Once upon a time, there was a fight between some publishers and Amazon because Amazon removed a “Pre-Order” button of books yet to be made (or being made). Well… I don’t recall buying a book before it’s complete, finished, and commented or recommended. Some people do, I don’t.
Back to the question, for me, for software, it’s even easier. Will wait for a complete release, analysis of features, compare with the alternatives including price, then tests, then finally some decision.
So, by your argument, a never finished software will never be bought by me, unless the price is not relevant, and I wish to play with it “for fun” knowing this fact.
-Still waiting the v1.0
-Still waiting testers and testimonials.
-Liking the option possibility while Xojo does not offer their old expected native one.
If Bob stop updating it later, for any reason, users will have the source and can try to fix problems introduced by the OS and Xojo updates, and avoid damage to their business.
Yeah so?
Was there a feature that was requested but not present?
Were there reported bugs that are not fixed?
If the answer to both of those questions are no then there is no reason for an update. I for one appreciate stable software that does not need updating constantly.
@Rick : if nobody buy version 1 and wait for version 2… You’ll never sell one piece of code I’ve buy the Pro edition (with source code) to support the efforts, but still wait some promise features since more than a year. @Bob : A new version in cocoa !! sample templates that has never delivered with the App !! And yes the App seems work as expected trough 10.9…
Being a plugin developer can be frustrating.
Key things are not to promise coming features, fix each bug before the second user reports it and deliver regularly updates to improve things.
Having PDF classes from Bob may be useful, especially as long as we can’t make a plugin for iOS. But I know PDF is a huge topic and the DynaPDF Plugin library is developed now for over 10 years…
[quote=119331:@Christian Schmitz]Being a plugin developer can be frustrating.
Key things are not to promise coming features, fix each bug before the second user reports it and deliver regularly updates to improve things.[/quote]
From the few snippets I shared for free, I had a feeling of what you must be going through.
Who said that? I don’t buy V0.95’s, but buy v1.0 of things I need/desire. Everybody, in need of “something”, affording it, should eventually buy the v1.0 of that “something”… Since that “something” does what you expect it does, or you were a dumb buyer, wasting money in something like a “remote control full of buttons glowing in the dark” but that doesn’t control anything. Testers giving testimonials are not necessarily buyers, but proofs of the quality/usability before the product hit the market.
Have used Kompozer 0.8b3 for years. But it’s free, and there was never any higher version
To be fair, what I liked a lot in MBS was the possibility to try before you buy.
I had a much worse experience with Java4Less Components : the price they have on their (very old) site is not the one they actually charge. It was advertised at 126.00 and the price charged was 135.77 through their online store at Consert.net. Against my gut feeling, I bought anyway. I sent an email to ask why, and never received any reply.
Afterwards, I finally was able to reach a support guy, and his help was adequate. However, I am telling that story because with certain 3rd party vendors, you must know you are on your own.
Next time I need any class or plugin from an unknown company, I will entertain a more abundant email correspondence to check their responsiveness and existence before buying.
To me anyway, a Xojo components supplier who does not attend this forum is kind of suspect. I will always give preference to people who attend this forum. Sam Rowlands, Christian Schmitz, Phillip Zedalis have been extremely responsive any time I needed assistance. This is very precious, and I know they are actually using the product. I have no doubt that Bob Keeney, Brad Hutching and Antony Cyphers all attend this forum and listen to feedback. Even if I did not purchase from them, I have a favorable image.
After reading the rant from the guy at Elastic Window, on the other hand, I will never do business with such a bitter individual obviously more concerned by his ego than by his customers. He may be technically competent, I am afraid he is a terrible businessman.
Subcontractors not only have to deliver a good product, they have to be compatible with their customers. Which does not mean customer is always king. I have observed all too often some people blame Xojo for bug they had themselves created with their flawed code. The same must happen to third party vendors, and it is not their fault if they cannot cure psychological problems…
I don’t care if he is a terrible businessman whatever it means, since he get me what I need by the price I agree. Let me give you a funny example. I’ve rented computers in the past from the most weird person on this planet Ive ever met. He simply chose who he would attend. You should reach him almost imploring with the highest humility possible and hearing a lot of curses. Then you could get out with a contract and renting 40 of their computers by the best price in town and he delivered EVERYTHING as you negotiated. Every phone call to him was unpleasant. But I was satisfied with the final results. Terrible businessman? Maybe / maybe not?
Differently than you, I don’t feel I am capable of doing such harsh judgment of the character of that person or capable of accusing him of psychological problems based on this tiny fragment of his history. I wish to refrain to comment about it. On the other hand, I think that the customer is King, always, but sometimes we must act as the King’s adviser, and if you are a good adviser, the reign can be prosperous under our guidance even obeying the final orders from the King.
You misread my post. For psychological problems, I was referring to some customers who may tend to abuse providers in the name of the customer king principle.
I maybe a grumpy old man with misanthropist tendencies, fact remains that when the owner of a business tells me he is quitting, assorted to a long lament about Xojo, and not a word of concern for current and potential customers, I cannot trust him.
[quote=119556:@Michel Bujardet]You misread my post. For psychological problems, I was referring to some customers who may tend to abuse providers in the name of the customer king principle.
[/quote]
There are a lot of customers that think that because “customers are always right” that they are entitled to abuse the vendor
And I literally mean abuse - verbally, and physically
I own a small store & anyone that pulls that shit on my staff gets told to never come back.
My staff are VERY important and VERY good at what they do.
If a person has a legitimate compliant and we can discus it thats a different story.
We can deal with it like reasonable people.
In 6 years we’ve had the police remove 2 people.
No abuse must be tolerated. But what is an abuse? Exceeding a tolerable limit by force or repetition. So, there is a line. Sometimes WE can contain the Kings behind this line with a bit of patience, calming them, and responding to their demands with actions or explanations and the abuse never rises up. We must try to maintain the order and keeping the Kings visiting us. But people are people and if the world were full of good people there were no prisons. Banning some Queen of Hearts from our reigns sometimes necessary or we will deal with people screaming “Off with their heads!” unnecessarily, all the time, until we get sick. But Queens of Hearts are a minority. But customers, they are really Kings and Queens. Accept that and be happy.
I’ve buy the Pro edition (with source code) to support the efforts, but still wait some promise features since more than a year.