Beware The Mob
13
February
I love controversy, especially when I could become involved in it. But it really is more fun to sit on the sidelines and watch everyone bitch. A couple of days ago, the (good) people of Yazsoft released SpeedDownload 5, stating that users who bought SpeedDownload 4 during their specified window would be eligible for a free upgrade… except, it seems, those who purchased SpeedDownload 4 through the MacHeist II bundle.
Enter, the mob. I really don’t expect you to read through twelve twenty pages of comments that vary in their anger, though there are a couple of comic relief (and a few more refreshigly logical) posts courtesy of Bob Nahasapeemapetilon. Sadly, it seems the mob has managed to find it’s way onto the MacUpdate and VersionTracker review boards as well, and flaming abounds.
Does anyone know the difference between these two words (in software terms): update and upgrade? An update covers minor point revisions (eg: 10.5.1 to 10.5.2 as seen with MacOSX) and minor bug fixes. An upgrade covers major point revisions (eg: 10.4 to 10.5 as seen with MacOSX) or a major number revision (eg: version 1.5 to 2.0). So it seems we’re arguing over a definition, right?
Not quite. All bundle receipts carried this note:
Speed Download must be activated using the provided promo version. This version is the same as the currently released build of Speed Download in every way besides activation, which is required to track promo customers. You can upgrade to new versions using official, non promo releases through Yazsoft.com, or Speed Download’s auto updating. We will keep a copy of the promo build available for downloading for six months until July 23rd, 2008. Please activate before then.
Methinks people aren’t reading intelligent-like, and someone should check their wording when writing italicised disclaimers. Non promo really stands out for me in that paragraph. Kinda says dont’ expect much beyond what you bought, but that’s just me. So where does Oz stand? Happily on the sidelines enjoying his copy of SpeedDownloader4. If I feel I have to upgrade to SpeedDownload 5, then I’ll gladly pay the $15 upgrade price that has been offered. Why? Because it’s $15.
Yes, courtesy of poor wording and less-than-clear disclaimers regarding promo builds, there are a lot of people whose noses are out of joint. But You didn’t see me bitching to Apple when Leopard was released a month after I bought my MacBook Pro (that came installed with Tiger 10.4.10). Sometimes, them’s the breaks.
*knock knock*
“who is it?”
“goons. hired goons.”
Update (Feb 14): the mob has been heard, though not entirely to their satisfaction.
Further thoughts: while reading the line “This version is the same as the currently released build of Speed Download in every way besides activation“, it struck me this was in reference to how the software works rather than any license entitlement. Further ambiguity…
1. Gerry K | February 13th, 2008 at 22:14
Hey what’s that over there?
Oh, it’s “the point!”
Yeah, I think you missed it!
2. Oz | February 14th, 2008 at 07:49
Actually Gerry, I’m fully aware of what the point is… at least in the eyes of seventeen pages worth of bitching. I just don’t agree with the hasty, ill-informed and completely over the top reaction displayed by a lot of MacHeist members. And let’s be clear that I was, and still am, a MacHeist member.
I can appreciate how people feel and they quite possibly have a legitimate case to put forward, if John Casasanta’s comments in the thread are anything to go by. Still, the Yazsoft website clearly states (after some quick revisions, it seems) that bundle purchasers are ineligible to a discounted upgrade. Their software, their policy.
So let’s say Yazsoft backs down and offers the upgrade for free, does that mean all the company attacks on various websites will be removed? Or perhaps people will post complimentary replies with respect to Yazsoft bowing to the weight of an enormous disgruntled user base? I doubt it. I just can’t see why when there’s a problem, the first reaction is to flame on whatever relevant site can be found.
People are always free to disagree with me, and quite often do. Please feel free to offer some sort of educated response that will stimulate further discussion.
3. koops | February 15th, 2008 at 20:13
SpeedDownload is a rubbish program anyway. Luckily MH came with AppZapper so I could get rid of it.
- “The only way is off(my mbp), baby, for u and me now” -Yaz(Soft)
4. Chris | February 20th, 2008 at 21:14
I think what we need to think about is that if a pollitician made a mistake, and was not vocal in what he was going to do to fix it quickly, he’d be slaughtered in the press.
I think the reaction on the web was just, it will take some time to die down and Yazsoft will lose a lot of customers for not acting ethically, this is how it should be. A politician would lose their job, you dont start a business if you are incompetent at running it.
I think this whole argument that Yazsoft made a mistake and didn’t understand PR is frankly quite stupid, as a student I can see the problems. I think Yazsoft thought they could rip people off, therefore any reaction that they get is due.
In this day and age we are required to, as software engineers comply with the BCS rules toward ethical behavior in england, if we wish to be accredited, I think Yazsoft would do well in inspecting these rules before they continue trading.
5. Oz | February 22nd, 2008 at 16:30
Chris, what’s your website? You sound kinda familiar and at the very least offer an intelligent point of view.
While it appears Yazsoft have been somewhat unclear in their actions, we’re still not getting the whole story from MacHeist, though I don’t think we ever will for privacy reasons. From everything I’ve read from all sides of the fence, the entire deal seems incomplete right from the start.
I still don’t agree with the flaming and it’s a shame that emotional responses couldn’t be contained to the MacHeist forums. I feel there’s a certain element who don’t appreciate that as a third-party vendor, MacHeist needs to share some of the blame as well.
I don’t necessarily think Yazsoft thought they could rip people off, or aimed to do so either. Rather, I feel they saw an opportunity to get people interested in a new product (through the v.4 promo) and just rushed it the upgrade release. If they had waited a month and made sure the MacHeist bundle fell outside the grace period, this blog post wouldn’t even exist.