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I like you think some DBaaS vendor is reading this, thinking of how to offer an always-on fully managed, backed up, and replicated database for $2/mo. Nobody w

I like you think some DBaaS vendor is reading this, thinking of how to offer an always-on fully managed, backed up, and replicated database for $2/mo. Nobody wants a customer who values a service like that at $2.

bigiain 2y ago
> Nobody wants a customer who values a service like that at $2. I agree. But... Reading the OPs post in the most favourable light, it sounds like what he'd like would be the existing "free" service, but to have a wait to pay for it in an attempt to ensure it'll still be worthwhile for the company to keep it running long term. They say 'the cost for an "active but lightly used database" is somewhere between $1 and $2.5 per month.' so it's at least the right order of magnitude. But one single support call to an entitled "paying customer" blows away any benefit here, so you're probably right that it's a bad idea.
- hipadev23 2y ago
  The thing is free are just customers you haven’t upsold yet. You can always boot them off your platform eventually, and they cant really complain, cause it’s free tier and it never lasts, and most everyone recognizes that. But accept $2? Now you’re knowingly taking money from a cheapass, and you owe them some level of service, support, and commitment as they’re paying you. Free customers are worth so much more than $2 customers.
- chillfox 2y ago
  Some sort of service targeting hobby projects could possibly work if the support is a community forum. Guess you would have to do yearly billing to not have it all eaten by processing fees.
- antifa 2y ago
  Then don't offer support for bottom tier customers.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
Too 2y ago
It should be possible to pay for something while still having “best effort under shared resources” as the expected service level. Compare local bus tickets vs taking a cab. The taxi costs 20x more, but in the best case scenario, they provide exactly the same value! If the bus is late, cold or overcrowded, I have no expectations to get refunded or even an apology. I just have to suck it up. This happens rarely enough that I still accept it and hand over my trust to them. There is no illusion that my $2 bus ticket alone is enough to keep the bus running, in contrast with the cab. (Bus companies having a tough time to profit is an orthagonal issue, taxi drivers struggle a lot too)

bigiain 2y ago

> Nobody wants a customer who values a service like that at $2. I agree. But... Reading the OPs post in the most favourable light, it sounds like what he'd like would be the existing "free" service, but to have a wait to pay for it in an attempt to ensure it'll still be worthwhile for the company to keep it running long term. They say 'the cost for an "active but lightly used database" is somewhere between $1 and $2.5 per month.' so it's at least the right order of magnitude. But one single support call to an entitled "paying customer" blows away any benefit here, so you're probably right that it's a bad idea.

hipadev23 2y ago
The thing is free are just customers you haven’t upsold yet. You can always boot them off your platform eventually, and they cant really complain, cause it’s free tier and it never lasts, and most everyone recognizes that. But accept $2? Now you’re knowingly taking money from a cheapass, and you owe them some level of service, support, and commitment as they’re paying you. Free customers are worth so much more than $2 customers.
chillfox 2y ago
Some sort of service targeting hobby projects could possibly work if the support is a community forum. Guess you would have to do yearly billing to not have it all eaten by processing fees.
antifa 2y ago
Then don't offer support for bottom tier customers.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

Too 2y ago

It should be possible to pay for something while still having “best effort under shared resources” as the expected service level. Compare local bus tickets vs taking a cab. The taxi costs 20x more, but in the best case scenario, they provide exactly the same value! If the bus is late, cold or overcrowded, I have no expectations to get refunded or even an apology. I just have to suck it up. This happens rarely enough that I still accept it and hand over my trust to them. There is no illusion that my $2 bus ticket alone is enough to keep the bus running, in contrast with the cab. (Bus companies having a tough time to profit is an orthagonal issue, taxi drivers struggle a lot too)