Yahoo! Literally!
March 2, 2005 9:20 AM   Subscribe

Yahoo! wants to buy you an ice cream [today only, in USA, Puerto Rico, Canada, UK, Australia and South Korea (apologies to North Korean Baskin-Robbins afficionados)]
posted by Pretty_Generic (48 comments total)
 
I knew having 10 different screen names on Yahoo would finally pay off!!!
posted by j.p. Hung at 9:25 AM on March 2, 2005


I can't believe Google didn't think of this first.

Yahoo! also has a link up to what their page looked like ten years ago. I'm going to slog my way through the snowstorm to get my bit of ice cream later today.
posted by sciurus at 9:27 AM on March 2, 2005


And there's the Netrospective, in Flash.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 9:35 AM on March 2, 2005


Great. That almost makes up for Yahoo! charging me for a domain name four for fucking years after I'd transferred the domain away from Yahoo!

Their story: transferring the domain to another host isn't the same as terminating the hosting service with Yahoo, so for the next four years the recurring charge appears on my credit card. I only notice when, after my credit chard number has changed, I get a dunning email from Yahoo! for not having paid this year's charges for the hosting they aren't actually providing me because I goddamned well transferred the domain.

The kicker is, since this is "Yahoo! policy" the customer service rep won't even transfer my call to someone who's authorized to make the decision to make a refund. Nor will he give me a physical address to write. Nope, it's Yahoo policy and you're screwed and sure we knew when we transferred the domain that we weren't hosting it anymore but well we still charged you so suck it up.

so screw the ice-cream and screw Yahoo!s attempt to remain relevant. Just like AOL, withering as people learn that "the intarweb" isn't actually contained on the AOL CD and that cheaper and better alternatives exist, Yahoo! doesn't provide anything that isn't better provided elsewhere. Ice cream or not, when's the last time you had any real need to browse to Yahoo!, and could you even find what you needed in that cramped busy interface?
posted by orthogonality at 9:35 AM on March 2, 2005


four for fucking years

Nice typo there!
posted by Pretty_Generic at 9:38 AM on March 2, 2005


what their page looked like ten years ago

Yes! I have been trying to remember what sites I had seen on the Internet when I was a "wee" thing and the pages were all grey background and lists of blue links. Thanks for that link! Brings back the good old days of when I only had computer access at my Dad's office, and I would spend hours clicking through the 100 or so pages that existed in the "world wide" web.
posted by superfem at 9:40 AM on March 2, 2005


when Google turns 10, everyone will be given a free gallon of ice cream, and if you don't like the choice of toppings you can let Google know, and they will implement an upgrade to the topping bar.

(the Google ice cream coupon won't be downloadable in Safari, however)
posted by krunk at 9:42 AM on March 2, 2005


ortho, you may be right that they suck, but you are wrong in thinking that they are withering. "They achieved record revenue of $3.6 billion in 2004 — more than double 2003's $1.6 billion. The stock hit a 52-week high of $39.79 a share in December; it's now hovering around $33." -- USA Today (chew before swallowing)
posted by Cassford at 9:43 AM on March 2, 2005


I bet Google would give out Ben and Jerry's... not Baskin-Robbins "ice cream" .... and more than one (2.5 oz) scoop...
posted by R. Mutt at 10:04 AM on March 2, 2005


four for fucking years...

...is a term of orifice.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:06 AM on March 2, 2005


when Google turns 10, everyone will be given a free gallon of ice cream

I'm betting that unlike Yahoo, Google will include - as per their daily cafeteria menus - a vegan alternative.
posted by soyjoy at 10:06 AM on March 2, 2005


Jesus, orthogonality, you fail to read - or follow - Yahoo!'s terms of service and you blame them? Pull your head out of your ass and get over it.
posted by Qubit at 10:08 AM on March 2, 2005


The slashdot.org discussion on the free ice cream is here.
posted by WestCoaster at 10:23 AM on March 2, 2005


curses. Didn't print in ie 5 mac.

Sod all the rules and whining about making sites work in screen readers and lynx ... make em work in Mac OS 9, eh?
posted by bonaldi at 10:34 AM on March 2, 2005


Anybody know where A Baskin-Robins is in Ireland? Store locator is strictly USA or Canada. Thanks!
posted by Livewire Confusion at 10:38 AM on March 2, 2005


I took my coupon to the place on the corner, and they're not participating :-(
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:43 AM on March 2, 2005 [1 favorite]


No Baskin Robbins in my area. :(

On preview: try clicking the UK flag at the bottom of the screen.
posted by Arch Stanton at 10:44 AM on March 2, 2005


Shoot, when Google Answers turned one they sent me a fleece blanket with the Google logo embroidered on it.
Something tells me they'll shell out for more than a single scoop of ice cream.
posted by Kellydamnit at 11:10 AM on March 2, 2005


and they will implement an upgrade to the topping bar.

I can't wait to get a Google topping bar for my browser so I can put sprinkles on MeFi. Mmmmm...sprinkles.
posted by DakotaPaul at 11:11 AM on March 2, 2005


The sprinkles contain sodium benzoate.
posted by shinji_ikari at 11:26 AM on March 2, 2005


That's bad.
posted by shinji_ikari at 11:27 AM on March 2, 2005


Yargh! Why did no one mention this before it was 5pm in the UK?

I walked right past Baskin-Robbins during lunch. I could've had ice cream! Now I am sad.
posted by Katemonkey at 11:48 AM on March 2, 2005


I call shenanigans if R. Mutt got a coupon for a 2.5 ounce scoop of ice cream! I'm being disciminated against or something, my coupon is for only a 2 ounce scoop!

I demand my extra half ounce of ice cream!
posted by fenriq at 12:12 PM on March 2, 2005


Katemonkey,

I feel your pain, same thing here to!
posted by ModestyBCatt at 12:27 PM on March 2, 2005


Dave Winer slams the Google topping bar

Oops, sorry. Wrong bar.
posted by 27 at 1:08 PM on March 2, 2005


when's the last time you had any real need to browse to Yahoo!, and could you even find what you needed in that cramped busy interface

I still use it for sports news, TV listings, and various fantasy leagues. If anyone has a better site for sports news and statistics (no ESPN, Sportsline, Sporting News crap), I'd love to see it.
posted by mrgrimm at 1:43 PM on March 2, 2005


What are sprinkles? We call them 'jimmies.'
posted by fixedgear at 1:44 PM on March 2, 2005


What are sprinkles? We call them...we call them...uh, I don't know what we call them because I don't know what they are. Ahem.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:54 PM on March 2, 2005


So I went to another Baskins Robbins (the first was near my work, the second near my home), and they wouldn't accept the coupon either- said they couldn't accept a copy. I said, it's from the internet, I printed it out myself. They said, oh no, but it has to be in color, and showed me the color copy from their bulletion board. A black and white one could be a photocopy. How ridiculous- have this great internet promotion to celebrate one of the big internet sites, but make it extra hard to use a coupon from the internet (I don't have a printer; the printer at work is B&W only). So, if you're still headed out, might want to make sure your coupon is in color.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 2:10 PM on March 2, 2005 [1 favorite]


Check out some of Yahoo's previous web site iterations at the Internet Archive WayBack Machine.
posted by hyperboy at 2:25 PM on March 2, 2005


orthogonality, that's sooooooome screwing, all right. If you're around Columbus, OH anytime soon, I'll take you out for a consoling ice-cream cone, and not at any stupid Baskin-Robbins, either -- they discontinued my favorite flavor, Lemon Chiffon.
posted by alumshubby at 2:30 PM on March 2, 2005


The Baskin-Robins in Portland OR on SE Powell (near 41st) accepted my black and white coupon without any problems. But then again, it may be because I was the only one in the store at that time.

But if you're in PDX and don't have a color printer, head there.
posted by Hactar at 2:50 PM on March 2, 2005


I still use it for sports news, TV listings, and various fantasy leagues. If anyone has a better site for sports news and statistics (no ESPN, Sportsline, Sporting News crap), I'd love to see it.

Me too. For all of Yahoo!'s faults, their fantasy sports section is still the best around. (mrgrimm, for baseball stats try Baseball Prospectus, they have about every relevant (and many irrelevant) stat listed for individual players.)
posted by scottymacten at 2:55 PM on March 2, 2005


My British Baskin-Robbins took a B&W printout no problems.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 3:28 PM on March 2, 2005


Thanks, I'm going to try this on my way home. I'm betting the South-Central Baskin Robbins doesn't take my coupon though, if the Blockbuster that doesn't participate in the No Late Fees promotion is any indication.
posted by rooftop secrets at 3:55 PM on March 2, 2005


Thank you :) That Tiramisu ice cream tasted great :)
posted by Aoede at 4:04 PM on March 2, 2005


Whaaa? South Korea and not Japan?

/jams hands in pockets, pouts
posted by zardoz at 6:13 PM on March 2, 2005


Aw, I was actually off the bus right near a Baskin-Robbins today, but I didn't know. Phooey.
posted by livii at 6:35 PM on March 2, 2005


My bf and I printed our coupons out and headed for the nearest B-R's, according to their locator. When we got to the Dunkin' Donuts, the awing had the BR logo on it, but that section of the store had been torn out years ago. We obviously don't go out for ice cream much.
posted by ArsncHeart at 7:20 PM on March 2, 2005


OK, we just got back from our local Baskin-Robbins (in the San Francisco Area), and the guy said that our (color) coupon was invalid. When I asked why, he said it expired after they gave out 300 cones. I looked at the fine print, and sure enough, Yahoo wouldn't reimburse the B-R for more than 300 cones. No big deal, we split a giant cone anyway.

The guy in line behind us got the same story and walked out. I felt bad for him, because he didn't exactly look like he could afford a cone.
posted by surlycat at 9:40 PM on March 2, 2005


I'm betting that unlike Yahoo, Google will include ... a vegan alternative.

The vegan alternative to ice cream is no ice cream, and Yahoo! is happy to give you that.
posted by kindall at 9:51 PM on March 2, 2005


Not to wax banal, but I don't think I'll ever be online so long that I'll fail to appreciate that someone in London can post about free ice cream, and 30 minutes later I can be sitting in a Baskins Robbins parking lot in Kansas sharing a gratis cup of pistachio ice cream with my husband. Thank you, Pretty_Generic, for adding a bit of sweetness to our day.
posted by melissa may at 9:52 PM on March 2, 2005


The vegan alternative to ice cream is no ice cream, and Yahoo! is happy to give you that.

Indications from this thread are that that latter part is true, but the former part, as I'm certain you intended, is just nonsense.
posted by soyjoy at 10:51 PM on March 2, 2005


The girl behind the counter was a high school student whom I had taught recently, and although she was initially grouchy about the coupon, she warmed up when we tipped her. I had Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream cone, and my husband had mint chocolate chip. We topped them neither with Sprinkles nor Jimmies, but munched them happily while strolling down Melrose Avenue in the rain.


Free ice cream results in a very merry evening for all.
posted by Uccellina at 12:04 AM on March 3, 2005


When Google turns 10, everyone will be given a free gallon of ice cream, and if you don't like the choice of toppings you can let Google know, and they will implement an upgrade to the topping bar.

When Google Turns 10 they will already know your favourite topping.
posted by fullerine at 3:17 AM on March 3, 2005


Tiramisu, peanut butter cup, and pistachio, huh? Yummy. I don't recall having those options the last time I visited one. As for a vegan alternative to ice cream, I think rice cream works, and it's not bad.
posted by PY at 3:36 AM on March 3, 2005


Thinking about this on a theoretical level:

There are four Baskin-Robbins in my area. If one was to print off four copies of the coupons and use them all at each location, what would happen?

Like I said, strictly theoretical.
posted by Hot Like Your 12V Wire at 7:34 AM on March 3, 2005


My son and I went out at 9:30 last night and got one free ice cream cone. We had to buy the other one because my son didn't have a picture ID showing that he was "Jimmy Leavemealone." Then I woke up this morning thinking "They know my email address, my real name, and all the mailing lists I belong to."

I gave a lot away for an ice cream cone.
posted by faceonmars at 10:03 AM on March 3, 2005


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