Rev Media and the product line gap
Lynn Fredricks
lynn at paradigmasoft.com
Sun Mar 26 15:23:47 EST 2006
> I think these concepts--Rev Express, Dreamcard, Rev
> Media--are fairly creative, neat, fun, etc. I'm sure they
> have lots of good points. The junior product keeps changing
> frequently, but I guess that's okay. I haven't tried these in
> depth, so this is just my opinion about basic stated features
> and limitations.
I accept full responsibility for this recent change.
> But I think there are a few drawbacks in the model. One is
> not being able to create a standalone. At the old Dreamcard
> price (I think it was about $100--I'm going to round off the
> prices to be easier on the eye), that could be a bit of a
> downer. RealBasic Standard at about $100, for example, does
> create standalones. The new price of about $49 for Rev Media
> is one approach of helping with that issue. And I think it's
> probably a good approach.
REALbasic Standard also only compiles to a single platform. To get
multi-platform compilation/deployment, you have to spend $399.95 to get RB
Pro. $49 RevMedia with its player had multi-platform.
> (However, why make the backdrop an issue? If it doesn't
> create standalones then there's already a big incentive to
> upgrade. I suppose it would tend to limit what is distributed
> with it--you don't usually see utilities with mandatory
> backdrops, for example. Then again, you don't usually see
> utilities that require a player to run, either!)
This is an additional form of differentiation which won't limit the
usefulness of the product for its intended audience.
> The other major drawback is how far up you have to go in
> order to get a Rev product that does make standalones.
> Minimum is $300 for Studio, which is developing on one
> platform, although deploying on all.
That is true, unless you are an academic - then you also have licensing
restrictions on commercializing the result.
> Between $50 for a product that requires a player, and $300
> for one that builds standalones, that's a considerable empty
> space. And suddenly with the first product that builds
> standalones, you already have one that deploys on all
> platforms. There's nothing gradual. What if someone just
> wants to develop on one platform and doesn't need the rest?
> Or wants to get into Rev gradually, and work on his or her
> preferred platform first before expanding, but wants
> standalones? Or the person that wants more than one platform
> but would prefer to debug and compile from each platform and
> doesn't need the cross-build feature and some other advanced
> features such as database access?
These are very good questions. Ive sold a huge number of different types of
products -- from fairly vertical market 3D applications to clip art to
database servers to games - the ones that do well are those that have a
target customer, give that target customer what they need, then create
upsell opportunties based on some manner of growth (customer's company,
deployment, extended pleasure, etc).
A common, dumb mistake is to open up "Bob's All You Can Eat Technology
Buffet" and then dump technology into different heaping plate sizes and say
"come and get it". I have found that only really works in selling the big
box o' clip art and not much else.
> So, right now it seems to me that there's a large unfilled
> gap in the product line--something similar to the RealBasic
> Standard I mentioned, a product that would run on one
> platform per license, but would make standalones for that platform.
>
> (To differentiate from Studio, some advanced features could
> also be limited. Currently, judging from the Tools Overview
> page, that would include the learning pack and SQL database
> access. Some additional adjustments might be needed--the
> "intermediate" Rev product should not be too crippled, and
> should be sufficient for most normal uses, so these should be
> considered carefully, advanced or new features that create
> considerable incentive for Studio and Enterprise rather than
> cut too much from the intermediate product. There's a good
> balance to be found.)
Who do you see as the target customer for this product?
Also -- how about telling us a little about how you are using Revolution?
Best regards,
Lynn Fredricks
Worldwide Business Operations
Runtime Revolution, Ltd
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