Speed Download (normally $25.00) - I'm not sure I really get this one yet. So far it sorts downloads by type, and it gives you an iTunes like interface for all types of file transfers,including FTP and even iDisk. But I don't know that it's better than even the free alternatives. I'll have to look into it a bit more.
As of today I've uninstalled this application, and I don't plan to give it another look. Why? Several reasons, really.
First of all, I still didn't see much point in it. It had some nice things to offer, but it didn't really seem worth it. Second, it was actually a little annoying. Mostly this is because it sorted things into different folders based on file extension. That's great, except that I ended up with just about everything in the "Applications" folder, since most large downloads have sit or zip extensions. I could have customized this, but I didn't feel like taking the time, and once I had turned this feature off there didn't seem to be much benefit left (except for the ability to queue and resume large numbers of files, but there are free alternatives for that).
Those reasons weren't enough by themselves though, since I didn't actually pay a whole lot for it, and regardless I already had the license. No, it was the business practices of SD's maker, YazSoft, that sealed the deal. Long story short, they sold, via MacHeist, what were supposed to be full licenses. Now that Speed Download 5 is out though, they've changed them to "promo" licenses, which means that MacHeist buyers are not eligible for a free upgrade, even though everyone else who bought SD4 in January is.
Here are the relevant bits and pieces:
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.
- from the bundle receipt
OK, so that's a bit ambiguous, but to me it reads as if the license I have is a full license. I'm willing to chalk that up to funny wording and/or my own inability to parse it correctly. However, there's also this:
Everyone that purchased SD 4 between Jan 01, 2008 and Feb 12, 2008, may upgrade to SD 5 for FREE.
- YazSoft's press release announcing SD5
Hm, so that says everyone, with no exceptions important enough to mention. Well, I did purchase it, and a full version too. And the final piece falls into place thus:
When asked if the promo version of SD4 was identical to the one we have on our website, the answer was a yes. The only difference was the activation mechanism, and this was simply so we can track how many copies were actually sold via the promo. Everything else about the promo SD4 and the regular SD4 were 100% the same.
At Yazsoft today, we have two versions of Speed Download that are 100% fully supported; SD4 and SD5. Our MH promo was for version 4 only, not version 5. We are not in obligated in any way to CARRY OVER promos.
- from YazSoft's official response to these complaints
So, what they're saying is that we bought full, 100% versions of the software, but not the same upgrade rights that go along with such a purchase. That seems a bit fishy to me. And am I the only one who thinks that the second paragraph doesn't follow logically from the first? "Identical in every way except this one... and also in this other way that we didn't bother to mention before?"
Part of the deal with MacHeist was that we were purchasing full licenses, not promo licenses. Slipping the term "promo customers" in there looks to me like a sly way of backing out of honoring their own 30 day grace period for upgrades. If the version sold through MacHeist wasn't a full version, or had any limits attached to it, then all they had to do was say so up front. Other apps, now and in the past, have done so and no one's complaining.
There's also the fact that they're twisting things around so that those who are complaining look as though they're demanding something more than they were offered. No one is claiming that SD5 was part of the deal, nor are we asking for a handout. The simple fact is that we purchased full versions of this program within the free upgrade window. Period. Trying to blame MacHeist for this is just muddying the waters. And actually, MacHeist isn't too happy about this either, and in one post in the forum thread about this one of the "Directorate" called the YazSoft guys "weasels".
Personally, I don't care that much. As I said I don't really like Speed Download. But I also don't like being promised something and getting something else. That's bad business, and has already lost them a number of potential customers (though who knows if the vocal minority is representative of anything they should worry about). In fact, another company is reportedly poised to profit from YazSoft's mis-step. Presenta, makers of iGetter, is supposedly going to announce a competitive upgrade price for anyone who purchased the MacHeist bundle (so far I'm actually fairly impressed with iGetter, it seems a lot more streamlined, though I haven't used it much, and I'm still not sure I need a download manager). Not good for YazSoft's bottom line, I'd imagine.
Am I off base in being less than impressed here? Some seem to think so, and are either defending YazSoft or blaming MacHeist themselves. So, what do you think?
2 comments:
If I recall right, last year's MacHeist sold some "promo" licenses too. For example, my TextMate is 1.5, and if/when they go to 2.0, I don't think I qualify for a full upgrade.
Not a big deal to me, really, I get a version of a program and if I like it, usually they offer cheaper upgrade routes (although not usually as cheap as people who paid full price).
When I was on Tiger, I had SD4 installed. I didn't really like it, and when I upgraded to Leopard, it didn't come along (I did a clean install to clear cruft -- this program is a perfect example of that).
Not a big deal, kind of sucks, but at least most of the apps do seem to be the full things.
The fact that it's a promo license isn't really the issue, it's the fact that they didn't make any effort to let buyers know that ahead of time.
Realistically, I think this was just a blunder on YazSoft's part (all they had to do was hold off releasing SD5 for a few weeks). It happens, especially in small companies where the programmers have to handle the marketing and such as well. Still, people didn't get what they thought they were getting, and that should have been addressed better than it was.
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