I know that there has been a lot of discussion about the new runtime pricing issue. And although I have a number of concerns about that issue, I would like to raise an issue that also affects the developers who believe that they can afford the new pricing structure.
NB: I only develop for larger organizations that could afford the new runtime fees.
However, I also do a risk analysis of all my development choices and tools, and with the new scheme, I have come across one risk that is making me decide to use alternative products to AlphaSoftware for future projects.
Scenario
Let's say I spend a whole lot of time (years) developing an application that is intended to be distributed to a number of organizations.
I buy a 20 seat licences for each of these organizations as they purchase the product.
I start to sell this software product and things start to go well for me and more and more organizations want to buy and use this application.
AND THEN, For some reason AlphaSoftware ceases to exist.
This would mean that I could no longer buy / register any new Runtime licences.
Therefore, I now have a product/application that I can no longer sell to any new organization. ie. I have just wasted all that time, effort, marketing and good-will that I have spent years building up.
Whereas, with v8, I can keep using the same 20 user Runtime that I bought for this application and keep distributing it to my new users.
end Scenario
It is for this reason that I will stay with V8 until I decide which other development platform to use.
MS Access is looking like a promising candidate now that it does not charge for runtimes anymore.
BTW: I only use Alpha for my desktop development. As for web development, I already use more efficient and open standards web development tools for this purpose, so WAS is not an option, and besides, I have to Purchase a new WAS for each client as well, so if AlphaSoftware ceases to trade then I am in the same boat again.
NB: I only develop for larger organizations that could afford the new runtime fees.
However, I also do a risk analysis of all my development choices and tools, and with the new scheme, I have come across one risk that is making me decide to use alternative products to AlphaSoftware for future projects.
Scenario
Let's say I spend a whole lot of time (years) developing an application that is intended to be distributed to a number of organizations.
I buy a 20 seat licences for each of these organizations as they purchase the product.
I start to sell this software product and things start to go well for me and more and more organizations want to buy and use this application.
AND THEN, For some reason AlphaSoftware ceases to exist.
This would mean that I could no longer buy / register any new Runtime licences.
Therefore, I now have a product/application that I can no longer sell to any new organization. ie. I have just wasted all that time, effort, marketing and good-will that I have spent years building up.
Whereas, with v8, I can keep using the same 20 user Runtime that I bought for this application and keep distributing it to my new users.
end Scenario
It is for this reason that I will stay with V8 until I decide which other development platform to use.
MS Access is looking like a promising candidate now that it does not charge for runtimes anymore.
BTW: I only use Alpha for my desktop development. As for web development, I already use more efficient and open standards web development tools for this purpose, so WAS is not an option, and besides, I have to Purchase a new WAS for each client as well, so if AlphaSoftware ceases to trade then I am in the same boat again.
Comment