Spread The Love (And Pay Us)

Spread The Love (And Pay Us) 442

Posted by timothy on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:30AM from the brilliantly-insipid dept.

Digitus1337 writes "Wired has an article up about a new online service known as 'FunHi.' You sign up and join a community, and give your fellows gifts, but as Wired has reported, 'these are not ordinary gifts. They're purely digital: little flashing icons of cars, planes, diamond rings and other virtual representations of expensive items included in messages members send each other. And FunHi members don't seem to care that the real money they're spending on the gifts, at prices as high as $30 an item, is going straight into the company's coffers." This leaves just one question unanswered... why didn't I think of this?" It sounds like an April Fool's Joke, but then, so does online trading of Everquest loot.

Spread The Love (And Pay Us)

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Snobby Greedy Bitch... (Score:3, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:31AM (#8714150)

What about the Snobby Greedy Bitch... the one who thinks these gifts are reprsentative of real ones?

Then $30 will seem quite inexpensive.

Why would I pay for this? (Score:1, Funny)

by Doesn't_Comment_Code ( 692510 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:32AM (#8714159)

I can send digital files to my friends for FREE thank you very much!

Personally... (Score:5, Funny)

by pubjames ( 468013 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:32AM (#8714164)

I'd love you more if you just gave me the money...

On the plus side... (Score:5, Funny)

by Channard ( 693317 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:33AM (#8714179) Journal

... maybe the people who are prepared to pay out cash for virtual items will be so busy trading their nonexistent gifts they won't have time to breed, and the average IQ will go up. At the very least, it should keep the terminally gullible out of circulation.

Amazing (Score:5, Funny)

by mr.henry ( 618818 ) * writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:33AM (#8714182) Journal

This reminds me of a line from Larouche in Adaptation [imdb.com]:
I'm training myself on the internet. It's fascinating. I'm doing pornography. It's amazing how much these suckers will pay for photographs of chicks. And it doesn't matter if they're fat or ugly or what.
Paying for crappy porn.. that's bad. But paying 30 bucks for a stupid icon? These people are dumber than that guy that loves his spam. [slashdot.org]

Brain-dead lusers (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:33AM (#8714184)

Cripes, why didn't I patent this?

1) sell online, virtual junk
2) get AOL community interested
3) ???
4) Profit!

(fp?)

It's kind of like having a real life tamagotchi (Score:3, Funny)

by bl4nk ( 607569 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:33AM (#8714186)

That you spend real life money on..

Looks like they ripped their rating system... (Score:5, Funny)

by MadAnthony02 ( 626886 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:34AM (#8714198)

Their buzz system [funhi.com] (scroll down) is a direct ripoff of eBay's feedback system [ebay.com]. Wonder how long they get sued for that?

Popularity (Score:5, Funny)

by gid13 ( 620803 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:35AM (#8714209)

The article mentions that the most popular members are invariably attractive females whose pictures show them scantily clad and in sexy poses.

Seeing as this "buying nothing" idea is a capitalist's dream, I think it's only a matter of time before these attractive females rise up above their alleged vapidity to realize that they can control the world. As much as I hate to admit it, think about it: who would you vote for between George W. and Britney Spears?

Excellent! (Score:5, Funny)

by Mysticalfruit ( 533341 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:36AM (#8714213) Homepage Journal

It's good to know that there are plenty of suckers left in the world, I was getting worried that my combo hair brush, vegetable peeler and ice skate sharpener wasn't going to sell!

a digital diamond ring for my gf (Score:5, Funny)

by WormholeFiend ( 674934 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:36AM (#8714219)

gf: LIKEOMGWTF!!!!11

me: but it's the thought that counts, right?

The FunHI Corporation is a division... (Score:4, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:37AM (#8714237)

...of P.T. Barnum global holdings.

Re:Personally... (Score:2, Funny)

by pubjames ( 468013 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:38AM (#8714250)

Troll? I was being serious. And joking.

Re:It's kind of like having a real life tamagotchi (Score:5, Funny)

by Chess_the_cat ( 653159 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:38AM (#8714260) Homepage

I have one of those. It's called a dog.

Re:Looks like they ripped their rating system... (Score:2, Funny)

by DAldredge ( 2353 ) writes: <SlashdotEmail@GMail.Com> on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:41AM (#8714297) Journal

About the time that kindergarden teachers band together and sue ebay for using stars as a feedback method.

Ebay didn't think of it first.

Re:Status symbols (Score:2, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:42AM (#8714311)

This may surprise you but some people actually think diamonds are nice to look at and that's why they buy them. It has nothing to do with status symbols. Then again, you've probably never even spoken to a girl so you have no idea.

Use of money (Score:1, Funny)

by uucp2 ( 731567 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:43AM (#8714317)

Wow, this definitely goes to #2 place in my "top 10 ways to waste money list", right after SCO's Linux licenses.

Not to worry (Score:5, Funny)

by SuperKendall ( 25149 ) * writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:43AM (#8714319)

I just bought them some pictures of food.

Re:Much ado about nothing... (Score:5, Funny)

by DR SoB ( 749180 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:44AM (#8714339) Journal

But it's a great way to make your stock go up and get out early!!

1. Invent dumb idea
2. Have rich investor modify the stock price
3. Profit!
4. RUN!

Re:On the plus side... (Score:2, Funny)

by theCulture ( 317496 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:45AM (#8714347)

Let's take a more direct approach: Let people subscribe to this for six months, then have a cull of all community members, preferably with something large and blunt.

Result: The base level of stupidity is removed from the gene pool. Rejoice!

Pimp (Score:5, Funny)

by Mateito ( 746185 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:46AM (#8714352) Homepage

From the article:
Of course, being a young good-looking female doesn't hurt, as the members with the most fans are all women whose pictures show them in sexy, alluring poses.
&
The service aims, according to what might be called its bylaws, to foster purely positive and friendly interactions.
Sheesh. Why not just call it "FunHo" and be done with it?

Golden Rule? Shieat? (Score:3, Funny)

by HomeGroove ( 527053 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:48AM (#8714389)

From the site [funhi.com]:
The FunHi Goldunn Rule: If ya can't say sumtin' nice, then don't say shieat!
I find it hard to call something a "company" when they have the non-word "shieat" and "sumtin'" on their site.

Re:Popularity (Score:2, Funny)

by sct ( 28839 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:49AM (#8714406) Homepage

Is there any way I can just shoot myself instead? Maybe I would just kill myself with a fork.

Couldn't you at least pick a non-slutty "woman" over Ms. Spears? Or maybe a modern era politician over a Puritan wannabe?

Re:no different from diamonds (Score:4, Funny)

by GoofyBoy ( 44399 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:51AM (#8714423) Journal

>males are supposed to demonstrate their wealth and prowess by not having to care about expending costly resources on useless pursuits.

So are you saying that all the slashdot trolls are demonstrating their mating suitability?

Re:More proof that... (Score:5, Funny)

by Blue Stone ( 582566 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:58AM (#8714507) Homepage Journal

I find myself wondering what will happen if the recipient of the icon of the diamond ring starts copying and distributing those icons.
Suddenly, fake diamond-ring-icons will threaten the natural diamond-ring-icon cartel, and FunHi will have to spend millions researching and building devices for distinguishing between the natural and fake icons; millions more advertising that only "Natural Diamond-Ring-Icons" show real love.
You see ... you cynics ... ripping off the gullible is not just the fast-track to the gravy train. Getting a sustainable revenue channel by scamming the soft-of-the-brain is harder than it looks.

Re:Status symbols (Score:3, Funny)

by JabberWokky ( 19442 ) writes: <slashdot.com@timewarp.org> on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @11:59AM (#8714515) Homepage Journal

We're looking at getting a graphite, coal, diamond, buckyball engagement ring. And she swears up and down that she hates o-chem and is a physical chemist.
Polished hard coal and diamonds look nice together, btw.
--
Evan

Re:Status symbols (Score:5, Funny)

by Ryan Amos ( 16972 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @12:00PM (#8714524)

No, the perfect woman would accept a pearl necklace. On a nightly basis.

the only thing that really makes me angry... (Score:2, Funny)

by sevenmonkey ( 594053 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @12:00PM (#8714530)

The only thing about this kind of business that really makes me angry is that I didn't think of it first...

Re:On the plus side... (Score:5, Funny)

by Lord_Dweomer ( 648696 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @12:06PM (#8714590) Homepage

And perhaps this will drain their coffers so they can't spend this money on spam. God, just wait till the spammers catch onto this......
"Buy an animated gif of a penis up to 3" longer than yours! Guaranteed! $50"

Re:It's kind of like having a real life tamagotchi (Score:3, Funny)

by drinkypoo ( 153816 ) writes: <drink@hyperlogos.org> on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @12:16PM (#8714718) Homepage Journal

Given that people are trying to get laid it's more like a tamacoochie.

Re:Golden Rule? Shieat? (Score:4, Funny)

by megan_of_wutai ( 649071 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @12:20PM (#8714764) Homepage

This place is a horrific written image of pain.
I quote:

FunHi is your friendly gangsta, playa pimp, banging hunie community. Haters and lamers shall be dealt with to the FULL extent of da law

My eyes, they bleed!
My brain, it bleeds!

Re:Why would I pay for this? (Score:4, Funny)

by dasmegabyte ( 267018 ) writes: <das@OHNOWHATSTHISdasmegabyte.org> on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @12:30PM (#8714901) Homepage Journal

YOU wouldn't pay for this.

But somebody who didn't understand technology and didn't want to MIGHT pay for it because they thought it was a cute idea. These are the same people who buy new Sims add-ons for the additional wallpaper and landscaping. These are the people keeing Pier 1, Tuesday Morning and the Christmas Tree Shop in business. These are the same people who keep buying me candles, picture frames and other tchotchkes when what I really need is a new fucking laptop.

In short, women will pay for this, because it is useless but kind of cute and not too expensive.

You're not a unique special flake... (Score:2, Funny)

by Thud457 ( 234763 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @12:53PM (#8715193) Homepage Journal

I just bought a case of paste-on foil gold stars at Office Depot. Now I'm going to completely destroy the intellectual economy of the local kindergarten. BWAHAHAHAHA!

VHAT A COUNTRY!!! (Score:2, Funny)

by Thud457 ( 234763 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @01:17PM (#8715555) Homepage Journal

Next, we'll have to institute some sort of government standards agency to insure that our beautiful virtual girfriend isn't selling 200%, is really beautiful, and is really a girl!

Deep discount here! (Score:3, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @01:34PM (#8715800)

Here I just saved those people a ton of cash:

http://www.funhi.com//images/gifts/46.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/20.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/33.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/1.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/3.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/30.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/35.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/39.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/22.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/17.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/11.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/23.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/14.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/49.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/25.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/41.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/27.gif [funhi.com]
http://www.funhi.com/images/gifts/51.gif [funhi.com]

d

Re:Status symbols (Score:4, Funny)

by aussersterne ( 212916 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @01:45PM (#8715954) Homepage

Thank God my real-world, emotion-having girlfriend is more concerned about feeding the hungry and stopping de-facro slavery and international economic imperalism than about impressing her friends with carbon rocks.

And she's not only ethical, she's hot!

Re:Status symbols (Score:3, Funny)

by GPLDAN ( 732269 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @01:57PM (#8716148)

Yeah, but she doesn't shave her armpits and wears the birkenstocks for two weeks straight. And eventually all that Ben & Jerry's ice cream will catch up with her.

Re:Like.... (Score:2, Funny)

by esswedl ( 649024 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @02:04PM (#8716274)

However, there is just one problem:
Imminent domain.

Eminent. As in: given the large volume of comments on Slashdot, a misspelling of "eminent domain" is imminent.

Re:Status symbols (Score:2, Funny)

by phaggood ( 690955 ) writes: on Tuesday March 30, 2004 @03:48PM (#8717677) Homepage

Seriously, there are women out there that hate diamonds (yes, I know some)

Man, *that's* what I should have put on my match.com ad:

Dude seeks chick for perm relationship; must be a techie, at least have some opinion about one of the 'Treks'. If it leads to something serious, prefer woman who believes a memory (i.e. a month in Nepal) is forever, and a diamond is just a rock.

There may be more comments in this discussion. Without JavaScript enabled, you might want to turn on Classic Discussion System in your preferences instead.

Snobby Greedy Bitch... (Score:3, Funny)

Why would I pay for this? (Score:1, Funny)

Personally... (Score:5, Funny)

On the plus side... (Score:5, Funny)

Amazing (Score:5, Funny)

Brain-dead lusers (Score:1, Funny)

It's kind of like having a real life tamagotchi (Score:3, Funny)

Looks like they ripped their rating system... (Score:5, Funny)

Popularity (Score:5, Funny)

Excellent! (Score:5, Funny)

a digital diamond ring for my gf (Score:5, Funny)

The FunHI Corporation is a division... (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Personally... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:It's kind of like having a real life tamagotchi (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Looks like they ripped their rating system... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Status symbols (Score:2, Funny)

Use of money (Score:1, Funny)

Not to worry (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Much ado about nothing... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:On the plus side... (Score:2, Funny)

Pimp (Score:5, Funny)

Golden Rule? Shieat? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Popularity (Score:2, Funny)

Re:no different from diamonds (Score:4, Funny)

Re:More proof that... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Status symbols (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Status symbols (Score:5, Funny)

the only thing that really makes me angry... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:On the plus side... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:It's kind of like having a real life tamagotchi (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Golden Rule? Shieat? (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Why would I pay for this? (Score:4, Funny)

You're not a unique special flake... (Score:2, Funny)

VHAT A COUNTRY!!! (Score:2, Funny)

Deep discount here! (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Status symbols (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Status symbols (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Like.... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Status symbols (Score:2, Funny)

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