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Originally Posted by dgruss23
I'm a little bothered here that scientifically minded people are willing to characterize these companies without doing the research and having specific evidence to back up their position.
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Characterize, yes. Outright condemn, no. That's what this board is all about-dialogue, discussion, and I hope, the freedom to change one's mind when new evidence is found or arises.
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Originally Posted by dgruss23
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Originally Posted by Josh
If it is just a novelty, why list stars by "SAO number" (Star Wishing), or include them in the "International Star Registry" in a vault in Switzerland (International Star Registry)? Wouldn't just an alphabetized list be sufficient? Few people would be willing to pay to name a star if they thought the company would fold in ten years. It certainly sounds more impressive, legitimate, and most importantly, permanent if your star has a number, and is "officially registered."
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This is the point that I really think people are missing. These companies have the RIGHT to do this. And if they think that putting it in a vault in Switzerland will make their product more marketable then so what? In all this I don't here anybody acknowledging that maybe some people get something positive out of buying these star names. Is it really that hard to grasp that there is a sentimental thing that goes with purchasing a star name? When they acknowledge it is a novelty they are pointing out that they are offering this to people that are not scientists. |
Nowhere did I state that there was no benefit to be gotten from those services. Who has denied the sentimental value? If it makes any difference, I freely admit that people can and do get satisfaction from purchasing a star name. But I think you too are missing the point. It's not about science at all, but like so much in business, it's about appearances. What am I really buying for $200? Maybe most customers don't care where their star is registered, or whether they can actually see it, as long as they get the goods. It remains a question as to whether they're getting what they
expect for their money. Why bother paying $200 for a simple certificate when you can make your own on MS Word or Photo Shop?
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Originally Posted by dgruss23
Why can't there be a "registry" of star names that has nothing to do with SCIENCE? And unless somebody makes a valid claim as to why they shouldn't exist, then ANYBODY that wants to can start one.
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I agree completely, and have nothing against creating an independent list or registry. So why do these companies go to such lengths to make the lists look scientific? As I already mentioned, why wouldn't an alphabetized list alone suffice?
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Originally Posted by dgruss23
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Originally Posted by Josh
Naming stars may be a novelty, but the websites don't exactly go out of their way to present them as such, using words like "timeless" and "unique," and, "lasting memories are written in the stars," to describe their service, and endowing them with official identities.
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Yes and that is the only criticism I have of them, but if you call them you get the full scoop. And the phrases such as "timeless" is a sales pitch. Everybody that sells something tries to come up with these kinds of phrases or similar images. |
Good point, and after reading both your and AGN Fuel's experiences of talking on the phone with company representatives, I am pretty much convinced there is no intentional deception.
The only thing you didn't comment on from my post was the memorials. I'm still curious to know what you (and anyone else of course) think about those.