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In the online world, a number of companies use algorithms to set or suggest prices. eBay, for example, tells you what similar products have sold for and lets you choose a price based on that information. eBay’s pricing problem was relatively simple to solve: It didn’t matter where the sellers and buyers were or whether you’re selling the product today or next week. Meanwhile, over at Uber and Lyft, the ride-sharing companies, geography and time do matter—but these two companies simply set prices by decree; there is no user choice or need for transparency in how the prices are determined.
At Airbnb, we faced an unusually complex problem. Every one of the million-plus listings on our site is unique, having its own address, size, and decor. Our hosts also vary in their willingness to play concierge, cook, or tour guide. And events—some regular, like seasonal weather changes; others unusual, like large local events—muddy the waters even further.
The article is in part an advertisement for AirBnB, but there's also interesting detail there for those aspiring- or current online entrepreneurs.
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Tuesday August 25 2015, @09:52PM
Consider that homelessness is uncommon in Canada in large part due to what Americans commonly regard as single-family homes often having basement apartments.
While basement apartments are uncommon in the US, large houses are common. I once rented a room from a well-to-do man who just liked having other people around. He rented another room to a young woman who sold her original artwork on t-shirts at flea markets.
In these days of AirBNB, smeone who owned quite a nice luxury home such as his could earn far more coin by renting by the night to business travelers. My old landlord is far too leftist for AirBNB but there were many such McMansions in our South San Jose neighborhood. Last I heard there were 25,000 homeless in Silicon Valley.
The homeless often spend their days at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library downtown. While on the SJSU campus it's actually a California State Library, any State resident may request a free library card. I once saw a well-dressed young man asleep in his chair, his head on a table, a large, expensive wheeled suitcase next to him, a paper plate of Partially-eaten Mexican take-out and a MacBook Pro left running on the table where he slept.
Quite likely, as I have done these recent years, he sought to end his homelessness by writing code.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]