Filed under: Software Update, iPhone, App Store
Simplify Media update, take 2
Earlier today we reported on an update to the media sharing tool from Simplify Media. It added some nice features, but it also installed a demo share on home machines that was not appreciated by many. It set off a mini-firestorm on the company blog, and we received plenty of negative comments as well.Tonight, wasting no time, the folks at Simplify Media have pushed out another update for Macs, as well as Windows and Linux boxes. It defaults with the demo/test share turned off, but allows you to turn it on if you want to test to see if your system is working.
Paul Joyce of Simplify Media had some comments tonight on his blog:
Today I've been trading emails and comments with a few of you around a feature in Simplify 2.0 -- the Simplify Demo. The exchange has re-enforced one thing I already knew -- we have great, passionate users -- and one thing I know now -- I made a mistake in communicating this new capability.
Such candor is refreshing in a software company. This would be a minor issue, but the iPhone app that allowed users to have access to their large music collections from anywhere was a major hit at the App Store, and one of the most downloaded utilities, so a lot of people had a chance to be pretty angry about the installation of test content on their machine without permission.
Anyway, it's solved now, and it's a really positive outcome. I downloaded and tried the update, and indeed the test share is gone by default. A new version of the iPhone app will also be submitted this week. If all software developers were this responsive, it would be a better world.
Torches and pitchforks can now be stowed. A link to the new updates is on this page, about halfway down.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kento Ito said 12:47AM on 4-30-2009
Actually, there's a bigger problem: THE UPDATE SHOULD BE FREE IF YOU ALREADY OWN VERSION 1.0
COME ON, WE ARE IN RECESSION HERE! GIVE THE PEOPLE WHO PAID FOR 1.0 A BREAK BY GIVING 2.0 UPDATE FREE!
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Tanner said 1:00AM on 4-30-2009
Would you like it if people expected you to work for free. This is a major update. Why should the developer who probably spent hundreds of hours on this give it away. People who bought 1.0 bought it because it was a useful tool, and they were happy with that purchase. I can understand expecting free bug fixes but come on. I don't know where this expectation came from that it seems everyone has now days.
Kento Ito said 1:07AM on 4-30-2009
I don't want to work for free, but IT IS UNETHICAL TO FORCE PEOPLE TO PAY HIGH PRICE FOR UPGRADE IF THE SOFTWARE WAS RELEASED JUST FEW MONTHS AGO! You only force people to upgrade if the software has not been updated for almost 1.5 years.
My solution: free for first few days. (remember Run Keeper? They released the pro version for free for one day, so people who paid for previous version could upgrade for free)
q00p said 1:54AM on 4-30-2009
Would you be kind enough to please stop shouting?
A tool have certain capabilities/features/properties. If you think those capabilities are useful to you then buy the tool. If it does not work as advertised then you are welcome to expect the manufacturer to fix the tool so it does work as advertised.
However, if the manufacturer comes out with a new and better version with more features you should be prepared to pay for it. This applies to electric power-drills, cars or software programs called Simplify Media.
Gaz said 2:30AM on 4-30-2009
Chill out, kid.
No one is forcing you to upgrade. It clearly says that the original app will continue to work just fine.
Marcus said 10:02AM on 4-30-2009
I agree 100%. The torches and pitchforks still remain. The updates weren't significant enough to warrant this at all.
Johnny said 12:52PM on 4-30-2009
The first version of simplify has been around almost as long as the app store. Just because you bought it last month, doesn't mean it didn't exist.
The problem here is with the app store, not this developer. From his blog comments, I get the feeling that he would have offered it for free to people in your situation if the app store allowed it. You can't expect them to not make any money at all or else they wouldn't be able to do it anymore and then who will make an app like Simplify, you?
Andremu said 8:44AM on 4-30-2009
People who write software programs often do it to make a living. There is nothing wrong with charging a fee for people to upgrade to a new version on the basis of new capability, functionality and utility. It remains your choice. You are completely free to choose to stay with the older version. Since when did software development become a charity?
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philpoccia said 8:59AM on 4-30-2009
The sense of entitlement when it comes to software is so ridiculous. You people expect everything to be free. I would just love your employer to ask you to work free for a few days because times are tough right now.
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mikelite said 9:08AM on 4-30-2009
I love how he doesn't admit any wrong doing, just how he explained it. Tool.
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Johnny said 12:48PM on 4-30-2009
I got Simplify for free the first time during a promotion. As much as I use Simplify, I would honestly have paid $20 or more for it. For the update, I paid $3. Had I bought the program one month ago, I would have paid a total of $7 with the update. I consider that dirt cheap for such a valuable tool. For $7 (or $3 in my case), my 8GB iPhone can play over 30GB of music. That's the cheapest storage upgrade I've ever heard of.
Also, as stated by others, you don't have to upgrade. If you don't feel the upgrade warrants the price, don't buy it. People are so cheap. I'll bet these same people have no problem paying $7 for a value meal that lasts a few minutes, when this app could last years.
On top of that, the customer service has been excellent especially in the case of the 'demo'. Wether or not you believe him, Paul clearly stated the reasons for it and promptly removed it. Not only that, he sent an email to all the people on his blog who complained about the demo to let them know a fix was already available. I think this company deserves mad props and they have made me a happy customer.
@mikelite: Did you read? He specifically said "I made a mistake".
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tves said 3:14PM on 4-30-2009
I've used this program, but it never loaded my entire Itunes library.. Haven't used it since.. Of course this was when it was free.. so I'll see about trying ti again...
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Kento Ito said 5:04PM on 4-30-2009
If all want to see how many customers are upset about the upgrade fee, look at the comments for the version 1 of the app. (the recent reviews)
people are angry.
Simplify media should have at least removed version 1 of the app from the app store.
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Spanky said 3:39PM on 5-03-2009
You can't please all the people all the time.
I finally made the jump to Simplify and there is simply no going back.
I now have all my FLAC files with me when I'm mobile and I don't have to downgrade them to Mp3 any more. Wa-hoooo!
Pay the $2.99 before it goes up to $4.99 and stop whining about the upgrade. You have NO idea how much of an upgrade it is until you pay for it and get it.