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Alpha Five 2011 Plans & Announcing - a comprehensive Alpha Five Subscription Plan

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    #16
    Re: Alpha Five 2011 Plans & Announcing - a comprehensive Alpha Five Subscription Plan

    Originally posted by Richard Rabins View Post
    Ken

    let me see if can shed some light on this question.

    Time Period = Now until some time in 2012 (It depends on when 2011 ships.)

    Dollars involved if you buy the products separately = Cost of Alpha Five v11 and any smaller releases (developer, plus runtime, plus app server) + Cost of each Feature Pack (v11 will have more Feature Packs than v10/v10.5) + Cost of each add on + Cost of each webinar +Cost of each book.

    Lets call this cost z dollars.

    The cost of the Alpha Five Developer Subscription plan = $1499 assuming you have v10/10.5 or $1899 if you dont.

    The Subscription plan will be less money than z dollars (including taking into account coupons and specials we may run for buying separately through the course of the year.)

    In addition if you work in a corporation where everytime we realease a new product/feature pack/add-on, you need to go and get permission to purchase. Under the Subscription Plan you only have to get the "OK" once during the time period involved.

    Even though there has been a fair amount of discussion on this thread about the plan, I can say that the feedback which have received privately, via email and the phone, has been extremely positive and the sign ups so far have exceeded our expectations.

    Again i want to mention that this plan is purely another optional way of acquiring your Alpha License (YOU CAN STILL PURCHASE SEPARATELY AND CHOOSE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.)

    I hope this makes things clearer for you Ken
    Hi Richard,

    Yes, I completely understood the the sales approach of one time vs every item. It is by far, a fantastic deal. It's a "no=brainer", except for the 12/29/10 deadline. Great deal or not, There are many, many "MA & PA" loyal customers who've been around since the DOS days who cannot take advantage of the offer because of the short deadline.

    That's what's sad.

    kenn
    Last edited by forskare; 12-24-2010, 11:06 AM.
    TYVM :) kenn

    Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.

    Comment


      #17
      Re: Alpha Five 2011 Plans & Announcing - a comprehensive Alpha Five Subscription Plan

      Originally posted by forskare View Post
      Hi Richard,

      Yes, I completely understood the the sales approach of one time vs every item. It is by far, a fantastic deal. It's a "no=brainer".

      Let's see if I can interpret the marketing idea here?

      1. Alpha is now going with a subscription service for which the price is $1499 for A5v10/10.5 users and $1899 for all others.

      2. The 12/29/10 deadline is only for the time extension of the first year of service.

      So, I could just as well wait until the release of v11 and then buy the subscription service, right?

      kenn
      Kenn

      you are correct people who sign up now vs waiting end up getting coverage for more than 12 month

      The benefits getting the subscription now vs waiting are

      a) if you dont have v10.5 or you dont have the full set of the feature packs or add ons for v10.5 - you get all of those now (plus any others we may release before v11)
      b) if you work in a company that has 2010 budget to spend
      c) if you want to be able attend any paid webinars or receive any books/videos (all covered under the plan) that we release between now and v11
      d) if you want to be assured of getting the intro pricing on the subscription plan

      Again as - we expect people to evaluate their specific situations and decide what makes sense for them based on their unique circumstances.

      Thanks
      Richard Rabins
      Co Chairman
      Alpha Software

      Comment


        #18
        Re: Alpha Five 2011 Plans & Announcing - a comprehensive Alpha Five Subscription Plan

        Originally posted by Richard Rabins View Post
        Kenn

        you are correct people who sign up now vs waiting end up getting coverage for more than 12 month

        The benefits getting the subscription now vs waiting are

        a) if you dont have v10.5 or you dont have the full set of the feature packs or add ons for v10.5 - you get all of those now (plus any others we may release before v11)
        What about those who do have v10.5 etc.?

        b) if you work in a company that has 2010 budget to spend
        They have to be in the minority, by far!! My bet is 90% plus of all Alpha users, company or not, have nothing in their 2010 budget for software.

        c) if you want to be able attend any paid webinars or receive any books/videos (all covered under the plan) that we release between now and v11
        Sounds good but will there be any? I know Alpha is committed to follow through but your're asking us to buy a promise with no guarantee.

        d) if you want to be assured of getting the intro pricing on the subscription plan
        What will the pricing be after 12/29/10?

        Again as - we expect people to evaluate their specific situations and decide what makes sense for them based on their unique circumstances.

        Thanks
        Yes, they are smart customers.

        kenn
        TYVM :) kenn

        Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.

        Comment


          #19
          Re: Alpha Five 2011 Plans & Announcing - a comprehensive Alpha Five Subscription Plan

          Just for the record - if you look at the new feature in V11, notice the "new charting and graphing engine."

          I confirmed yesterday with Selwyn that this new engine is a dot.net utility, and will work as well and as easily for dbf's as for sql, etc. As I am a desktop only developer, this is very good news for me.

          He also said they are looking at a new dot.net RTF editor, that would be offered as a feature pack, later on next year, after the initial release has been out for a while. I think this could have a much greater impact for Alpha than anyone realizes - as it would let users copy and paste from heavily formatted sources, like word, web pages, etc.

          For me, as a developer with many clients and many different apps, 1,400 is not that much, since I'm already going to buy the full and runtime anyway. For others, I easily see that it must be evaluated on an individual basis.

          But I know this: for Alpha to have the resources to push Alpha in all respects (including the RTF editor) into the 21st century, they have to make more than the typical 100 to 500 for their full suite, and the optional feature packs to be used by those who need or want them is a good way to generate the extra income necessary. How long, how many man hours do you think it took to develop just one feature pack - like the one that does a decent job of converting your dbf app to an sql app, that includes grids, etc?
          Cole Custom Programming - Terrell, Texas
          972 524 8714
          [email protected]

          ____________________
          "A young man who is not liberal has no heart, but an old man who is not conservative has no mind." GB Shaw

          Comment


            #20
            Re: Alpha Five 2011 Plans & Announcing - a comprehensive Alpha Five Subscription Plan

            First of all the suggestion I'm about to make will not benefit me personally as I haven't bought any of the feature packs. Alpha have given a loyalty discount for those who already own Alpha 5 V10.5 but they haven't shown any loyalty for those who purchased the feature packs. They should offer a further discount to them. In addition they should extend the subscription plan offer until the end of January 2011. This will give some time to analyse whether the offer is suitable and if necessary push it through any budget approval processes that companies have in place. For many getting approval to spend $1500 can take time especially just before Christmas when people take extra vacation time.

            Richard, if you really want to get as many as possible to take this offer up then give some thought and consideration to the time needed to decide and raise/authorise the funds. Offers are great but you may have also missed a lot of developers who have gone on vacation for a winter break.

            Comment


              #21
              Re: Alpha Five 2011 Plans & Announcing - a comprehensive Alpha Five Subscription Plan

              Originally posted by gmeredith17 View Post
              First of all the suggestion I'm about to make will not benefit me personally as I haven't bought any of the feature packs. Alpha have given a loyalty discount for those who already own Alpha 5 V10.5 but they haven't shown any loyalty for those who purchased the feature packs. They should offer a further discount to them. In addition they should extend the subscription plan offer until the end of January 2011. This will give some time to analyse whether the offer is suitable and if necessary push it through any budget approval processes that companies have in place. For many getting approval to spend $1500 can take time especially just before Christmas when people take extra vacation time.

              Richard, if you really want to get as many as possible to take this offer up then give some thought and consideration to the time needed to decide and raise/authorise the funds. Offers are great but you may have also missed a lot of developers who have gone on vacation for a winter break.
              There is one thing about anybody's offer, it won't fit or make everybody happy. Richard has said Alpha's base is growing, especially among companies, corps and users world wide. Too often we all have heard how it was when a company was small and now that it's growing or grown up, it's forgotten the folks who supported it during the tough times. We all had suggestions for Alpha on how to expand their base. Sometimes Alpha listened and sometimes they didn't take the advice. Nothing wrong with that. We all would have done the same.

              Selwyn is a very talented person who has surrounded himself with other very talented folks as well. Even so, it's extremely difficult to look to the future and run a company at the same time. Thus, enter a CEO for charting the path to the future which no doubt includes how to package Alpha and present it to a new customer base. That is the nature of the beast. If a company is going to prosper and grow, that's what it has to do.

              An experienced CEO brings with him what worked and didn't work. The tough part is to figure out what will work for Alpha. Just because a strategy worked for one company does not mean it will work for Alpha. I liken it to my situation. We are getting a new director to run a County Human Services, Nursing and Veteran's office. Rumor has it he's been given an agenda. Agenda or not, if he comes in and immediately begins making wholesale changes, the seas will be stormy and rough. Something will have to give and at some point, it will be him. Then someone else will have to pick up the pieces and try to put Humpty Dumpty together again.

              The same is with Alpha, time must be taken to not only assess how ALpha has done things in the past and how they are currently doing things, but time must be taken to evaluate the customer base as well as the visions for the future. I'm not saying anything that the new CEO doesn't already know but I am saying it to gain a perspective on the situation.

              All that said, it appears that not enough thought has been put into the new way of doing business. Coming out with a subscription program while a promotion is still in effect is questionable. Designing it the way it is, is also questionable.

              At some point, when switching to a new way of doing business, you have to cut bait and run. Not everyone will be happy and not everyone will break even. I won't. By comparing what I bought and when I bought it, to the just concluded offer, I lost $300. Now, I'm asked to pay $1499 for what I already have and v11, whenever that comes out, which in realty, could be as much as a year away. I think it will be out sooner but the only thing I can take to the bank is it's been said it will be here by 12/31/11.

              I'm willing to go out a limb here and say I doubt Alpha's new CEO would authorize expenditure of $1499/1899 for something that is up to a year away and no guarantee for that. In today's economy, too much can happen.

              I suspect when v11 comes out, the prices will perhaps double. I have no clue but given the nature of what's planned and a new CEO on the job, that's a strong possibility.

              One thing really good about this message board is the input and various perspectives. It helps me in making decisions about my future w/Alpha Five.

              kenn
              TYVM :) kenn

              Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.

              Comment


                #22
                Re: Alpha Five 2011 Plans & Announcing - a comprehensive Alpha Five Subscription Plan

                Wow! All this lashing out is a little surprising.

                Here is my view (for whatever it�s worth):

                Charting: .NET charts / non-Flash charts. I just received an email from FusionCharts. If I am going to use Fusion on my web application it�s going to cost me more than HALF of what Alpha is offering. So this alone is worth it for me.

                Mobile: The same development platform that you are used to but now with Mobile options? Hello? You don�t have to learn another language or platform. This alone is worth it.

                .Net Support: Are you kidding me? 1500 classes.!!

                New Web Components and new Grids, HTML reporting, JavaScript editor and jQuery, all V11 Feature Packs, and more.

                Like Richard said, we are smart customers. Your choice is simple:

                1. Keep using V10.5 and use the $1500 for something else. Keep in mind you will most probably want to upgrade to V11 anyway and then you will miss out on all of the free Feature Packs. If you don�t upgrade to V11 this year you will most probably upgrade to V12. You will end up paying an extra $400 for that because it�s not an upgrade.
                2. With all of the new features, can you make an extra $1500? Remember, Alpha is developing a tool that you are using to make money. If we support them we get a better tool in return.

                If you are reading this on the Alpha boards then you know that year after year Alpha keeps returning with a better product.

                If you don�t think that Mobile, graphs, .Net, and all of the features packs will make you an extra $1500, maybe Excel and Access are a better fit for you? Ha ha. I�m kidding�I�m kidding.
                Thanks,

                Roderick Silva
                [email protected]

                About Me: rodericksilva.com
                Twitter: rodericksilva

                Comment


                  #23
                  Re: Alpha Five 2011 Plans & Announcing - a comprehensive Alpha Five Subscription Plan

                  Let's get a perspective?

                  I use alpha on mostly desktop and a will do a few small web apps soon. I really don't need much in feature packs for what I do and can usually find a way to do it myself(with board help). Mostly the subscription plan as written is not for me.

                  If I was hyuper about being totally up to date and sat doing a lot of web apps that were very intricate or doing a lot of sql and other programming in those areas, the subscription plan would make great sense.

                  I think it would make better sense to all if it were 100 a month for all and maybe 1000 for a year if paid up front? Maybe with a stronger up front like 500 the first time? Use your own numbers. 500 and then 100 a month is a lot easier than 1200 a year.

                  I will be doing MUCH more developement beginning in Feruary than I have ever done in my life. I have been solicited a number of times recently to make web pages and stronger desktop apps. Nothing I have been asked to do is where I would need the subscription plan. Maybe it will come.

                  Remember, we are buying tools from alpha. A good to top mechanic in a dealership has a 60,000 to 150,000 investment in tools(usually Snap-On) to be able to do his/her job. The more tools(bought smart) he has, the more he can do quicker. The get paid by a flat rate hour, not by the hour. If they can do a 4 hour job in 1 hour, they get paid for all four. Same with us!

                  How much have we invested in our tools to make 50 - 120 per hour? Most mechanics make in the area of 25.00 per flat rate and have to work a very firm schedule with deadlines.

                  Just my 2 cents worth. You can price as you wish, we can do or move own as we wish. I have had to add outside tools because I cannot do all I want in alpha and they are not included in the service packs. I don't expect they ever will be. Most alopha users don't need them.

                  Alpha, please be carefull about taking away from your product and then bringing it back as a service pack? Not real good business!

                  edit: By the way, I retire from 53 years in the auto industry next month 1/11.




                  .
                  Last edited by DaveM; 12-26-2010, 12:51 PM.
                  Dave Mason
                  [email protected]
                  Skype is dave.mason46

                  Comment


                    #24
                    Re: Alpha Five 2011 Plans & Announcing - a comprehensive Alpha Five Subscription Plan

                    I posted this on another "rant" post:

                    We don't know what is happening behind the scenes. Maybe Alpha knows that most people will upgrade? Maybe the notice that very few users are still on V9 or V8 and that most are on V10? Maybe they are testing these new corporate customers who are know that there is a savings for them compared to other platforms?

                    I have not asked the people at Alpha but I don't think they will have a problem with my taking a survey and forwarding the results to them.

                    If you are interested in getting your 'voice' heard by letting Alpha know what you need, fill out this survey.

                    The Unofficial Alpha User's "Subscription" Survey
                    Thanks,

                    Roderick Silva
                    [email protected]

                    About Me: rodericksilva.com
                    Twitter: rodericksilva

                    Comment


                      #25
                      Re: Alpha Five 2011 Plans & Announcing - a comprehensive Alpha Five Subscription Plan

                      Originally posted by Roderick View Post
                      Mobile: The same development platform that you are used to but now with Mobile options? Hello? You don�t have to learn another language or platform. This alone is worth it.
                      This thread is in Desktop side and I don't know how this helps in Desktop development. If Alphas plan is to bring Native Mobile to desktop side then it is totally different story.

                      Comment

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