I posted this at the Code Monkey Publishing board concerning their ecommerce capabilities. I'm including it here in case my "flame" is killed by the admin.
I thought I had legitimate concerns regaring the commerce aspect of this application. There are going to be growing pains converting any open source app into something that requires payment (sure, even if it's just for the data), particularly so for a group that is so spread out. (How many message boards are referenced in this post alone?)
Microsoft and its ilk may be set up as a bunch of cash thieves, but they've got their money handling methods over the Linux/Java crowd. As such, I'm not yet convinced that CMP - even with the success of their dealings with Wizards - has given much thought as to how distribution might be done so as to ease the user experience. I'm not talking about a full blown marketing/advertising money machine, I'm talking about changing the text of a couple of links.
Even if I had no interest in PCGen, et al, I'd be interested to hear how CMP intends to deal with the potential issues in becoming a data sales outlet for an open-source software package. Who is in control of this project when the chips fall?
I guess when my constructive criticism (Java doesn't work well for me, the site is unnavigable, there is no guarantee in a pre-order) can be distinguished from mud slinging I might get some actual answers to my questions. Some of the many intelligent responses to which appear following:
| Davin wrote: |
| It sounds like a simple solution to me... don't pre-order. When the stuff is available and shipping, then place your order and expect to get it effectively immediately. |
That doesn't answer my question of "What is my guarantee?" Even when the product is released there's no guarantee when using PayPal, although it's more likely to go fine after hearing from other satisfied customers. I'm trying to point out a logical error in using exclusively PayPal for pre-orders. Give me a real ecommerce site hooked up to a merchant account and you'll see my order today. PayPal... I may wait, but I'll probably notice the files on IRC before I see the Pay button at CMP.
| jturnley wrote: |
| No offense, but if you're unhappy with the java requirement, you can either get E-Tools or go ahead and take a crack at converting PC Gen yourself; the source is available here |
I own the full copy of E-Tools. It's bad. Pay for an update? No thanks.
But as I asked before, a suggestion for a tool for compiling Java to Win32 binary would be well received. Then I would happily download the source and "convert" it myself.
I'm sorry if these topics belong in other places, but if I barely have the patience to figure out a couple of links, then I certain don't have the patience to figure out which three boards I have to spread this post over. As a result, much of this may fall on the wrong ears, although at least one idea seems like it belongs here. For the record, I never said Java or Linux were bad, just that those who employ them might be a little too zealous in their efforts to see the forest for the trees. It's why many software development companies have marketing departments.
Perhaps I will soon write on the topic of selling open source. I really think that "Linux Zealots" don't get it, and it's odd how they have ecommerce in common with GUI design in this respect.