As a mac user who likes to scour the internet to find software applications, when I run into one built by a third-party that’s also solid, comprehensive, intuitive, and, why not? also nice to look at, I’m the first one to take my credit card out of my wallet and buy the License, but never until I get a chance to really get my hands dirty playing with my new toy. In my opinion there are several problems with the current Licensing model for software applications, and I think that the most pressing (though not the most evident) is the fact that we, the users, until we become paying users, literally get treated like quasi-criminals. Everything about the application keeps reminding us that we haven’t paid yet and if we are unlucky enough that the demo version has performance or output limitations, the moment that limitation cap is reached, we’re left with a half baked project, a desire to continue, and much, much resentment towards the software developers who basically “did this to us”. Can you see how in such a state, the last thing I want to do is to give those developers their last laugh?

I think the Barnes & Noble model should be applied. When they first introduced it, investors got convinced that in a matter of a few months B&N would go bankrupt. Surprisingly, not only they didn’t go bankrupt, but they enjoyed an unheard of growth during the first half of the ’90, and during the second half, they still held their own despite the threats posed by the Internet phenomenon. The dot-com boom busted the dot-coms while B&N is still around today. So, what is this model? Very simply, it is allowing anyone to come in and grab as many books as they want and read, read, read. And why not making the whole experience even more enjoyable by adding tables and chairs and Starbucks-brewed coffee, soothing music, etc. etc. etc.? Later on, surveys demonstrated that there is a close correlation between the amount of time a person freely spends inside a B&N store and the amount of merchandise that person ends up buying.

A similar model should be implemented. For example, people like me are forgetful and we do appreciate reminders that in a simple, almost joking way, inform us that “some 180 days have gone by now and did you like my program? Yes? Come on! Time to get the Licence! And there’s a little surprise in store for you, didn’t I tell you that when you downloaded this program? Ah, my bad, but it’s really cool! Trust me! If you liked this application, you’ll definitely like what’s next! :)”

You think it’s silly? I think it’s great! And for once I’m treated like a person and not a criminal. I’d rather give my money to whom thinks I’m great already! (After all, aren’t the brown-nosers and the kisser-uppers the ones getting promoted first?).

If the software is rather expensive, why not offering a payment plan of, say, $10 buck per installment and every installment gets me, say, a piece from some sort of a puzzle or similar game, and by the time I have collected them all, something else is revealed (I’ll let you guys think of what).

The point here is make sure that “the book reader doesn’t walk out of the B&N store with books he/she didn’t pay” but as long as he/she stays inside the store, everything is fine. So how do you keep us, software users, “inside”? I gave you already a couple of ideas. Another one is through forums, message boards, or real-time chat applications that in the end help create and foster a community of users who feel “inside” and not outside and alone in the company of a software application they just downloaded and are now trying to figure out.

In the end, it’s time you developers make a real effort in thinking of us as honest, though forgetful that we are. We need reminders that bring the good guy/gal out of us, not the bad one. 😉

Thank you!

Thanks for the comment.
I’m preparing something much in the direction you’ve proposed.
Stay tuned…