Well - just because my inbox needs another 50 messages... I'm interested in the opinion that has been offered a few times in a few iterations: Developers make Coldfusion (Successful)
This intrigues me - because it seems to be of the logic: If you build it, they will come. I mean - I see where you are going. The Developers are really the Customer... And it's the strength of their community that propels the product - blah blah... Maybe it's my marketing background, but that story just doesn't hold up. The success rate of anything based on that sort of fairytale/whimsical/lucky business plan is extremely low. I am sure you can all point to one or two that break through that boundary - but not thousands. Additionally: I am not saying that "Adobe" doesn't consider the Developers as part of their Marketing and sales strategy - I am sure they do - I'm just not sure we're all that self important. And to that: I do think that part of Adobe's marketing is elitism. (Same as Apple for that matter.) It's been true of their graphics suite forever. They place a premium (price) on their software as a way of indicating how important it is. If you need a metaphor/example, I would use Debeers and Diamonds. There are more than enough diamonds to go around - and in the end they are just rocks - but Debeers have been able to make you think they are extremely rare and more precious than love - or a Detective Comics #27. !! And that my friends - was due to some GREAT marketing. Not because the rocks are really that sparkly and marvelous. Still not clear? How about Tom Sawyer and the Fence? "Sure is fun painting the fence... You should try it." Adobe could stand to show more people enjoying the fence painting... And - in regards to price - I will say - that for "small shops" like mine - in very small markets - Adobe's price point does/can make it difficult to compete. From software on to hosting - the prices start higher, because there is more cost built in. It's a strange conversation to have with a client who knows and cares zero about it all - but when they ask: Why does it cost $30 to host your site and only $5 to host his? I have to have a better answer than "Because CF is made for Big Companies" - The customer doesn't know or care about Coldfusion or PHP... He cares that my bill is 6 times more. Anywho - - - So - the argument would be - I should really push Coldfusion! AS a CF believer I should get more involved! Spreading the word spreads the product! I should start a group and get all my friends to start programming in CF!!! - I'm not buying that. That's Adobe's job. It's THEIR product. I have my own job to do. As a company owner - I need to push MY company. I need to push My services. And I need to stay ahead of the next guy. Adobe doesn't always help with that. I'm not saying Adobe's responsible for whether my company makes or breaks it any more than me to them - heck no - I'm also not saying I don't use CF as a way to differentiate myself from the next guy - I do - But I will offer: making a $300 vs a $1300 server license would be a hell of an olive branch to the community at large. Could be great marketing. Could help CF spread like wildfire. "IF" done correctly. So - there's my log on the fire for this discussion. Carry on. Complain away and point out the dozen reasons I am wrong. Just go easy on the name calling. - Nick "ColdFusion's not dead - It's Frozen! We're gonna break out the anti-virus and thaw this mutha out!" - Drunk IT Executive making no sense at all at quarterly board meeting. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Want to reach the ColdFusion community with something they want? Let them know on the House of Fusion mailing lists Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-talk/message.cfm/messageid:329992 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-talk/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4
