People running pirated CC asking for help

[BetterRed]

Here's a different idea - but I don't know whether it's doable within the Google/Apple/Amazon walled garden 'ecosystems'.

Give CC away for free. At twelve monthly intervals have a look at the number of books stored on device, and invite user to make a contribution based on book count - e.g. $2 for up to 1,000, $5 for 1001-5000 and $8 for 5,000+. Sure, there'll be those that will decline the invitation.

Having license checks carries the implication that people are dishonourable, whereas an annual volume based voluntary contribution implies the opposite. Most people like to think of themselves as honourable.

Also provides an ongoing revenue stream from happy customers.

This isn't an original idea - its based on something that a couple of my tray gadgets do - they count things and suggest a modest contribution based on annual usage. I always contribute the suggested amount. I never considered buying the Pro versions, even though in one case my voluntary contributions over several years have exceeded the cost of Pro, thrice over!

BR

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

Pirating I get but having the gall to ask the guy they are stealing from .

@Alex these pirates dont get apps thru the playstore they are non playstore installs.

I agree Dopedangel. It does take a lot of gall to be using a pirate version of a software and ask for the developers (of the legal version) to help you make the pirate version work.

[Dopedangel]

@Chaley I was thinking about your revenue stream and I don't think it is feasible for you to keep selling it only over the long term. The number of people that will use calibre companion is finite and you will hit the limit. Mobile apps have gone on to freemium models and you should think about it.
Most calibre companion users are heavy readers and ebook buyers. And you could leverage that with Amazon and other ebook store referrals. Allow the ability to notify and buy new ebooks of Authors and Series people have in their collections when they are released.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Here's a different idea - but I don't know whether it's doable within the Google/Apple/Amazon walled garden 'ecosystems'.

Give CC away for free. At twelve monthly intervals have a look at the number of books stored on device, and invite user to make a contribution based on book count - e.g. $2 for up to 1,000, $5 for 1001-5000 and $8 for 5,000+. Sure, there'll be those that will decline the invitation.

That is an interesting idea. As donate-ware it fits with free/pro versions and ad-supported versions. Needs thought..

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

@Chaley I was thinking about your revenue stream and I don't think it is feasible for you to keep selling it only over the long term. The number of people that will use calibre companion is finite and you will hit the limit. Mobile apps have gone on to freemium models and you should think about it.
Most calibre companion users are heavy readers and ebook buyers. And you could leverage that with Amazon and other ebook store referrals. Allow the ability to notify and buy new ebooks of Authors and Series people have in their collections when they are released.

Another interesting idea, but I suspect in the end not practical. Software such as mobile apps are explicitly forbidden to be part of Amazon's affiliate program, making the referral process rather cumbersome. We would need to do something like direct the user to a web site that "auto-customizes" itself to provide the right links into their store. This is a lot of work and not very convenient for the user.

Wild speculation: my guess is that over the next few years many special-purpose mobile apps like CC will become cloud-based, just as is happening with desktop apps. My son's company (MultiPie) is being asked by its clients about this idea, in effect building apps as very clever front ends to cloud servers. Going this direction will permit app developers/owners to use a subscription or usage-based model while making life very difficult for pirates. What is required is ubiquitous network access, something that we almost have today. Of course, Google & Co will need to work out how to make such apps easy to build and maintain using their infrastructure or they will lose their part of the app revenue stream. Some friends of mine with close connections to Google have speculated that Google's App Engine is being groomed for this job.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

@Chaley I was thinking about your revenue stream and I don't think it is feasible for you to keep selling it only over the long term. The number of people that will use calibre companion is finite and you will hit the limit. Mobile apps have gone on to freemium models and you should think about it.

The number of people who use any program is "finite", but that doesn't mean that you won't get new users. I've been selling the same program since 1992, and people are still buying it today in 2014.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

Mobile apps have gone on to freemium models and you should think about it.

@Dopedangel - had to look that up to make sure it wasn't radioactive

I don't 'like' the Free & Pro model, as it's commonly used. It's a hassle for the developer in deciding what should be in each and often with Pro you get features you don't need nor even want on your machine. It can annoy users when what they perceive as some trivial new feature is made available in Pro and not in Free. And what comes after Pro, oh, yes Ultimate and so the sago [sic] continues Ψ

The Pro version of the gadget I mentioned for which I've contributed three times more than the price ($25) adds a feature that allows it integrate with 3rd Party data sources, most of which cost more than $25 each! I regard that as a 'legit' instance of the freemium model. If you don't need the extra data sources then there's little reason to buy Pro, other than to avoid the annual begging bowl.

I don't know for certain that that last suggestion is actually so, maybe it still invites one to make a donation.

BR

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by chaley

What is required is ubiquitous network access, something that we almost have today.

Not in the places that I frequent or go to, hotel wifi charges can be astronomical and international mobile roaming charges even more so. Also the latency delays on satellite links play havoc with the couple of cloud based SAAS offerings I've tried - not to mention their inherent unreliability in storms.

I think there will be an ongoing need for installed software, on all platforms, at least in areas beyond the North Atlantic Pond

BR

[crich70]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The number of people who use any program is "finite", but that doesn't mean that you won't get new users. I've been selling the same program since 1992, and people are still buying it today in 2014.

What program is that HarryT?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by crich70

What program is that HarryT?

It's a star-charting program for amateur astronomers. I can't tell you its name, for fear of revealing my secret identity . Obviously it's gone though numerous releases since 1992, but there are still people running the original Windows 3 version of the program which they bought way back then! I'm quite proud of the fact that the version of the program released for Windows 95 still runs flawlessly almost 20 years later on Windows 8.1, despite being a pretty complex multi-threaded application.