The End of the Lifetime License

[admin]

XYplorer user number one bought the Lifetime License on 19.April.2000 for USD 25.00 and is still using it today with the current version without any additional payment ever. That's more than 12 years. And user number one will continue using it as long as he wishes, with free upgrades forever. And this is true, of course, for all Lifetime License holders of XYplorer: The Lifetime License never expires and you get free upgrades forever. And it is a per-user license, so you can use it on all of your machines. So the XYplorer Lifetime License is obviously the best license you can possibly get for a software. With other software the term "Lifetime License" often means something different, something less valuable (see e.g. http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/inde ... ic=28276.0). The differences in usage naturally blur the term "Lifetime License" and potential customers get confused about what they get for their money. This is good for those who offer a bad "Lifetime License", but bad for those who offer a good "Lifetime License".

So here's the news: After more than 12 years I will cease to offer the Lifetime License for XYplorer. Of course, all Lifetime Licenses already sold are NOT affected by this at all. But there will be no new Lifetime Licenses. Also the Home Edition is discontinued. Beginning with the publication of XYplorer 12.00 (planned for January 2013) only one type of license will be offered, the Standard License Pro. Still a great license with free upgrades for about one year, and you can use it on all of your machines. And, another news, I will introduce an upgrade discount for it.

Yeah, the end of an era. But the Lifetime License was simply too good for its price, and the price was too high for those who didn't understand how good it was. A situation which is not sustainable economically in the long run.

[PeterH]

Basically I understand these ideas...
(...especially as I'm not affected. )

But I think I would give it another name:
instead of "forcing" customers to buy a new (but cheaper) license (as if the old license would have "lost it's value") - wouldn't it sound better to sell them upgrades?
From my POV it sounds much better - though it may be the same thing.

[admin]

But I think I would give it another name:
instead of "forcing" customers to buy a new (but cheaper) license (as if the old license would have "lost it's value") - wouldn't it sound better to sell them upgrades?
From my POV it sounds much better - though it may be the same thing.

Yes, and I said so:

And, another news, I will introduce an upgrade discount for it.

[binocular222]

Totally agree.
And you need better anti-piracy method too. There're tons of life-time registration keys around the web now, thus hacking XYplorer is quite easy.

[Borut]

There're tons of life-time registration keys around the web now, thus hacking XYplorer is quite easy.

Yes. Don, even not knowing selling statistics and the like, I believe that this is your most important danger. There are areas in this world, where it is almost a matter of principle not to pay for a software.

Many years ago I have been using a hacked commercial editor for a long time, before in the end actually buying it. But I think that it is not a good idea to count on illegal users to once realize how good XYplorer is and that your continuous development and support efforts are of epic proportions and - based on such a thinking - buy XYplorer in the end.

This is - in my view - a very difficult topic. Your corporate philosophy of selling a portable application and not treating paying users as pirates is really a very gentlemen-like one. It is something that makes me feel very good as a user of XYplorer. It is something that makes me try to help you, in my case not with donation of further money, but my time (of which quite a bit is due to my use of XYplorer!).

We are by far not living in a perfect world. I am afraid that you have to count on intended or (partially) unintended misuse of licenses. Unfortunately, I have no solution to these questions to offer, but I feel that they are becoming increasingly important in the face of the MLS introduction in v12.

[Filehero]

But the Lifetime License was simply too good for its price, ...

That's was irritaing me the most the first time I'd stumbled over it. "wtf, 50 bucks for a real lifetime license? Is he totally crazy?"

Well, I'm happy I did grab it.

Well 2, LL owners could still donate in the future anyway.


Cheers,
Filehero

[admin]

I'm aware of it, but I don't see as such a problem. I'm also aware of Sturgeon's Law ("ninety percent of everything is crap") and surely it also extends to people. But we have 7 billion of them. I'm happy with the 700 million remaining. You know, my Cus­tomer Sat­is­fac­tion Score is incredible, it must be somewhere at 99,99 % (I sometimes feel like leading North Korea), IOW everybody who ever bought XY is totally happy with this decision ever after. This is the positive energy that keeps my motor running. I don't care about the assholes that betray me, they can pogue mahone. I find it totally uncreative and ultimately self-destructive to put energy into anti-asshole measures. They are hopeless losers and it's not my job to make them better people. My job is to make a good machine.

[PeterH]

But I think I would give it another name:
instead of "forcing" customers to buy a new (but cheaper) license (as if the old license would have "lost it's value") - wouldn't it sound better to sell them upgrades?
From my POV it sounds much better - though it may be the same thing.

Yes, and I said so:

And, another news, I will introduce an upgrade discount for it.

Ah - now I understand - but it's the wording...

The word "discount" seems to say it's a discounted new version.
While I think an upgrade isn't discounted: it costs what an update has to cost. (Sure: less than a new license )
A "discounted upgrade" would be an upgrade that's "cheaper than a normal upgrade", I think.

[admin]

But I think I would give it another name:
instead of "forcing" customers to buy a new (but cheaper) license (as if the old license would have "lost it's value") - wouldn't it sound better to sell them upgrades?
From my POV it sounds much better - though it may be the same thing.

Yes, and I said so:

And, another news, I will introduce an upgrade discount for it.

Ah - now I understand - but it's the wording...

The word "discount" seems to say it's a discounted new version.
While I think an upgrade isn't discounted: it costs what an update has to cost. (Sure: less than a new license )
A "discounted upgrade" would be an upgrade that's "cheaper than a normal upgrade", I think.

OK, that might be true. I will eventually find out the best wording for it.

[j_c_hallgren]

Yeah, the end of an era. But the Lifetime License was simply too good for its price, and the price was too high for those who didn't understand how good it was. A situation which is not sustainable economically in the long run.

Fully agreed! That's why every year so far, I've made a small donation to Don to show my appreciation for his work and while it's not been that much $$, it's what I can justify to myself as at least something to help with his expenses...

Now as to how to price it: I have only bought about 3-4 software products in all the years of using a PC (that's NOT including the required annual IRS/Tax return pgms which are a business expense) and so I'd have to say: what would I pay on annual basis for something like XY? I pay $12 a year for POP3 access and bonus features to my primary email acct (created long before GMail existed)...I pay about $12 a year to avoid ads on my http://www.freewebs.com/pleasantforestshores/ website...so I'm trying to think as a normal person here: Woud I pay $12-15 a year for updates to XY? Is that too little or about right? I'm thinking it might be enough to gain some needed revenue but not so much that it would turn away users...because right now, I pay about $12-15 a year for my tax program....

If someone can't afford a $1 or so a month to keep updated on XY as much as it's developed, I think they are not seeing worth of it....

What you may want to look at: a slight discount for 2 yrs of updates! My local newspaper has this pricing scheme...and so does my pest control service...maybe something like $15 year or $25 for 2 yrs or equiv vers....about a 15% discount.

[serendipity]

... simply too good for its price...

Fully agree. For a product as superior as XY the lifetime license is as good as a freeware.
Curious to see how the product and upgrades are priced.

[40k]

I'm aware of it, but I don't see as such a problem. I'm also aware of Sturgeon's Law ("ninety percent of everything is crap") and surely it also extends to people. But we have 7 billion of them. I'm happy with the 700 million remaining. You know, my Cus­tomer Sat­is­fac­tion Score is incredible, it must be somewhere at 99,99 % (I sometimes feel like leading North Korea), IOW everybody who ever bought XY is totally happy with this decision ever after. This is the positive energy that keeps my motor running. I don't care about the assholes that betray me, they can pogue mahone. I find it totally uncreative and ultimately self-destructive to put energy into anti-asshole measures. They are hopeless losers and it's not my job to make them better people. My job is to make a good machine.

You know I'm actually one of those people who used your software with a pirate key for the longest time. Until I realized it's probably the best piece of software I've ever used. My usage statistics for Xyplorer.exe must be a couple thousand hours at the least.

So I figured you earned my 50 bucks. And perhaps I'll buy a license here and there in the future to give you some extra support. Or you could just set up a Paypal account or Chip-in or something

[j_c_hallgren]

So I figured you earned my 50 bucks. And perhaps I'll buy a license here and there in the future to give you some extra support. Or you could just set up a Paypal account or Chip-in or something

There's always the donation page at http://www.xyplorer.com/donation.htm to give some holiday cheer to our favorite coding Santa Don!

[kodyman]

I’ve read stories of software developers reneging on their lifetime software licenses in one form or fashion. And in a much shorter time span than 12 years from introduction. Hell, in computer years 12 is a lifetime.

I think it is very gracious of Don and says a lot about his integrity to honor his commitment to his lifetime agreement. Even though my lifetime license is only a couple of years old I’ll also send a donation once in a while, if nothing else so Don can buy a “refreshment” of his choice.
Thanks Don!

[Filehero]

I think it is very gracious of Don and says a lot about his integrity to honor his commitment to his lifetime agreement. Even though my lifetime license is only a couple of years old I’ll also send a donation once in a while, if nothing else so Don can buy a “refreshment” of his choice.
Thanks Don!

Cheers,
Filehero