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The Mac Bundles - Thoughts?

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WalrusCP

WalrusCP

Big Game Hunter

from NoVA
897 posts

I have to agree with those who argue the increased user base. I wouldn't have bought near the number of shareware apps that I have if it were not for MU and MH bundles (oh, and MacZot). Several that I never heard of or never would have bought because of price now get my business in paid updates (e.g., never would have shelled any money to DVD Remaster Pro if not for MU bundle last year. They got $10 from me in January to upgrade.)

The fact of the matter is, whether devs like it or not, the landscape has changed as the field is now filled with more purchasers who are not the typical geeks of yore who would pay $30+ for apps like Graphic Converter (ah, memories). Personally, I think there is still room for both models to exist (I have bought direct licenses (albeit with coupons) for Cocktail, 1PW, and a couple other choice apps), but I think many devs who have been flexible are benefiting big time. Like it or not, the bundles are not going away any time soon (if ever).

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June 3, 2009 7:01 pm
j3snyder

j3snyder

Big Game Hunter

from Yerington, NV
938 posts

Devs should also consider the fact that there are so many shareware options for any task that getting promotion from a bundle will help them stand out.  For example, I don't have time to test all sorts of shareware extensively, then decide which to buy.  however, if I pay for a program (albeit I pay very little), I am more likely to test it more thoroughly and upgrade as a result since I am invested in it.  For example, i used wallet for a while, loved it, was going to upgrade since I hadn't experienced any other version.  Then I found 1password, and since it was free invested energy in seing if it would replace wallet.  it did.  Same with cuteclips vs iclip.  The debate on little snapper vs voila is raging on my computer as I speak, yet neither would have been even tested if it were not for bundles.  May the best software win.

On the other hand, I downloaded trial mellel, never opened it (since I wasn't invested), and deleted it after my trial period was over.  I have something else already that does basically the same thing (actually several something elses including Word, scrivener, writeroom, and bean).

Referrals for your consideration:
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June 3, 2009 7:06 pm
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Sky Pirate

1,889 posts

lambolover242 wrote:
BigMark wrote:

Something else has occurred to me... I'd not heard of James Thomson or his products beofre the discussions on the MacHeist forums big_smile.

Like most people... wink

Not like most people. Perhaps by many recent switchers.
DragThing has been around since 1995. It has continually evolved, and has received praise from numerous publications. Not just for the initial version as is the case with some apps that get worse over time, but with subsequent releases.
Many Mac users are familiar with DragThing as well as DragStrip which was an inferior competing product that copied DragThing's concept and part of its name.

It is very reasonably priced, support is excellent, and upgrades fees are cheap and infrequent.

While the current bundle may not have the ideal marketing approach or timing, they can certainly learn from this experience and improve next time around. If I didn't have most of the bundled apps I would definitely buy it.
After all, it's about the developers. I prefer to give my money to these type of developers than to marketing people.
Hopefully newer Mac users and recent switchers will find out about these applications and their developers.

I mentioned that I got Default Folder as part of a bundle. IIRC the same thing happened with Spell Catcher. I think I got it in a Casady & Greene bundle.

Look Ma, no teeth!

June 3, 2009 7:36 pm
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Sky Pirate

1,889 posts

j3snyder wrote:

...May the best software win...

Unfortunately these days its about the more popular software, regardless of quality.
Many bundles have included awful applications with a lot of hype and little or no development or long-term support.
When I buy a bundle, it's often because of a few applications, and I get a lot of mediocre apps as a package deal. I would rather give that money directly to the developers of the applications I use. Mass appeal seems to be more relevant than high-quality.

Look Ma, no teeth!

June 3, 2009 7:50 pm
j3snyder

j3snyder

Big Game Hunter

from Yerington, NV
938 posts

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon wrote:
j3snyder wrote:

...May the best software win...

Unfortunately these days its about the more popular software, regardless of quality.
Many bundles have included awful applications with a lot of hype and little or no development or long-term support.
When I buy a bundle, it's often because of a few applications, and I get a lot of mediocre apps as a package deal. I would rather give that money directly to the developers of the applications I use. Mass appeal seems to be more relevant than high-quality.

More power to you for having time to figure out which programs best suit your needs and buying directly from the developers (though how does that jive with getting so many of your apps previously mentioned from bundles?  If a person truly wants to support a developer, they ought to purchase the software apart from the bundles, and promote it whether or not its in a bundle.

Referrals for your consideration:
Dropbox:  https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTE1N … src=global

June 3, 2009 7:53 pm
andys53

andys53

Sky Pirate

from a frog flu resistant land.
1,904 posts

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon wrote:
j3snyder wrote:

...May the best software win...

Unfortunately these days its about the more popular software, regardless of quality.
Many bundles have included awful applications with a lot of hype and little or no development or long-term support.
When I buy a bundle, it's often because of a few applications, and I get a lot of mediocre apps as a package deal. I would rather give that money directly to the developers of the applications I use. Mass appeal seems to be more relevant than high-quality.

So maybe for you the right approach is to buy direct, but for (I suspect me & a lot of others) this is the only way the dev'rs would get any money out of us.

smile From a spam free, orange team, land smile

June 3, 2009 8:03 pm
heistom

heistom

Tinkerer

27 posts

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon wrote:

What a difference to iClip by John Casasanta: an expensive (for me years ago), shiny, only promising Software, that could have been so much better, left alone by a Developer who is not responsible, but interested in marketing. It´s a pity (sorry to say, but with all respect!).

In John's defense, between iClip and trying to improve MacHeist, I'd rather him put more effort into improving MacHeist, and I'm saying this as someone who loved iClip since I got it in MH1 and swore by it for many years. Considering the very fierce competition in this space that it had, I'm sure John realized he didn't have enough time and energy to keep it competitive. As much as I like iClip, PTHPasteboard is a far superior product.

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon wrote:

DragThing has been around since 1995. It has continually evolved, and has received praise from numerous publications. Not just for the initial version as is the case with some apps that get worse over time, but with subsequent releases.

Which is why James is in that category of developers who've already firmly established themselves and thus don't really need to be in a bundle. But I'd argue differently for other app launchers like Sapiens, Valet, or Trampoline.

June 3, 2009 8:03 pm
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Sky Pirate

1,889 posts

j3snyder wrote:
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon wrote:
j3snyder wrote:

...May the best software win...

Unfortunately these days its about the more popular software, regardless of quality.
Many bundles have included awful applications with a lot of hype and little or no development or long-term support.
When I buy a bundle, it's often because of a few applications, and I get a lot of mediocre apps as a package deal. I would rather give that money directly to the developers of the applications I use. Mass appeal seems to be more relevant than high-quality.

More power to you for having time to figure out which programs best suit your needs and buying directly from the developers (though how does that jive with getting so many of your apps previously mentioned from bundles?  If a person truly wants to support a developer, they ought to purchase the software apart from the bundles, and promote it whether or not its in a bundle.

I've bought bundles with useless apps since the discount was very attractive and some friends were curious about the other apps. Also when I would have not purchased the software otherwise.
Specifically, I just purchased a MacUpdate bundle for NetBarrier X5 10.5.3 and TechTool Pro 5.0.4. I dislike Intego but NetBarrier is a good application. I stopped using Micromat products after there was no upgrade path for Drive 10 users, which they discontinued.
Previously I purchased their Drive Genius bundle since I did NOT want to pay for an upgrade that offered eye-candy.  Getting it in a bundle made more sense.

I bought the MacHeist 3 bundle on impulse, and have not used the apps after giving them a try. I may incorporate The Hit List into my workflow once it reaches version 1.
I skipped the previous 2 bundles.

As I've said before, my favorite bundle approach has been GiveGoodFood2YourMac. I've bought 2 of their bundles, choosing exactly the apps I want. And that promo is conducted by active developers.

For the most part, my purchases have been made directly from the developers or online stores. My Leopard partition has 365 items in the applications folder.

Look Ma, no teeth!

June 3, 2009 8:33 pm
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Sky Pirate

1,889 posts

andys53 wrote:
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon wrote:
j3snyder wrote:

...May the best software win...

Unfortunately these days its about the more popular software, regardless of quality.
Many bundles have included awful applications with a lot of hype and little or no development or long-term support.
When I buy a bundle, it's often because of a few applications, and I get a lot of mediocre apps as a package deal. I would rather give that money directly to the developers of the applications I use. Mass appeal seems to be more relevant than high-quality.

So maybe for you the right approach is to buy direct, but for (I suspect me & a lot of others) this is the only way the dev'rs would get any money out of us.

I agree with you. It's a different approach these days. That's one reason why there have been some concerns about the long-term implications of this type of approach.
A nice balance IMO is having a bundle that allows users to chose their applications, with the money going to the developers.

Look Ma, no teeth!

June 3, 2009 8:35 pm

pyrusmalus

Urchin

from Glasgow, Scotland
6 posts

rampancy wrote:

As another customer, I do think you raise a valid observation, but I'd very, very cautious before I'd take an observation from a limited sample size and extrapolate it to the greater whole. Simply put: while I'm sure you've talked to quite a few people, I don't think they as a whole are completely indicative of the entire market for Mac indie software.

I agree totally - my observation is based purely on consultancy with our client base, and with discussions with other developers and consultants. Equally, your anecdotal evidence is drawn from sites that are more likely to be populated by people who have benefitted from the cost savings granted by the bundles.

My point really was that there were no other reasons given for not purchasing the application other than "we'll wait for it to show up in a bundle". Not "It doesn't do exactly what we want" or "We don't want anything that doesn't come from Apple or Adobe" or "We don't like the icon" - it was always "we'll wait for it to show up in a bundle".

rampancy wrote:

And of course, people are just plain cheap, period.

I agree with this totally. Interestingly, many of our clients don't hesitate about spending >$1K on Adobe suites because they're perceived as essential to their business. Previously they saw other applications in the $20-$70 price range as being useful and well worth the money. The success of the bundle mentality has meant that they now consider them over-priced. If we assume that people are just plain cheap then the bundle mentality has proven them to be right.

rampancy wrote:

Finally, the importance of marketing really isn't something which should be panned, which is something I know you're not doing pyrusmalus, but is something I wanted to mention nevertheless.

Marketing is an absolutely essential aspect. The older Mac market was easier for developers to market to because of the smaller size, and because a handful of 'opinion formers' really could speak to virtually the whole market. The market today is considerably different and, as you say, much of the new market is comprised of switchers and users new to the Mac. The marketplace is considerably more diverse, and there are far more media outlets, so the reach that developers used to have isn't the same.

rampancy wrote:

You ask about how a wider, more sustainable indie developer community can be cultivated; here's my answer: help to cultivate a wider, more sustainable customer base. (However, I know a lot of people would rather have the answer be "Have Phill, John, and the whole lot of the MH Community be hung, drawn, and quartered.")

We're trying to help create a wider, more sustainable customer base - at a local level we work closely with local Mac user groups to promote independent software products, and we run a developer group for Scottish-based Mac developers (MacMacDev). What I'd like to see on a more global level is initiatives that think beyond bundling as I'm still not convinced it is a sustainable solution.

rampancy wrote:

The Mac indie software community is a lot more resilient that many people think - just as how a lot of people thought the sky was going to fall on independent dealerships when Apple went into retail, a lot of people thought the sky was going to fall on developers when Apple aggressively went into making its own software products or added functionality to the OS which mimicked shareware offerings. I also remember people thought the sky was falling on developers thanks to the "Delicious Generation". It will survive this, too.

Apple's moves into software products or implementing features in the OS has had unfortunate impacts on developers, but the impact has been tightly focussed on a handful of developers rather than the entire community. My worry is that more developers will ultimately be victims of the success of bundles. It would be cruelly ironic if the success of bundles resulted in a sparser developer community and an audience with expectations that no independent software product should ever cost more than a dollar.

June 3, 2009 8:39 pm
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Sky Pirate

1,889 posts

heistom wrote:
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon wrote:

What a difference to iClip by John Casasanta: an expensive (for me years ago), shiny, only promising Software, that could have been so much better, left alone by a Developer who is not responsible, but interested in marketing. It´s a pity (sorry to say, but with all respect!).

In John's defense, between iClip and trying to improve MacHeist, I'd rather him put more effort into improving MacHeist, and I'm saying this as someone who loved iClip since I got it in MH1 and swore by it for many years. Considering the very fierce competition in this space that it had, I'm sure John realized he didn't have enough time and energy to keep it competitive. As much as I like iClip, PTHPasteboard is a far superior product.

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon wrote:

DragThing has been around since 1995. It has continually evolved, and has received praise from numerous publications. Not just for the initial version as is the case with some apps that get worse over time, but with subsequent releases.

Which is why James is in that category of developers who've already firmly established themselves and thus don't really need to be in a bundle. But I'd argue differently for other app launchers like Sapiens, Valet, or Trampoline.

I don't recall talking about iClip in this thread. In fact, it's been a while since I mentioned iClip. A long time ago I expressed my feelings about it. Is your quote from back then?

Look Ma, no teeth!

June 3, 2009 8:41 pm
rampancy

rampancy

Moderator

from Denial.
3,875 posts

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon wrote:

I don't recall talking about iClip in this thread. In fact, it's been a while since I mentioned iClip. A long time ago I expressed my feelings about it. Is your quote from back then?

Er, I got that off of heistom's post here: http://www.macheist.com/forums/viewtopi … 68#p324568

*shrug*

Marathon Forever.
AppShelf: MacHeist 3 Loot
AppShelf: nanoBundle 1
Check Reciept Page for nanoBundle 2 AppShelf Files.

June 3, 2009 8:59 pm

pyrusmalus

Urchin

from Glasgow, Scotland
6 posts

phillryu wrote:

You know, I could whine all day about Apple's 30%+ cut on all our Classics sales, and the App Store's low pricing pushing us to price at 99 cents. Or I would maybe, if it didn't also come with a possible international TV ad campaign and hundreds of thousands of customers in a few months. Maybe an extreme example, but when we're talking about trading off some $/copy for some massive marketing and ultimately, a much more massive paycheck for bundle devs, it doesn't strike me as unfair. It strikes me as a great opportunity. But to each his own?

It is a great opportunity, but is it a sustainable approach? Apple's 30% cut on sales is, to me, a reasonable fee for the sales and distribution service that they're providing. But for every one developer with a 99c app for sale and the TV ad campaign, there are thousands of others with just the 99c app for sale. This doesn't sound like a marketing opportunity but a lottery. Do we want software developers to be rewarded on the basic of a lottery? "Everyone, sell you app for a dollar! One of you will win big, the rest will not - too bad!"

The same thing is potentially true with bundles if they become perceived as the de-facto way of buying Mac software. "If you're in a bundle you'll win big, otherwise you'll look hideously overpriced!"

phillryu wrote:

EDIT: Oh right, about your worries about MacHeist killing the software scene, here's another way to look at it. Mac shareware distribution has always been inefficient, with no real centralized commerce. When you're reaching 1/100th of the people you could be reaching, you're probably not doing that well. (Hence, 90% of Mac shareware are side projects/hobbies, it's rare to find a shareware dev working full time.) The natural reaction is to up your prices in an attempt to compensate for revenue, and since you're only reaching the 1% of people who go out looking for your app, they're willing to swallow it. Now, is this (what are imo inflated prices) healthy for Mac shareware software as a whole? Is it healthy that a person can go to the app store and buy 25 games for the price of one Mac app? Especially during these economic times? I think these are some of the more common questions running through customers minds.

I think what's happening as a combination of both the App Store and the success of bundles is a race to the bottom in terms of the perceived value of software. If customers perceive 99c as a reasonable price for an iPhone application, and $4 as a reasonable price for a Mac application, the question is whether there is a sustainable market? Is that healthy? Growing the market is definitely one option - and I agree that most independent developers do a bad job at marketing to more than 1% of the people they could be reaching - but that brings with it issues such as support costs, and so on.

Ultimately it comes down to a number of factors: do we want the success of applications to be governed more by a lottery approach - whether you get chosen by Apple or get invited in to a bundle - or do we want to see the marketplace move beyond bundles into a more sustainable, richer, landscape?

Do we want a marketplace where customers expect applications from Adobe to cost thousands of dollars; applications from Apple to cost hundreds of dollars; yet applications from independent developers to cost no more than a couple of dollars? Is that the right message for newcomers to the Mac platform?

Do we want to showcase ten applications at a time to the exclusion of all others, or do we want to create a marketplace with a rich and varied selection of applications?

Do we want customers to buy only when there's a bundle, or to buy whenever they encounter a new application for sale?

There are no easy answers.

June 3, 2009 9:06 pm
andys53

andys53

Sky Pirate

from a frog flu resistant land.
1,904 posts

quote all the above. Adapting is the only way dev's can go. What used to be is what used to be, it won't come back.

smile From a spam free, orange team, land smile

June 3, 2009 9:10 pm

pyrusmalus

Urchin

from Glasgow, Scotland
6 posts

Wasgo wrote:

To be honest, as a consumer, why shouldn't you wait for bundles? Almost every application you could want ends up in a bundle, which suggests there is no need to pay full price for an application. Obviously it makes sense to buy applications at full price if you need them immediately, or they are unlikely to appear in a bundle, but if you simply want a type of application, why not wait?

This is exactly what we're hearing from clients "why not wait?".

But how do they know if the application will ultimately end up in a bundle?

They're missing out on applications that aren't included in bundles; they're missing out on using applications that would be right for them at that time; and more importantly they're thinking that the full-price is a rip-off.

This is exactly my point about the bundle-mentality: when it becomes such a regular fixture consumers will wait for it, to the detriment of the independent developer.

June 3, 2009 9:13 pm
Wasgo

Wasgo

Sky Pirate

from Vancouver, Canada
1,278 posts

pyrusmalus wrote:

But how do they know if the application will ultimately end up in a bundle?

There is no grantee for specific applications, but if you want a common type of application, realistically some bundle in the near future will include it.

They're missing out on applications that aren't included in bundles; they're missing out on using applications that would be right for them at that time; and more importantly they're thinking that the full-price is a rip-off.

It's about value, if I can get a 'good enough' solution, which includes nine or more other applications, for $50 or a perfect solution for $70, the cheaper option may represent a better value.

This is exactly my point about the bundle-mentality: when it becomes such a regular fixture consumers will wait for it, to the detriment of the independent developer.

Using MacHeist as an example, why should any of the parties involved with the bundle care?

As a consumer, I get a great price on a lot of applications. As a participating developer, they get a large one-payment, and a huge amount of advertisement. As a promoter, MacHeist earns a good return on their investment of time and labour. What is my obligation to developers whose software I may not even be aware of?

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June 3, 2009 9:28 pm
rampancy

rampancy

Moderator

from Denial.
3,875 posts

pyrusmalus wrote:

I agree totally - my observation is based purely on consultancy with our client base, and with discussions with other developers and consultants. Equally, your anecdotal evidence is drawn from sites that are more likely to be populated by people who have benefitted from the cost savings granted by the bundles.

Not necessarily. I frequent other fora like AppleNova and the MacRumors forums where the opinions regarding bundles are quite varied, ranging from indifference to cautiousness to enthusiasm. And I've also based my observations from reviews on MacUpdate and VersionTracker, where the user base for an app can include all manner of people, including those who are just checking out the trial version, checking out a newer version of the app, bought direct from the developer and those who got it free as part of a promotion or on a discount.

Arguably that's a much better indicator of what attitudes are towards Mac shareware (though by all means it's still rough), as not everyone who's a Mac user, or a consumer of Mac shareware is a developer, consultant, web designer, or part of your clientele.

My point really was that there were no other reasons given for not purchasing the application other than "we'll wait for it to show up in a bundle". Not "It doesn't do exactly what we want" or "We don't want anything that doesn't come from Apple or Adobe" or "We don't like the icon" - it was always "we'll wait for it to show up in a bundle".

And the problem I had with that is that you seemed to imply that this is indicative of a greater trend of people eschewing purchases for bundles. Again, not all Mac users or Mac shareware customers think like this!

The success of the bundle mentality has meant that they now consider them over-priced. If we assume that people are just plain cheap then the bundle mentality has proven them to be right.

No, your argument was that bundles have cheapened shareware in the eyes of Mac users. While I think that's true to a certain extent, my point is that it's not entirely the fault of bundles and there are other factors at play.


What I'd like to see on a more global level is initiatives that think beyond bundling as I'm still not convinced it is a sustainable solution.

The concept will evolve overtime, perhaps into a more á la carte model or perhaps into an App Store-like model. We've seen the former achieve a good amount of success in the past. People are constantly thinking up new ideas and there are all sorts of ways this could go.

That being said, no one's ever said that bundles are going to be the end-all and be-all of selling indie Mac software. No one's advocating that everyone buy only bundles. If people do that, it's their choice and they're only hurting themselves. John and many of us others actively encourage people to buy the apps they need right now, if they need them.


Apple's moves into software products or implementing features in the OS has had unfortunate impacts on developers, but the impact has been tightly focussed on a handful of developers rather than the entire community.

The impact may have been on a few developers but the fear was more widespread.

I also hardly doubt that MacHeist as a whole has impacted the entire community so enormously. I've not seen developers wholesale across the Mac Web screaming about how all of their sales have dried up because Phill, John, and Joel are eating their lunch.

That also reminds me of how people tend to conveniently ignore the opinions and cases of developers who feel quite content with their experience with bundles and have seen their business grow from it.

My worry is that more developers will ultimately be victims of the success of bundles. It would be cruelly ironic if the success of bundles resulted in a sparser developer community and an audience with expectations that no independent software product should ever cost more than a dollar.

While I still adhere to the notion that people are cheap, I'd like to do so with the proviso that people on the whole know a quality product when they see it and are fully ready to pay for it, regardless of whether its in a bundle or not. I think 1Password and Coda are good examples of this. Mac users on the whole are quite discerning and in general have a good idea that with some exceptions, you get what you pay for - it's why they chose the Mac in the first place instead of an econobox Dell.

My point is that Mac users being Mac users have high expectations for their user experience and third-party apps are a part of that. I find it really condescending that anyone could imagine me and the rest of the community here going down to a state where we think that shareware apps are just as disposable as an iPhone app.

Marathon Forever.
AppShelf: MacHeist 3 Loot
AppShelf: nanoBundle 1
Check Reciept Page for nanoBundle 2 AppShelf Files.

June 3, 2009 9:33 pm
blue_fireball_eater

blue_fireball_eater

Moderator

from Nashville
2,620 posts

pyrusmalus wrote:

They're missing out on applications that aren't included in bundles; they're missing out on using applications that would be right for them at that time

Now put 2 and 2 together....

avatar is from Penfield & Jasper, 1954

June 3, 2009 10:35 pm
James Thomson

James Thomson

Developer

from Glasgow, Scotland
9 posts

rampancy wrote:

No, no, James is the developer of DragThing, and he was given an offer to be a part of MacHeist 3 (though I don't remember whether it was for loot or the bundle).

I'm not going to go through and answer everything in the thread, I think the main points have been made by both sides. But, just to be clear, while I was offered a fixed fee to include PCalc as a bonus item in MacHeist 3, there was no offer made to me to include DragThing.

June 3, 2009 10:44 pm
paradime

paradime

Automaton Tech

456 posts

I just wanted to throw my 2 cents into this discuss for what it's worth.

First off, I found this exchange between John and James very disappointing. Not to be a MacHeist fanboy or anything but I don't understand why John et al. bother to respond to people like James. MacHeist has nothing to prove and there's zero need to defend yourself again these various accusations and positions. They're barely a step up from trolling. They don't want to participate in MacHeist? Great...they can get lost. As already mentioned...there's a ton of developers who are more than thrilled with the results. I wish you'd just delete these useless posts but maybe you like the traffic. wink

James, I do completely sympathize with your position and I've been in your shoes but I really don't agree.

I've purchased a number of MacHeist and MUPromo bundles over the years. Out of all those bundles, I would say I have less than a dozen installed on my Mac right now. There are probably a solid dozen apps that I've NEVER installed and all the other apps fall into the "tried it, trashed it" category.

That said, many of these developers should consider themselves lucky that they even got $1 out of me because that $1 is more than they ever would have received otherwise. I'm not saying that to be disparaging...it's just a fact that I didn't find MOST of the apps useful. I'm also a big open source guy. In fact, if anything has hurt developers such as you (James), I'd say it's a combination of the economy and open source software.

And to those that say that these bundles hurt developers because people don't want to pay retail prices anymore, that's total b.s. The problem isn't the Heist concept, it's those developers who continuously throw the same app into every bundle that comes along! It's like those retailers or furniture stores that have a sale every month. Why, then, should I pay retail when I can wait for the next sale. I'm not going to name any apps but there's a few that are either always on sale every other month or are included in every joe's bundle. I'm definitely not going to buy that app at retail.

Now, back on topic...out of that group of apps I do have install on my Mac, I've gone ahead and either upgraded half of them to the latest version or the "Pro" version. I'm sure by the time OS X 10.6 rolls around, I'll be upgrading the other half. wink Obviously, these are the developers who have benefited from my bundle purchase. One example is Pulp Motion. I was so thrilled and impressed with it, I upgraded it to the Pro version. Another example is Swift Publisher...I upgraded to the Retail edition.

The way I see the Heist concept, it gives me the opportunity to legally own fully-functional apps that I otherwise wouldn't even bother to seek out or  waste my time installing, all at a very low cost, in the hopes that I might find a gem of an app. At the same time, you're getting your $1 and a bunch of charities are benefiting too. In the case of MacHeist, I'm also have a ton of fun with the missions, etc. That's a combination you're not getting with any other bundle.

Man is a genius when he is dreaming.
- Akira Kurosawa

June 4, 2009 2:05 am
tech

tech

Sky Pirate

from Rantoul, Illinois
1,516 posts

I think some need to look around and some at history.

Once upon a time there was not an internet for everyone and their mother to have access to.  There were alot of developers who felt that it might not be a sustainable method to sell their wares.  Matter of fact I recall MS, a major commercial company, not taking it seriously to begin with.  Eventually developers figured it out. 

Before that some developers gave copies of their software away to user groups to use for drawings, door prizes, and auctions as a promotion means.  I ought to know since I personally helped bring in thousands of dollars of software for several years for my user group.  Some developers didn't do this though as they felt they were giving their hard work away and were upset that others did this.

Same argument about brick and mortar stores vs mailorder or online shopping.

These days bundles are much the same.  It's a new method for software.  The catch is that the volume is much greater.  It's also still pretty young but I'd guess that there's some fairly good market research maturing on this.

I'm sure there are many customers who do perceive that software is overpriced.  There's alot of software I find overpriced but if I need it, I need it or I find something close to it that costs less.  Competition is good.  Just like Apple stated they were competing against piracy in the music realm I think developers need to look at this as competition and do just that...compete. 

Look what Panic recently did with their 50% sale.  Of course we don't know how well they did or didn't succeed but it's obvious that they're competing when it's been said they would not be in a bundle.  If a MH bundle doesn't seem appealing, then innovate.  It sounds like they're maybe making that attempt; however, it seems like it's not been done with all of the facts or research.

Customers are what they are which is a force of nature.  For a business to succeed they need customers.  Many retail stores and companies who supply products for them would be in alot of trouble if not for the Christmas season.  It could very well be that many developers will be in trouble if they miss the "bundle season".  Seriously...do the math, the research, whatever...just compete. 

One more thought...if the bundles don't appear to be hurting sales, don't whine and make a big deal about it.  Stay focused on business and keep competing....lose the drama.  Do you really believe that many potential buyers are going to buy just to support developers especially those dissing other bundles?  If you're going to do a smear campaign, at least make it funny and engaging. You want to build charisma to sell your wares which is something MH has done.  Learn from what's going on around you.

<insert out-dated referral link here>

June 4, 2009 2:41 am
rampancy

rampancy

Moderator

from Denial.
3,875 posts

paradime wrote:

...but I don't understand why John et al. bother to respond to people like James. MacHeist has nothing to prove and there's zero need to defend yourself again these various accusations and positions. They're barely a step up from trolling. They don't want to participate in MacHeist? Great...they can get lost. As already mentioned...there's a ton of developers who are more than thrilled with the results. I wish you'd just delete these useless posts but maybe you like the traffic.

In defense of James, I'd say he's arguing from the standpoint of a developer who's already firmly established in the Mac indie software market. He's been around since May 1995, and his two products, PCalc and DragThing are already well known to the Mac press. I'd speculate that it might make a lot less business sense for someone in his position to participate in a big-name bundle, than a relative unknown with a relatively brand-new product (like say, VectorDesigner).

(As an aside I'd never even heard about what the hell it was or who the hell coded it until MH2. Yet I'm so glad I did because it worked great when I had to design a poster for a conference. The first time I tried using GraphicConverter and I was miserable (and no, I didn't have Illustrator/Photoshop/Etc. and still don't because I'm just too bloody poor)).

Stay focused on business and keep competing....lose the drama.  Do you really believe that many potential buyers are going to buy just to support developers especially those dissing other bundles?  If you're going to do a smear campaign, at least make it funny and engaging. You want to build charisma to sell your wares which is something MH has done.  Learn from what's going on around you.

LOL we heaped piles upon piles of scorn on Mark Howsen and his bundles, and Christian Owens and his bundles and to a lesser extent MacMixPromo, and I don't think it hurt MacHeist general bundle sales all that much...

Marathon Forever.
AppShelf: MacHeist 3 Loot
AppShelf: nanoBundle 1
Check Reciept Page for nanoBundle 2 AppShelf Files.

June 4, 2009 2:47 am
rampancy

rampancy

Moderator

from Denial.
3,875 posts

JackV wrote:

actually iprint adds a function that all PC-Switchers miss badly: The printing of selected text.

What about Print Selection Service?

Marathon Forever.
AppShelf: MacHeist 3 Loot
AppShelf: nanoBundle 1
Check Reciept Page for nanoBundle 2 AppShelf Files.

June 4, 2009 2:54 am
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Sky Pirate

1,889 posts

tech wrote:

...These days bundles are much the same.  It's a new method for software.  The catch is that the volume is much greater.  It's also still pretty young but I'd guess that there's some fairly good market research maturing on this...

Bundles are nothing new. Macheist did a great job in popularizing and marketing bundles, but bundled software has been around for a very long time.

I began using a Mac regularly in 1999. I remember getting the bundles I already mentioned, plus Ten for X and others.

Ten for X appeared in 2002 IIRC.
Alarm Clock S.E.
ExecutiveSync
FruitMenu
iClean
ideaSpiral X
LaunchBar
Limewire Pro
piPop
Pseudo
PrintMagic X
WindowShade X
Xounds

It was $50, but you could find it for less money thanks to rebates.

Casady & Greene also offered bundles. I don't recall if those were weekly.

Look Ma, no teeth!

June 4, 2009 7:11 am
rampancy

rampancy

Moderator

from Denial.
3,875 posts

...and there were something like two "volumes" of Ten for X, plus a Ten for X Games Bundle, plus a Ten for X Utilities Bundle. Freeverse had something similar with its Best of Original Mac Games Bundle.

Marathon Forever.
AppShelf: MacHeist 3 Loot
AppShelf: nanoBundle 1
Check Reciept Page for nanoBundle 2 AppShelf Files.

June 4, 2009 8:19 am
pangis

pangis

Automaton Tech

135 posts

rampancy wrote:

...and there were something like two "volumes" of Ten for X, plus a Ten for X Games Bundle, plus a Ten for X Utilities Bundle. Freeverse had something similar with its Best of Original Mac Games Bundle.

Agreed.  Pathfinder was involved somehow in the Ten for X bundle....There was some sort of issue thereafter that they didn't want to offer upgrade paths to those who bought it there when the next major version came out.  That burned a buddy of mine who refused to use the program anymore.

June 4, 2009 10:47 am
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Sky Pirate

1,889 posts

pangis wrote:
rampancy wrote:

...and there were something like two "volumes" of Ten for X, plus a Ten for X Games Bundle, plus a Ten for X Utilities Bundle. Freeverse had something similar with its Best of Original Mac Games Bundle.

Agreed.  Pathfinder was involved somehow in the Ten for X bundle....There was some sort of issue thereafter that they didn't want to offer upgrade paths to those who bought it there when the next major version came out.  That burned a buddy of mine who refused to use the program anymore.

I had vol. 2 as well, but did not buy the games bundle.

Regarding the upgrade path, as far as I remember I had no problem upgrading Path Finder.
The only developer who did not give me an upgrade was Steve Becker. Everyone else gave me an update to the most recent version of their software back then, as well as normal upgrade paths later on.

Look Ma, no teeth!

June 4, 2009 11:05 am
tech

tech

Sky Pirate

from Rantoul, Illinois
1,516 posts

rampancy wrote:

Stay focused on business and keep competing....lose the drama.  Do you really believe that many potential buyers are going to buy just to support developers especially those dissing other bundles?  If you're going to do a smear campaign, at least make it funny and engaging. You want to build charisma to sell your wares which is something MH has done.  Learn from what's going on around you.

LOL we heaped piles upon piles of scorn on Mark Howsen and his bundles, and Christian Owens and his bundles and to a lesser extent MacMixPromo, and I don't think it hurt MacHeist general bundle sales all that much...

I was speaking about the developers and as is usually the case forum comments should not be taken as absolute or in the extreme.  If we want to go down that road though, consider that there were enough statements of negative experiences with Howson to convey a warning.  That's really apples and oranges.

As for the others I felt it usually sounded like basic forum chat and didn't sound so much like a campaign.  If there was any damage to MH sales for any of this, they met my statements in that MH made things engaging with the heists and stuff which helps keep a positive tone that hopefully helps keep sales up.

<insert out-dated referral link here>

June 4, 2009 12:13 pm
tech

tech

Sky Pirate

from Rantoul, Illinois
1,516 posts

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon wrote:
tech wrote:

...These days bundles are much the same.  It's a new method for software.  The catch is that the volume is much greater.  It's also still pretty young but I'd guess that there's some fairly good market research maturing on this...

Bundles are nothing new. Macheist did a great job in popularizing and marketing bundles, but bundled software has been around for a very long time.

Of course they're not...even Maczot had a bundle before MH which I believe was what helped give the directorate the idea for MH if I recall correctly.  It wasn't my goal in my comments to be strictly about timelines but about perception.  To many people, thanks to the marketing and positive experiences, bundles are considered new.

<insert out-dated referral link here>

June 4, 2009 12:27 pm
Dewtain

Dewtain

Big Game Hunter

from The Netherlands
517 posts

MacZOT also has a bundle? Great, can't wait smile .

I wonder which team I'm on...
Oh, I'm on the blue team smile.

June 4, 2009 1:11 pm
Scandalous

Scandalous

Sky Pirate

1,528 posts

Dewtain wrote:

MacZOT also has a bundle? Great, can't wait smile .

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/7478/dammedancing01bi5lt2.gif

Kind of feel like a thief sometimes with all these bundles. smile

Click DropBox to sync files online & across your computers for FREE + receive an additional 250 MB.

June 4, 2009 2:33 pm
tech

tech

Sky Pirate

from Rantoul, Illinois
1,516 posts

Dewtain wrote:

MacZOT also has a bundle? Great, can't wait smile .

"Had" a bundle.  I don't recall the name of it right now but it wasn't as high powered so to speak as the MH and MU bundles have been.  I think they had one this last winter that was a bit closer in quality of software though so maybe they'll do another.

<insert out-dated referral link here>

June 4, 2009 4:08 pm
denny_crane

denny_crane

Sky Pirate

from Canada, eh?
1,700 posts

@Scandalous
You ARE a thief.
A "Bank Robber," to be precise.

On bundles...
I have never been so tempted to open up my wallet to purchasing
software than I have since I started finding these bundle sales, and
MacHeist 3. Bundles and sales are one of the very best ways to
attract attention to products (and services) - and to actually make a sale.
The fact is, us humans are "genetically programmed" to not miss out on
deals based on the Scarcity Factor.

For the record, I love bundles.  smile
My financial budget does not.  sad

Use Denny's DropBox Link > CLICK HERE! Because I need extra some space - The Final Frontier!

June 4, 2009 4:14 pm
Dewtain

Dewtain

Big Game Hunter

from The Netherlands
517 posts

denny_crane wrote:

For the record, I love bundles.  smile
My financial budget does not.  sad

LOL, I know what you mean smile .

I wonder which team I'm on...
Oh, I'm on the blue team smile.

June 4, 2009 4:31 pm
BigMark

BigMark

Sky Pirate

from Kent, UK.
1,516 posts

tech wrote:

[Maczot] "Had" a bundle.  I don't recall the name of it right now but it wasn't as high powered so to speak as the MH and MU bundles have been.  I think they had one this last winter that was a bit closer in quality of software though so maybe they'll do another.

I don't know if it was their first but MacZot had a bundle in December 2008

MacZot New Year 2009 Bundle
Awaken  (I had this already from Macheist 2 Retail)
DEVONthink Personal (I had this already from Macheist 2 Retail)
Xslimmer (I had this already from Macheist 2 Retail)
MediaRage 3
Mail Stationery
FileChute
AppZapper
GarageSale
Snapshot
MacCleanse
Caboodle

for $59.99 if I recall correctly.  Not the most original collection considering the MH2 Retail bundle, but I really wanted an eBay app and Filechute was perfect for my needs at the time, I still use it.  It was worth the money to try out the other apps and I was able to gift the licences I didn't need myself.

I too love bundles, I've not bought all of them but I did buy
MH2Retail (2 Copies)
MacUpdate Winter 2008
Maczot New Year 2009
Macheist 3 (2 Copies)
MacUpdate Spring 2009

In addition it's pretty scary how much I've bought of the "Deal a Day" promotions from Maczot & MU and I'm never upset if software I've bought subsequently appears as part of a bundle.  If I liked it enough to buy it previously then it was worth it to me.

One strange observation I've noted about my own buying patterns... If I just miss a deal on an individual app I'll typically not buy that item until it comes around on special offer again, or as part of a bundle.

Screenium is a case in point, I missed their 40% off deal by 1 day and I emailed to see if they'd let me in on the deal and they wouldn't, that's fine it was their decision.  I didn't buy subsequently though, I'm sure I would have done had I needed it though.

I think I perceive the price of software, with some exceptions, to be more than it's worth to me, more than I am prepared to pay.  Special offers tend to bring apps to a level where I am happy to spend my money.

Mark.

Edited as the bundle was a $59.99 not $49

6th February 2009 MacHesit III Begins...  MacHeist IV?   15th September 2012! IT's HERE!!! smile

June 4, 2009 4:59 pm
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Sky Pirate

1,889 posts

They've had numerous bundles prior to that one BigMark.
In some cases, people did not know what the bundle contained.

Some bundles had just 2 applications.

The Myztery MegaZOT! had some useful software, including Pzizz Sleep Module.

Look Ma, no teeth!

June 4, 2009 5:59 pm
Chriswan

Chriswan

Sky Pirate

from Jakarta, Indonesia
1,194 posts

I got mixed feelings about bundles;

They allowed some people from countries, (like Indonesia) where piracy is a serious problem, to become getting used to buy genuine softwares; Even though they might never license softwares at full price, mildly discounted, or outside a bundle, at least the developers still getting some money from them


Also, like said before, overexposure to bundles has made me less appriciative to full price or old school 10-40% discounts, I used to be very happy to get ~20% discount; Now, with bundles came out very frequently, I can't help but expecting more discounts and worried whether the software I licensed for a hefty sum of money (yes, above 20 dollars is quite a lot of money for me...) will be featured on bundles in the future...

I know I'm not supposed to feel 'cheated' (but many times I did) when the software I licensed featured in bundles (eX: I licensed Jets' n Guns Gold for ~20 dollars (bought JnG for ~10 dollars then the gold version upgrade for another 10 dollars, ~30% discount in total), but now it's given away for 'free', for far lower prices, or bundled with another game (therefore better value) many times in various promos)

Thanks a Lot

June 6, 2009 1:17 pm
jdhoss

jdhoss

Big Game Hunter

from Minnesota
963 posts

Just noticed that the Baseline bonus application has been changed. It used to say to that it was limited to the first 2,000 buyers, not it's just says Bonus Offer! Customers also will receive: Baseline

Guessing that's a sign sales haven't been too stellar on this one.

Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action. - Benjamin Disraeli
BundleSite.com
Twitter
JD's Complete MacHeist Desktop Wallpaper Collection

June 10, 2009 5:24 pm
frigginjoe

frigginjoe

Big Game Hunter

from Long Island
697 posts

Even if developers receive a smaller percentage of the bundle proceeds than the MacBundles offers them, as they are implying, "No Hype," (as if that's a good thing, lol) ensures developers participating in it don't receive  fraction of the money.

They're not in a position to claim others are using "filler" apps.

That said, these other bundles have made me appreciate how useful and vast MH3 was.  The mupromo bundle was nice, but even that's blown away by MH3 overall.

http://www.twitter.com/frigginjoe
F everyone.  Scribbles is neat!

June 10, 2009 5:39 pm
dkoerner

dkoerner

Sky Pirate

from Good ol' Germany
1,165 posts

frigginjoe wrote:

Even if developers receive a smaller percentage of the bundle proceeds than the MacBundles offers them, as they are implying, "No Hype," (as if that's a good thing, lol) ensures developers participating in it don't receive  fraction of the money.

They're not in a position to claim others are using "filler" apps.

That said, these other bundles have made me appreciate how useful and vast MH3 was.  The mupromo bundle was nice, but even that's blown away by MH3 overall.

+1, nuf said

German Mac Twittering | Dropbox - Free online storage
Green Monkeys, the only true monkeys

June 10, 2009 8:59 pm
gemmes

gemmes

Big Game Hunter

665 posts

If anyone is buying this bundle and dont want Default Folder X pls PM me.

FREE Dropbox Storage Use link for EXTRA space for you and me. big_smile
15.4" 2.5GHz 4GB MacBook Pro, 32GB iPhone 3GS

June 18, 2009 8:01 pm
KGameLover1

KGameLover1

Automaton Tech

from East USA
198 posts

Wow, this bundle STINKS! big_smile

GO GREEN!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!
brendo_91: He's Waaaarbrain, Warbrain the pirate cloown.... he'll walk you off the plank... and in the ocean you'll drooown.

June 19, 2009 4:45 pm
gemmes

gemmes

Big Game Hunter

665 posts

KGameLover1 wrote:

Wow, this bundle STINKS! big_smile

I thought they were all crap 2 weeks(ish) ago now I want DFX, so you never know.

Also, I did not think much of the MacBundleBox at the time it was out but I have since bought DrawIt and considered buying Espionage and CodeCollectorPro.

Default Folder X looks pretty good to me but I think I might prefer to pay full price for it alone as the others dont appeal.

FREE Dropbox Storage Use link for EXTRA space for you and me. big_smile
15.4" 2.5GHz 4GB MacBook Pro, 32GB iPhone 3GS

June 19, 2009 6:15 pm
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Sky Pirate

1,889 posts

KGameLover1 wrote:

Wow, this bundle STINKS! big_smile

Actually, the quality of most of the titles is excellent.

I use SpellCatcher every day. Some people assume that it only works for spelling, but it does much more than that. I have licences for TextExpander, Typinator, and other similar programs. That functionality is also covered by Spell Catcher. It has a myriad of useful features such as text modification, various languages and writing styles, writing statistics, auto correction of common errors, etc.

Default Folder should be part of the OS. Impressive. I've used it since 2000, when I got it in another bundle.

Graphic Converter lacks a flashy interface but is extremely useful and powerful. I have Pixelmator and Acorn, and still use my older copy of Graphic Converter frequently.

DragThing offered Docks way before Apple's Dock. Not only can you have multiple docks, you can customize many powerful features as well. For example, entering frequently used text via hot key combinations.

Spotlight has been mediocre since its inception. The idea behind Spotlight is great. Houdah Spot takes the power of Spotlight and adds a smart interface.

Not only is it good software, but the developers who make the aforementioned titles are great. They listen to feedback, are responsive, don't charge for unworthy "upgrades", etc.

Look Ma, no teeth!

June 19, 2009 7:59 pm
gemmes

gemmes

Big Game Hunter

665 posts

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon wrote:

Default Folder should be part of the OS. Impressive. I've used it since 2000, when I got it in another bundle.

Okay, probably going to buy TMB for DFX. I'm sure the rest are worth the £5 difference.

If anyone wants to split this bundle please PM me and if transferring licenses is not an option please tell me.

FREE Dropbox Storage Use link for EXTRA space for you and me. big_smile
15.4" 2.5GHz 4GB MacBook Pro, 32GB iPhone 3GS

June 19, 2009 8:20 pm
Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Bob Nahasapeemapetilon

Sky Pirate

1,889 posts

You can always give the programs a try before buying the bundle. You have less time now, though, and some features are not immediately evident.

Look Ma, no teeth!

June 19, 2009 8:46 pm
rampancy

rampancy

Moderator

from Denial.
3,875 posts

KGameLover1 wrote:

Wow, this bundle STINKS! big_smile

I didn't want to feed the troll, but since Bob did...

Default Folder X is a legendary piece of software. It's been around since the System 7 days and that fact that Default Folder, St. Clair Software's marquee product has been around so long is a testament to how solid a product it is. The same goes for SpellCatcher (it used to be sold by Casady & Greene - wow, who remembers those guys?), DragThing, and Graphic Converter. HoudahSpot is arguably the best third-party app for Spotlight, and Mariner Write is probably most deserving of the mantle once carried by the venerable Nisus Writer. As for CoverStream...well, CoverStream features a UI designed by Laurent Baumann - need I say more?

The Mac Bundles' first offering is a kick-ass bundle...the only problem is that so many of apps in that bundle are dupes of past apps...the only apps I don't have are CoverStream, iPrint, and Mariner Write, apps I don't need or whose functionality are matched by other apps I already have (CoverSutra/Bowtie, and Pages).

Otherwise, I'd say this bundle really rocked. Pity they had so many apps that I already had.

Marathon Forever.
AppShelf: MacHeist 3 Loot
AppShelf: nanoBundle 1
Check Reciept Page for nanoBundle 2 AppShelf Files.

June 20, 2009 2:09 am
frigginjoe

frigginjoe

Big Game Hunter

from Long Island
697 posts

MH's impact goes far.  I found a couple MH-inspired offers that I'd moved into trash/junk mail a while back.

During the last couple days of MH3, I get an email on my internal IBM account, offering "6 great Windows programs for one low price.  That's $1100 worth of software for only $795."  LOL.  I can't share that link, don't know if it's accessible, but it's deleted since anyway.

Then there was the "Exceed Security Bundle" around the same time, on my internal email, but I believe that's open to the public.  Also not much of a bargain. (it was like 600-700 dollars)

The initial one was a blatant MH3 rip, and the best part pretty much anyone with IBM has access to the programs free already.  The thing is, the bundle strategy is happening all over, it appears, in various corners of business.

Not just anyone can coordinate a bundle and be successful, even when they think they have a winning formula to work with on their own.  So I can't credit MH enough.

http://www.twitter.com/frigginjoe
F everyone.  Scribbles is neat!

June 23, 2009 7:58 pm
Jo123

Jo123

Automaton Tech

310 posts

If I can help to stitch the whole the Mac Bundles purchase may have burnt into anyone's wallet I'd be more than happy to do so :-)

If there is anyone out here who doesn't have use for Houdahspot2 I'd be willing to buy. Please pm me...

On second thought I could be tempted for DragThing, too.

June 23, 2009 10:20 pm
gemmes

gemmes

Big Game Hunter

665 posts

another bundle is being released in 3 days!

http://www.themacbundles.com/

Hope they do repeats, I want Default Folder X.

FREE Dropbox Storage Use link for EXTRA space for you and me. big_smile
15.4" 2.5GHz 4GB MacBook Pro, 32GB iPhone 3GS

June 25, 2009 6:49 pm
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