I'm not sure I understand the logic.
You've found a tool that (presumably) you like, and now that you're asked to pay for it, you're boycotting the entire company?
Do you not agree with paying for software in general? Or is there something specific about Reflector/RedGate that leads you to this decision?
I am not against paying for software at all.
I used to buy RedGate software. Or more exactly I asked my boss to buy several profiler licenses in the past. My company also bought a number of SQL tool licenses.
It is easy to ask your boss to buy a profiler, you just have to wait for him to tell you your application is slow.
It is hard to ask your boss for a disassembler.
Before RedGate decided to buy Lutz Roeder product, the product was free and extensible.
Originally what they did was fine. They acquired the product, and added a Pay version with extra feature.
I understand that and to me it is still moral.
What I believe is a betrayal is to remove the original software from the market and remove all places where you could download it.
In my mind it is wrong to buy a free product and remove it from existence.
Again: It is hard to ask your boss for a disassembler.
They also upset me with the way they handled (their forum was censored multiple times).
Being upset I reply with what I can and this is by refusing to buy from them.
Like any embargo it is unfair and not the best solution but deep down I just feel what they have done is wrong.
Interesting debate here. I suppose one could get upset with Redgate for removing the "Free" version of the product, but at the end of the day they have to protect their investment. They paid good money for the "free" version of the control, and obviously invested more time and money on the product to improve for "commercial" release. This investment obviously provided work for programmers, to build a better tool for programmers.
Just because a product was free in the proof of concept phase, deosn't mean it should remain free.
As far as I am concerned they have not protected their investment.
In fact they have done the exact opposite as I have stopped buying anything from them.
They have removed from the market a free product not a trial or proof of concept, a free product with a large community based contribution.
More over they have removed all trace of the original product.
In my book this is rude.
I was a loyal customer before.
WAS
Last Visit: 31-Dec-99 18:00 Last Update: 10-Jun-24 1:09