Hello & Good Bye to you all

General Discussion Introductions
1

Mike_in_Cambs

My background as a programmer goes back to the mid 1980’s.

I programmed commercial ledger applications using Commodore Basic on CBM 8096 /8032 PC’s. Actually an interesting idea. Program memery was distinct from data space (in 32 Kb chunks).

As an addition to the then basic you could use assembler calls to switch between banks of data memory from your code. Interesting times.
I them learned Foxpro 2 & C for later programming & became an impromptu Linux Sys admin when the Sys man up-sticks to work for big retail Co.

My “serious” programming background involved engineering systems optimisations in Air chiller operations.

My intro to TWIT was via Security Now with Steve Gibson & Leo. A regular listener to Security Now & Windows weekly for about 8 Years. A relative newcomer in TWIT terms.

With the changes in hand and the forthcoming closure of the IRC , I wish to pay my respects to ScooterX, Techdino,Loqaciousv(s), keith512, marsworm and all the other contributors in IRC & of course Leo, Micah, Ant and all the other contributors.

I must quietly take my leave of TWIT and say thanks to all for the future.

So goodbye, goodbye I wish you all a last good bye.(as the song goes).

Mike.

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Thank you for your support of TWiT all these years. Thank you for popping into our forums.

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Thank you Ant_

Of course I will pop into the forums from time to time occasionally.

Mike

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Here’s a post from @Lisa that is the basis of the OP, one presumes.

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Will there be an official announcement on the TWiT blog? How will live shows like The Giz Wiz, TWiT Events/News and Ask The Tech Guys continue?

If you would like to watch our shows being made, then please join Club TWiT, as Discord has a channel that allows us to stream for free.

YouTube and Twitch also allow you to stream for free, which you already use. I’m sure it’s rather because the Discord server is an exclusive paid platform.

Will reruns continue on these streams, or will they be discontinued?

Edit: One reply is worth highlighting. https://twitter.com/AlexCutadean/status/1720238745247457466

I’m curious what the added cost is to stream compared to doing a video recording. With our streams, we see the stream as a value add that has no additional cost since we are already producing live. If you are using it to promote the club subscription then I understand.

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I wondered about that myself. I hope @Leo can explain how it costs money, if they’re still going to do it but just not broadcast it. I was positing that maybe the box they bought from Amazon that handles the transcoding for live streams comes with a [monthly] subscription (and/or a bill from Amazon AWS for the computer power to do the transcoding.)

Edit to add URL: Live Streaming Encoding - AWS Elemental Live - AWS

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ATTG and GF shows will continue. The live aspects will exist in Discord. ATTG will still be able to take phone calls live.

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Hey it breaks my heart, too. I mean TWiT has been my life’s work for the past 19 years. But I have to warn you, more changes are coming before the end of the year. I’ll do a Q&A here and in Discord once everything is wrapped up.

I guess the main thing to understand right now is that we want to keep TWiT operating but we’ve got a severe shortfall for the year and next year’s advertising revenues look to be down significantly. So we’re going to do a bunch of belt tightening. It’s disappointing, I know, but we can only do things that pay for themselves. No one wants to work for free and I don’t have the deep pockets needed to subsidize shows.

The best way to keep the shows you love is to join Club TWiT. The days of free ad-supported Internet content are coming to an end sad to say. It’s been a lot of fun and a great run. It’s not just us, many podcasts networks are done (Gimlet, WNYC, Stitcher, etc.). I’m hoping that by being smart and prudent now we can survive to TWiT another day.

Thanks for your support!

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I assumed they want to position live streaming as another club TWiT benefit to try and pull more subs? It’s a fair play imho, although I’m sure there are those who will disagree.

Sad to see tough times for TWiT, really hope they can weather the storm. It’s odd, because I’ve made more purchases thru TWiT marketing than any other single advertising avenue - by a large margin. There’s really something to be said for the way TWiT does advertising that stands out from any other medium, or even any other “podcast” show/group out there.

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Its really sad TWiT is going through hard times. I know that some people can not afford the 7$ it costs to join club TWiT, but for me it offers the most value for money than any other subscription i have.

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When you watch live you don’t download so it doesn’t count toward viewers. Fewer viewers = lower revenue. There’s an opportunity cost to live streaming.

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Leo, first off, can I just say that I understand the business decision behind this move. For what it’s worth, even when I watch live, I still subscribe to the podcasts (Youtube) so that it shows in your numbers.

However, the way I consume TWiT content doesn’t mesh with Club TWiT. On Sundays, I view ATG and TWiT live, by streaming via YouTube on my Roku so it’s on my TV. Unfortunately, there’s no way to do this in Discord. Same during the week if I happen to catch something live, it’s running on a Roku TV in my office.

Again, I fully understand the business decision. People need to eat, and if you aren’t getting the money, you need to cut costs. But the loss of the live stream outside of Discord just sucks.

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Assuming that we’re giving feedback. Here’s some from what is likely a strange follower:

I’ve followed TWIT since inception, and TechTV before that.

I’ve never watched TWIT live.

I’ve never streamed TWIT shows.

I’ve never used TWIT’s IRC.

I download batches of shows that I follow using the Gpodder app and listen to them on a Logitech Squeezebox radio at bedtime, and via a USB stick in my car.

I listen to every episode of:
TWIT
TWIG
TWIS
Windows Weekly
Ask the tech guy

I used to listen to Triangulation, All About Android and Hands on Android before they went away.

I’m not an Apple customer. It seems that TWIT has become more Apple-centric over the years, as have TWIT users I imagine.

I use Ubuntu Linux as my main desktop, Android on my phones, and keep a windows box running for a few apps that demand don’t run on Linux. (Carbonite, Blue Iris, Quicken)

I’m a still a customer of many past advertisers introduced by TWIT and spent lots of $$. Harry’s, Lastpass, Hover, Carbonite, Squarespace come to mind.

With more free content on the web than I could ever listen to, I doubt that I’ll join Club TWIT. I’ve no use for the social stuff. Paywalls and sites charging for content are not sustainable. As more sites strive for subscriber money, there’s only so many subscriptions that a person will pay for.

I hope that TWIT can find a way to survive on advertising revenue. Selling subscriptions reduces the audiences, thus becoming less attractive to advertisers, and creates a downward spiral.

Past TWIT surveys never offer the opportunity for this kind of feedback. Please take this feedback for whatever is is worth to TWIT. I don’t intend to start a debate.

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I know Windows Central does it for their podcasts on most Fridays where they talk about Windows content and more by doing Q&A on their live YouTube stream, but what about the opportunity to have each individual show be streamed live according to the schedule or thereabouts on YouTube? I think it would be a good compromise and allow the YouTube chat to be enabled for those that only are subscribed to each individual show so that we could continue enjoying the live feed wherever possible.

The trade off in my opinion would be to not rebroadcast after it’s over, so once the live stream starts, after the show is over (however long it takes) the stream ends before the on-demand version goes up. I don’t know how long the live stream of the show would stay up whether if it’s temporary or permanent… but I’m just wondering whether if it would be a good compromise to keep the live video stream going in some shape or form? Of course this wouldn’t apply to best of shows for the year or some other special programming.

I’m also just curious as to what will happen with the live audio feed? Will that stay or will that go away?

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Perhaps @PDelahanty could come up with some tech wherein the live stream was on an unpublished URL and you submitted a form to get the URL, and then the number of submits can be counted as viewers for the advertisers… ?

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Why would it have to be a form? YouTube and Twitch already collect viewer numbers, which I’m sure could also be reported to advertisers.

I’m sure TWiT has considered all downsides of not having a public live stream. Like not seeing the random discussion in the pre- and post show might make viewers feel less connected to the hosts. Also, the discoverability of randomly tuning in to a show they haven’t considered watching before is gone. All of these affect how passionate a listener is, and therefore the likelihood of following a recommendation for an advertiser and subscribing to Club TWiT. That’s just my impression.

Also, there’s the real cost of a higher CDN bill. Especially since former live stream viewers are more likely to download the video version.

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We will stream Ask the Tech Guys on YouTube Live - so it should work exactly the same. We’re considering turning on other shows from time to time. Or possibly providing a private YouTube link to Club Members.

The live stream numbers are not reported to advertisers - they fluctuate too much. Advertisers won’t accept them - which is a laugh because they love YouTube view numbers, even though they’re incredibly inflated. This is the landscape we’re dealing with, unfortunately.

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Thank you Leo. Again, I understand the business reasons behind what you are doing. Just as a long time listener/viewer, it sucks. Your wallet can only go so deep.

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With the economic impact of COVID-19, advertisers tightening their belts, and the advent of nearly every podcast creating a club or a Patreon to bolster income, the writing for these changes was on the wall. Unfortunately for me, this comes at a time when we are retiring, and our income is less hearty as it was when we both were working full time. Streaming TV content, once thought of as a financial solution, has become a financial minefield, and now we are trying to navigate that nightmare. A trip to the grocery store, once a fun little excursion, is now looked upon as financial drudgery.

I would love to subscribe to everything I listen to, to help support the creators, but that just isn’t possible for us. I’ve been a listener for about 10 years, and have learned a lot from the podcasts. They have entertained me on many, many bike rides. I’ve been saddened by some of the changes, with the loss of a female point of view on MacBreak Weekly. I miss the talk about new products and the Internet of Things with the loss of Stacey on TWIG. But everything eventually changes.

So, I’ve found myself feeling like I’m metaphorically on the outside looking in with all the talk about Club Twit. I’ll hang in there with the podcasts as long as you are doing them, and I certainly understand the need for your pursuit of income to make up dwindling advertising dollars.

Thanks for all the entertainment and information through the years.

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Boy I am a lot like you in my listening habits -
Also never watched TWIT live or streamed TWIT shows.
Also never used TWIT’s IRC.
I download via the TWIT website and also podcast app on my phone (DoggCatcher)
I listen to every episode of ATTG, Security Now, TWIG, all TWIT Events/News & TWIT. Also watch any clips of any shows that I haven’t seen.

Agreed on the Apple comment, no use for them.

I also have such a backup of podcasts to listen to, that it’s almost a relief when one goes away (and there are plenty I want to listen to that I don’t). When AAA ended I was kind of happy as it freed up time for me on Wednesday and then they went and started Android Faithful, darn it.

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