Software Assurance Explained

[Richard Gaskin]

Thanks for the explanation, Bill, but as I wrote in the message you 
quoted I already agree that the pricing is indeed a good value and I 
wouldn't advocate changing it.

I was just suggesting the word "upgrade" be added to the name of the 
"assurance" pack to help folks find what they're looking for more easily.

--
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World
  Rev training and consulting: http://www.fourthworld.com
  Webzine for Rev developers: http://www.revjournal.com
  revJournal blog: http://revjournal.com/blog.irv


> RunRev does have a unique policy of updates and upgrades compared to, 
> say, Adobe. Instead of paying on a per-version basis, one gets 
> essentially annual subscriptions to new versions, after the three-month 
> window you get with new purchases expires.
> 
> The reasoning behind this is to even out our revenue over the year, to 
> put more of a focus on giving attention to what is truly needed by users 
> (as opposed to coming out with versions "synthetically" on our own 
> financial timetable), to make it easier for customers to get the latest 
> versions right away (instead of having to make multiple purchase 
> decisions frequently), to ensure products built with Rev are always of 
> the highest available quality (so our customer's customers are happy), 
> and to eliminate destructive debates over what should constitute a free 
> "update" versus what warrants a for-fee "upgrade."
> 
> I think it's actually a pretty amazing value for the money. If you 
> bought Rev 2.9 on Sept 1, 2008 and a software assurance pack on Dec 1, 
> 2008, you would have received Rev 3.0, 3.5, *and* 4.0 as part of that. 
> Three major new versions for "a single low payment!" Sorry to sound like 
> a TV pitchman, but isn't that truly remarkable?
> 
> Under traditional software upgrade models we could probably have charged 
> four or five times as much for you to keep current over that time 
> period. Compare us with, say, FileMaker Inc., which is earning a 
> reputation for gouging customers with ho-hum upgrades priced quite close 
> to the new-copy retail. Compare us with the percentage of retail you pay 
> to upgrade your Adobe software.
> 
> We call it software assurance because you are assured that your software 
> will always be up-to-date. That's something we think professional 
> developers value. With the addition of the new automatic updates 
> functionality for all editions, that is becoming even more of a reality.
> 
> For revEnterprise users, it also means access to pre-release builds and 
> admission to our exclusive "Improve" list (a forum that perhaps needs to 
> be renamed at some point, as we are now better at acting upon input for 
> improvement from all corners).
> 
> [The term "software assurance" isn't as non-standard as you would think, 
> by the way. Microsoft calls their similar program exactly that.]
> 
> Although new purchasers are entitled to three months of updates and 
> upgrades free (so you can be sure you'll get bug fixes, etc.), they also 
> have a full year of eligibility for the "Early" assurance pack price. 
> After that, the cost for an assurance pack essentially doubles.
> 
> The exception we made for select customers with the offer below is a 
> very short-term incentive to encourage people who mostly have been stuck 
> in the 2.9 or even 2.6.1 era to try out the new, much-more-usable and 
> much-more-capable Rev 4.0. (It's time to come back to the fold!)
> 
> Quite honestly, the behavior we want to encourage is for customers to 
> purchase Rev, then make the annual assurance plan purchase more or less 
> automatic. I suppose a downside is that there are some people who are 
> always going to "kick the tires" before they spend any more than they 
> have to, but having an assurance plan not only works out best for you in 
> the long run, but is the best way to support RunRev's continuing efforts 
> to deliver great software.
> 
> - Bill
> 
> p.s.: Think about it: $99/year and you could have gotten three fantastic 
> new versions ... and support a company that's working really hard to not 
> only earn a spot on your desktop, but also change the way the world 
> thinks about software.
> 
> 
> 
> Richard Gaskin wrote:
>> Bill Marriott wrote:
>> 
>>> The Order Now button directs to to the "Early" software assurance 
>>> package page for your edition of Rev.
>> 
>> How many people looking for "upgrade" will think of "assurance"?
>> 
>> When I think of "assurance" I think of the Crimson Permanent Assurance 
>> Company. ;)
>> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX61PUZ3xkI>
>> 
>> I had a client confused by this recently, and when I upgraded 
>> ("assured"?) my own license a couple weeks ago I experienced the same 
>> uncertainty.
>> 
>> People are accustomed to paying for software upgrades (point releases), 
>> with the occasional free update (point-point releases).  Some specialty 
>> software is sold by subscription, in which a fee is required annually.
>> 
>> RunRev's pricing is a unique mix somewhere between the two, and while I 
>> assume there are good reasons for this unusual pricing structure and I 
>> wouldn't advocate changing it, if unique nomenclature is used it may be 
>> helpful to translate RunRev's terms into industry-common-speak.
>> 
>> Perhaps "Early Software Assurance Pack" could be renamed "Early Upgrade 
>> Assurance Pack" for clarity.
>> 
>> And FWIW, the front page of the Store section doesn't show upgrades at 
>> all; only when you click to buy what is marked as a full license do you 
>> find the "assurance" (upgrade) option.
>> 
>> If the pricing is working well for RunRev don't change it; the prices 
>> are quite reasonable once they're understood.
>> 
>> Just a little honing of the terminology and layout in the store would 
>> make it a bit easier for folks to give RunRev money.
>> 
>> -- 
>>  Richard Gaskin
>>  Fourth World
>>  Rev training and consulting: http://www.fourthworld.com
>>  Webzine for Rev developers: http://www.revjournal.com
>>  revJournal blog: http://revjournal.com/blog.irv