ELLIOTTCABLE changed the topic of #elliottcable to: a -pretty terrible- cult
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<ELLIOTTCABLE>
whitequark: hahah well I'd like to get used to talking to you over the phone if we're gonna meet in person! :P
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
whitequark: no pressure *shrug*
<purr>
¯\(º_o)/¯
<whitequark>
ELLIOTTCABLE: it's apparently fine in person. phones just make this 1000x more anxious
<whitequark>
hell, it's the same with russian, though not to that degree
Aria is now known as ARia
ARia is now known as Aria
<Aria>
Hi, ELLIOTTCABLE!
<whitequark>
ELLIOTTCABLE: also lol my phone died
<purr>
lol
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<ELLIOTTCABLE>
Aria: it's been foooreeeever
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
whitequark: oh yeah phones are dumb in general. video-chat sometime mayb's? we can get devyn and micah in on it too, make it a whole thang
<whitequark>
ELLIOTTCABLE: what do you use to book domestic flights at US?
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<ELLIOTTCABLE>
A combination of Hipmunk and Google Flights is great for finding prices / times / options,
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
and then I use Orbitz (or maybe switching to Expedia soon) to book.
<whitequark>
holy crap that seems contrived.
<whitequark>
i always just used onetwotrip.com for flights and accomodation
<whitequark>
oh, hipmunk ~ onetwotrip
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<ELLIOTTCABLE>
whitequark: well, I fly. a *lot*. All over. Often on very short, or no, notice.
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
here's some logic if you want it:
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity, etc, all have deals with the airlines: they show the prices the airlines *want* them to show.
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
(and you think you've seen corruption and market manipulation … wait until you read about the shit U.S. airlines pull. O_O)
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
(actually, you're from russia. okay. let me rephrase.)
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
(U.S. airlines are the closest you're going to feel to being ‘at home’ while you're over here. :P)
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
whereas third-party services that operate *without* the airlines' approval / business deals, like Google Flights and Hipmunk, actually pull/scrape/aggregate the airlines' *own* website, and preform nasty tricks to get around the airlines' nastier tricks, and so on so forth
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
so, 1. Hipmunk, specifically, with *much* experience, always manages to show me the lowest available prices.
<whitequark>
lol. as a citizen, i'm comparatively unexposed to corruption. you know, need to keep the masses happy
<purr>
lol
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
however, Hipmunk can only show results for a very precise search: my travel-plans are often flexible, and last-minute; which is very at odds with 90% of travellers. Most people plan far ahead, buy far ahead, and don't expect to change their plans once having paid for the ticket.
<whitequark>
however if you try to, say, start a business. you will feel the true wrath
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
so my *first* stop is often Google Flights: despite the ways I feel about Google and giving them info for fun, their info shows me the most info in the least effort.
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
and finally, I *really, really, really* don't like dealing with the airlines' websites, and their support policies, and their … everything. they're fucking hellish.
<whitequark>
onetwotrip insulates me from that entirely
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
So *depending on* the ‘Orbitz surcharge’ (the quiet increase in price you see on official aggregators like Orbitz), I'll *usually* then actually book through Orbitz
<whitequark>
(which is to say, i could just stick to international airports and use onetwotrip...)
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
so, whole flow I generally use for the last two years or so:
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
1. check Google Flights for the *cheapest days* to fly, when planning.
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
2. get *accurate* prices, and the Agony Rating, off Hipmunk.
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
3. check the corresponding price for the same flight on Orbitz.
<whitequark>
"Agony Rating"?
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
hipmunk does some simple algorithmic analysis to decide whether a cheaper price is worth it if it's got extra stops, or really long layovers, or whatever
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
it'll put more expensive flights first if they're much preferable in some obvious way.
* whitequark
sighs
* ELLIOTTCABLE
laughs
<whitequark>
can we get teleportation already
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
you can ignore most of that and just use Hipmunk, honestly
<whitequark>
i'm even ok with the whole 'you die every time' part
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
you're gonna fly two or three times, not two dozen
<whitequark>
BECAUSE YOU DIE A LITTLE EVERY TIME YOU BOOK AIR TRAVEL
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
I've thought about that so much when I was a kid
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
I always came out thinking, basically, “well maybe the new one will be better. fuckit.”
<whitequark>
meh. it's a matter of making dying every time culturally accepted
<whitequark>
the power of lying to yourself is immense. never underestimate lying to yourself.
<whitequark>
so
<whitequark>
if i do everything as planned
<whitequark>
it's going to be something like SVO→HEL→JFK→DCA→DEN→SNA→SFO→SJC→SEA→DEN→DFW→HKG→SVO
<whitequark>
that's... a lot of places
<whitequark>
11 flight segments ;__;
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
lemme read that twice
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
DCA? wat why oh wait Arlington is by DC
<whitequark>
add two flights to and from... wherever you are
<whitequark>
where, in fact, are you right now
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
still Chicago. leaving in a couple days. hopefully tomorrow.
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
I suck. /=
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
I'll be in Montana at least two weeks
<whitequark>
ok so montana
<whitequark>
amazing
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
@VanguardVivian wants me to come visit Virginia, though, so, ugh idk
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
nah, Chicago
<whitequark>
hm?
<ELLIOTTCABLE>
Montana flights are expensive, and I won't be there that long. Don't you know somebody else in Chi-town, anyway?
<whitequark>
hm no
<whitequark>
well not that i have planned
<whitequark>
i *think* i'll spend late 10s learning blacksmithing near LA
<whitequark>
then there's everyone in the valley, since close. then washington, and you, in whatever order. then i have to be in boulder for business, then hong kong
<whitequark>
where chicago even IS
<whitequark>
i suck at geography
<whitequark>
oh
<devyn>
I'm going to be in SF Aug 16-18
<whitequark>
that sounds about when i was planning to be in sf