Gavin writes:

> Getting back to the product/customer thing, many times people don't
>  realize exactly what the product is in a transaction.  For example:
>
>  In a pay-per-view TV operation, the product is the movie/television
>  program, and you would be the customer, paying to watch that program.
>
>  In a commercial television operation however, you are not the customer.
>  The customer is the advertiser, and the product is your attention which
>  the television station is selling to the advertiser.
>
>  This leads to a fundamental law:  In any transaction, if you are not a
>  paying customer then beware, for *you* may be the product that is being
>  sold :-)

That's actually a very clear, very cogent, very sage explanation -- that
should be read enough times to let it fully sink in.

Wirt Atmar