On Mon, Oct 23, 2000 at 10:53:27AM -0400, Robin Hanson wrote
> Krist van Besien wrote:
> > >... reporting bugs ... signal ... one is a high volume user
> > > ... they should then charge you more for the next update,
> >
> >"prize discriminating" [2] producer will need to use other means then using
> >information the customer voluntary discloses. After all, if the consumer
> >finds out that reporting more bugs means paying more, he will most
> >likely stop doing so, or do so anonymously.
>
> But how many customers would find out? And can companies really commit
> to not using such information in setting prices? And if the customer
> doesn't report the bug they are less likely to see it fixed.
You mustn't forget that the price is payed _before_ the program is used.
Only the user knows how heavy his use is going to be (if he does), and
so he is also the only one who knows the value of the product to him.
It is in the interest of the "power user" not to let the software company know
how much more the software is valued by him, compared to the standard
user that the standard price is targeted to.
That's why I suggested that a customer that finds out that bugreports
will make him pay more might resort to submitting them anonymously. A
report on a real bug cannot be ignored by the company, so the bug gets
fixed, but the user doesn't get charged for submitting the bug.
This shows why the idea of charging for reporting bugs will never work.
Asking money for something that can be obtained freely is a weak revenu
model... [1]
You should consider how what you suggested would work in practise. How
can a company for instance extract a surcharge on updates out of a heavy
user? The user can always get into a store and get the stuff at the standard
price. [2]
Another point to consider is who these "heavy users" are. In most case
they are support personel internal to one of your corporate clients,
or consultants [3]. In other words, people who have some influence in the
decision process that your sales to some extend depend on. You don't
want to alienate these.
Greetings,
Krist
[1] Which is why companies in the software business more and more get
their revenues from services, rather then from products.
[2] I rarely pay for software. But all the stuff I use is perfectly
legal.
[3] I speak from personal experience here. I am a consultant, I have
found quite a few bugs in products I consult about. Just two weeks ago I
found a bug in a Netscape Server product, I even suggested a remedy. The
result: I now have access to a few developers that I can contact direclty
with my problems, or in other words, I've been given a reward, rather
then a bill...
--
Krist van Besien [EMAIL PROTECTED]
