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Yeah the problem with software these days is the constant upgrade cycle. Own-it-for-life means "I expect free updates for the next 20 years" which as we've see
by lamontcg 4y ago
Yeah the problem with software these days is the constant upgrade cycle.
Own-it-for-life means "I expect free updates for the next 20 years" which as we've seen with the mIRC author isn't the best business model. Turns the software developer into indentured servitude to all the people who bought it in the past.
The JetBrains model where you own it up need to rent it to get upgrades seems to work reasonably well, but given how languages like C# and Rust are moving forwards all the time you want get those upgrades. Since I want to see the developers doing that work for me, it seems rational that I should be paying them.
- acaloiar 4y agoI'm curious what you know about the mIRC author's story. As a former mIRC user, I imagine it's interesting lore from the shareware era. Writing mIRC scripts was some of the first "programming" I ever did. Good times.
- Izkata 4y agoThis was posted on here two weeks ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33864660 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33864660
- lamontcg 4y agoI think this is a link to the mIRC issue: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33864660 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33864660 (Whatever perf issue HN is happening makes it hard to figure out right now)
- hermitcrab 4y agoOffering free upgrades for life is almost always a terrible idea: https://successfulsoftware.net/2008/09/08/should-i-give-free-upgrades-for-life/ https://successfulsoftware.net/2008/09/08/should-i-give-free... And offering upgrades for life and then trying to backtrack on it is even worse.
- urthor 4y agoStrongly disagree with the linked article. Individual customers, and corporate customers, are wildly different. The "buy it for life" business model works very well if you're trying to launch a mass market product to individuals. In your first year of a product, those users who'll pay upfront 3 years of subscriptions for a "lifetime pass" are an awe-inspiringly useful customer segment to identify. They're your way to run experiments to find "what am I doing well and how can I do more of it." Plus, they're effectively loaning your business money against future revenues. During the first 2 years of your product, that's an amazing deal all round. Just... never, ever, let corporations "buy it for life." Corporations will exploit by it for life dramatically.
- chillfox 4y agoLooks like short term thinking to me. Great for the next two years, but a problem after that, but hey can always have another job by then so it will be someone else problem.
- urthor 4y agoWell, you gotta make sure only 10% of users purchase. Not 50%.
- hermitcrab 4y agoAre you claiming that offering someone a lifetime license will increase the conversion rate by x 5? if so, that seems incredibly unlikely.
- hermitcrab 4y agoI was talking about never changing anyone for upgrades. Making a special deal for an early cohort is a little different. But what happens if you abandon the product before the 3 years. Do you stiff those users or give them their money back?