Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!aplcen!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!sdd.hp.com!ucsd!ucbvax!pasteur!sim!bruce From: bruce@sim.uucp (Bruce Burkhalter) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system Subject: Re: After Dark 2.0 - any news? Message-ID: <26740@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> Date: 4 Aug 90 03:48:21 GMT References: <26716@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> <1990Aug3.102021.2770@coral.bucknell.edu> <23497@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU> Sender: news@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU Reply-To: bruce@sim.UUCP (Bruce Burkhalter) Distribution: comp Organization: University of California, Berkeley Lines: 91 In article <23497@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU> isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Ken Hancock) writes: > >I can do this story one better.... > >A friend of mine had a pirate copy of After Dark running on his computer. >I saw it, really liked it, so I ordered a copy from MacConnection for $22. >Now I'm going to have to pay $15 (70% of purchase price) for version 2.0. >So, now I'm getting to pay $37 for the same package that will still cost >$22 from MacConnection. I sometimes have to wonder why I'm honest in the >first place.... > >Adobe is doing the same thing with Adobe Type Manager 2.0. >$20 for twice the speed for 1.2 -- that's not the 70% of the purchase >price, but still about 50%. Because I've decided to support a >company and a new product from the beginning, I'm the one who's >going to get to pay... > >I don't mind paying upgrades for products that are significantly >better, but if the company that makes them doesn't think the new >version is good enough to warrant a price raise, then why am I >getting charge more? > >Ken > > > >-- >Ken Hancock | This account needs a new home in MA... >Isle Systems | Can you provide a link for it? >isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu | It doesn't bite... :-) Ken - I understand what you are saying. We are in a difficult position. We can't raise the list price because we will price ourselves out of the market. Believe me, we think the new version is "good enough" to deserve a raise in price. We have put *a lot* of work into After Dark 2.0 but we can't base the price on that. We have to base it on the competition and what people will pay for this type of program (i.e. utilities). The other problem is the upgrade price. If we make the upgrade price any lower we are virtually giving it away to all registered users. It costs a couple of bucks just to mail it. On the other hand, some may feel the upgrade price is too high with respect to the list price. While After Dark 2.0 is an "upgrade", I think it is a little different. For the most part, After Dark is a collection of modules. In After Dark 2.0, we have added over 10 new modules and greatly enhanced several "old" ones. If we were to sell a disk with only new modules, I think $15 would be a fair price. After Dark 2.0 has lots of new modules and a program that has several new features all for $15. I think that is a lot of stuff for $15. You make a good point about upgrade price with respect to price paid. One thing I think you should look at is how much money is actually being spent. If I bought Word 4.0 for $400 and the upgrade was $300 I would be pretty steamed mainly because that is lot of money. Even though the $15 upgrade price for After Dark may seem high becasue you paid $22 (which is nearly half the $40 list price), it is still not a large amount of money. I would hope most people could afford a $15 upgrade regardless of what they originally paid for the program. While this does not necessarily "justify" the price, I think it is a point to consider when you look at the upgrade price ratio. One other point, which I think is important, is the use you get out of a program. I use Suitcase, Boomerang, and init/cdev everyday several times a day. The "price/performance" ratio is very high. These relatively inexpensive programs really help me get my work done. I hope After Dark falls into that catagory. There are very few applications that I use day in and day out. While I need a drawing program, I don't use it a whole lot. I spent a couple hundred bucks for something I don't use a lot. When looking at the upgrade price for After Dark 2.0, please consider the points I have presented. I glad that you bought After Dark 1.0 and like it. I know there are a ton of pirated copies and it is easy to just get a copy from a friend. I really respect people who resist that temptation. All I can say is to try After Dark 2.0. I hope you feel it is worth the $15 upgrade. If you don't, I can respect that opinion and hope you will continue to enjoy After Dark 1.0. Bruce Burkhalter After Dark Guy Berkeley Systems, Inc.