Under "all press is good press", I note that whatever their sins, getsatisfaction.com has achieved name recognition. I doubt that any other startup posting "Help us design a web page" post would rise to the top of the front page in 20 minutes...
Not sure if all press is good press. Sure I know their name now but now I know to avoid it too. And in the near future, when I'm considering options for my own gig I'll probably go with UserVoice or SuggestionBox instead.
Well, in contrast to other startups, I think we can all agree that the current page design has some serious flaws which needs to be fixed ASAP. By voting up we show that we actually care about this issue and that Get Satisfaction is doing the right thing.
Why should people help a company with an unethical/shady business model. It's not a "bad design" you had a problem with, it was a design that too-accurately reflected your business model.
Even as a sharp critic of GS, I have to say rehabilitation is a good thing. If they've been scared into straightening up, I'm happy to throw some suggestions their way.
You can't straighten an act that was, by design, crooked. Their whole business model was problematic.
Not their entire business model, just their treatment of non-client businesses and their customers.