$49.95 Upgrade from Pro Life Time to Ult Life Time

Discussion & Support for xplorer² professional

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IneedHelp
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Post by IneedHelp »

Dark Wizard wrote:Unfortunately for nikkos, xplorer2 2.0.0.3 (back in 2011) and 2.1.0.0 already have "keygens" available on torrent sites.
I'm not a programmer, but I think that the keygens situation could be solved simply by not providing the ability to register, a fully functional (if the developer wants to), trial version.

Since ordering requires an Internet connection, why not send the buyer a unique one-time download link to a setup file for a fully functional pre-registered version instead of an unlocking key?

Of course, that version could be spread on warez sites, but what would prevent anyone to spread a legit license key as it is now?

And if you want to identify the leaked full version, you could have individually signed builds. Each downloaded file has a unique signature which will be assigned to the buyer's ID, so if that customer spreads the full version, it can be easily identified just as it would currently spread a legit license key.

Of course, this is regarding keygens only, not cracks or patchers.

Also, updates should be designed not to interfere with the unique signatures, and they should act like pacthers instead of full installers. They could also be programmed to refuse patching black-listed signatures, by storing them signatures in the updater and checking against the existing signature of the installed application.
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Post by Dark Wizard »

The fact is there's not much "nikkos" can do to prevent "piracy", because someone will always find away around his security measures.

I definitely disagree with the previous "poster" about changing to full version direct downloads for paid users because the software will end up all over torrents.

I personally suggest changing the license scheme in each new version, like what Total Commander does.  That's the only real way to make it difficult for "crackers". Though, the only issue with this is that "paid customers" will become annoyed with having to request new registration keys for each upgrade.

Also, I read some comments about the Developer stating "plugins" will slow down xplorer2.... this is simply an excuse for laziness. Altap Salamander and Total Commander have a bunch of "plugins" built-in without any performance hits.

If you want to charge what your charging, you need to give "users" additional features to make it worth while. If xplorer2 had built-in FTP capabilities, I'd be sold.
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Post by nikos »

xplorer2 supports all the plugins you need, it's called shell extensions
www.zabkat.com/x2plugins.htm

it also has a basic FTP function although I wouldn't recommend it on grounds of no security, use winscp instead

however it's hard to convince one to buy when all these keygens are available ;)

you won't find keygens for the ultimate version though
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IneedHelp
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Post by IneedHelp »

Dark Wizard wrote:I definitely disagree with the previous "poster" about changing to full version direct downloads for paid users because the software will end up all over torrents.
Yes, I suppose you're right. Distributing a full version setup is easier than sharing a license key/registration code/keygen.
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Post by thericochet »

Bottom line is you're punishing your current paying customers because unethical people are stealing. This is ironic in my (and perhaps many other people's) situation, because there's no way I'm spending any more money. Had I not paid for a 'lifetime' upgrade warranty then I wouldn't have any room to gripe. But I did. We did.

And the eventual divergence in features for Pro and Ultimate are absolutely inevitable. I'm not saying any current features will be removed from Pro, but it's human nature for the latest version to get all the bells and whistles while the newly relegated older version, that makes the programmer less money if any, gets neglected in the end.

People feel taken advantage of. Bottom line. And they're not going to be so quick to open their wallets next time. Sorry.
and though the two products (Pro and Ult) will slowly diverge over time, the Pro version will always be supported and upgraded as evidenced by the "Lite" version being continuously upgraded over the years, even though there's no benefit in doing so, as it's free.
That's not true, there is absolutely a benefit. The Lite version serves as a long-term trial and hands-on  advertisement for the paid version. I used the Lite version for probably a year before upgrading to the Pro w/ "lifetime" warranty in 2009. I'd venture that at least 80% of people who end up paying for licenses started with the Lite version.

If anything the Lite version will be secondary to Ultimate while the Pro likely becomes the third wheel afterthought.
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Post by thericochet »

And I want to add that I think Nikos is likely a nice guy and a hard worker. There's no need to be petty about this situation because there is more than enough of an argument before it ever needs to get to that point.

But programming expertise and business/customer relations expertise are two different things. Everyone makes mistakes and I think this is a big mistake. Not for what is currently available in the versions, but for what the inevitability of features will likely be.
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Post by nikos »

following this reasoning to its logical conclusion, if I say, open a restaurant in the future, you are entitled to free lunches on me, as obviously you own whatever I do from now on!? Slaves come cheap these days, a mere $30 and you have them for life :)

look, I have nothing more to say, some people seem overly agitated for what to my eyes is only "psychological" and not reall loss -- or breach of contract. I cannot please everybody but I am not out to screw you either.
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Post by ChodaBoy »

nikos wrote:following this reasoning to its logical conclusion, if I say, open a restaurant in the future, you are entitled to free lunches on me, as obviously you own whatever I do from now on!? Slaves come cheap these days, a mere $30 and you have them for life :)
With all due respect, I do not think you understand.  I paid extra for what YOU called lifetime free updates.  How does this mean "I own whatever you do from now on"???
If you need the reassurance of free lifetime upgrades and email support you can purchase this optional insurance policy from only USD $39.95*. A small price to pay for a lifetime's peace of mind!
It truly sounds as though you are blaming ME for being a loyal customer that paid for your product and purchased the offered lifetime updates.  Did I make a mistake in doing so?
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Post by IneedHelp »

With all due respect,[...]
Why is "With all due respect" always followed by something unpleasant? :D
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Post by armsys »

nikos wrote:following this reasoning to its logical conclusion, if I say, open a restaurant in the future, you are entitled to free lunches on me, as obviously you own whatever I do from now on!? Slaves come cheap these days, a mere $30 and you have them for life :)
This time Nikos tells the whole truth from the bottom of his heart. After we loyal users have paid for the Pro Life Time license, Nikos scolds us for free lunches.
By renaming Pro to Ult and promising future features not existing today, Nikos lurks us to pay for Ult Life Time and scolds us for free lunches.
Just read Nikos' restaurant analogy carefully.
The renaming scam will recycle in the near future.
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Post by luma »

nikos wrote:following this reasoning to its logical conclusion, if I say, open a restaurant in the future, you are entitled to free lunches on me, as obviously you own whatever I do from now on!? Slaves come cheap these days, a mere $30 and you have them for life :)

look, I have nothing more to say, some people seem overly agitated for what to my eyes is only "psychological" and not reall loss -- or breach of contract. I cannot please everybody but I am not out to screw you either.
If you sold me a package called "free lunch for life", then yes I would feel like I was entitled to free lunch for life.

It isn't that people are expecting you to work for free, it's that you sold a lifetime subscription at an increased cost, and then decided to add a tiered model after the fact.  People who bought the top (and only) tier at the time have some expectation that they will continue to receive all new features as they are released.  That may not have been the wording of the contract, but it certainly was what people might expect.  When people paid twice as much for the product to get lifetime upgrade, you were quite happy to take the money.  Now that people are actually expecting lifetime upgrades with all the new features, you accuse them of wanting something for nothing.

I think what it comes down to is that everyone who bought a lifetime license does in fact feel entitled to your work output for the lifetime of the product.  That's why they paid double, and that's what they understood was on the table.  Also, you were quite happy to double the price and take their money.  A year or two down the road, you have clearly realized that you won't see another penny from these people unless you do something to make them pay again.  That's fine too, but don't lay the accusation on us as if we're expecting something unreasonable.  You offered it, we bought it, and now you don't have the source of income that you had expected so you've changed to deal.  That's great for you, but the rest of us understand pretty clearly what has happened, and some folks might reasonably be unhappy about it.
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Post by Kilmatead »

Treating "speculation" as fact (just because it satisfies your fears) is not a particularly healthy approach to life, though it does make an already cynical world a worse place to live in, which seems to be what people want out of life anyway these days.

When people come back with evidence that x2 has not been supported/updated with new features, etc, in the future (unrelated to issues of portability, portable licenses or portable working environments) then they may claim the right to whine and complain about happiness and the legal semantics of lifetime licenses.  And I will happily agree with them.  Until that day, you cannot project your fears (as Nikos stated, "psychological" issues) as some kind of foregone conclusion that the world and its sister is out to screw you over personally.

As has been clarified many times, the Portable aspect of x2 has always been (and always will be) a separately paid product which before now did not even have the aspect of a lifetime license associated with it anyway, so was always repeatedly purchased.

If you do not require the portable aspect of x2 and do not plan on it in the future, you can ignore the existence of the Ultimate version, as it does not change any other aspect of the x2 file management core itself.

I will agree that the term "ultimate" as applied to a product (as opposed to a contract) is misleading in today's expectant culture of businesses lying to the punters about "how different" something is (iPad, anyone?) - but again, until Lifetime xplorer2 Professional License holders have actually been denied an upgrade to a non-portable related functionality, this issue is entirely in your own heads.  (And assuming Nikos isn't the devil incarnate, hopefully it will stay in your own heads.  On the other hand, if he is actually the devil incarnate, then things could get rather interesting. :D)

Speaking of speculation... would the Devil actually choose to be Greek?  Wouldn't that be a bit too obvious?
Dark Wizard
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Post by Dark Wizard »

nikos wrote:xplorer2 supports all the plugins you need, it's called shell extensions
www.zabkat.com/x2plugins.htm

it also has a basic FTP function although I wouldn't recommend it on grounds of no security, use winscp instead

however it's hard to convince one to buy when all these keygens are available ;)

you won't find keygens for the ultimate version though
There's a big difference between a few cheesy shell extensions, that aren't really useful to the average user (let alone an advanced user) compared to Plugins that integrate functionality to make day to day tasks easier. Like a (real) FTP Client, FTP Search, ZIP, unISO and Checksum, ect.. ect.. similar to what Altap Salamander does (and offers).

I do agree at the current price of xplorer2, many won't bother purchasing legally. It doesn't offer enough functionality to outweigh the cost. (xplorer2 2.1.0.1 is available today in the torrents) Ultimate version isn't a priority (I assume) because its the same other then containing a portable version.
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Post by ChodaBoy »

IneedHelp wrote:Why is "With all due respect" always followed by something unpleasant? :D
I understand your point.  In my case, I am not trying to attack or harm anyone, but I am trying to make a point that may not agree with someone else.
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Post by ChodaBoy »

Ultimate (portable) version

Whereas many people will get by using xplorer² professional, the ultimate edition is the best xplorer² money can buy. Here are the main advantages:
xplorer2 boxshot

   Portability. You can keep your xplorer² ultimate in a USB stick and have it save the settings in a portable file, without touching the windows registry.
   No installation required. The ultimate version can either be copied to any folder or be run from any removable media.
   Optimized performance. The ultimate version has the edge on xplorer² professional, especially for large scale file operations.
   Normal installer included. Unlike the old portable edition, you can install the ultimate xplorer² on your own PC as well as keep it in a USB stick.
   Priority customer support. Get your problems fixed on the fast track.

You will appreciate the extra features in ultimate edition if:

   You work a lot on other people's computers and you want to keep your tools in a USB stick
   You want to use xplorer² at work but you don't have enough rights to install programs
   You are a sysadmin or large network administrator and need a version that is easy to deploy and license, and need the priority support
OK.  Taking a couple of steps back, I think the name "Ultimate" is the source the confusion and frustration.  To many, the "ultimate" of something is the biggest, baddest, most feature packed one.  However, at least as described currently, the majority of feature differences between "Ultimate" and "Pro" are related to application portability.  The "optimized performance" does sting a bit since the description does not reveal the amount of work that may have been done under the covers.  I cannot add anything to the discussion of feature and update favoritism toward one version or another.  I do think it is natural to expect something called "Ultimate" to always be at the front of the line.

Respectfully, might I suggest you consider renaming the "Ultimate" version to "Portable", or "Ultra Portable", or "Borderless", or "Boundless", or something else that would convey the portable no-install aspect.  Unless, of course, the "Ultimate" version truly is a different beast and will be receiving additional features independently of "Pro" - which would confirm the concerns of the current "Pro" customers.
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