Wish: Stop giving away XYplorer through lifetime license

[admin]

Having slept over it, here's my status quo concerning license policy:

- Both the "Introduction License" (10$, no support, no upgrades) and the "Lifetime License" (50$ or so, support, all upgrades free) are different from what is usually offered on shareware sites. So my original problem is not solved: people will not immediately or at all understand what they get for their money. On Cnet, for example, they will either print "$49.95 to buy", or "$10.00 to buy", with no additional info. Both prices will look a bit suspicious, I think -- either too costy or to cheap.

- Option: offer yet 2 more licenses, the "Standard License" for $29.95, which is what most licenses are: the right to use the current major version (6.x). Plus an "Upgrade License" ($14.95), which will work only for those who already have the Standard License. (This could be handled without a database, by the way, but locally within the app, since the app knows whether a valid Standard License is present, so it knows if it can accept an Upgrade License.)

I will give this a little thinking (some weeks) to let it ripen, also because it'd be a bunch of extra work to implement all this and make it crack-safe. One thing, however, is quite sure already: The Lifetime License for merely $29.50 will not be there much longer. It was a worthwhile experiment that failed.

Right now I will talk a little louder about the (still $29.50) LIFETIME license on the web site... you'll see that today when I publish 6.30!

[admin]

(2) The regular donation idea is a flop. It does not happen. There are exactly 5 users which give regular donations, which is absolutely fantastic and keeps me going. Without those donations I might have given up.

I should add: I'm equally grateful for each review (let alone the XYwiki, the Beginners' Tutorial, and similar engagements!!), and many of you have "donated" reviews. A good review in the right place is worth much more than a $20 donation! So, you can help XYplorer survive without giving money!

[jacky]

Just to add: you don't even need to make new major version any "big", it's worthwhile anyways since by definition the update would go the the whole 7.x branch, therefore including all future (minor) updates to come...

Agreed! But for marketing purposes, it would seem to be a good thing to have at least one major change timed to match a change to the 6.x/7.x version and so forth...

Uh I did not get jacky's part and neither jc's answer. What are you talking about?

@jc: Not really, I mean when 7.00 is released, listing all that's been done since 6.00 would be quite enough, don't you think?

@Don: What we're saying is, when you do license for 6.x branch, there's no need to have 7.00 be a "big" release with lots of new features/etc, as it has all improvments from 6.00 and includes all to come until 8.00.
Does that make any sense now, or still as confusing?

But it's unfair: It's a very good deal when you happen to start with 6.00 but a very bad one when you start with 6.90.

Yeah, but that's true all the time. Even when there's only one new version released every so often ("a la" Windows), buy v3 and v4 comes out the next month, while some bought their v3 two years ago, it's the same.
That's why one thing that might be nice, is to have a rule that says, if a new major version is released within like 2 weeks after one bought a license, they get a free (major) upgrade.


I think having the Lifetime license on one hand, and Standard/Upgrade licenses on the other is a good thing. I also believe that there should be some kind of "Lifetime Upgrade" license, so if one has a Standard license he can get a lifetime for less than the newcomers.

[admin]

But it's unfair: It's a very good deal when you happen to start with 6.00 but a very bad one when you start with 6.90.

Yeah, but that's true all the time. Even when there's only one new version released every so often ("a la" Windows), buy v3 and v4 comes out the next month, while some bought their v3 two years ago, it's the same.
That's why one thing that might be nice, is to have a rule that says, if a new major version is released within like 2 weeks after one bought a license, they get a free (major) upgrade.

Well, on a 2nd thought (and some sleep), I could easily handle a license that's bought for 6.30 and is valid till/including 7.29. So that's 1 major build taking in account the minor build fractions. Simple arithmetics.

Technically it would work like this:
- my key generator would know the current version, say 6.30. (= I'd have to update it with each new official release)
- it would generate keys that will have that version info embedded.
- so the app unlocked by this key does know: I'm running on a 6.30 license.
- this app will keep on running until its own version is >= 7.30, or generally: until AppVersion minus LicenseVersion >= 1.00.
- at that point the app will ask the user to get an upgrade license.

[jacky]

Technically it would work like this:
- my key generator would know the current version, say 6.30. (= I'd have to update it with each new official release)
- it would generate keys that will have that version info embedded.
- so the app unlocked by this key does know: I'm running on a 6.30 license.
- this app will keep on running until its own version is >= 7.30, or generally: until AppVersion minus LicenseVersion >= 1.00.
- at that point the app will ask the user to get an upgrade license.

Interresting, sounds good yeah. But it should be made very clear than a license for x.y is valid up to (x+1).y (so a full major version course)

Also, if you go that way there might be a need for you to keep older versions available for download. Because if one downloads a version only to realize it's not part of his fee upgrades no more, he might want to download back the last version his license is valid for.
And then, your system means not keeping the last version of each major branch (last 6.x, 7.x, etc) but ALL versions!!

[jacky]

Right now I will talk a little louder about the (still $29.50) LIFETIME license on the web site... you'll see that today when I publish 6.30!

- If you intend to change the price of Lifetime license, I'd say you might even emphasize more on the low price of the lifetime license, make it a "special deal" or "limited time offer" thing, to urge people to take the deal now...

- I like those "blue checked bubble" pictures on the "What's New" page, very nice!

[admin]

Technically it would work like this:
- my key generator would know the current version, say 6.30. (= I'd have to update it with each new official release)
- it would generate keys that will have that version info embedded.
- so the app unlocked by this key does know: I'm running on a 6.30 license.
- this app will keep on running until its own version is >= 7.30, or generally: until AppVersion minus LicenseVersion >= 1.00.
- at that point the app will ask the user to get an upgrade license.

Interresting, sounds good yeah. But it should be made very clear than a license for x.y is valid up to (x+1).y (so a full major version course)

Also, if you go that way there might be a need for you to keep older versions available for download. Because if one downloads a version only to realize it's not part of his fee upgrades no more, he might want to download back the last version his license is valid for.
And then, your system means not keeping the last version of each major branch (last 6.x, 7.x, etc) but ALL versions!!

True, good points! Probably it's better to follow the mainstream and just mind the big numbers, unfair as it is. Saves a lot of explaining, too.

[admin]

Right now I will talk a little louder about the (still $29.50) LIFETIME license on the web site... you'll see that today when I publish 6.30!

- If you intend to change the price of Lifetime license, I'd say you might even emphasize more on the low price of the lifetime license, make it a "special deal" or "limited time offer" thing, to urge people to take the deal now...

Oh, yes, definitely. It's already planned... just looking for some graphics...

- I like those "blue checked bubble" pictures on the "What's New" page, very nice!

Oh yeah, me too! Take them for the wiki if there's use for them...

[graham]

Technically it would work like this:
- my key generator would know the current version, say 6.30. (= I'd have to update it with each new official release)
- it would generate keys that will have that version info embedded.
- so the app unlocked by this key does know: I'm running on a 6.30 license.
- this app will keep on running until its own version is >= 7.30, or generally: until AppVersion minus License Version >= 1.00.
- at that point the app will ask the user to get an upgrade license.

I understand this approach but I do feel that in addition, actively keeping the user informed is important to securing either an upgrade or whatever is on offer. What I suggest is that you do not wait until the expiry date is about to happen but keep providing a news email of changes, enhancements and key user techniques on a regular basis. This is an opportunity to sell direct and keep the user interested. and learn more about XY. Yes they can do like me and look at the guides and forum but many don't, however a simple and short email may just make them take action.

Advertising does work and this email is a sophisticated advert.

[jacky]

I understand this approach but I do feel that in addition, actively keeping the user informed is important to securing either an upgrade or whatever is on offer. What I suggest is that you do not wait until the expiry date is about to happen but keep providing a news email of changes, enhancements and key user techniques on a regular basis. This is an opportunity to sell direct and keep the user interested. and learn more about XY. Yes they can do like me and look at the guides and forum but many don't, however a simple and short email may just make them take action.

Advertising does work and this email is a sophisticated advert.

I agree that sending emails with latest news, eg. at each new release sending the list of main new changes (as found on the what's new page) is a good idea.
It should, however, never be "forced" on anyone, especially in those time of spam. You could have a free XY newsletter to which anyone could subscribe, with latest changes of new version, reminder that anyone having a license of current branch can upgrade for free, etc ; but nothing unsolicited.

[j_c_hallgren]

Just to add: you don't even need to make new major version any "big", it's worthwhile anyways since by definition the update would go the the whole 7.x branch, therefore including all future (minor) updates to come...

Agreed! But for marketing purposes, it would seem to be a good thing to have at least one major change timed to match a change to the 6.x/7.x version and so forth...

Uh I did not get jacky's part and neither jc's answer. What are you talking about?

@jc: Not really, I mean when 7.00 is released, listing all that's been done since 6.00 would be quite enough, don't you think?

@Don: What we're saying is, when you do license for 6.x branch, there's no need to have 7.00 be a "big" release with lots of new features/etc, as it has all improvments from 6.00 and includes all to come until 8.00.
Does that make any sense now, or still as confusing?

My point was that, if we're, let's say, at maybe 6.70 or above but within the 6.x, any feature that would get a "+++" in log could possibly wait until 7.0, and maybe if there were at least two of these, that would give some more specific and definite value to the new branch...but might delay someone from buying now also, depending on how much time elapses...

I realize that it would be a catch-up of all changes since last one, but I think having something unique to that major branch would be a plus...just my $.02!

But it's unfair: It's a very good deal when you happen to start with 6.00 but a very bad one when you start with 6.90.

Yeah, but that's true all the time. Even when there's only one new version released every so often ("a la" Windows), buy v3 and v4 comes out the next month, while some bought their v3 two years ago, it's the same.
That's why one thing that might be nice, is to have a rule that says, if a new major version is released within like 2 weeks after one bought a license, they get a free (major) upgrade.

I'd make the time period at least 30 days...I've seen as much as 90 days, but that seems a bit too long based on how often XY changes...two weeks is just a tad too quick based on various other product policies...

I also believe that there should be some kind of "Lifetime Upgrade" license, so if one has a Standard license he can get a lifetime for less than the newcomers.

That's why I suggested the method of once they have paid at least as much as lifetime, that they could switch to that...yes, it might need to be a semi-manual process, but how often would it occur? I think that ability would overcome some hesitation a new user might have in going for the lifetime up front, and once they see the benefits of XY, they wouldn't be penalized much more for doing it that way.

[j_c_hallgren]

I agree that sending emails with latest news, eg. at each new release sending the list of main new changes (as found on the what's new page) is a good idea.
It should, however, never be "forced" on anyone, especially in those time of spam. You could have a free XY newsletter to which anyone could subscribe, with latest changes of new version, reminder that anyone having a license of current branch can upgrade for free, etc ; but nothing unsolicited.

I get a few of these from various other software products, many of which I'm using just the free/lite vers, and I don't mind them...

I think I may have suggested it before, but a similar thing could be a RSS feed of the change log updates...users could subscribe to it and it wouldn't get blocked by spam filters...now it may not be everyone who uses RSS (I do on occasion), but another approach worth looking at...

Hey...how about...an XY podcast or webcast? You could discuss the new features and tips and such...even if it were only maybe 10 min, it'd be something quite unique!

[admin]

I understand this approach but I do feel that in addition, actively keeping the user informed is important to securing either an upgrade or whatever is on offer. What I suggest is that you do not wait until the expiry date is about to happen but keep providing a news email of changes, enhancements and key user techniques on a regular basis. This is an opportunity to sell direct and keep the user interested. and learn more about XY. Yes they can do like me and look at the guides and forum but many don't, however a simple and short email may just make them take action.

Advertising does work and this email is a sophisticated advert.

I agree that sending emails with latest news, eg. at each new release sending the list of main new changes (as found on the what's new page) is a good idea.
It should, however, never be "forced" on anyone, especially in those time of spam. You could have a free XY newsletter to which anyone could subscribe, with latest changes of new version, reminder that anyone having a license of current branch can upgrade for free, etc ; but nothing unsolicited.

I agree. By any chance: can you give me a hint how a newsletter service is set up? I could research it myself, but maybe you (or anybody here!) know already.

[axfleming]

I am happy to see that my outburst did not cause offense, but instead, constructive dialog.

In response to people wondering why the benefit of the lifetime license does not get more airplay...

In our age, people have a distrust for something that appears to be "too much of a good deal".

All we have to do is look at one example: Linux.

Superior in every way to Windows, yet most don't trust it because it is free.

People respect your product because of the price associated with it.

Another example:

Diamonds are essentially worthless, the value based primarily on restrictions on supply, and clever marketing gimmicks such as,
"Diamonds are a girl's best friend"

If you care about XYplorer, you need to appreciate why the lifetime license is just bad business, no matter how you look at it.

[axfleming]

I agree. By any chance: can you give me a hint how a newsletter service is set up? I could research it myself, but maybe you (or anybody here!) know already.

Yes, because you spend so much time adding new features.

I have used XYplorer every day since last year, and I probably use only about 25% of its features.

Your product is excellent!

Take a break on adding new features and spend a month or so just researching options on how best to promote XYplorer to a wider audience!