[DUG] Delphi Specials

[Jolyon Smith]

Why try to prevent commercial use ?

 

We should be ENCOURAGING commercial use so that the people using it can create something that, in time, will bring them onto the more capable, higher value editions.

 

The sorts of limitations you are describing is exactly the sort of blinkered thinking that led to the aborted Turbo resurrection and the Explorer editions – it’s the mindset of software vendors from the 90’s who weren’t (in the main) competing with entirely free alternatives.  That is: free both of cost AND of such ill-considered limitations.

 

REMOVE features that don’t make sense for a particular level of user, instead of shoe-horning everything in and then imposing limitations.  That approach is just creating a non-expiring TRIAL edition.

 

And as for “pay as you go” pricing... really ?  Why should I be running down the clock on my paid for time when I’m sitting there scratching my head over some code that I’m just looking at?  Hook up an activity timer?   OK, so why should I pay as much when I’m creating a new class as when I’m just refactoring, renaming fields or reformatting code... ?

 

I for one would have ZERO interest in such a pay-for-use model, never mind the technical challenge of trying to implement it adequately well.

 

 

 

But I don’t think we don’t need a $49 version these days.  A $400 entry level version simply stripped of extraneous “Professional level” features with a $200/pa “renewal” (AFTER the first year, not as part of the initial purchase) would be reasonable I would say.

 

 

 

From: delphi-bounces at delphi.org.nz [mailto:delphi-bounces at delphi.org.nz] On Behalf Of John Bird
Sent: Friday, 22 October 2010 11:59
To: NZ Borland Developers Group - Delphi List
Subject: Re: [DUG] Delphi Specials

 

I agree, something with real limitations but real usefulness.   A Turbo version would be great.

 

Possible ideas would be

 

1 – Executables only run on the PC with the Turbo licence.   otherwise full version but cheap

 

2 – Executables have a built in expiry date of 1 year from when compiled. otherwise full version but cheap

 

3 – Executables run only for 1 hour after started, or only 1 hour per day. otherwise full version but cheap

 

4 – Executables have a splash screen or title bar logo that cannot be removed saying “Turbo non commercial version”

 

5 – Will not compile units with more than 1000 lines of code or projects with more than 20 units.   Should prevent any commercial projects....

 

6 – Turbo version for students as E did – cannot install any components. otherwise full version but cheap7

 

7 – (My favourite).   Full Delphi version, totally free, and you pay say $2 or $5/hr to use it, and you can’t get out of the charges – eg you have to buy credit like on a prepaid phone.

 

8 – They offer some combination of these schemes and you have some choice over which ones apply to you.  And you cannot turn all of them off and get around the restrictions.

 

I reckon any of these are not too hard to do, and people wanting a cheap version could do any hobby projects with them.   If the restrictions are real and cannot be got around then make it a $40 version again for old times sake (Turbo Pascal type price)  (except for option 7).

 

How about these ideas Embarcadero?

 

John

 

Yeah. Both you and Wallace are talking about a non or semi commercial situation. I think for someone in business the pricing isn’t too bad but they don’t cover the non commercial market well at all. I don’t think they know how to provide a version that is useful enough for people to use it yet locked down enough that it doesn’t cannabilise their commercial sales. Their competitors that provide free versions either don’t need the full revenue stream (eg Microsoft) or aren’t commercial projects (eg Eclipse). Doesn’t mean they shouldn’t find a solution, in fact it is probably critical. Just means there may not be an easy solution.

 

 

 

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