« October 2006 | Main | December 2006 »
Yes, there is an Office 2007 'kill switch'
Ever innovative Microsoft just announced the plans for introducing yet another reason for their users to leave (or at the very least not to upgrade) - pirated versions of Microsoft Office 2007 will switch into "reduced-functionality mode" in which users will not be able to create new documents or edit the existing ones.
The blogosphere is abuzz over Allan Odgaard's announcement that most likely TextMate 2.0 will be Leopard-only. Everyone and their monkey has an opinion. I promise mine will be short and irrelevant.
Allan says that 90% of his users are early adopters. He says that the upgrade is free so he will not be losing any money by abandoning the remaining 10%. Also, by going Leopard-only he will be able to simplify the code, make it more robust by using garbage collection and whatnot, and overall make it worthwhile for those that do upgrade.
As a software developer I can totally understand his move. It is no fun to support legacy crap -- the shiny new things that Leopard offers are not only tastier to chew on, they also make our code prettier (and prettier means better in all practical terms). Every single argument is logically sound and makes me nod in agreement. Too bad the situation has nothing to do with logic.
The people using your software have rights (even if they didn't pay for the software). Of course, it is the kind of right that they cannot defend in court. But users believe in those rights and that is all that matters. It is not even about fairness -- it's about feelings and feelings will be hurt. Users will retaliate and you better be damn sure your brand is capable of sustaining the punch.
That said, I do believe that now is the best time to piss off a few users in favor of the long-term benefits. Come on, it's 2.0 we are talking about, we all know that it takes three major releases for any software to mature. Even Allan tells us that his users are early adopters. It means that he is yet to cross the chasm of obscurity. And why not take the advantage of the situation and shed some weight in preparation for the leap?
So, does Allan have the right to abandon 10% of his users? Hell yeah! Do users have the right to complain? Hell yeah! Is it going to work out just fine? We shall live and see.
O'Reilly Radar: Web 2.0 Report
Web 2.0 is here today—and yet its vast, disruptive impact is just beginning. More than just the latest technology buzzword, it's a transformative force that's propelling companies across all industries towards a new way of doing business characterized by user participation, openness, and network effects.
For just a mere $375 USD ($729 USD if five of you are going to read this in your private offices) you can have all "the information and tools you need to win at the Web 2.0 game".
Holy bubble, there we go again!
Recent Comments