> I think it's very interesting how deeply culturally embedded the notion that a service wants customers is.
By definition, a “service” is to serve. Even if you are the only “customer”, it’s still serving someone. And most people have this notion because most services do, in fact, serve other customers, and that’s their main purpose. Not sure why that’s surprising.
> I don't really care whether you use the site or not, I made it for me and you can use it if you pay for your resources.
Going through the effort to make this a publicly accessible service with copy explaining how to use it and what it costs, implies that you at least care enough to serve other customers to go through the effort to do that much.
That’s just one definition. According to Google and the Oxford dictionary, the first definition of a service is “the action of helping or doing work for someone”.
It does not need to involve customers or even be a business transaction.
Sure, but the OP is implying that this “service” is intended for himself primarily, without regard to anyone else consuming it; that it’s odd for “service” to imply it should be used by multiple consumers. When, in fact, most services exist for the consumption of multiple consumers.
By definition, a “service” is to serve. Even if you are the only “customer”, it’s still serving someone. And most people have this notion because most services do, in fact, serve other customers, and that’s their main purpose. Not sure why that’s surprising.
> I don't really care whether you use the site or not, I made it for me and you can use it if you pay for your resources.
Going through the effort to make this a publicly accessible service with copy explaining how to use it and what it costs, implies that you at least care enough to serve other customers to go through the effort to do that much.