We are going to start charging for Media Browser

[sam]

All,

Make sure you have a read of my blog post: http://www.samsaffron.com/archive/2009/ ... ia+Browser

Let me know what you think
Cheers
Sam

[razmajazz]

I'm disappointed but you're right that Media Browser is worth more than $0 and it is certainly understandable that the team should be compensated for the many hours spent in development.

Since the decision is made I'll only comment on the mechanism. I for one despise subscription based models for software -- enough that it would probably persuade me to look for alternatives. I much prefer a one time fee with lifetime upgrades. For legacy support just expire version support on some reasonable interval. Make it clear at purchase that legacy support is relegated to the forum with no guarantee of resolution.

[paulbagshaw]

I'd have no problem with an annual subscrition, especially for a product as good and useful as this.

A) I currently pay an annual subscritption for guide listings that I couldn't do without and B) I can understand how a one-time-fee-for-lifetime-support would be a potential nightmare to support.

[ulrick65]

Well, I just started using this program...took last week getting it setup and I love it. I thought it was interesting that you side stepped several posts that I read around talking about donations...now I know why!

I will just a couple of comments from a very new user:

I love free software that works great, looks great and does most of the stuff I want...

I often wonder why people create spend a lot of time creating good (great?) software for free...

Based on what I have seen so far, I would be happy to pay for Media Browser. I would prefer one larger price for lifetime upgrades, but I would be OK paying a yearly fee (if it was reasonable of course). How about paying one fee to start, then a lower fee to continue year after year? This gives people an incentive to stay (lower cost then letting it lapse and restarting) but gives them a break for being loyal. This is like a maintenance agreement many of us pay in industrial environments for software.

Again, I am brand new to this so I can hardly complain but how come everyone else got to use this software for so long for free and I have to pay so soon!

Great work on this by everyone that has been a part of it. Couple this, with meta<browser/> and Media Center Master and it's pretty hard to beat!

Thanks.

ulrick65

[sinjen]

I agree, a subscription model would certainly give me pause to continue with Mediabrowser(although I could live with the current version for quite awhile I believe). I just really don't like them. However, a one-time fee would most likely be too high for most of us to swallow. You're really in a tight spot. Personally, I think I could take your decision to sell this product a bit easier if you had not EXPLICITLY stated on your blog that you would not close the source, or start charging for mediabrowser. It seems that you have reversed your stance on both.

Mediabrowser truly is an incredible piece of software that has been built upon by your dev team, and in no small part by the mediabrowser community with their ideas and countless hours of use/testing. I do hope this works out for you and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for what you've given so far. It has been very much appreciated.

I do have one question. Where will you now be getting your metadata from? Have you worked out a license with Travis over at tmdb? And if mediabrowser ceases to be open source, will older versions no longer have access to the "free" tmdb api?


Regards,

-Sinjen

[all4dom]

The software lloks good, but will there be a new transocder that is compatible with vista media center 64-bit? I love the program...am new to this, but I can't get tghis working when I try to stream to my xbox 360.

[sam]

I'm disappointed but you're right that Media Browser is worth more than $0 and it is certainly understandable that the team should be compensated for the many hours spent in development.

Since the decision is made I'll only comment on the mechanism. I for one despise subscription based models for software -- enough that it would probably persuade me to look for alternatives. I much prefer a one time fee with lifetime upgrades. For legacy support just expire version support on some reasonable interval. Make it clear at purchase that legacy support is relegated to the forum with no guarantee of resolution.

I am disappointed you are disappointed.

This makes me think of a Dilbert like cartoon. Hey, we need more money, how about if we just create a new version. Sounds like we will be releasing version 4.0 next week.

The reasoning for a yearly subscription is especially important for open source software, the fee it to ensure the software does not die. Of course once the subscription is over we will not be disabling software, instead the software will stop receiving updates.

None of this is set in stone, and all of this is open for discussion, the only thing set in stone is that we have to charge for this software if it is going to stay alive.

[sam]

Personally, I think I could take your decision to sell this product a bit easier if you had not EXPLICITLY stated on your blog that you would not close the source, or start charging for mediabrowser. It seems that you have reversed your stance on both.

Jeez, this is crazy talk, where did I say that I will never close the source or start charging? I said I want to keep most of the code open-source. Are you offering me a way out? What is too much money, the price of one movie ticket? A movie ticket and a hamburger? 3 movie tickets?

My intention is to leave this open source. if you are a hacker and feel like downloading visual studio, commenting out the licensing code and auto update, making your own installer and installing this locally, so be it. Stuff will get hairy if you start publishing these MSIs.

[lithium631]

No matter how you slice it, paying for something that was previously free sucks. That being said, I could never work so hard on a project just to give it away for free. I have to spend my time working to support my family and I imagine you do the same. Good luck and I see great success coming for Media Browser.

[sam]

No matter how you slice it, paying for something that was previously free sucks. That being said, I could never work so hard on a project just to give it away for free. I have to spend my time working to support my family and I imagine you do the same. Good luck and I see great success coming for Media Browser.

Thank you lithium!