No Fungus, they simply believe we both have the right to speak our minds. You are the one arguing that I don't have the right to speak my mind -- your original response explicitly stated that my post (i.e. me speaking my mind) made you less likely to purchase our software.  To which I responded with basically "Oh wah, don't buy our software then".

You have the right to speak your mind and I have the right as well. And I also understand that there are consequences to speaking ones mind (i.e. potentially lost sales by the sensitive people of the world) but clearly I've made the choice that I value the freedom to say what I want over maximizing sales.  I've long since passed the point where I need to do anything at all.  I could have retired awhile ago. So I am not inclined to put up with anything I don't want to put up with.  I just want to be free to make cool stuff and speak my mind.

As I said elsewhere, I am kind of a jerk. I am just usually less tired so I am able to simulate non-jerkiness better.  But my answer to someone telling me what I can and can't say publicly is always to tell them not to buy our stuff.  In the OS/2 days (when I was younger and even grumpier) I used to forcibly refund people's products and then black list them from buying anything from us in the future when they'd complain about me writing an opinion piece. But I'm better now.

This is why most companies have PR people. No human being can be expected to code and be friendly to customers (leastwise at the same time), that's just not human.

Now about that UP upgrade...

Exactly what I was thinking of.

Ass, gas, or grass, nobody rides for free.

Crude, but succinct.

That pretty well sums up my theory of relationships - ALL women charge for sex, we just have a label for those that expect cash  

This also may explain my spectacular failures in this venue  

Touche.

The specific example you give about TF2 I have to disagree with. TF 2 is multiplayer so releasing a few $10 addons would soon make the game broken online unless you buy the addons because the servers would look after the interests of the "hardcore" who are very active in that game and likely would own all expansions/addons whatever.

Sure maybe people whine about stuff not being free. Does it matter? I thought Stardocks policy was to sell to those who will buy?

Personally I completely agree with Brad. I also find it easier to respect him as a person because he is willing to speak his mind and stick to his guns. Consumers in this country have really been pushing the customer is always right bit way too far. The reality is most people are idiots and sheep. Individuals may be smart, but people in general are dumb as rocks. As far as being sheep you can see this behavior all the time everywhere you look.

I have no problem paying for products if I have the money and feel it is worth the money. I even buy some products that I think are overpriced because they are required so that I can use other products that I actually value. Windows is a prime example. I like to play games, while Linux and OS X are good operating systems I can not use them for the vast majority of games on the market. So I am forced to purchase Windows which I do not believe to be worth over $100 for an OEM and over $200 - $400 for a retail version which just provides a box and a manual. I don't believe MS Office is worth over $300 either but fortunately I have a choice to either use free open office or pay for a more feature but still affordable copy of star office. At the same time I would have no problem with buying this https://store.artlebedev.com/computer_add-ons/optimus/ for the asking price of $1564.72 if I had the money. Pretty steep for a keyboard, but I'd be willing to pay even more for this one http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus-tactus/

Don't get me wrong, I do believe that some things should be open source, However I also believe that certain things should not be and it encourages people to create the things we enjoy if they can earn a living in the process. I think open source is good for OS's because things get fixed faster and I feel more secure than the Windows and Mac practices of security through obscurity. And for the people that think Mac is open source, think again. OS X sits on an open source layer based on BSD which is a Linux like OS. OS X itself, it's api's and other software are entirely proprietary. There are many examples of closed source software being built upon open source foundations. Just because part of the software is open source does not mean the software as a whole is open. Cross Over Office which is based on Wine is a perfect example of this.

Stardock has a great business model. They reward their customers for purchasing and registering their products. I wish more companies would follow their example. The movie industry would have no worries about pirates if they allowed digital downloads that provided extra content as well as wide and full screen formats, and provided an easy cost effective way to upgrade your video collection to the latest format.

While Brad has many a relevant point, there's a user side of things as well, and it isn't just the unwashed blind masses that feel this way.

Here's a truth: not all software companies are ethical. Not all shareware was released with magnanimous intent. Some of it timebombed. Some of it deliberately went out of its way to annoy you for not registering. Some wouldn't uninstall all the way, leaving scattered detritus across the hard drive. Some left its hooks right in the system, phoning personal information back to the mothership. Some of it was just bad.

I think some of the backlash for microtransactions and pay-for content comes from a lot of mistrust of software and game publisher (note: publishers) that have actually acted to squeeze as much from their users as possible. I think some of the backlash that Brad backbacklashes against has its roots in a mistrust that the software/game publishing industry has brought on itself.

This is where at least some of the kneejerk backlash comes from. As gamers, we're already beta-testing supposedly finished products when we buy a game on its sale date. Later on, we get the patches that make it work correctly, and sometimes not even that. Or, maybe a publisher might deliberately withold a feature or unlockable character, so they can sell it for greater profit later.

It's not illegal, or even from a business standpoint, unethical. But it's kind of a bastard thing to do. There is a fundamental dishonesty consumers put up with in so many transactions: cars, food, vacations, polititians, our own jobs, stuff that has nothing at all to do with games, that we're just kind of getting sick of it, and maybe a little paranoid. Games are supposed to be our escape from this shit!

Now, based on my experiences, Stardock is unlikely to do this. If an expansion comes out for GalCiv, it isn't because they withheld a damn thing; it's because they see a fan base slavering for more goodness, and they really, genuinely want to provide more of that goodness. But not everyone 'knows' this and trusts this. They see Stardock first as any other publisher, a potential EA, to be tolerated as a dealer of their substance of choice, but not to be trusted, at least not initially.

Luckily, a company like Stardock is around to help win back some of that trust. Not that it's your mission to do so, it isn't. You're a business, frogboy, draginol, not an emissary on behalf of the software industry. But even acting as openly and honestly as you do, you're going to get flames. These people are not necessarily greedy, or retarded. Maybe they've been burned themselves once or twice. I know I have.

You're not going to win over all the naysayers overnight. Fortunately, you don't need to, and you need only see your current success to verify this. I have my misgivings about any activation system that locks down an installed game that I paid for. I don't like it. As fair and as open as it is, I don't like it. But I still paid for it, and I'm pretty happy with what I have, even if I'm a little leery of having to ask permission every time I have to reinstall Windows (which happens pretty often). The good will you've fostered so far, hell, it's won me over. I hope that means something.

And, though I am very nearly a card-carrying fan of Stardock, I thought some of Brad's language is a bit rough-edged. But hell, if he's this hands on with a forum, maybe this is why this game is so good.

All I'm gonna say on this matter is this...Thank god for Brad...otherwise I'd have to look at all those icons on my desktop and that shitty looking luna. So Brad....beat me...whip me...talk dirty to me...be grumpy all you want...but just keep making this cool software...shareware...freeware...I don't care.

I've said it before and I'll keep on saying it....I have yet to find anything on the net that has given me the value and enjoyment for my money than Brads dream has. And as someone else on here has said....nobody is twisting they're arm to buy it...and they more than likely spend more money on dumb shit that isn't half as worth it.

And if I were you I'd probably say the same thing or something like....here's your money back...go buy an Etch-A-Sketch.

Oh...and ID...you know your only renting those donuts!

As far as flamers...they're idiots anyway and I wouldn't lose one second of sleep over them...and anyone thats serious about customizing they're desktop will know real value when they see it...I did...I never even bothered with the freeware stuff...and I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough to buy what I saw.

You run a stand up business Brad that you should be proud of....and the day you decide to retire and take up bee keeping will be a sad day indeed. And if you do...may the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits!

And I think that's the most important point. Finding that spot where the feature being sold is worth that much money to the customer.



Well, Valve. And Blizzard. Though that's some pretty good company to be among

One thing that consistently annoys me is how some consumers abuse the phrase "the customer is always right" usually to justify their own inappropriate behavior.

One of the greatest tidbits I picked up was that the customer isn't always right but, has a valid point, well at least from their perspective.

If you haven't bought anything than you're not a customer and I'll quote Dr. Denis Leary on this one, "shut the fuck up".