SmileOnMyMac Releases TextExpander 1.3, the Customizable Typing Timesaver Tool

Never having used Texpander or TextExpander, I can't comment on the application (through from using and seeing Peter's other applications I would bet it's an excellently written application), but judging by it's function $30 does seem a bit much. I understand that for someone who uses this application frequently, $30 is not horribly much to ask, however, charging more for an application that what seems reasonable often leads to less customers and even more piracy.

Take Photoshop for example. I use Gimp-shop for all my work because it's open-source and free, yet gives me the same abilities that Photoshop would for what I need. I have several friends however that work at a more advanced level with photos and thus require Photoshop. As college students they can't afford Photoshop's hefty $649 pricetag, but would gladly pay a more reasonable price for the application (IMHO $100-200 would be appropriate). If Adobe would charge less I believe they would certainly have more users buying Photoshop and many fewer pirating.

Just my two cents...

SmileOnMyMac is missing a very important element in its pricing: The Spouse Factor.

If TextExpander hovered around $10-$15, I would have dropped my credit card number down without even thinking about it, but when I spend over $20, it better be for something my wife understands. She doesn't have to use it or even like it, but if it's money that can be spent on food or gas or clothes for our children, you better believe she'll take notice.

$30 is high even for something as wonderful and wonderfully useful as TextExpander. To put $30 into a little bit of perspective, I can get 3 DVD's at Hollywood Video and still have money left over for popcorn and candy. A brand new copy of "The DaVinci Code: Special Illustrated Edition" is only $22.95, and it's on sale for $14.92 at Amazon. I could get two copies for $30. The five programs that make up iLife are only $80, which breaks down to $16 each. I love Textpander, but there's no way it should cost us more than a program like iPhoto or GarageBand. Games for the PlayStation cost $30. As did my shoes.

Even in the world of computer programs writen my relatively small programming teams, $30 is way up there. Cheaper (in some cases much cheaper) programs include CandyBar, Pixadex, M-Beat, iPodRip, Acquisition, ShapeShifter, AudioExpress, DockStar, Netflix Freak, and Catalog.

Comparably priced apps written by relatively small teams include Transmit, CSSEdit, SubEthaEdit, TextMate, Unison, and PHP Studio. While TextExpander may be just as useful to an individual as any one of these $30ish programs, these applications offer far more features and require much more programming.

There is nothing wrong with a company charging for it's programming skills. I have purchased a good protion of the applications I just listed, in fact. But until TextExpander's price makes some rational sense, I'll be using my free and now-unsupported version of Textpander.

I like the old icon better anyway.

This isn't new information, but it bears repeating: many developers develop for a living. The software they develop saves you time. That time has a value, both in actual currency as well as lowered stress, improved workflow, etc.

If that value is cheaper than the price of the application, the software is a bargain. It's that simple. This kind of justification is what makes purchasing cheap applications like TextExpander or expensive applications like Photoshop justifiable. In the end, it comes down to whether or not this value is worthwhile to you or not.

The "develop for a living" part is also crucial. Developers need to price their software based on breaking even (paying for rent, food, transport, equipment, medical / dental / life / property insurance, etc.) and making a profit (to save for a rainy day, put aside retirement funds, save for their kid's education, taking vacations, etc.).

At $30 a pop, even if Smileonmymac sells 200 copies a month (which would be considered successful for an indie mac program) that's only $6000 a month. When you consider all of the expenditures that any small business can incur, that's peanuts.

Yes, some developers decide to donate their hard work, time, and skills for free or for donations, but that's not the norm, and they're doing everyone a huge favour. If he or she decides that they want to start making an income from their efforts, so be it.

I also previously donated to Peter for his excellent application and received a free licence for this version. I will continue to support small Mac developers who create great software as best I can. Well done Peter and SmileOnMyMac!

Smile On My Mac offers a $10.00 discount on the purchase of TextExpander to its current customer base. I happily applied the discount to my purchase of TextExpander.

My only complaint with TextExpander is I like the old menubar icon better and a conflict with CopyPaste.

My own comments:

Donationware doesn't work. It assumes that people are noble enough to pay for something they get for free. They will instead always find an excuse not to do so. If Mr. Mauer wants financial recompense, then he should sell his works -- as he is doing. Unfortunately, such actions create the illusion that he is taking a "free" product and now deriving financial recompense from it. His products were formerly "free" if you chose to (a) download them and (b) not donate, and he is closing that loophole.

Frankly, Mr. Mauer, I'd start charging for your products yourself. It can't be hard to start up an e-store, and had I been able to pay $10 to you to register TextPander, I most likely would've.

That having been said, although TextPander is a useful application, the entity he sold the program to, SmileOnYourMac, is absolutely honkin' batfeces insane to be charging $30 for it. They priced themselves far, far, far out of the market for it. Unfortunately, this is a sadly recurring trend with Mac developers nowadays, at least IMHO.

I'll be using TextPander 1.2.2 for as long as I can, and then simply living without it.

While I don't use TextPander I have been in the position to recommend it many times, like most of the (excellent) softwares from P. Maurer, and I for one am *very* satisfied that he managed to sell this piece of software.

I hope he'll have made a lot of money with it, and that this will allow him to continue with his other brilliant (and very well crafted) developments.

Now, everyone should know that once sold, a software changes. The decision from SmileOnMyMac to set a given price, is their decision not Maurer's, and I am quite shocked to read almost insults to Maurer associated to this.

For me, this move is a good news, it means brilliant independent developers like Peter Maurer do have a chance to get a real career.
I just hope I'll see many more such announcements. (and there are: OSX's current Grapher application was entirely developped as a shareware and bought by Apple at the time of switching to 10.4, for instance)

Part of the blame should be heaped on David Chartier for writing the article in this manner.

"..but slapping $29.95 (without any warning) on a utility that was previously free.."

This isn't the readers. This is bad journalism. My rebuttal, among other things:

http://expat-leo.blogspot.com/2006/05/geek-textpander-goes-shareware-and.html

Original Textpander writeup:

http://expat-leo.blogspot.com/2005/12/geek-my-textpander-snippet-list.html

Label 'Donation' as 'free' at your peril. TUAW owes Peter and SmileOnMyMac a retraction.

LeoM

Patrick et al., let me just say this: You're mistaking "donationware" for "free", and now you're trying to make me feel bad? You must be kidding me.

In fact, you're the archetypical example for the sad fact that donationware doesn't work.

So far I hear a lot of carping about the price and a number of users whining the Textpander was FREE. It was NOT free, it was DONATIONWARE.

Software developers have to eat. Software developers may get tired of, or cease developing apps if they reach a point of diminishing returns. I'm not saying this happened with Peter, but this is the 2nd app I know of that he's sold off.

This is just me, but if ANY of his other apps have saved your collective butts as of late I humbly recommend that you DONATE.

Just my 8 euro. To Peter Maurer.