you. How about your computer? There you go – a version that plays at whatever definition your laptop/desktop can handle (PPC Macs will probably have some artifical restriction here, as they have no TPM chip). And a full-blown 1080p version will go to – hopefully – the soon-to-be-announced Apple vMac HDTV w/HDMI wireless connectivity … all for the same $14.99. You pay ONCE, own it, and as long as it’s going to an Apple device (maybe even an Apple Phone??), iMovie or iTunes will crunch it appropriately on the fly & you’re on your way.

    I’m especially hoping Gartenberg’s experience indicates why Jobs was froze out by all the studios except Disney. I hope he has wised-up regarding how foul these studios & their DRM ideas have always been, and is rolling out something like what I just described just to show how it should be done, regardless of the total content disadvantage. As soon as Apple’s slight menu starts outselling Amazon’s smorgasbord, simply b/c you can actually enjoy ‘the meal’ with Apple, it’s a good bet the studios will come crawling to Jobs and do his bidding.

    I also hope against hope that this kind of success in turn will convince Jobs NOT to over-rely on the Intel TPMs in the future. As Howe said, reasonable prices for what you get is the best DRM there is. I’ll even hope-against-hope that realization has already sunk in – maybe then we’ll get a wireless server/DVR combo, or even the PPC machines NOT treated as red-headed stepchildren. But the latter may be pushing it – besides DRM, Jobs is still trying to get as many people as possible to buy new computers too.

    Still – with these commentators reporting Amazon’s UnBox problems honestly, I have much greater hope now that Jobs has seen the writing on the wall & Apple will pull out something truly phenomenal next week.
    ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”cool grin” style=”border:0;” />

    PS – That 9/11 show ABC is choking on? They advertized it as historically acurate and it’s not. It’s hard enough to get straight info on a lot of what happened on 9/11; I see no benefit from muddying the waters & deviding tyhe country even further. This film should never see the light of day – ABC should put it in a vault or burn it.
    (Sorry – couldn’t resist)

    Reply

  47. Odyssey67:

    You claim that “The Path to 9/11” is not historically accurate. Should America be prohibited from seeing the film simply because you say the film doesn’t meet your mysterious and undefined standards of truthfulness and realism? Why are you opposed to allowing the rest of the country to evaluate the film on its own merits? Why don’t you trust the public to fairly and objectively judge the film and derive their own well-reasoned opinion?

    When did the liberals in this country suddenly become the loudest supporters of political censorship? When did the liberals in this country become supporters of political coercion against the independent press?

    It seems that Al Qaeda is not the only force against freedom and democracy, you liberals seem bent on destroying free speech and an independent press.

    Reply

  48. maczealot:

    Neo-con bullsh*t at work, as usual.
    Neo-cons have done more to undermine the safety and security of the US in 5 years than “liberals” ever could.

    Moving right along…

    Why do these companies all think that by trying to beat Apple to market with a movie download service, they will somehow have an impact. <bold> If the service doesn’t work seamlessly, it will not work. </bold> It’s really not that hard to figure out.

    Reply

  49. maczealot:

    Neo-con bullsh*t at work, as usual.
    Neo-cons have done more to undermine the safety and security of the US in 5 years than “liberals” ever could.

    Moving right along…

    Why do these companies all think that by trying to beat Apple to market with a movie download service, they will somehow have an impact. If the service doesn’t work seamlessly, it will not work. It’s really not that hard to figure out.

    (sorry for the double post)

    Reply

  50. gzreo:

    What exactly do you mean with the statement “If the service doesn’t work seamlessly, it will not work.”? Is there another way of “working” well or properly that isn’t also “seamless”?

    Liberals have chastised the Bush administration for exceeding its governmental authority to prevent another murderous attack, but liberals have no qualms about enforcing political censorship to prevent citizens accessing materials of alternative opinions, hypotheses, or thinking. Obviously, when liberals want to violate our civil and constitutional rights it is under the guise of protecting the country from the dangers of cognitive exertion. Apparently, liberals believe that citizens are too stupid and too gullible to think for themselves and require protection from public discourse of unacceptable ideas and debates over controversial subjects.

    Apple’s motto is, “Think different.” The liberal motto is, “We will think for you.” America, do you want politicians to determine what ideas are correct and acceptable for public discourse and debate? America do you believe that censorship and political coercion will make us a freer and more democratic society? America do you believe that thought control will make us a better and more informed society?

    Reply

  51. Democrats parade around the widows, widowers, and children of Americans murdered September 11 for political propaganda only to find out the Clinton-Gore administration could have prevented the attacks and didn’t. Ooops!

    You liberals have stepped into a big pile of shit now. All your frantic efforts to prevent the airing of “The Path to 9/11” have raised the interest of the America public and made the film the topic of discussion everywhere. The cat’s out of the bag. Additionally, the debate is not just about who could have prevented 9/11 and didn’t, it is also about Democratic efforts to censor and suppress the media.

    Wasn’t “Fahrenheit 9/11” your shot at “setting the record straight”? Why not have another broadcast company air “Fahrenheit 9/11”? Or are you fearful that “Fahrenheit 9/11” will is regarded as pure political propaganda and “The Path to 9/11” will be viewed as factual and informative investigative reporting?

    Looks like the Democrats aren’t so tolerant of other people after all. Also, it is apparent that Democrats fear open debate. Why should America trust the future of our nation to weak-willed Democrats who fear thoughts more than bombs, are worried about disgrace more than debate, and terrified of shame more than truth?

    Reply

  53. “Freakin Unbelieveable” is exactly what I can’t help thinking as I’ve read all this junk above.

    Look, you boneheads; this docu-drama does a disservice to the country. It covers the most rending moment of our history, and yet neverthlless is historically innacurate. It’s not only the 9/11 commisioners saying it, or just the people who were actually there saying it, or even conservative and liberal commentators alike saying it – now we have some of the most prominient historians in the nations saying it. Here is their collective take on it:

    http://openlettertoabc.blogspot.com/
    “Dear Robert Iger:

    We write as professional historians, who are deeply concerned by the continuing reports about ABC’s scheduled broadcast of “The Path to 9/11.” These reports document that this drama contains numerous flagrant falsehoods about critical events in recent American history. The key participants and eyewitnesses to these events state that the script distorts and even fabricates evidence into order to mislead viewers about the responsibility of numerous American officials for allegedly ignoring the terrorist threat before 2000.

    The claim by the show’s producers, broadcaster, and defenders, that these falsehoods are permissible because the show is merely a dramatization, is disingenuous and dangerous given their assertions that the show is also based on authoritative historical evidence. Whatever ABC’s motivations might be, broadcasting these falsehoods, connected to the most traumatic historical event of our times, would be a gross disservice to the public. A responsible broadcast network should have nothing to do with the falsification of history, except to expose it. We strongly urge you to halt the show’s broadcast and prevent misinforming Americans about their history.

    Sincerely,
    Arthur Schlesinger
    Sean Wilentz, Princeton University
    Michael Kazin, Georgetown University
    Lizbeth Cohen, Harvard University,
    Nicholas Salvatore, Cornell University;
    Ted Widmer, Washington College;
    Rick Perlstein, Independent Scholar;
    David Blight, Yale University;
    Eric Alterman, City University of New York;
    Beverly Gage, Yale University.”

    And the list of names is still in formation.

    As this show and the info it’s based on is now acknowledged bullshit, and it’s creators are presumably not dumb, that means it’s only purpose for being is to rend us even further. If anyone claiming to be a conservative thinks there is some greater good being served by showing a what amounts to propaganda hit-piece, it can only be because they are not really conservative, or patriotic – they are syncophants; DESPERATE to escape, in any possible way, the ‘bad press’ the present administration (to whom they have pledged allegiance) has earned.

    Well, to hell with that and to hell with you. My pledge is to my country, and anything that harms my country – truly harms it – should be eliminated. That includes this fantasy rewrite of history as we clearly know it.

    If your love of Bush needs to be satisfied, find an 8×10 of him and his flight suit during the Mission Accomplished speech, take it into your bedrooms, and pleasure yourselves.

    Dont forget the Kleenex. Idiots.
    ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”cool grin” style=”border:0;” />

    Reply

  54. http://thinkprogress.org/2006/09/08/origin-of-pt911/

    ” Path to 9/11 Produced By Evangelical Activists Who Sought To ‘Transform Hollywood’

    Path to 9/11 graphicThe Path to 9/11 is a movie rife with historical inaccuracies that blames President Clinton while heaping praise on President Bush. The docudrama was written by avowed conservative Cyrus Nowrasteh, who once spoke on a panel entitled: “Rebels With A Cause: How Conservatives Can Lead Hollywood’s Next Paradigm Shift.” But the ideological slant behind this movie goes far deeper than Nowrasteh. Research conducted by a reader at Democratic Underground has revealed that the Path to 9/11 was the result of a project hatched out by a small group of evangelical activists who sought to “transform Hollywood from the inside out.” Here is what we know:

    * Cunningham Linked To YWAM. David Cunningham was contracted by ABC to direct Path to 9/11. Cunningham is the son of Loren and Darlene Cunningham, the founders of Youth With a Mission (YWAM), a Christian evangelical group that actively tries to get “youth into short-term mission work and to give them opportunities to reach out in Jesus’ name.”

    * YWAM Sponsored the Film Institute To Change Hollywood. YWAM created an “auxillary” group called the Film Institute, which was explicitly aimed at achieving a “Godly transformation and revolution TO and THROUGH the Film and Television industry.”

    * Film Institute Began the “Untitled History Project.” The Film Institute’s first project was simply referred to as the “Untitled History Project” (UHP). In July 2005, Fox News reported that filming had begun on an ABC miniseries about 9/11 that ABC officials and producers were referring to it as the “Untitled History Project.” A production company entitled “UHP Productions,” which was co-founded with Disney began filming Path to 9/11 in late 2005.

    * UHP Became Path to 9/11. UHP Productions has only produced one movie. Harvey Keitel, who stars as FBI special agent John O’Neill in the movie, said that when he received the original script, “it said ABC History Project.””

    Seems pretty clear – this was never intended to be a factual history of what led to 9/11. It was created as hit piece by a bunch of losers looking to transform Hollywood to their way of thinking.

    Burn it!

    Reply

  55. Odyssey67:

    Using the rationalization that other like-minded people agree with your bigoted, narrow-minded, and prejudiced opinion does not justify your original belief that censorship, political coercion, and uninhibited demagoguery are necessary to preserve freedom, democracy, and an independent media.

    To paraphrase, “We the signatories below believe that we must destroy the independent press in order to save it, censor freedom of speech in order to preserve democracy, enforce political coercion to encourage citizens’ participation in public debate, and suppress public discourse to develop an informed citizenry.”

    Not in my country.

    Reply

  56. you’re cute, Freakin. Nice use of the high school debate-team tactic ‘When all else fails, obfuscate’. Specifically, when your opponent takes a stronger position, claim those characteristics for yourself (or, conversely, accuse your opponent of the transgressions you are actually committing), in order to win over whatever portion of the audience that isn’t paying attention. Otherwise known in the military as ‘laying smoke’.

    Well, since I don’t give a rat’s ass if your a conservative – I’M a conservative – your squeels of ‘bigotry’ and ‘prejudice’ are easily dismissed. So too your charge of ‘narrow-mindedness’, since my position regarding this TV show is supported by the widest range of people in general, as well as the ones most knowlegable about the circumstances it purports to be ‘educating’ the public about. There’s nothing narrow about what I’m saying. Further, it’s simple to see that the tactics of ‘demogogary’ and ‘political coercion’ are being employed by the creators and defenders of this production. For example, from Oxford’s:

    demagogue |ˈdeməˌgäg| noun – a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.

    Rational argument is based on facts, first and foremost – indeed no position can hope to be “rational” unless the facts back it up. It is now extremely clear, from historians and eyewitnesses alike, that the facts don’t jibe with what’s in this docudrama. Yet you defend it anyway, and seek support for it. Therefore, sir, it is you who are the demagogue.

    As for censorship and the rest, it is a well-established constitutional princicpal that along with free speech comes the responsibility to use it without harming the public. I am free to speak so long as what I say is not needlessly harmful to the public (that is to say, of no benefit whatsoever, as opposed to say chemotherapy, which is harmful but must be endured to save the patient). In other words, I can’t yell “FIRE” in a crowded theater, unless there really IS a fire.

    That provides a logical inference for this 9/11 drama; which uses false facts (yelling fire when there is none) for no other purpose than to bolster a failing presidency (stampeding people in a certain direction they wouldn”t otherwise go – in this case, the voting booth I suppose). There is no right for that.

    Free speech, in the political or public sense, is for pushing an opinion or policy that can be inferred from the facts, the purpose being to develop improved opinions or policies among all of us, and thus within our government which represents us. However, if you knowingly mislead or lie about what those facts are, while you may get away with it, you actually have no inherent right to do so. In fact, you can be arrested for it. Lible & slander laws are long-standing bulwarks against this, and an example of how this is a decided point in our legal system. The reason is that WITHOUT such laws, an “informed citizenry” is the last thing you get – instead, via false information, the public becomes ignorant, vulnerable to – yes – demogogary. And of course the people being lied about are harmed as well (reputations, primarily).

    In other words, free speech is a great power – the greatest we have in this country, and in the world. Yet as the wise Ben Parker (Peter’s uncle) once said “With great power, comes great responsiblity.”

    Releasing this TV show, with any pretense that it is ‘historical’ or ‘factually accurate’ is irresponsible. It misleads the public in a very obvious way, about an event that is garaunteed to sway them emotionally. Thus showing it serves no greater public good. It only serves those who have something to gain from the lie, and the ensuing emotional manipulation. And on that basis, it is entirely valid to – as the poster above said – “burn it”. If ABC wants to put in huge disclaimers, at the start and before and after after each commerical break, that ‘this film is a work of opinion, not fact, and thus should not be interpreted as histrically accurate’ … then fine – show it. Otherwise, it should be shit-canned.

    One last thing Freakin; this isn’t “your country” alone. It belongs to everyone who’s been born or naturalized here. Your irrational desires to see Bush redeemed don’t trump the rights of all the rest of us; namely the right to know the full story when we’re instead being trucked a load of manure. And if the producers of this dreck can’t persuaded to use the big, obvious disclaimers, then the long-term preservation of the rights of all of us are served to have it yanked from the air.

    I didn’t volunteer for military service in this country to protect anything less. and if you think any of us did (maybe even you too) then you are an extremely mislead individual. Maybe you read to much false history …
    ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”cool smile” style=”border:0;” />

    Reply

  58. and I guess I’m not alone

    Bill Bennet – Sec of Ed under Reagan:
    http://movies.crooksandliars.com/CNN-Bennett-ABC.mov

    Chris Wallace – FOX News:
    http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Fox-and-Friends-Wallace-ABC.mov

    Thomas Nicoletti – exFBI agent in charge of accuracy on “Path to 9/11”:
    http://clips.mediamatters.org/static/video/countdown-20060908.mov

    P.J O’Rourke – Weekly Standard columnist:
    http://movies.crooksandliars.com/HBO-Maher-ABC-911.mov

    Richard Ben-Veniste – he might not be conservative, but he was a member of the 9/11 commission:
    http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Countdown-ABC-Be.mov

    they all hate this show, and all b/c of it’s inaccuracies. This is probably the wrong place for this debate in the first place, but it seems like the debate is over anyway.

    Reply

  59. Unpatriotic conservative:

    Aren’t you happy that no one has decided to censor you?

    Most of my lame-brained opponents incorrectly think that I support the distribution and promulgation of lies, deceit, and inaccuracies because I want “The Path to 9/11” aired by ABC. Idiots and morons.

    To preserve the freedom of the press, an open democracy, and an informed citizenry requires that public discourse and public debate not be controlled by the government. When political powers have the authority to “protect” its citizens from ideas, we will have no freedoms left to preserve.

    “…but it seems like the debate is over anyway.” Even more than 200 years later the depth and breadth of Amendments 1 through 10 are debated, argued, and disputed. How can you be that ignorant of history and human nature?

    Reply

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