[APBeta] V2.1 release schedule

[Dan Kuchta]

Hi Paul:

Just wanted to mention an update fee scheme that's used on one piece of software I own, that I think works particularly well.

The license key has encoded in it in some way, an expiration date for updates.  When a user downloads a new version and goes to install it, it will first notify the user if the update was created after the key's expiration date and offer to sell the user a new one that will last for another year, or whatever the appropriate time frame is.  If the user doesn't really want the upgrade that badly, he can choose to continue using his existing version as long as he wants.

The nice thing about this is that there is no yearly "subscription" fee for the user to pay or for the developer to keep track of.  If the user is happy with their current version, they can use it without extra charge for as long as they want.  This also frees the developer from worrying about what goes into a major release, when it's appropriate to charge for a release, etc.  The developer can just create releases with whatever he wants, whenever he wants. 

Note that the way this works is based on the expiration date of the key and the date the software was released.  In other words, if a key lasts for a year, a user can still use a 2-year old key as long as the update he's downloading was released over a year ago.  This means you'd want to maintain some number of older releases available for those people who didn't get around to downloading at the right time.

Not sure if you could implement something like this for Astroplanner, but it always seemed like a very equitable way to handle updates to me.
-Dan



On Jun 7, 2013, at 12:19 AM, Paul Rodman <paul at ilanga.com> wrote:

> Well, the reason behind producing monolithic major releases is so that I can generate income from updates. Making continual small updates doesn't allow for update fees. I suggested a "licencing" form of updates, where you paid, say, an annual fee to get any improvements to the app during that year, but no-one was interested in that.
> 
> I believe V2.1 will be the last minor release before the next major one (V3), although there might be a 2.1.1 bug fix release if it's warranted. I have to (a) figure out if I still have enough energy for V3, and (b) what would go into it. After 2.1 leaves the factory I plan on taking a small sabbatical to ponder these issues, and to update AstroAid.
> 
> Paul R.
> 
> On Jun 4, 2013, at 12:37 AM, Ken Harrison <kenm.harrison at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Paul,
>> Great news!
>> As I've mentioned...may be the time has come to let your "child" leave home....
>> Can you make the V2.1 the "official" release version and only do further "updates" on an adhoc basis??
>> (The AAVSO are also dragging their feet when it comes to accepting spectroscopy as another tool for variable star observing.)
>> 
>> 
>>  
>> On 4 June 2013 02:42, Paul Rodman <paul at ilanga.com> wrote:
>> My current plan is to release V2.1 on or before the end of this month (June). The main issues I have been and will be attacking (telescope mount and ASCOM) are showing signs of being resolved. Other than that, there's a plethora of smaller issues to deal with, and a manual to update.
>> 
>> Sadly, I will not be able to get any AAVSO stuff going as "promised", since the AAVSO people don't seem to be much interested in cooperating with outside developers these days. Much of the AAVSO stuff that still lurks in V2.1 will disappear, since it just causes nasty crashes at this point in time.
>> 
>> Paul R.
> 
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