Like many things in software development (and life) I think it's all about managing expectations. By choosing the word they did in their initial announcement red-gate set the expectation that there would continue to be a free version of reflector in perpetuity, so some people (I think understandably) feel a bit put-out when they don't meet that expectation. Will I buy a copy of reflector when it's released? Sure. Am I happy about having to keep track of reflector license keys, and not being able to assume everyone has and uses reflector? Not so much. Do I look forward to having to carefully scrutinize everything red-gate say in case of future back-pedaling? No. For example in their most recent communique red-gate said "Version 7 will be sold as a perpetual license, with no time bomb or forced updates". How should I take that given their change of heart on the free version?
Joseph On Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 7:56 PM, Tony McGee <tmc...@pacific.net.au> wrote: > While it's a shame the free version won't be available anymore I'm not > disappointed at Red Gate. I'm only disappointed in the sense of entitlement > coming from some members of the .NET community on this. > > We've had the free ride for such a long time so it's easy to forget > someone's time and effort to maintain Reflector isn't free. > The new price seems very reasonable for the benefit the tool provides to a > lot of developers. > It's a great tool, so if it provides $35 worth of value why not just buy > it!? > > > On 3/02/2011 4:41 PM, James Chapman-Smith wrote: > > It even prompted me to write my first blog > entry<http://www.enigmativity.com/blog/2011/02/03/Red+Gate+Will+Be+Charging+35+For+NET+Reflector.aspx>in > nearly two and a half years about it! > > > > > http://www.enigmativity.com/blog/2011/02/03/Red+Gate+Will+Be+Charging+35+For+NET+Reflector.aspx > > > > > > *From:* ozdotnet-boun...@ozdotnet.com [ > mailto:ozdotnet-boun...@ozdotnet.com <ozdotnet-boun...@ozdotnet.com>] *On > Behalf Of *Michael Ridland > *Sent:* Thursday, 3 February 2011 08:49 > *To:* ozDotNet > *Subject:* Fwd: Red Gate will be charging $35 for .NET Reflector > > > > > How absolutely ridiculous, I'm very disappointing in red gate. > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: *Simple-Talk Special Mailing* <newslet...@simple-talk.com> > Date: Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 1:31 AM > Subject: Red Gate will be charging $35 for .NET Reflector > To: "rid...@gmail.com" <rid...@gmail.com> > > An open letter to the .NET community > > Red Gate has announced that it will charge $35 for version 7 of .NET > Reflector upon its release in early March. Version 7 will be sold as a > perpetual license, with no time bomb or forced updates. > > As many of you know, our original intention was to maintain .NET Reflector > as a free tool. But, after two-and-a-half years of providing it without > charge, we realized that we could not make the free model work. We know that > this will cause pain for some people in the .NET community, and we apologize > for the change in policy. > > As a commercial company, we need to charge at least a nominal amount to > keep .NET Reflector up-to-date and relevant. Without revenue coming in, we > cannot dedicate a team of developers to ensure that Reflector remains a > valuable part of .NET developers' toolboxes. > > As always, your feedback is important to Red Gate, so please contribute any > thoughts on this subject to our .NET Reflector > forum.<http://www.red-gate.com/MessageBoard/viewforum.php?f=141?utm_source=simpletalk&utm_medium=email-specialmailing&utm_content=ReflectorForum-20110202> > > Sincerely, > Neil Davidson > Co-CEO, Red Gate Software > > Link to more: > > - Read answers to frequently asked questions about Red Gate's .NET > Reflector > decision.<http://www.red-Gate.com/products/dotnet-development/reflector/announcement-faq?utm_source=simpletalk&utm_medium=email-specialmailing&utm_content=ReflectorFAQ-20110202> > - Video interview with Simon Galbraith, Red Gate co-CEO, about the > future of .NET Reflector. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKnEjiSGZLA> > - New features in V7 of .NET > Reflector.<http://www.simple-talk.com/community/blogs/clivet/archive/2011/02/01/99118.aspx?utm_source=simpletalk&utm_medium=email-specialmailing&utm_content=CliveBlog-20110202> > - Forum for feedback and > discussion.<http://www.red-gate.com/MessageBoard/viewforum.php?f=141?utm_source=simpletalk&utm_medium=email-specialmailing&utm_content=ReflectorForum-20110202> > - Free downloads of .NET > Reflector.<http://reflector.red-gate.com/download.aspx?utm_source=simpletalk&utm_medium=email-specialmailing&utm_content=ReflectorDownload-20110202> > > You have been sent this special mail from Simple Talk because you are a > current .NET Reflector newsletter subscriber. To unsubscribe from the .NET > Reflector newsletter please click > here.<http://www.simple-talk.com/newsletter/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=250122&l=15&e=rid...@gmail.com&p=7315>Or > write to Simple Talk, Red Gate Software, Newnham House, Cambridge > Business Park, Cambridge, CB4 0WZ, United Kingdom. > > > > > -- w: http://jcooney.net t: @josephcooney
