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MacBreak 74: Hot Lips and Hawkeye

MacBreak Weekly 74: Hot Lips and Hawkeye

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Hosts: Leo Laporte, Merlin Mann, Andy Ihnatko, and Rich Siegel

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A look back at Macworld, Office spreads out, MacHeist, .Mac future bright and cloudy, certain gestures and more.

Here's a direct MP3 download of MBW 74.

I think this might be one of my favorite episodes of MacBreak Weekly. Say what you will about the podcast medium, it's amazing to be able to pull an articulate person like Rich Siegel into your conversation midway -- (~00:38:15) -- just via IM and a phone number. Very cool.

So. That said. I really want the promoters and developer-fans of MacHeist to have their opportunity to respond to what Rich (and we) had to say. Clearly we all think a lot of the Mac indie community, so it'd be valuable to continue the conversation in a way that's fair and civil for everybody.

Directions on how to get your voice heard appear around (~00:57:11) of this episode.

update 2008-01-25 08:21:01

Philip Ryu and Awaken's Jerry Brace will be on MacBreak Weekly next week to respond to Rich Siegel's criticisms of MacHeist in show 74.

jtwilkins's picture

Get Off Your High Horse

These negative Mac Heist critiques are always made off of lack of imperial data with a lot of added assumptions. And when you assume you make a ass out of you and me!

A) Reporters & Programs must stop with this SF/Geek/Startup centric mindset. Most people have not normally heard of most of these programs, most people do not normally buy all these programs, the prices of many of these programs are very expensive when compared to a normal cost of living. Do not underestimate the value of getting your product know, getting a user base and product pricing.

B) The argument about the cost of supporting the product killing profits made from the Heist is flawed. Most companies support their product with no proof of purchase and support during the trial period. Companies are all ready spending time and money supporting unpurchased product. People can use support services if they buy a product or not and much of that support is going to be during the unpaid trial period when the customer first starts using the program.

C) Most people don't use support or fix there own problems using FAQs or forums.

D) Most of the software in these bundles really will not get much use and some of it is just Mac eye candy that in really is fairly weak in real world useage cough Cha-Ching cough

E) Stop acting like all the items in the bundle are equal. I am sure they do not get paid equally so the argument that the customer is only feels like they are paying 2 dollars for your software is moot. We know we are getting a good deal on this software and that Wingnuts 2 is less valuable then VectorDesigner.

F) Software is over priced. How many small $20-$40 programs do software publishers think people need buy or will pay upgrade annually? We are not all like Leo Laport and can afford or want to to shell out $20-$40 for this weeks program de jure. Much of this stuff goes useless in less then a year or is replaced by something better or more useful.

Its like going into Target and buying 20-30 one use counter top devices that cost $20-$40 apiece then each year they break or demand a upgrade fee, in the mean time someone else also comes along and keeps making a better different version to compete with the company you just purchased from.

Some of these Mac software developers really sound like the RIAA. They overvalue their product, expect a life time of fees from the consumer, then complain when someone does something innovate or different. EX MacHeist, newsgator going free.

 
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