Here in the Product department, we’re always busy building cool stuff to make life (and business) easier for our clients. This time, we’re very pleased to announce the launch of a brand new Accounting section. Please, everyone, calm down. Excuse me, sir, can you put your shirt back on? This …
Videos are by far the most engaging form of social content. This isn’t exactly a new discovery, but there’s a lot of missed potential by bands that claim to have a YouTube presence. The common misconception is that your music videos go up on YouTube and you’re done. Although MTV …
Plugging — it’s a word we often hear in relation to promoting something, recommending it, giving it your stamp of approval. iPluggers does just that for your music, and it does it all around the world. With a 100% airplay guarantee (or your money back), iPluggers provides the platform for …
Meet our latest partner: Conduit Mobile. The mobile app creator is getting all kinds of press these days, and it’s not without good reason. Their sexy app offers every function you could dream of with the ease of use you’ve always wanted. What’s more, they’re compatible with all major mobile …
Charles Wisniewski
Senior Developer/Tech Lead
Joined The Orchard in June 2011
Now that we’ve renovated our office, you’re no longer in a cube and we can actually SEE you. More than ever we need to know, what the #&@$ do you do?!?!
The office renovation was AWESOME. I was in on the weekend before everyone moved in to help out a bit and it’s amazing that it all came together. The whole team of people involved is AWESOME: kudos.
Now for the “what would you say you do here:” I take requirements from the Product team, Ops team, other developers and bring the concepts to code. I’m also involved in coming up with the concepts and how they would actually work in our environment: we have a lot of moving pieces as everyone knows. Being a Tech Lead brings me together with Business, Marketing, Product, and Client teams. I try to learn from everyone.
That’s what you call diversity! For those not-so-tech-savvy, what’s an “environment?”
An environment is just that, though in this context it is the environment of hardware and software, and how they are networked together and interact.
Can you please walk us through a recent project you brought from concept to code to what we see live today?
Last year, I moved our data warehouse into a columnar db. What this means is all data which drive our Analytics and Accounting interfaces run faster. Over the past year, I’ve also been working to move all business logic — which in the context of computers is the same as in how people conduct business on paper and in person, i.e. a UPC cannot be assigned to more than one release — to a central place: our API. Those changes are hard to see from a user’s perspective… I also worked with Paulo in bringing our Analytics graphs to life.
In other news, we hear you’re our resident ‘outdoors/adventure guy.’ What’s the most extravagant tale you’ve lived to tell?
I am writing this right now on my way to Vermont, my home away from home. Snowboarding is my favorite thing in the world, followed by skateboarding, surfing and rock climbing. Just being outdoors makes me happy; seeing the outdoors from 15,000 feet is insanely awesome. I did my first solo skydive last year and am looking forward to doing more. So far Ackim and Artur have come skydiving with me… Who’s next?
Before anyone replies with a “Me! Me!,” shall we perhaps spread a word of caution? Our infallible sources tell us your girlfriend broke her leg last time she jumped…
My girlfriend did break her leg while skydiving. However, I broke my leg when I was 12 jumping off a 3 foot ledge; other people have broken their ankles just walking: life is dangerous!
Very true, very true. Well, we now not only know what the #&@$ you do, but also who to turn to when in need of some adrenaline-pumping activities. Thanks, Charles! And…. stay safe!
favorite food: anything mexican
go-to karaoke song: Iron Maiden – Fear of the Dark
best kept secret about you: nice try!
random fact: I have a poem published.
To the excitement of literature aficionados old and young alike, Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, this summer’s quintessential 3D adaptation flick, hits theaters tomorrow.
Just think, it won’t be long now before you’re in the theater being captivated by Leonardo DiCaprio’s icy stare as he portrays the troubled and mysterious Gatsby in a world obsessed with stature and rich with excess.
If you should get the chance to focus on something other than the lush environment Luhrmann — known previously for his work on Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge! – has created, make sure you listen up for Jelly Roll Morton’s “New Orleans Bump,” nestled away amongst the star-studded cast and adding to the musical pulse of this film.
Kobalt Launches New Portal, Unlocks User-Generated YouTube Royalties
Acquired by Twitter, We Are Hunted Puts Spotify App on Hold, Posts Epic Playlist
Slacker Redesign Helped Drive 100K New Subscribers
Spotify patches Chrome exploit that allowed MP3 downloads of any song
Working across both the digital and physical markets, I am frequently asked my thoughts on the future of physical music sales. While I believe a physical market will survive for music, I also often point to services like Amazon Disc on Demand as an interesting space to watch. Many questions arise over this service, and I aim in the below to address some of the more common questions I’m asked.
What exactly is Amazon Disc on Demand?
Amazon Disc on Demand uses the digital files that are delivered for the Amazon MP3 store to print a CD or DVD on demand for customers who order a physical copy. The transaction counts as a digital sale, but results in a physical copy.
What are the benefits of Disc on Demand?
No stock is held. You are able to sell to customers who prefer physical copies of releases without the exposure of having hundreds of units of stock sitting in warehouses across the world when demand may not justify that level of exposure.
What releases are good for Disc on Demand?
If the physical release of a title does not exist in the market, Disc on Demand provides a good option to reach customers who prefer physical units but may otherwise be missed. Disc on Demand is a particularly good option for older catalogue titles on which sales have slowed to the point where the physical is deleted, or perhaps should be to save on costs of slow-moving lines. It could also be a way to test the water for developing artists and releases.
In what territories does Amazon have the Disc on Demand program?
Disc on Demand is only live for music in the US and Germany at the moment. It is to be launching in one or two “major European territories” in the near future. These territories are not confirmed, but one could likely make some educated guesses.
Can I have a booklet with a Disc on Demand release?
Disc on Demand releases do include booklets which can be 4-32 pages. However, DoD booklet artwork currently needs to be in a different format than booklets for the MP3 store. Releases via the Orchard are currently set up using a standard template, but if you have an important release for DoD with which you would like to add a more detailed booklet, please contact your Client Manager.
But isn’t the quality really poor?
The Amazon Disc on Demand program suffers from a bit of a perception problem stemming from the somewhat lesser-quality of the packages at the time the service launched. Amazon has long since improved the quality of DoD products, increasing the booklet paper weight to 130gsm. Having seen several DoD packages, the quality can be indistinguishable from many “proper” physical releases.
If CDs are being printed to order, doesn’t it take a long time for customers to receive their copy?
No — the order is immediately sent to Amazon’s printing facilities, and the CD can be shipped out within 24 hours. No additional processing time occurs.
How is the pricing set?
While Amazon reserves the right to set retail price, a vendor can specify a desired list price and a royalty is paid through on this amount when a disc is sold. Your Client Manager can assist with further information.
Do Disc on Demand titles sell?
Sales of course vary by title, but we have seen steady sales through Disc on Demand. A particular recent success story happened with Acoustic Live by Nils Lofgren. When Nils toured as part of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Acoustic Live sold over 700 units through Amazon Disc on Demand in Germany, hitting #3 on Amazon Germany’s Live Albums chart. The physical version of this title had been deleted, and Disc on Demand was able to service a market that otherwise would have been missed.
How do I have my releases delivered to Disc on Demand?
Please contact your Client Manager for further details.
