kadyellebee

K., I’m so happy you’re excited, and I’m very happy for SixApart, but it feels very bittersweet to me, somehow - I commented on Maddy’s post here.

As Donna said, I’m happy for you, Kristine, and 6A, but I also feel a bit sad. I hope this all gets worked out in the end. I’m afraid I won’t feel quite as enthusiastic about working with another CMS as I was with MT.

As others said, I’m glad you’re happy about the change. I’ll use the contact form to see how much a license for unlimited blogs and unlimited authors is going to cost.. It doesn’t really matter if I only have X blogs or X authors now, my needs are going to grow. Although I’m sure you’ll disagree, as an employee, you have no choice but to put a positive spin on the changes and especially the new licensing structure (which is what I have a problem with, NOT the price).

Ditto the previous thoughts - glad you’re excited about the changes - ... and also ditto on the problem NOT being with the price—but with the licensing structure. COuldn’t we have had a personal version available with unlimited blogs/authors for $100 or so? The licensing stuff belongs to the commercial users.

A time like this is exciting for any company and I am so very happy for you as well. I couldn’t imagine anyone better to join 6A. I am surprised with all the hostility as well but I’m still saddened by this. I feel like I was deceived during beta testing and that’s left a bitter taste in my mouth. I went ahead and upgraded to the free version and will likely buy a license, which one I don’t know yet, but I will wait. I’m hoping the company I love so much will listen (and tune out the hostility) and respond appropriately.

It’s great to see you so happy and enjoying what you do. I’m not so sure about the licensing bit, so I think I’ll stick with 2.661 until a newer version offers some of the features on my MT wishlist. I might even go to WordPress at some point. I don’t feel any hostility towards 6A, and I’ll just continue with my blogging with whatever tool suits me best.

Thanks for your thoughts on the matter. I think you stated them well. I’m enjoying reading the various opinions even though some people could certainly be nicer about it.

I am happy SA has grown to what it has. It’s a sign that they have an excellent product and community.

My whole problem has nothing to do with charging, but the cost/benefit ratio. I gave $40 back to support SA within a day of downloading MT 1.x (I can’t remember if it was 1.3 or not), so paying isn’t the issue.

The costs are way too high for personal users to afford. I wish they had come up with a personal edition as well - $100 for unlimited blogs/authors for personal use. I have no issues with the commercial schemes.

Besides if SA is going to turn a blind eye to license infractions within certain limits, why not just offer that to start with.

Basically, I am being forced to move because the upgrade is just too cost prohibitive for me and my little self supported site.

Lynda said:

Although I’m sure you’ll disagree, as an employee, you have no choice but to put a positive spin on the changes and especially the new licensing structure (which is what I have a problem with, NOT the price).

Yes, I do disagree!!! You know this, I’ve been such a huge support for many years before I was employed by the company. I pride myself in reading the information and not just "going off the handle" like some of the rants I’ve read. I can always find something to be excited about with each new release. Its not just my "employee positive spin" this is how I feel. Maybe when I wake up some more, I’ll write another post about how I feel about the licensing structure.

$69.99 US is VERY expensive for a lot of people. 6A has priced out a lot of people. I donated $20 several years ago and could never come up with what I’d need for a license.

Brandy said:

I’m not so sure about the licensing bit, so I think I’ll stick with 2.661 until a newer version offers some of the features on my MT wishlist.

I think that is the best solution for most people the moment.... this Developer’s Edition really can only get better before its next incarnation. 2.661 is still a great workable version, I’m running it or a little lower on both of my servers. I am easily swayed by the pretty new interface and some of the new options, besides the fact that I enjoy developing things to work with MT and that makes it fun to be using the Dev edition.

I was a longtime supporter of MT and was pretty active in the support forums as well. I think it is great that 6A is growing and expanding, but I feel their license structure is not their best move. I for one can comment as I was part of the alpha and beta testing. During that time, I saw no significant changes to the software to warrant such an extreme pricing scheme for upgrading. Granted, people can just choose to keep their current version, but that’s not fair. It’s also not fair to leave the average blogger in the dust or tell them if they choose to take advantage of the new features, they will have to give up twice as much. The average bloggers who can’t afford the steep upgrade pricing are truly the ones who made MT what it is today, but lending their support in other ways. It’s my opinion that those same supporters have been slapped in the face in favor of the "developer" and more well-off user who can afford such a crazy license fee for "personal" web software. And I can say this as my current employment is as a programmer, so I understand the need to be credited and compensated for my work. I am not trying to slander 6A or Kristine in any way. I understand the process of developing software and I’m seen the workings of MT3 in its developmental stages. I just feel that 6A went about it all wrong and will loose a large customer base as a result. The fact is they simply just can’t afford it.

Kristine, I am glad that you are excited about the new MT because you have at least 150,000 reasons to be .

I do feel a tiny bit bittersweet about the licensing, but I do understand the reasons why six apart brought their pricing structure in.

It didn’t work out so fine for me, but that’s just how it is. I’ve gotten over it and am dealing with it in my own way. It’s far easier to deal with than losing two whole websites and being able to do little about it except rebuild with the help of my friends.

It’s great that you’re excited and livin' la vida movable but I really, truly can’t understand how no one could see this reaction coming. People are talking class action lawsuits... it’s just very, very odd. I just can’t comprehend how the decisions were made.

class action lawsuits?! what POSSIBLE basis could they have for a case? that’s idiotic.

I am a bit upset about the price and licensing... There is absolutely no way that I can afford to pay $70 for software, when I am already paying approximately $100/yr for my domain... When the idea of a paid moveable type came up, I supported the idea and would have considered purchasing it, since it’s a program that I use on a regular basis, and I think it’s a great software program - but at the max, I would be willing to pay around $30. The paid edition really alienates a lot of users who would like to take advantage of those features, but simply cannot afford it. I was planning on putting it on a domain for my sorority, but I think that I might have to look towards a new CMS to meet our needs.

1 day later and I’m still fascinated by the hulabaloo. I found something I thought you may like, you may have already read it but here goes.

From version 2.6 to 3.0D, Movable Type just went from caterpillar to butterfly. Oh, not the kind of butterfly that floats and flutters beautifully in your garden. No, 3.0D is the butterfly that is only starting to emerge from the cocoon.

This is from Jay Allen. I think this is cute, just imagine what a beautiful butterfly MT will be... don’t cry ok?

KDLB: I don’t understand why you’re so shocked by the negative feedback you’re getting. MovableType chose to overcharge, and people are angry about it—what’s so baffling about that? You might not understand the controversy because you are an employee and already have a bias about the pricing. Why would 6A want to commit career suicide like this? It’s just a little strange to us.

Heya. I’m sorry about all the trackbacks. Every time I update that post, it thinks it hasn’t gotten through to ping you yet. You know how it is. I’m not trying to bombard you though.

To clarify:

Although I’m sure you’ll disagree, as an employee, you have no choice but to put a positive spin on the changes and especially the new licensing structure

I didn’t mean you weren’t ACTUALLY excited, but as an employee, you are no longer able to voice any disagreements or frustrations you may have in a public arena. Doing so would not be wise to your career, just like if I were to bash my company’s website on my blog (especially if my employers KNEW about my blog) it wouldn’t be good for me and I probably wouldn’t be in the company very much longer.

As a power user yourself, you have to know how unreasonable the first pricing structure was. I can’t imagine you were genuinely shocked by the outrage, that’s just naive. I’m sure there are MANY wonderful things in MT 3.0D to rave about. I’ve never intended to upgrade until the plugins I use are developed for the new version.

The pricing structure as it is now is a little better, but still doesn’t take into account those who do group blogs with 20 authors. $10 for one extra author is steep and it would be an extra $150 just for someone with 20 authors on top of the $100 non discounted personal license. I’m sure you’re excited about the pricing packages because they’ll pay your salary and ensure it continues to go up. But when you stop and think about it, $250 for someone to continue with their hobby of a group weblog is unfair. Plus, unless the owner is willing to foot the bill for new authors, the growth of the weblog is stopped cold.

I know there was a survey to determine the pricing and whatnot, but I sure didn’t know about it. I don’t go to MT’s site every day for updates. If MT was going to take a survey to determine prices on upcoming licenses, they should have been upfront about that fact and did everything possible to make sure as many people knew about the survey. Using the MT notify list would have been a great way to let the word out. Maybe a new survey is in order now that all the attention IS focused on 6A and MT’s sites.

I’m not trying to be hostile at ALL and I’m trying to see the good in all this, but I still think that 6A has a lot of work to do (including revisiting the pricing structures AGAIN) to make up for all this.

Now would that be The Powers That Be, or the Senior Partners?

I’m really looking forward to helping out, too. I can’t wait!

Having been a loyal Movable Type user for so many years now, I’m feeling quite bad and I don’t like feeling this way

I’m writing up my thoughts on version 3.0, and I feel like such a traitor, but I’m just not agreeing with the pricing structure. Even the free version has me feeling unhappy.

I’m sorry Kristine.

(laughing) I didn’t say the lawsuit talk had any basis (can’t really comment, I’ve never really followed the expectations or 'promises' people feel were made to them so i’m in the dark), just what I had posted to me and I’ve seen lawsuits mentioned in several other places.

Do I care? No... doesn’t really affect me. But when people are talking like that, they generally feel very, very pissed off, or alternately, hurt. Not just annoyed or inconvenienced. You’d do well to not gloss over that kind of emotion, as well, you end up with a clusterf*ck, like this.

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