The Front • An open letter to Mac developers
I'm going to keep this very short & sweet...
It seems like every week I'm hearing of yet another bundle offering popping-up around the 'net. Today being no exception (I won't link the new one because I don't feel that they deserve the free publicity). While competition is good, I want to emphasize that our annual bundles are special events because of the quality of the software that we include in them.
So while there are the various memes and myths that constantly get propagated about bundles, I'm going to make it 100% clear that we don't include repeats of other software in our annual bundles and this means both our past bundles and any other bundles. If you're a Mac developer and you consider your software to be top-notch, you're forfeiting your chances to be included in a future MacHeist bundle if you include your software in another promotion.
Propagate this fact to Mac developers, Mac journalists, etc, and help keep the MacHeist bundles exceptional...
P.S. It'll be easy to look at this as some way of monopolizing on Mac bundles but the reality is that our goals are to bring you the best bundles ever, while helping top developers earn the most they can in these types of promotions, and also raising a lot of money for charity.
This seems unnecessary. It sounds a lot less like "we value the quality" and a lot more like "you're either with us or against us". This might not be your intent, but that's the way it's coming off. "Certain other bundles" can't hold a candle to MacHeist as it is, because they can't hold the quality that MacHeist does.
What's said is said, but it didn't need to be. Developers already know this. It only fuels certain blogs and people that want to rant on about the various evils of MacHeist, informed options or not. Generally "not".
Oh, and please. People. In advance I request you don't mention WireTap, iClip, or the Retail Box as mentions of "repeats". They aren't. Not of the yearly bundles as above mentioned. Just wanted to pound another nail into that coffin.
P.S. Methinks you used the wrong pronoun. I don't think "it" qualifies as a "they".
Last edited by Miah (July 4, 2009 12:42 am)
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䷩䷼䷨ — Six in the second place, Nine in the Fifth.
This seems like a statement that should be made directly to developers. I do agree with Miah that it does sound a bit like "you're either with us or against us".
Sorry I have to say that this does indeed sound like something you would hear in kindergarten or similar places e.g.
If you play with Bob today you can't try my Nintendo anymore...
I am not an agent in real life, only on weekends!
by refusing to feature exceptionaly high quality software used to be featured 1-2 times in a non bundle promo or an unsuccessful small scale bundle, you might ended up in with some fillers rather than high quality softwares
I considered some software in MacHeist 3 are top notch even though I'll never use them; But a few are ridiculous (be it poor customer support, unremoveable self advertising in the app's output, or released/updated aeons ago, etc) if you read reviews on the internet
Last edited by Chriswan (July 4, 2009 2:22 am)
Thanks a Lot
Hi John,
I think it's good that you roll-out the rules so that everyone knows them. Thanks for that.
I also think that the idea behind this rule is a good one, as it will give us unique bundles with unique software. And at the end of the day, this is one of the reasons why we buy the MacHeist bundles.
Over the last years however, I learned one thing in regards of rules and processes. They all need to have exceptions, otherwise they will not work. So as long as you guys won't act by the rule only, but in exceptional cases maybe even brake it if there is a good reason for it, I think this should be fine for everyone.
To be honest I am not sure the "no repeat applications" is THAT big of a deal... MacHeist is good because of the community and the games - not especially the bundle.
I think that if you continue to work by that rule you will eventually narrow down the amount of applications to choose from and in the end we will be left with some strange bundles with only odd niche programs that only 0.1% of the buyers will be using regularly.
This year we already saw a taste of that with Boinx and Kinematic. While they might be expensive and good, they are not really aimed at this market. Would hate to see 10 applications this special, no matter if the bundle value would be $3000.
I agree that repeat bundles with "Caboodle", "Chameleon", "Koingo Utility" etc. would kill the sale, but on the other hand I could easily find 15 repeat applications I would rather see in a MH bundle compared to Boinx, Kinematic and similar strange programs.
And the more I read your post John I really see it as a way to kill the competition in a monopoly way, something that does not suit my thoughts about the Mac software community as I have always seen this as a very friendly, special and open environment.
I am not an agent in real life, only on weekends!
which parts of macheist are meant to be exceptional here ? all of it ?
Miah wrote:
This seems unnecessary. It sounds a lot less like "we value the quality" and a lot more like "you're either with us or against us".
MintCreation wrote:
If you play with Bob today you can't try my Nintendo anymore...
Agreed
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Miah wrote:
This seems unnecessary. It sounds a lot less like "we value the quality" and a lot more like "you're either with us or against us".
MintCreation wrote:
If you play with Bob today you can't try my Nintendo anymore...
Yes, and I skipped some bundles that featured quality apps simply because there were too many fillers included. I'd love to see repeats in these cases.
Edit:
And as a customer, I read it this way: All the occasional fantastic apps that are sold in otherwise average or uninteresting bundles won't be included in MH4. That makes me sad. We should start an MH4 exclusion list.
Last edited by kingkaramel (July 4, 2009 7:27 am)
Miah wrote:
What's said is said, but it didn't need to be. Developers already know this. It only fuels certain blogs and people that want to rant on about the various evils of MacHeist, informed options or not. Generally "not".
That's actually not the case at all. We constantly get inquiries by prominent developers and we have to turn them away because of our no-repeat policy.
When Phill and I were scouring the floor at Macworld last January, we found many, many top-notch developers that never even heard of MacHeist, let alone our no-repeats policy.
And this is why I feel it makes sense to explicitly state our policy here, in the first forum, in a stickied thread... since the policy has usually just been scattered around in the middle of threads that are well under the radar.
MintCreation wrote:
To be honest I am not sure the "no repeat applications" is THAT big of a deal... MacHeist is good because of the community and the games - not especially the bundle.
And even if you look at how we do the missions, we're very adamant about not repeating puzzles either.
It's pretty much like this with all aspects of MacHeist... we even go so far as to change the website design each year. We basically try very hard to make everything we do here feel fresh and exciting. The bundle is one big part of the whole thing... so again, I feel it's important to have our policy stated very clearly up-front.
With a few bundles in my pocket, I really like this policy.
Plastic Fish Never Die
Okay you have decided "no repate" in MacHeist bundle. That's your decision and I have no reason to question it
Then there are developer who don't know about MacHeist and/or your policy. You want to communicate it and that's fine
So to your open letter. I must agree I also find it as a childish threat. Why talk about the other bundles as bad or talk about them as all? Remembering from PR and advertisement classes is that talking, esp bad, about competitors is a sign of weakness and will seldon be a success. One of the few who talked about their competitors (not as being bad) and made a good thing about was Avis in their "Being number two" ad.
Why not promote yourself and your bundle? Saying that you now are in the last part of creating the next bundle and as there seems to developer who don't know your policy "no repate" you want to explain why as it can be important for them when if/when they want to be part in a bundle.
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macwitty wrote:
Okay you have decided "no repate" in MacHeist bundle. That's your decision and I have no reason to question it
Then there are developer who don't know about MacHeist and/or your policy. You want to communicate it and that's fine
So to your open letter. I must agree I also find it as a childish threat. Why talk about the other bundles as bad or talk about them as all? Remembering from PR and advertisement classes is that talking, esp bad, about competitors is a sign of weakness and will seldon be a success. One of the few who talked about their competitors (not as being bad) and made a good thing about was Avis in their "Being number two" ad.
Why not promote yourself and your bundle? Saying that you now are in the last part of creating the next bundle and as there seems to developer who don't know your policy "no repate" you want to explain why as it can be important for them when if/when they want to be part in a bundle.
Sounds like a good idea!
No mention of other bundles, just the "no repeats" part e.g. the developers need to think for them selves and decide what to do.
I am not an agent in real life, only on weekends!
johnred wrote:
And this is why I feel it makes sense to explicitly state our policy here, in the first forum, in a stickied thread... since the policy has usually just been scattered around in the middle of threads that are well under the radar.
It still feels like the wrong outlet. If I was planning to have one of my products offered though MacHeist, and I was new to this, then the first place I would look with be here, followed by here, then I would email you. I would not consider even looking in these forums. Why? Because forums aren't meant to replace about pages.
It would do a lot better to have an about page specifically for devs with questions. Just post a link at the top of the "What's MacHeist?" page saying "Interested in selling your product through MacHeist? Please read our policies first".
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䷩䷼䷨ — Six in the second place, Nine in the Fifth.
Miah wrote:
It still feels like the wrong outlet. If I was planning to have one of my products offered though MacHeist, and I was new to this, then the first place I would look with be here, followed by here, then I would email you. I would not consider even looking in these forums. Why? Because forums aren't meant to replace about pages.
It would do a lot better to have an about page specifically for devs with questions. Just post a link at the top of the "What's MacHeist?" page saying "Interested in selling your product through MacHeist? Please read our policies first".
And that's definitely planned. We have a zillion things on our to-do lists and forum post = easy so I decided to go this route for now. Plus, repetition never hurts. Like repeating things over and over. Or saying them many times, but in a slightly different way. 
johnred wrote:
Plus, repetition never hurts.
But repeating apps hurts...???
Me = Confused =P
PS: This was just a funny remark, I am 100% with you on your "No repeats" policy 
By night we sail, by dawn we fight!
Nothing says developers can't do MH first, and then go to another bundle, anyway.
A lot of bundles are springing up due to MH paving the way.
If 50% of an MH bundle was had by people buying most every bundle out there, it's 50% less likelihood said people would find the next MH bundle appealing.
Makes sense to me, and not just from a "kill the competition" standpoint. It's more like not letting the lesser competition (or even previous MH bundles) spoil the future MH bundles.
Last edited by frigginjoe (July 4, 2009 9:27 pm)
It makes sense, yes. What it was that I objected to the the matter of the delivery. It wasn't exactly eloquent.
And, as an aside to John: If you're having issues getting things done due to a lack of resources, I can certainly chip in. I'm sure you've seen the bulkload of copy I can write in a single sitting. Writing an FAQ for developers would actually be somewhat interesting to me.
Oh, and as a further aside, one thing that annoyed me in some bundles is the use of programs with insane "protection" schemes. iSale comes to the mind of most, but the Pangea Software game from the first bundle also struck a nerve when I opened the app to find that, though the support pages say that it's "incompatible" with Little Snitch, that incompatibly was deliberately written it by Pangea. If anything, apps like these will turn me away before anything else does (Perhaps I should revisit the megarant I started in January 2008 along these lines).
Hmm... That reminds me. I'm overdue for my next rant. Excuse me... *runs off to find a camera*
Last edited by Miah (July 4, 2009 10:05 pm)
I'm overcapacity on my dropbox, so it would be superb if you helped me get more space by signing up with my link :3
䷩䷼䷨ — Six in the second place, Nine in the Fifth.
I give eloquence a pass, because it doesn't feel right.
All signs point to johnred being an actual viking.
frigginjoe wrote:
I give eloquence a pass, because it doesn't feel right.
All signs point to johnred being an actual viking.
I could never live up to him, though.
Meh, just email every top notch developer with this reminder. They're bound to notice that more than a forum post.
Also, no repeats = good
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The no-repeats policy ensures that the idea works again and again - here's to MH4 and beyond!
All I'll say about the *other* bundle is that macheist has always been quite a bit more complex than just "good software at an good price".
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I agree that many developers may have no idea of this policy (which I think is a good policy for those of us who buy bundles). I think that a one time spam email/TweetBlast directed at every developer you know would probably do a lot more to raise awareness of this policy.
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Mentioning the policy on the first page of the website might also serve well.
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