Dear LJ, this makes me kind of uncomfortable:

[teaberryblue]

I was checking the source code on one of my friend's LJs, and saw this little line here:

LiveJournal ExpressLane: You received this page before 1 free users!

It sort of creeped me out. I have a permanent account, and I am glad I do; I like the security of it and the not having to remember to pay, and the extra features. I pay for it because I see it as my way of continuing the service. I am also glad that LJ gives paid account users a service with no ads, and other perks. You get what you pay for, you know?

I'm probably the last person to notice this, or something, but it's not just the idea that paid users get faster service. There's an undercurrent of elitism inherent in it, but that's not really any different from paying your cable company to get speedier bandwidth at home or work, or paying to get preferred service on an airline or train. What I don't like is the way it is smugly advertised in the source code, as if us paid users are sitting around competitively snickering at how much faster our connection is to LJ than everyone else's. That we're somehow basking in that elitism. I didn't even realize I got a preferred rate of connection on LJ. Probably because my connection speed so often sucks.

Which is cool and all, I realize it's a hefty site, but now this leaves me wondering how slow this is for everyone else.

And if there's anyone who actually checks their source code to luxuriate in the privilege of their paid account. It just kind of makes me go ick.

Comments

[justatailor.livejournal.com]

I don't know, with the sort of infrastructure it takes to run a site like this, I don't feel any ill will towards users who pay for the service to get a preferred loading time. Putting it in the code is kind of bitchy, but at the same time, it was probably a super bored person that put it in to begin with.

But I say this as a person that works with code and crap every day. We've had some major server issues recently because one of the companies that uses the servers doesn't charge enough for their services and uses a ton of bandwith.

Basically, what I'm saying as someone who gets this for free: AIN'T NO BIG :)

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

I code websites for a living. I think it's insulting to *me* as a paid user, the suggestion that I would be classist enough to think that way.

[justatailor.livejournal.com]

Gotcha...I just don't think it's a big deal. I don't ever notice any lags and a little bitchery in the code doesn't seem like such an awful thing.