Another company humbled down by Open Source
When I was still using OmondoUML in Eclipse 2.X, I convinced myself that this will be an indispensable tool for developing Java applications in Eclipse. But when Eclipse 3.0 arrived it all changed, the OmondoUML for Eclipse 3.0 was no longer free. I suspected that this an obvious old-school marketing gimmick of giving away the old ones and start charging for the new ones because they expect of making a killing out of it. But on the contrary, what they got are disenfranchised and disgruntled users who totally abandoned their tool in exchange for non-plugin tools(read: PoseidonUML, Visual ParadignmCE). So now, Omondo, due to insistent public demand or public pressure is giving away OmondoUML for Eclipse 3.0.1 free of charge and no login required! How do you like that?
Hehehehe, this people should learn more on how to do business with Open Source market. This market is more stingy and unforgiving, it challenges and shakes the philosophy of doing business the Microsoft way. With Open source, if you start giving something for free then give it for free all the way don't charge for extra features, it doesn't work that way. If you are going to sell your Open Source apps just say it, you don't need to mince words, your customers are not stupid. Don't try to mix an untested formula of selling something that should be free and licensing it for commercial distribution by the customer. If you're going to sell Open Source products lay down your cards don't keep hidden facts from your customers tell affront the price and the terms of the Open Source license you choosed to employ. Tell if there is limited warranty, specify that you charge separately for training, consulting, support and maintenance. Do not sabotage the apps by putting some of "time-bomb" bugs kept in lousily coded section of a module to force your customer to buy your support and relieve eye-strain for reading that particular part of your code, that's freaking immoral. Open Source means transparency, and the customers deserves to see the light.
Look at some Open Source products that has wrong marketing formula. First is Ximian, Ximian Evolution is a good tool and the closest alternative to MS Outlook. Initially, the wisecracks at Ximian didn't give away their Ximian Connector (Ximian's bridge to MS Exchange) for free and many bought the crappy thing and guessed what, they can't properly support their customers. Their arrogant technical teams just simply redirect those PAYING customers to their mailing lists and forums, so do you want to be treated like that??? In the end the Connector became part of the Ximian Evolution and is now for free, that's one humbled company. Second, the Cloudgarden's Jigloo Project an SWT editing plugin for Eclipse that uses an "honor-system" license which is free for open source development and not-free for commercial development. Now, the problem is how can the lonely project team lead monitors who is doing what? In the end Jigloo is making no money even if it's one of the most downloaded plugins for Eclipse.
Hehehehe, this people should learn more on how to do business with Open Source market. This market is more stingy and unforgiving, it challenges and shakes the philosophy of doing business the Microsoft way. With Open source, if you start giving something for free then give it for free all the way don't charge for extra features, it doesn't work that way. If you are going to sell your Open Source apps just say it, you don't need to mince words, your customers are not stupid. Don't try to mix an untested formula of selling something that should be free and licensing it for commercial distribution by the customer. If you're going to sell Open Source products lay down your cards don't keep hidden facts from your customers tell affront the price and the terms of the Open Source license you choosed to employ. Tell if there is limited warranty, specify that you charge separately for training, consulting, support and maintenance. Do not sabotage the apps by putting some of "time-bomb" bugs kept in lousily coded section of a module to force your customer to buy your support and relieve eye-strain for reading that particular part of your code, that's freaking immoral. Open Source means transparency, and the customers deserves to see the light.
Look at some Open Source products that has wrong marketing formula. First is Ximian, Ximian Evolution is a good tool and the closest alternative to MS Outlook. Initially, the wisecracks at Ximian didn't give away their Ximian Connector (Ximian's bridge to MS Exchange) for free and many bought the crappy thing and guessed what, they can't properly support their customers. Their arrogant technical teams just simply redirect those PAYING customers to their mailing lists and forums, so do you want to be treated like that??? In the end the Connector became part of the Ximian Evolution and is now for free, that's one humbled company. Second, the Cloudgarden's Jigloo Project an SWT editing plugin for Eclipse that uses an "honor-system" license which is free for open source development and not-free for commercial development. Now, the problem is how can the lonely project team lead monitors who is doing what? In the end Jigloo is making no money even if it's one of the most downloaded plugins for Eclipse.
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And lastly, go screw yourself.