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Same here man. I think a time trial is better. Too many adds simply distract you from using the software
Jeremy Falcon
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Jeremy Falcon wrote: Anyone still using the ol' shareware try before you buy model?
As a user, yes, because there's a lot of crap out there and I want to test drive it first.
As a developer, heck, I've totally thrown out the idea of making money directly with software that I develop, the main reason being:
It's nearly impossible for one person to put together everything that's necessary in a "commercial" piece of software nowadays. Not just the software itself, but everything that goes along with it: a nice website, marketing, customer support, etc. So, needing a team, a social media marketing channel, the luck of getting traction, etc.. makes this a daunting task, particularly since I'm in the "will pay you if there's profits" camp. While I have many labors of love, it's hard to find other people that share the same passions, have free time, like coding in C#, and don't mind learning my libraries and coding styles rather than all the Microsoft kruft and "best practices."
Jeremy Falcon wrote: Is there anyone in CP land actually making any real money with software outside of LOB apps or services? And if so, what model are you using?
My articles on CP have in the past landed me some lucrative jobs, and for the potential employers that bother to look (90% don't), it definitely helps. Of course then I'm working in their LOB, but that's cool because I get to learn something and it provides a paycheck.
An amusing anecdote: the company I currently have done 2 six month contract stints now wants to hire me. The last 6 months I switched from 5 days a week to 3 days a week, as there just wasn't enough work, and frankly, my talents are totally underutilized. They actually realize that and want to hire me part time, and once they get something (think long term vision planning stuff on their part) that actually utilizes my skills, they'd like me to switch to full time. So it's nice to be understood.
It was hard keeping a straight face when the VP looked at me and said "I get it, Marc, you're bored!" Although he was a lot more blunt about it than I was, he was quite accurate.
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Marc Clifton wrote: want to hire me part time, and once they get something (think long term vision planning stuff on their part) that actually utilizes my skills, they'd like me to switch to full time.
I'd tread carefully there, too often they soon find some less desirable tasks to bring you up to full time - of course with the words, "its only temporary till the next full-time project rolls out." As an employee they pretty much can do that to you.
For instance they'll throw you in as say a part time accounts "helper" (basically clerk) or something similar to your primary application expertise
- yes you are very expensive, but they know:
1 you really do know what you are doing,
2. you will do it very well (already demonstrated good quality otherwise they wouldn't keep you), and,
3. will probably get done in that 'spare 2 days' what a junior would need 5 days to do.
Installing Signature...
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Marc Clifton wrote: It's nearly impossible for one person to put together everything that's necessary in a "commercial" piece of software nowadays. Not just the software itself, but everything that goes along with it: a nice website, marketing, customer support, etc. So, needing a team, a social media marketing channel, the luck of getting traction, etc.. makes this a daunting task, particularly since I'm in the "will pay you if there's profits" camp. While I have many labors of love, it's hard to find other people that share the same passions, have free time, like coding in C#, and don't mind learning my libraries and coding styles rather than all the Microsoft kruft and "best practices."
Totally agree with you there man. And I'm not against getting people on board when the time is right. I just gotta think about the profit model. I intentionally want to keep this small, so the angle I'm going with is "elite circle" for now. For the reasons you just said though, it's why most entrepreneurs have no life at first until they can afford to hire people. It's the price you pay.
Marc Clifton wrote: It was hard keeping a straight face when the VP looked at me and said "I get it, Marc, you're bored!" Although he was a lot more blunt about it than I was, he was quite accurate.
He sounds like a cool guy. I think people like that who are open and honest make the best people to work with.
Jeremy Falcon
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Blame mobile devices. $1-2 "apps" have ruined the business of making money with desktop applications. On the desktop, how many times has someone come along and developed an app free that was "almost as good" as the commercial app against which it was written?
The only real way to make money with software anymore is to have embedded ads in web sites/mobile apps, and hope it's popular long enough to make some money off the ad revenue.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
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This.
People thought I was nuts when I was saying that Steve Jobs was going to put an end to the shareware model when he introduced the idea of $1.99 store apps. People now either expect to pay that much for their software, if not get it for free altogether. No wonder developers have turned to embedding ads. I'll get out of this industry before I have to resort to doing that.
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Jeremy Falcon wrote: I'm curious how y'all monetize software these days since clearly, unless it's a very niche piece of software then there's usually a free alternative to whatever we're making now.
If I find a piece of software that I continue to use then I will pay for it after a while. I have even paid more than once since their model had an infinite life span but I felt that since I used it for years they should get more money.
Jeremy Falcon wrote: Right now the best model I can see with niche software
There are alternatives to direct monetization however. For example one can leverage it into a resume and/or speaking/consulting roles. One might even be directly recruited based on a public offering.
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Believe it or not, today we are going to have our christmas dinner right after work. Someone forgot to make the reservations and this was the best he could get.
Two more hours and off we go. Merry christmas!
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
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Well you are only 11 months, late so not too bad really. 
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For that reason (reservation) and the cumulation of such events before Christmas, it is meanwhile common here to move some of the events to January.
Have a nice dinner.
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I'd do it in January - cheaper and less crowded.
98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.
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Your company seems a bit tight, the companies worked for always did it as a lunch, do half a day of work - but nobody really bothered, roll in late, do some tidy-up, then go lunch and go home. (but that lunch would last a few hours.)
One company I worked at did suggest a dinner, nobody wanted to show so they went back to the lunch plan.
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And then there was my first job after school. First lunch and some official stuff for most of the afternoon. And then the inofficial part with our entire crew that lasted until the next morning.
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
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Lopatir wrote: Your company seems a bit tight
I had exactly the opposite reaction, the bank I work for puts on a nice 2 hour lunch and then back to work where you are expected to work till 7pm and of course there is no alcohol because you need to work after lunch.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
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Mycroft Holmes wrote: the bank I work
Please tell us it's not a Japanese bank...
my wife used to work for such, they 'expected' the general staff to always arrive before the [of course all Jp] managers regardless if your department or not, they expected the staff never to leave before the managers; applied to lunch times too. And I'm sure you know how long those guys like to work, and there was no such thing as a joke, ever.
Except during the year and dinner and dance: those same managers turned into a completely different species, they smiled, laughed, swore... and drank enough to make a fish blush - an entire year of fun exploding in 1 evening. Next working day: back to a form that would make Spock jealous.
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One company I worked for used to do it - deliberately - in April.
They figured you got a better restaurant and better food for less money that way.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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My local ASDA has a big display at the entrance: "38 Sleeps to Xmas!"
If I still smoked, I'd set fire to it...
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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I'm planning to have a lot more sleeps than that.
They don't count my Saturday afternoon post pub & football snooze or my Sunday teatime one or the random weekday snoozes I take in the spare office.
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Well - if you were in the US of A, you could have called it a Thanksgiving dinner.
Since Thanksgiving dinner is normally a family affair, having the work-version six days early would seem quite alright. If anyone's interested, Thanksgiving the the most popular holiday in the US
Give a turkey something to be thankful for . . . eat baked ziti
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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And one turkey is traditionally saved by the president. 
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
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The command has decided to upgrade all 7000 computers to Windows 10 before the first of the year. Microsoft must have modified the way updates are pushed out, because the DoD has to vet EVERY update to make sure it's compatible with all of the installed software.
What should really be fun, though, is AFTER the first of the year, they're going to update all of our database servers from SQL Server 2008 R2 to SQL Server 2012.
All of this also probably means that we're going to get VS2015.
I am generally resistant to change of any kind, and all of this might just be the impetus I need to just go ahead and retire.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
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John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote: microsoft must have modified the way updates are pushed out, because the DoD has to vet...
I havn't heard anything like that nor rumors thereof, any info you've seen?
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I haven't heard anything, but something must have happened because our command is absurdly over the top regarding IT security.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
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