Comments on: Should it be free? The perils of providing interfaces rather than functionality http://infovore.org/archives/2008/03/28/should-it-be-free-the-perils-of-providing-interfaces-rather-than-functionality/ a weblog by Tom Armitage Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:07:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Andrei Maxim http://infovore.org/archives/2008/03/28/should-it-be-free-the-perils-of-providing-interfaces-rather-than-functionality/comment-page-1/#comment-77628 Andrei Maxim Sun, 06 Apr 2008 18:55:18 +0000 http://infovore.org/archives/2008/03/28/should-it-be-free-the-perils-of-providing-interfaces-rather-than-functionality/#comment-77628 TextMate is a text editor and there are several other tools that do basically the same thing: vim and Emacs are both quality text editors without a price tag. I'd argue that most tools have a free (as in beer) counter-part. Gimp could replace Photoshop. OpenOffice could trump Microsoft Office. If you are an avid photographer, you could do with simple folder-based management instead of relying on some expensive tools like Aperture or Lightroom. And the list goes on. And since <em>those</em> tools are free, why should one pay? The only reasonable answer is that most people are thinking that some software <em>could</em> be considered an acceptable expense. Photoshop seems like a complex tool, with lots of options. Windows is a whole operating system. But Pukka? What does Pukka or MarsEdit provide? Just a better interface to a free service. Basically, what those two apps are charging is the price for a better design. The only issue, so far, is that most users don't factor in the design. TextMate is a text editor and there are several other tools that do basically the same thing: vim and Emacs are both quality text editors without a price tag.

I’d argue that most tools have a free (as in beer) counter-part. Gimp could replace Photoshop. OpenOffice could trump Microsoft Office. If you are an avid photographer, you could do with simple folder-based management instead of relying on some expensive tools like Aperture or Lightroom. And the list goes on. And since those tools are free, why should one pay?

The only reasonable answer is that most people are thinking that some software could be considered an acceptable expense. Photoshop seems like a complex tool, with lots of options. Windows is a whole operating system. But Pukka? What does Pukka or MarsEdit provide? Just a better interface to a free service.

Basically, what those two apps are charging is the price for a better design. The only issue, so far, is that most users don’t factor in the design.

]]> By: Code Sorcery Workshop » The Price of Free http://infovore.org/archives/2008/03/28/should-it-be-free-the-perils-of-providing-interfaces-rather-than-functionality/comment-page-1/#comment-76663 Code Sorcery Workshop » The Price of Free Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:45:42 +0000 http://infovore.org/archives/2008/03/28/should-it-be-free-the-perils-of-providing-interfaces-rather-than-functionality/#comment-76663 [...] of interest for you.) Other folks also got their say on their own blog posts: Michael McCracken, Tom Armitage, Matt Johnston, and Baron VC, for [...] [...] of interest for you.) Other folks also got their say on their own blog posts: Michael McCracken, Tom Armitage, Matt Johnston, and Baron VC, for [...]

]]> By: Lee http://infovore.org/archives/2008/03/28/should-it-be-free-the-perils-of-providing-interfaces-rather-than-functionality/comment-page-1/#comment-76327 Lee Sat, 29 Mar 2008 11:43:46 +0000 http://infovore.org/archives/2008/03/28/should-it-be-free-the-perils-of-providing-interfaces-rather-than-functionality/#comment-76327 Good point Tom - I don't see why these little tools "should" be free at all. I too pay for MarsEdit and Pukka. Justin at Pukka has been incredibly helpful and responsive when a recent version of the tool had problems with Leopard. I would not expect that help if the tool was open sourced completely. I think these are both examples of artisanal production that I hope continues to flourish. Good point Tom – I don’t see why these little tools “should” be free at all. I too pay for MarsEdit and Pukka. Justin at Pukka has been incredibly helpful and responsive when a recent version of the tool had problems with Leopard. I would not expect that help if the tool was open sourced completely.

I think these are both examples of artisanal production that I hope continues to flourish.

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