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Simplify Media update, take 2

by Mel Martin Apr 29th 2009 at 11:59PM

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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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...
 

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Kento Ito

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.

April 30 2009 at 5:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Kento Ito's comment
Spanky

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.

May 03 2009 at 3:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tv

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...

April 30 2009 at 3:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Johnny

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".

April 30 2009 at 12:48 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mikelite

I love how he doesn't admit any wrong doing, just how he explained it. Tool.

April 30 2009 at 9:08 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
boss9192

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.

April 30 2009 at 8:59 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Andremu

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?

April 30 2009 at 8:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kento Ito

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!

April 30 2009 at 12:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
6 replies to Kento Ito's comment
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