For some reason I still am opted into emails from Hilton even though I publicly announced my departure from the Hilton Honors program earlier this year. Maybe it’s hope that something relevant will come through email or maybe it’s Schadenfreude from watching the program slip further and further away from credibility.
Either way, I couldn’t help but laugh when I got an email offer yesterday to buy CD-ROMs in exchange for a “free night” at Hilton.
Note: Before reading further I want to say that my commentary is not debating the utility of the Rosetta Stone programs. I hear that they work quite well. I just think that a CD-ROM as a delivery method for content sounds like a stone-aged proposition.
Which is More Worthless a CD-ROM Set or Hilton Honors Points?
That leads me to ask the question, what is a more dated proposition: Using a CD-ROM to learn in an era where many new computers are shipping without a CD-ROM drive or the prospect of using 25,000 Hilton Honors points to actually receive a free night?
The Case Against CD-ROMs
With the electronic delivery of files through streaming cloud services, a single DVD with all Rosetta Stone programs or even a thumb drive with whatever tools you need is the future of content delivery on computers. The idea of loading several CD-ROM disks onto our computers is such a 1990’s thing. Any CD-ROMs purchased today run the risk of not being readable by the majority of computers in 3-5 years.
Think about it, when was the last time you actually purchased a CD-ROM for anything?
The Case Against Hilton Honors Points
With the devaluation of Hilton Honors points earlier this year, 25k points will not get you very far. In fact, I think it is not very easy to find a decent international Hilton hotel that has rooms readily available for those 25,000 points.
The idea of finding a decent hotel room for 25,000 points is highly unlikely at most Hilton properties located abroad.
If you look at Hilton’s award chart above, it is only their bottom 3 tiers of hotels that actually fit into these categories. Most hotels do not fall into these categories, especially outside of the US.
Buyer Beware
If you want to learn a new language and already plan to purchase Rosetta Stone, the extra 25k points from Hilton should be looked at as a nice bonus. It should not be a deciding factor.
If you do choose to sign up for Rosetta Stone, try looking for an electronic or tablet friendly version to set yourself up for continued use in the future.
Prognosis
While they may not be totally obsolete today, but it’s only a matter of time before a set of CD-ROM’s and 25,000 Hilton honors points will no longer hold any value. I don’t think I will miss either very much.