Paying for Mods and Add-Ons Again?

[gnatster]

Looked around for this topic and saw nothing so here goes.

Many of us have purchased Mods and Add-Ons for our sites, be the vB, IPB or based on other software. Now we are looking to migrate to XenForo and would like to see some of the same items we have ported to XenForo.

Assuming one has kept up with the license fees.

If the creator of said Mods and Add-Ons were to port the same to XenForo what do you expect to pay if anything?

As an example. If one was to move to say a Mac from a PC and you already owned the MS Office Suite, MS does not offer a discount on the different version.

 

[Elizabeth]

As an example. If one was to move to say a Mac from a PC and you already owned the MS Office Suite, MS does not offer a discount on the different version.

However Adobe will transfer your cross platform unlike Microsoft...so it depends on the vendor.

I would hope a transfer fee would be agreeable.

 

[Dan]

There will obviously be some time, some more than others, associated with porting those mods over. Having said that, there should be some costs associated with the XenForo version. I voted for discount however the "New Product" should be expected.

 

[Paul B]

The problem for the mod writers is they will have to re-write all their products from the ground up so they will be putting in significant time and effort to port them to XenForo.

As such, I can understand why they would want to recoup their costs by charging standard prices, even for those people who have already purchased them for other forum software.

 

[Trip]

Agreed, it's not as if it is an upgrade from one version to another. It's a complete re-write. I can understand modification developers charging full price whether you're an existing customer on another platform or not.

 

[Jamie]

I voted to treat it as a new item and everyone should pay full price.

I say that because it's you the admin deciding to change platforms and not the mod writer. When you're deciding to move from one platform to another, you need to consider all costs associated with this move.

Since the mod writer has to treat this as a new item, the prices should reflect that.

Now, that's not to say that the mod writers can't have a pre sale when a mod comes out for a new platform, but the sale should be across board for everyone and that will help jump start the XF mod's in that writers portfolio.

Just my opinion..

Jamie

 

[feldon30]

However Adobe will transfer your cross platform unlike Microsoft...so it depends on the vendor.

I'm probably straying pretty far off-topic, but generally, Adobe apps seem to be written cross-platform using translation software. Compare the zippy, lightweight performance of Photoshop 7 vs. any of the lumbering Photoshop products in the CS series. Further, Adobe CS products now completely bypass the UI of Windows and Mac and have introduced a proprietary slate grey interface across both platforms. As far as I can tell, Adobe CS is written by one large development team.

After the extremely unpopular Office 97 which used translation software to take the PC version and spit out a Mac version, Microsoft has been developing the Mac version of their Office products with an independent development team. They are natively written apps that closely follow the Mac UI. Two separate development teams.

Again off-topic, but I am just saying I understand why Microsoft charges extra.

 

[Elizabeth]

I'm probably straying pretty far off-topic, but generally, Adobe apps seem to be written cross-platform using translation software. Compare the zippy, lightweight performance of Photoshop 7 vs. any of the lumbering Photoshop products in the CS series. Further, Adobe CS products now completely bypass the UI of Windows and Mac and have introduced a proprietary slate grey interface across both platforms. As far as I can tell, Adobe CS is written by one large development team.

After the extremely unpopular Office 97 which used translation software to take the PC version and spit out a Mac version, Microsoft has been developing the Mac version of their Office products with an independent development team. They are natively written apps that closely follow the Mac UI. Two separate development teams.

Again off-topic, but I am just saying I understand why Microsoft charges extra.

Well, I DID say it depended on the vendor for one.
As for Microsoft, it seldom discounts anything and to support an alternate operating system? They only do the Office software to keep Mac users from using NeoOffice. They have their bottom line in mind.
Adobe knows it needs to support both platforms. It helps their bottom line.

 

[fos]

Since the author's will have to write their mods pretty much from scratch, they should be compensated. I voted for a discount for registered users.

Jeff

 

[Vincent]

It sounds most fair to me that the authors of the plugin ask the normal price again.

It would be a big loss for them if they didn't.

You paid for vBulletin and his addons, so you'll pay for XenForo and it's addons

 

[Peter]

This can go both ways. If someone is switching from vb to xf, it'll be a waste to throw away all that was purchased. I'm sure most developers would like to get everyone to pay full again.

 

[Trip]

This can go both ways. If someone is switching from vb to xf, it'll be a waste to throw away all that was purchased. I'm sure most developers would like to get everyone to pay full again.

Good point. Something definitely worth considering before making the ol' switch-a-roo.
$$ It doesn't take long before the investment grand total adds up.

 

[anotheralias]

Since I don't subscribe to the internet-specific philosophy of economics, which is basically "my money is always more valuable than someone else's time," I don't mind paying for add-ons.

 

[Darfuria]

*shrug* - I'm all for supporting developers and what-not. Plus, it's a new application. So - full price.

 

[Jethro]

Am considering writing an add-on module for one of our sites that I will share with the community free of charge, however have another one that would need to be ported to Xen, i.e completely rewritten for the UI from the ground up, that will I'll charge for. Just trying to say it depends on the developer, how much support they think their product might need, and the time and effort involved.

Like most products, and Xen is a new product not the next stage of vB evolution, there are bound to be a mixture of free stuff and bits and pieces you have to pay for. Will be interested in the general business model that evolves here.

 

[0ptima]

Full price. I would not want a VB product to be patched to work with XF and will not pay for a messy hack. I will only consider addons that leverage the XF framework.

 

[MilesDB]

Voted for the full price option. Honestly I am more concerned about coding quality. Modders, please be at par with XenForo.

 

[Wired]

Full rewrite of a mod = full price

However, a discount for current users isn't a bad idea. Perhaps treat it as if it's a version upgrade, and enact similar pricing for the current users?

 

[patrick91]

@Gnatster is drivethruonline thinking about of porting their mods to xenforo in the future?

 

[Fred Sherman]

Depends on the effort and the client base. If its a major effort and only 3 people want it, I doubt the author would even do it. If its an easy port with wide appeal, different dynamic for recouping cost.

There is no single approach. I vote that all option are valid.