Mac App Store Re-Buys - A different way of looking at it...
Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 11:06AM Ok, so the issue with existing apps installed on your Mac not being picked up by the Mac App Store (MAS) and having to re-buy them, is a bit of a pain!
It's not like you have to re-buy them, most vendors will continue supporting the original versions of the applications and you'll still be able to receive updates through the pre-Mac App Store channels.
However, after using the MAS for just 24 hours I've found I really like the install and update method. Plus the huge benefit of being able to use the MAS bought applications on any machine is a game changer as far as I'm concerned, and I need to move across my applications to the MAS.
The only way to do this is to re-buy them.
Bother!
But thinking about it, I think I can justify it to myself on one pretty important level:
Rather than thinking that I'm re-buying the application, I'm actually upgrading to a multi-computer licence.
Some Macs do already have a multi machine licence, but to be honest, do you know which?
Have you installed applications on both your laptop and your desktop? I know I have and I'm not always sure that I'm doing the right thing.
So by re-buying an application via the MAS, especially if it's at a lower price than usual, I'm in fact upgrading to a multi machine licence at usually a lower price than I bought the original.
I appreciate that not everyone will be in a position to do this, and it's also not feasible to do it in one big bang, but over the next 12 months or so, I can envisage "upgrading" all my important software to the MAS.
It's a no-brainer that any future software purchases will be done via the MAS as a first choice whenever that option is available.
Reader Comments (16)
I agree.
Addresses the "How many computers can I load this on". Along with the tyranny of multi licence cost (sets a benchmark). Reasonable and Fare may also be used in the licensing front.
Once again "The World is Adjusted". In this case to the side of the consumer.
The majority of my licenses are already multi-computer or one user licenses. So I don't benefit from a re-buy. Nevertheless you have a point. What I don't understand is that some people on the web compare the MAS licenses with family licenses. That is simply wrong, isn't it?
Don, I totally agree with you, I have some apps that are old like RapidWeaver 4, version 5 is so cool and I'm only paying $40 while the regular price was $80. Plus, multi computer use is awesome as I have two macs. Good point.
Hi Don,
I agree. Personally I have found it very difficult to find out which apps are multi-machine and which are not, and in fact sometimes even the original developers haven't provided a clear statement about it.
This makes life much simpler for everyone.
I think the transition needs to be handled carefully on a per-app basis, and developers are already offering different ways to move to the MAS. I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all solution to the upgrade, and each developer needs to work out what is best for their customers, and for their on-going business.
As a developer do I care about possible loss of additional-machine revenue? No, the sheer size of the market offered by the MAS far, far outweighs that.
I can see you point of view, and I shall probably follow suit but will do so much more gradually and only when new versions of the application are available with features and functionality that I need. Only at that stage can I truly call it an upgrade.
Hi Don
I agree with you and will be doing the same 're-buy' program.
Another few points why the MAS is very convenient:
1. You no longer have to 'manage' your software licenses. How many times have you bought software to then forget if you purchased a 'limited' supported version (such as via MacHeist etc).
2. It's a 'buy it and forget it' system knowing that you will be easily notified of upgrades.
3. It's SO much easier to install software on a new Mac or existing machine if you do a clean wipe and reinstall. Simply log into you account and redownload all you apps.
So, as with many Apple products, the MAS makes 'life easier' and that's what Apple is good at. And this is where Apple excels - making good £/$ from all us users by providing us with a reliable and easy to use system.
I am looking at it the same way Don and I already migrated some low price apps and took advantage of the Pixelmator offering.
One thing to look out for is that Apple might change their mind about this and incorporate a way to import apps into the MAS after all, so I would be carefull about re-buying a lot of apps too fast. Or more developers might adjust their prices temporarily after seeing the success of Pixelmator and Aperture.
I'm a fan of the MAS, I wouldn't mind if it becomes the only way to buy apps IF that means that all apps from all developers are allowed. (think backup apps, system utilities, DVD rippers etc...) And that's a big if ...
Since I don't think that will happen, companies like MacUpdate have a great opportunity to create an "Unofficial MAS" for all the apps that aren't allowed, preferably working as easy as the MAS concerning install, licensing and updates.
My 2 cents ...
Hello Don!
Currently we're all overwhelmed by these cheap apple apps, but Apple is not a social institution but a verrrrry professional company - do you think they give away anything for free? I'm sure that Aperture 4 will arrive that spring, and it will cost 200 USD again (otherwise I'm pissed off for buying Aperture 2 at 200 EUR and buying an update to version 3 for 100 EUR). BTW Aperture already allows multiple installation - but you can use it only on one machine at a time(it detects this via network) which makes sense even if you were schizophrenic.
Yes, it's easy to buy software now and we buy it not because we need it but because it's so cheap and simple. Apple is verrrrry professional ....
My Macbook Pro is my only computer. Just saying…
Agreed. Think of how much easier it will be when you move to a new machine if most of your software is from the MAS.
There are doubtless advantages for people/households with multiple Macs and I am lucky enough to count myself amongst those. However, there must be large numbers of people with just one Mac, for whom paying to move sideways into the MAS system to ensure future upgrades is something of a bitter pill.
You could be forgiven for thinking that buoyed by the success of the App Store for iDevices, that Apple have pushed out the MAS before fully considering some aspects of the software buying experience like upgrade policies, bundling and rewarding customer loyalty.
Will be interesting to see how it evolves and how the developer community reacts once the iDust has settled =;-)
I would like to follow Don's path, but that will be quite expensive. It may be a way, however, of clearing out all the old apps that one has accumulated and rarely use. I find the Pixelmator and RealMacSoftware dilemmas interesting. Check out their forums. Very different approaches to dealing with existing customers who, for the most part, seem not to want to pay the same price for an app as new customer. I own both and am now debating whether to upgrade. Pixelmator is still vaporware and RapidWeaver is a new release. I must commend RealMacSoftware on the way they handled Courier's move to MAS only.
Wow. You guys are crazy. Or stupid. Or both. I looked up "rationalization" at dictionary.com and it has a link to this blog post.
If MAS can't detect that an app is already installed, then that's a bug. Tell Apple to fix it. Don't reward them for their laziness.
> Have you installed applications on both your laptop and your desktop?
> I know I have and I'm not always sure that I'm doing the right thing.
You're doing the right thing. Install an app on as many of your own machines as you want. Just make sure you only *use* one copy at a time. That's what you've paid for. It's that simple. Do you buy a separate DVD to watch on each TV you own?
I have to disagree Don. My Mac OS licenses for my MB and MBPs, 4 in the house, are always family licenses.
My MS licenses are the same. That is, OS and Key productivity software.
For the most part, almost all my other mac software allows me to have a copy on my laptop and a copy on my desktop as long as I am not using both at the same time, which is impossible since my computers are single user.
I don't see a benefit. My software all updates from their authors respectively quite well. In addition
there is often a savings buying from anything other than Apple. I buy my MobileMe subscriptions for$ 60
not $99. I also buy much of my Omnigroup wares from Omni and updates are a breeze.
So what is the real gain here? It is like a version of the online gaming company "STEAM", where you can buy and download the gaming software from STEAM. Most gamers don't even like the idea of STEAM controlling the servers or having their software vs you maintaining your software. But STEAM DOES allow you to buy a game elsewhere and register its code with steam, and it functions the same way.
With the MAS, this is akin to you buy from STEAM or you can't play. That is just wrong! If I have a valid license the MAS should recognise it. It is just another Apple Control method and they make you purchase all your software again JUST to be registered to get your bug fixes and minor revisions from one spot....
RIP OFF. No Thanks. And BTW, I am not in the least frugal. I have valid licenses for every computer.
Mac's, PC's, Total some 9 systems in the house not including NAS raid servers and My. Rack of Linux, Windows 2000 servers for MS Home server, Imap, Proxy server. I pay for a lot of software and hardware. I wont re-buy just to have a new source?? That is just not a good value IMHO...
I'm confused here - why are we assuming that because something is in the MAS, it's a multi-seat license? Bernd is right - the Aperture license is for one desktop and one laptop as long as you're the single user, and you don't use them at the same time. Being in the MAS is NOT a multi-user license to steal!
Jeremy - the MAS does recognize if an app is installed, maybe they aren't all implemented correctly but it knew I had Pages and Keynote latest version and that I had uninstalled the abomination that is GB in the iLife 11 bundle. but saying that you're not wrong to use a single user license on every machine you own - that's not right if you're reading your license agreements. Most single user licenses don't allow you to install it on multiple machines.
I choose to reward developers who don't put nasty annoying DRM on their software by NOT abusing their generous license agreements.
And Defilm - I'm pretty sure the multi-user licenses for Microsoft products limit you to three, not four machines.
signed,
rule follower (Allison)
In the case of the two most significant applications I have upgraded, RapidWeaver and Pixelmatpr, I considered it an upgrade fee to the new version, and the ability to run it on multiple Macs was a plus, as was the ease of future upgrades and not having to deal with license keys.