[REBOL] Re: It's NOT Free.. (was) Re: Re: The future of Rebol - achieving critic
From: kenneth:nwinet at: 22-May-2001 5:13
Hi gang,
I'd like to throw another 2 cents into this discussion:
I'm a customer. I in turn have customers. I don't care about the product
being free except for experimental use so I don't have to part with too much
cash just to evaluate whether or not the language can be of any use to me.
I already have a compiler in a language that I'm comfortable and capable of
programming in and in which I can produce software for profit. There are a
lot of factors to consider before I would divert my attention to something
else.
I mentioned sometime earlier that for me to consider using Rebol means I'd
have to pay the $800 for the unlimited license. $50 or $100 or even $1 per
user is not a viable option for me. While others may not feel the same,
once I buy a tool I want to be done with it. I'm not interested in making a
royalty payment. That doesn't mean you can't upsell me by offering me
additional tools but I choose not to pay a royalty on those either.
I think Joanna Kurki nailed it with the following statement:
>I was hoping Rebol/View to be distributed to some windows/linux-X
>PC:s (just guesses. 20 machines, and five of them in house rest on
>clients) as a platform for scripts to communicate with our ethernet-
>connected sbc's (like our lon-gateway.. accessing lon data via ethernet
>using UDP.. Our systems allow remote configuration and OS-/application
> updates).
>But 20 lisences.. with that price I could purchase both Delphi6 and
>Kylix (= Linux equvalent), make single source tree and distribute
executables
>freely .. (no, I don't really like Pascal-- but what else there are? Java..
nah..)
>It's not only the money.. It's hassle.. I'm not sure how this licensing is
>supposed to handle.. Do I haveto take care of it (and sell those scripts
>over 100usd per seat to cover lisensing fees) or am I just going to give
>our clients link to www.rebol.com along with my scripts?
Hassle in my mind is a big cost factor (it has veto power.) While Rebol
very well might be worth parting with $800 for, I do have other things
competing for that money.
I think I paid a little over $300 for my Delphi 5/pro compiler. I see
Delphi 6/pro being advertised for about $1000. Now I paid the $300 and
consider anything from $100 to $300 total cost to be the sweet spot for a
compiler. However, the only way I'd pay the grand is if I'd already
developed a product that I was selling using D5 and could purchase the
upgrade from the revenue stream. Otherwise, I've got better things to do
with a grand.
Please forgive me for saying so, but while Rebol seems cool and all, I do
not perceive the current incarnation as being as commercially viable as the
Delphi 5 that I've already bought. Others may disagree and that's fine.
I'm just offering a perspective here.
BTW, when I said I already have a compiler I'm comfortable with I was
refering to VB6, not Delphi. I paid the $300 on the chance that I might
find D5 useful. My perception, right or wrong, is that I'd pay $50 to $100
in the case of Rebol. But I'd expect certain things in exchange for my
money. It turns out that Rebol doesn't even meet these expectations at this
time (which I've already outlined in previous comment to this list.)
I'm here because I have an interest in the language. RT can market it in
any way that fits there business model and the chips will fall as they may.
Others can add to this list but there is quite a bit that goes into the
business decision of risk factors in deciding to use Rebol for a project:
- Cost in terms of dollars and time.
- Does it meet a need that I can't satify as well in another way. Is there
a less risky way of providing a satisfactory solution.
- Is the product stable enough to release. Considering DLL hell, not even
Microsoft gets this one right at times.
There are certainly other factors, but these three provide a taste.
Regards,
Ken.
