My internet provider is advertising a discount for new customers. They get three times the speed I'm getting for $3 more a month.

It drives me nuts.

Why do companies treat new customers better than they do existing customers.

It's probably because, on average, most of us stick with wherever we are. If we subscribe to a service we most likely don't unsubscribe. So it pays them more to acquire new people than to hold on to the ones they have.

And yet as a customer that makes me feel unloved.

I subscribe to a bunch of Swift and iOS video series - way more than I can possibly watch. I subscribe, in part, to support the folks who produce them so they'll create more.

I talked to the producers of one of them who extended a discount to new subscribers. I reached out and told them that it made those of us who had supported them from the beginning feel less valued.

And then I thought a minute - would I have used the coupon if they'd offered it?

I feel differently about an internet company and a person who is working to support themself by producing content.

Would I use the coupon?

Sometimes I have and sometimes I haven't and I can't explain why.

One author I subscribe to recently released two books on Kindle for $2 each. He wrote to his mailing list that we get free copies. That's ok, I bought them anyway. He deserves to have his work supported.

In fact, many authors offer me their books for free and I offer many people my books for free. I seldom say yes to the authors. I prefer to buy their books and support them. Most people say "no" to my offer of a free book for the same reason.

I've decided to put this to the test with my new book.

"Way to bury the lede, Daniel, you have a new book?"

Well it's only part of a new book. I've published the first chapter of my Functional Programming in Swift book. I'll add a new chapter roughly once a week starting a week from Friday.

With my last book, a friend suggested I raise the price $10 and discount it $10. It would sell more. And then he said that I had underpriced it.

So I priced it at what it was worth and offered a discount now and then. I'm trying something different this time.

Here's where you can buy A Functional Programming Kickstart for full price. (Available on Gumroad)

And here's where you can buy it at a discount. I'm offering it at a discount that you should use if you need to]. It's an experiment.

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Link to the Podcast episode from April 7, 2023.

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This is the image of me from the Spot the Swifty project commissioned by Paul Hudson and beautifully illustrated by Gus Morais. Here's more of Gus' work at https://www.behance.net/gusmorais.

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Other people's stuff

The author I mentioned above is Matt Gemmell.

About a year ago, before we were all locked in our own homes, Matt was kind enough to meet with me in Edinburgh and talk about writing. I don't know what I expected, but I got much more.

I immediately signed up for his newsletter. He charges for it as a way of supporting himself while he produces fiction. It's worth it.

A couple of weeks ago he wrote a story about a prisoner who was punished in such a way that any experienced programmer would shudder. It was an article that felt as if only we could appreciate it and was worth the yearly fee alone.

You can join Matt's newsletter or take a look at the books he's written.

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Maggie's Link

I continue to post bread recipes at my Editors Cut blog.

If you're following along with growing a sourdough starter, we're almost ready to use it. I was careful to say you should lightly cover the container containing the starter as it's alive and growing and giving off gas.

Maggie provided me with a link to a TikTok video of a woman who demonstrates what can go wrong if you tightly cover the container.