Unfortunately, it looks like Paul is going for the die-hard
pay-any-price type, instead of really contributing to the Newton
community. I'm sorry, but $50 for a product that'll only be truly
-useful- to a small fraction of a percentage of the Newton community is
price gouging, particularly when it could be a lot more useful to a lot
more people, simply by lowering the price significantly. At $10 like
Hiroshi's wireless driver, the ATA driver could become ubiquitous. A
real contribution to the community.
As was earlier mentioned, the price parity point between linear flash
and ATA flash is the 128M storage point. How many Newton users have the
desire to keep over 32M of storage, let alone 64 or 128+? At $10 or
even $25, I'd consider getting the driver as a way to support the
community even if I didn't need it. At $50, that's just gouging.
Hiroshi's wireless driver, much more useful, costs 1/5 as much money and
can be used by a lot more Newton owners than the ATA driver. That, in
my opinion, is an example of someone trying to help the community.
This isn't.
If you think 50 EUR is a fair price, then you either have a lot of
expendable money, you're one of the few that -somehow- manages to have a
lot of storage requirements, or you're so blinded by fanaticism that you
fail to see how this kind of thing really isn't very practical.
I suspect a lot more money could be made with this at $10-25 instead of
50, as well as being a larger contribution to the community at large.
How many people here -need- more than 32M? 64M? Is it worth a hundred
bucks to get 128M in a single card instead of four?
I suspect, fanatics who don't mind being gouged aside, the practical use
numbers are miniscule.
-----Original Message-----
From: newtontalk-bounce_at_newtontalk.net
[mailto:newtontalk-bounce_at_newtontalk.net] On Behalf Of PCBman
Sent: Sunday, July 28, 2002 12:55 PM
To: newtontalk_at_newtontalk.net
Subject: Re: [NTLK] [ANN] ATA Support 1.0b13
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joshua Johnston" <flagg_at_midmaine.com>
To: <newtontalk_at_newtontalk.net>
Sent: Saturday, July 27, 2002 11:14 PM
Subject: Re: [NTLK] [ANN] ATA Support 1.0b13
>
> Fifty freakin' euros though? Sorry, but I can much more easily pick
up
> some linear flash on eBay, cheaper.
Yeah, well go ahead and and buy a 256MB linear flash card on ebay -
NOT!!!
Paul has spent a lot of his time developing this driver. Fifty euros is
a
fair price for the ability to use cheaper and larger CF cards.
In reality, you can either afford it or not.
If you CAN'T afford it, you CAN'T afford linear flash cards either.
If you CAN afford it, the money is better spent on cheaper CF cards with
higher capacity.
Either way, the price setting is moot.
Your statement suggests only a partial understanding of the costs
involved
with developing this kind of product.
As for myself, I know that the hundreds of hours I have put into my
SER-001
project and others may never be fully compensated. Paul, myself and a
number
of other developers, both software and hardware, are filled with a
community
spirit and want to enhance this platform.
Do you think that we should do it for little or no compensation?
The recent price reduction of my SER-001 from $62.50 to $42.50 (-32%)
should
serve as an example of the level of commitment we developers have.
Please understand, Joshua, that this is not meant to single you out,
per-se,
but,
as you posted this opinion to the group, I felt that a more
'fleshed-out'
commentary was required.
In conclusion, everyone has their own 'comfort level' when it comes to a
fair price for goods and services. It would seem that you have a lower
'set-point'. This is not a bad thing but IMHO, doesn't apply to the
majority.
Peace,
PCBman
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