From: Frank Gruendel (newtontalk_at_pda-soft.de)
Date: Wed Apr 06 2005 - 13:49:49 PDT
> Looks like a great Newton game. However, $30 for
> this classic is outrageous, especially in light of
> the fact that there have been no active updates
> since 1998!
There have been no active updates of some of my Newton
software since about 2003. Does this mean my software is worth
less? Of course, all my Newton software is freeware, but if it
wasn't, would its value and usefulness decrease with age?
> It is my belief that the author would benefit by
> dropping the price down to $10.
Sure. He might benefit even more if he dropped it to $5.
Maybe still more if he dropped it to $1.
In terms of money earned, that is. Maybe.
But if he is a decent software seller, he will not sell
software without support. How long does it take one to
earn $10 in one's job? Working at McDonald's, about 90
minutes I'd estimate. Significantly less in most other
jobs. Not even the easiest bug fix can be handled in
that time. If he sold his software at $1,
he'd have one tenth of that per support case before he
starts losing money. And during that time he wouldn't be
able to earn his living.
> But I am not about to pay $30 for a game that would
> only be played once in a blue moon!
Some years ago, I paid about 40 times as much for a TV set
that I'm using about two or three times per decade.
> (I cannot imagine that I am alone in thinking this
> way.)
Unfortunately, I cannot imagine this, either. Many people
think that way. Strangely, I've never in my whole life
heard anybody say "I won't spend THAT much money on
a TV set that I'll only switch on once in a blue moon".
Must have something to do with most people's thinking that
hardware is more valuable than software because one sees
more that one can put a price on.
For software writers like myself the only reason that
keeps them and their family from living under highway
bridges is people's buying their software. People who don't think
my software is worth the price it sells for are welcome to look
elsewhere.
Manufacturers of TV sets sell it at a price that people do or
don't spend. Nobody tells them "hey, you'd sell THAT many
more sets if you dropped the price to $10".=20
Software is no difference. It is up to the
seller to set a price, and nobody forces the buyer to buy.
Sorry. I know I should keep my big mouth shut. It's just that
I'm sick and tired of hearing "this is way too expensive"
alternating with "hey, I have a problem with this here software,
does anyone know how to reach the author...".
Frank
-- Newton software and hardware at http://www.pda-soft.de
-- This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all inquiries Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/ WikiWikiNewt for all kinds of articles: http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/
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