DISQUS

Pete Forde · 4 months ago

Bravo for being generous and trying something new, Jesse.

I'm a little perturbed by some of the other comments on this post. You should be applauded for creating something useful and wanting to experiment with ways for it to find a larger audience. Ultimately, this is the kind of forward thinking that keeps indie software projects alive.

Selling something until you can give it away for free is a great model, and the complainers who are griping about spending $25 — not because they didn't get value, but because they could have gotten something of value for free — need to get a life.

jessegrosjean · 4 months ago

Pete, thanks for your comments and glad that you feel that you are getting your moneys worth.

But I'm not sure if I feel it quite so strongly :)

Truth is that I'm pretty cheap myself. And if I'd bought WriteRoom for full price only to see it for free, I would probably (definitally if I'd never run my own buisness) have that first sour aftertast as described above. I don't think it's wrong first reaction at all.

But what I hope people will realize is that my big picture goal is to sell software so that I can keep writing it, and a standard way to sell anything is to have a real price where you make money, mixed with sales where you draw in new users.

With that in mind I hope the sour aftertaste goes away after a bit and they go back to just enjoying the software that I hope is providing great value at whatever price they paid.

Steven Fisher · 4 months ago

I suppose as someone who paid $25 for it a month ago, I could be frustrated. But, hey, I like WriteRoom. It was worth $25. Good for the people who get it for free!

On the other hand, I do plan on firing off an email to you asking for a waive of the upgrade fee when 3.0 comes out. Up to you then if you want to do that, I'll be happily upgrading whether or not I need to pay.

I think it's better to ask than just be frustrated, don't you? :)

jessegrosjean · 4 months ago

An email never hurts :)

Steven Fisher · 4 months ago

Well, there's also an element of "Holy hell! Am I really that much of a cheap bastard?" to this. Even to myself. :)

Steven Fisher · 4 months ago

Oh, I just reread this and noticed that you're thinking summer at the earliest for the $9.95 upgrade. I am *not* that cheap. :)

Kiko Llaneras · 4 months ago

I will get it, thanks!

I am a user of TaskPaper (mac) and writeroom (iphone), so I can't wait to see the TaskPaper.Iphone... ok, maybe I can wait until new year :-)

jiji · 4 months ago

Hi Jesse,
I have been using WriteRoom on the iPhone for a few weeks and it has replaced my regular notes app thanks to the syncing feature. However, I have never been interested in WriteRoom for the desktop. I will be trying it out thanks to the MacHeist nanoBundle, and if it works well for me then you can count me in for an upgrade later. I think this promotion could have a large impact on the developers involved by potentially making them the market leaders in the course of a week! Good luck and hope it works out for you.

ericbrunstad · 4 months ago

Please call it WriteRoom for iPhone rather than WriteRoom.iPhone. Otherwise, it sounds like a malformed URL or a malware program and definitely not the name of a reputable iPhone application.

Pine · 4 months ago

I agree, WriteRoom.iPhone sounds cheap and tacky.

jessegrosjean · 4 months ago

Thanks for your feedback. Never really thought about it, but I'll start trying to move to WriteRoom for iPhone.

Sam Livingston-Gray · 4 months ago

Typo alert: "And I hope to get a $9.95 upgrade free from everyone who’s tried WriteRoom and likes it."

That sentence would probably make a lot more sense if it said "upgrade FEE"... ;>

jessegrosjean · 4 months ago

Yes! fixed.

gonzopancho · 4 months ago

I'm not impressed. I downloaded the nanobundle, but the writeroom included is a "30 day trial".

jessegrosjean · 4 months ago

Umm... when you sign up for the bundle you get license keys for each app that's part of the bundle. You need to use that key to register.

seras · 4 months ago

Did you forget you're on the internet? People walk around here with tubs of morons, handing them out for free.

(If you're wondering, I came the "asshole" barrel.)

gonzopancho · 4 months ago

my mistake. the license keys weren't generating (apparently) last night.

They're there now

Rob · 4 months ago

So let me get this straight. I paid full price for something you're now giving away. And then a year from now, I'll have to pay more for an upgrade?" Thanks but no thanks.

jessegrosjean · 4 months ago

I'm sorry, but that's just the way that sales, coupon codes, bundles, etc work. I do a sale because it helps get new users and build awarness about WriteRoom, but I need a regular price too so that I can in general make a profit and keep building software.

Recently I just bough (after 3 years of dreaming) a nice "Primavera Beehive Oven" for cooking pizza. My one concern was that I would be keeping it ouside in Maine, figured I would use a tarp. Then I came to find (2 days after I ordered and it was still in shipping) that they were now offering a free (normal $75) canvas cover with new orders. Unfortunatly I was to late for me, I wrote asking if they could include me since I'd just ordered, but never got a reply.

So that kinda sucked, but in the end I still have a great oven and I think it was well worth the price. I hope you feel the same about WriteRoom. If you are still not happy with WriteRoo now email me and I'll refund you what you think is fair.

Daniel Splittgerber · 4 months ago

It's just an emotional thing I guess, but still: I bought WriteRoom months ago - I very rarely buy software, because I neither need much nor feel there is enough original value in most of the stuff that gets published. But I liked the minimalistic idea. Now there's a kind of sour aftertaste: I don't have a lot of money as a grad student, so I'm not going to spend it on another software which may be given away for free some time soon. Don't get me wrong: I love your product; but I specifically wanted to support you with the payment. Also, it might make strategic sense for you to give it away etc. There's still some kind of aftertaste though for users who recently bought it.

jessegrosjean · 4 months ago

Please see my above response to Rob. If you are a student there was as STUDENT coupon code that will get you 25% off. If it helps I can retroactively apply that.

Ken Yarmosh · 4 months ago

Finally, TaskPaper for iPhone is on the horizon!!! :-)

I currently use SimpeText.ws to sync TaskPaper with WriteRoom for iPhone. Obviously, not ideal but at least I have that option.

Another typo alert above in the last paragraph, "and iPhone client" should be "an iPhone client."

Keep rocking...

josephwalla · 4 months ago

I downloaded it, but it is a 30 day trial. Is what you're offering a 30 day trial?

Regardless, thanks for sharing. I'm already enjoying the program. Cheers.

Matthew Lowery · 4 months ago

Omg. Try reading your serial you were GIVEN by MacHeist!
Then try putting it in!

BTW, I've been thinking about buying this app for a while, loved it. I write reviews so it's very useful. Now I just got it for free, I feel really cheap, so I'll definitely pay that $9.95 upgrade price!
Is there a 3.0 beta/alpha?
I love the app, keep up the great work!
Matt.

jessegrosjean · 4 months ago

Glad you like it and hope it works well for you. But let me emphasize that WriteRoom 3.0 is complete vaporware at this point. I have an idea for it, I think I'll do it, but there's definitally no beta, and I think maybe next summer is the earliest that something MIGHT come out.

Matthew Lowery · 4 months ago

OK that's fine, makes my v2 worth more for now haha!

maz · 4 months ago

I´m sorry to say, but I can´t have the Edit feature plugin to show up in my Edit tab on my Mac?
Nothing happen either when try to use short cuts.
How to do?

jessegrosjean · 4 months ago

Sorry that feature only works on 10.4. For later OS versions please try my (free open source) QuickCursor application.

maz · 4 months ago

Where to find the QuickCurser app and what does it do for to help me to open and edit in WriteRoom from Mail and Safari??

EDIT: I found it, thx for the hint and excuse my “to fast” question!

By the way! Abt QuickCurser. It seems not work in all apps right?
For example it not work in my Mail app.

Which apps will it work in?

PrivacyCDN · 4 months ago

Jesse;

I'm with you on expanding the user base, and the long term upside for your revenue. Anything that increases/stabilizes your revenues is a good idea. I'm really looking forward to TaskPaper on the iPhone.

gtcaz · 4 months ago

Jesse,

Thanks for adding WriteRoom to the MacHeist nano bundle. I was just going to stick with Scrivener's full-screen mode modified to look a bit like WriteRoom, but now I get to add WriteRoom to my writing arsenal full-time (especially in combination with QuickCursor, which I'm using right now).

I bought WriteRoom for iPhone along with TextExpander on discount, and I must say: I feel like I've gotten a lot of elegant, quality software for hardly any money.

I'm feeling a bit guilty for my cheapskate bounty, so I've tried to talk up WriteRoom on forums, twitter, blog comments, etc. and I hope in a small way that repays the generosity.

Thanks again, and keep making great, simple, elegant software. Looking forward to SimpleText.ws integration, if that's in the works.

S. · 4 months ago

WriteRoom was the very first piece of software I ever paid for. $25 is not pocket change for an undergrad, but it was worth every single penny. I use WR all the time. Course notes, writing reports and essays, opening .doc files, writing anything pretty much.
Sure, I cringed slightly when WR went for free on MacBundle, but it was a reaction - who wouldn't want to save money? That said, I used WR for many months before that, and it was entirely worth the money.
Looking forward to 3.0, and I'm sure it'll be more than worth the $9.95.
Jesse, thanks for a spectacular app.

And to everyone, if you want to get updates and news about the app builds and different WR details, you could do so at the WR forums: http://groups.google.com/group/writeroomapp?hl=en

Andrew · 4 months ago

> And I hope to get a $9.95 upgrade fee from everyone who’s
> tried WriteRoom and likes it.

Does this mean all registered WR users, or just the ones who got it for free from this year's MacHeist?

It would be nice if you waived the upgrade fee for those who paid for WriteRoom before.

jessegrosjean · 4 months ago

The Machiest licenses are full so the update will be the same for everyone. But the update is just a long term idea in my head at this point.

coljac · 4 months ago

Seems like a good business move. I don't think it will alienate too many old customers, nor cost you many registrations that might otherwise have brought in revenue. I learned about WR from the Macheist bundle, and it's the only app out of the bundle that seems worth keeping for me. I feel like a cheapskate but look forward to paying for 3.0. I will definitely be using this app from now on, so you succeeded there.

Justin Luey · 4 months ago

I really appreciate you adding this to the bundle and I think it is a very smart way to market. I buy the bundles and I also get all the freebies. I would not have paid for most of the apps at their full price, but because of the bundle I try them. This is great for me because I discover new apps and its great for the developer because if I like the app I'll most likely pay for an upgrade, the iPhone version, or another app they make. Even if I have no use for the app or prefer a different app I'll often recommend it to a friend. These bundles are a win-win situation, hopefully more and more developers realize it.