The new free version (lite) is limited while the old free version wasn't. Google's Market protocols prevented me from doing it any other way (can't turn a previously free version into a paid version for example, so if I split my previously single-free-version app into two version, lite and pro, the free one must go into the previous free one's slot.
HOWEVER, I anticipated this problem in advance and put the old full free version on website so people could revert to it. I explained this in several places in the new free limited version so that as soon as people saw the change they could revert and regain all their previous functionality. That's all extra work I did to avoid this problem. I think it's unfair that because I wrote a simple program before, and gave it away free because it was simple, that I am morally obligated to give away all my hard work after that. Also bear in mind that when I first uploaded my app, Google provided no means for having a free and paid version. No app could be paid AT ALL. I would have split it into lite and pro from the outset if Google had let me, but it was not possible. I tried to do everything to help people avoid the lite version and go back to the previous unrestricted version. On Mar 18, 7:30 am, Streets Of Boston <[email protected]> wrote: > I'm not clear about one thing: > > Did you *remove* functionality from the lite version (and moved this > functionality to the paid version)? > If so, i totally understand why customers get upset. When i, as a > customer, upgrade a (free) app, i don't expect functionality to be > less than before. It would basically downgrade the free version and > make the previously free version a paid version. If i'm not mistaken, > this may be in violation of the developer's agreement with the Android > Market:http://www.android.com/us/developer-distribution-agreement.html > paragraph 3.3 "... You may not collect future charges from users for > copies of the Products that those users were initially allowed to > download for free... ". > > Or did you leave the lite version as is and created a paid version > with extra functionality? > If so, then it sucks that customers get upset. I guess some people > cannot be pleased ever. :=) > > On Mar 17, 5:12 pm,KeithWiley<[email protected]> wrote: > > > My program was free for a few months. With the latest set of new > > features, I split it into a lite and a pro version, just uploaded last > > night. There were, admittedly, a few hitches in the conversion which > > scared people into thinking they lost their data (and there is almost > > no way for me to communicate with them and help them fix the problem > > and find their data). At any rate, aside from comments complaining > > about seemingly lost data (it was just moved, not lost, I swear, but I > > have no way to TELL them, thanks market for nothing!!!) there were > > also a few complaints about the new lite version's limitations. The > > drunkards had gotten sloshed at the trough of my free version and were > > incredulous that I would now limit the new lite version (with all its > > new features) and charge for the new pro version. > > > ...This in spite of the fact that I explicitly offered the old version > > as a download through my website for any users who wanted to revert to > > the older, unlimited version, and explained this fact on the splash > > screen and in the help document of the new lite version. > > > Lessons learned: If you give your program away for free initially, and > > then try to charge later as you add features and deem the program's > > growing sophistication worthy of compensation, people hate you like > > the plague. Additionally, even if you provide a way to revert to the > > old unlimited version, thus effectively easing the new version from > > history with regard to any one user, people don't care, they still > > hate you even though they can get their old functionality back. They > > resent you for the very *notion* that you would start charging for a > > previously free product. > > > On Mar 17, 6:17 am, Muthu Ramadoss <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Can't there be a lite and pro versions always? > > > > On Mar 17, 2009 6:40 PM, "Stoyan Damov" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Correction :) > > > > Started as *C* (release both paid and free), moved to B (paid only), > > > will move to C and then back to B :) > > > > On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 3:07 PM, Stoyan Damov <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > Started as B, now C...- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Discuss" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
