iambic Releases Action Names DateBook 5.0

Are you crazy? This is pretty much standard practice for software upgrades. The cost of the upgrade is 1/2 of the cost of the brand new purchase. Some companies (hint: Microsoft) don't come nearly so close as 1/2 just for an upgrade!

AND, it isn't like we're talking $1000 either. Hey, if you don't want to upgrade then don't. But don't hand Iambic out to dry for practicing what basically is an industry standard procedure.

-Kevin Crossman

Action names is one of the best applications available to the palm. Talk to any ppc user that converted from the palm and they will probably tell you it is the application they miss the most. If the new features aren't worth $10 to you, then don't upgrade. When was the last time you saw a big name pc software company give a free upgrade to a major version? Beside Iambic has always given minor releases away free. If people weren't willing to pay for upgrades then there wouldn't be any. When [insert favorite car company here] comes out with a new model (which sometimes is no different than the current) do they let current owners trade up? In fact I am hard pressed to find any industry that gives away upgrades for free. </rant>

Actually, Dataviz does it a bit differently. The new version costs more, whole, than the earlier version, not the same; and upgrades cost less for current users.

I agree: it's a great app, and it's *only* ten dollars; but the principle stands: this does, in fact, make me hesitant to buy the upgrade and want to wait instead til the next upgrade...that costs the same...you know?

I dont see why some folks are complainging about the measly $10 upgrade price. I am sure that the developers ar Iambic labored very hard to add the new features for this upgrade. Doesn't that count for something? Developers need to eat like everyone else. There is only so much your original $20 is going to take them. There are a lot f developers out there that offer lifetime upgrades. But the truth is that these upgrades are never lifetime. Why? These developers often abandon the productafter the 3rd or so upgrade becuse they realize that it is not worth it,

As for those that dont want to wait for the next upgrade...well this make no sense. We will always have upgrades of products. By the time you wait for the release of the next product upgrade, another one is on the horizon. Bottom line: If you do not see any value in the upgrade, dont do it.

"I agree: it's a great app, and it's *only* ten dollars; but the principle stands: this does, in fact, make me hesitant to buy the upgrade and want to wait instead til the next upgrade...that costs the same...you know?"

Wow wise thinking. A company adds lots of cool features in his app, leave it the same price and ask for a tiny upgrade fee and you scream "scandal". So you say, they better have changed the price to $39 like DataViz does when he adds 1 simple new ****y feature?

I had Action Names on my Palm for like 2 years now. This is version 5 and that's the first time they charge for an upgrade. My advice. Just think...

I seem to recall when I purchased Iambic ActionNames 1.0 for my Palm 5000 that I was promised I would never pay for an upgrade for the life of the product. As a matter of fact I have upgraded from 1.0 to 4.61 at no cost.

Apparently that agreement no longer holds.
I find that rather disheartening. I, for one, will be re-evaluating Datebook4 before considering the upgrade, and will have second thoughts about purchasing Iambic products in the future.

If CESD, Datebk's developer, had to manually give you the code, yes you had to pay a 10 dollar upgrade fee. However, it should be pointed out that Datebk3 is still being sold and supported AND upgraded so people who don't want to have a program the size of Datebk4 can still get new versions at no cost.

Finally, Datebk4 version 4.1 will be released soon at no cost to current Datebk4 owners or owners of Datebk3 who use the automatic Reg-code form.

Jason

If you install the icon database supplied with the AN5.0, your icons will be overwritten. If you backup your icon database <Icons-IAMBIC.PRC>, you can re-install it and use your existing icons if you had already installed the new icons. Otherwise, just install <ActNames.prc> only and it will use the existing icon database. I have done so and I see no problems. The icons included with AN5.0 are the same format.

Made a mistake. Its even worse.
DTG is a whopping 70 bucks.
Upgrades are 30 bucks.

I cant believe anyone wants other developers to follow their example.

Quote:
"I am angry, too, because I don't want to pay $10 for that."

If you have no use for the upgrade features, DONT BUY IT. You aint missin nothin special anyway right?

The only reason to get so bent over this is that you reeeaaly want it, dont you. Just so cheap you have to grumble about it.

When it came to DTG for me, the upgrade wasnt worth it. If I had to have Powerpoint on my tiny Palm screen it may have mattered to me.
Since wordsmith is a better WP anyway I went elsewhere. Still got 3.0 sheets to go. No need for me to upgrade.

If it aint worth 10 measly dollars, it aint worth the bother. Be happy with what you have.

(I'm the one with the "Dataviz did a real upgrade, I don't want to pay 10$ for only one more usefull feature in AN5"-post):
I missed something they didn't advertise on the "Hot new features" page when writing the post:

It's finally possible to use flashing LED and vibrating alert (this one should have been free, I think) and (a BIG ONE for me) to convert todos to meetings or meetings to todos - with this three I think I'll buy the upgrade, and you're right: If it's not worth 10$ for me, it's also not worse worrying - I simply can't control my emotion ;-)

"I at least expected a change to the UI, but it looks the same to me"

God NO! The UI is one of the strenght of Action Names, and has always been. What do you want? color icons for buttons, 3d effects and stuff? Be prepare to install a 1MB application. Just the CONTACT HISTORY feature is worth every penny...

A different user here:

I used a Prism for a year. It had an enhanced datebook already built in, so I never seriously considered buying Action Names or its major competitors. However, I've now switched to using a Sony Clie N760. I miss the enhanced datebook features from the Prism, so I will probably buy something. From the description, this seems like a winner. And it uses the enhanced resolution! $20 seems very reasonable to me for all it appears to offer.

I forget what the major competitor was to Action Names. A reminder on that would be appreciated, as well as a quick comparison. Thanks!

Datebk4 is the other one.
I own both products.
The enhanced datebook on your prizm is a watered down version of that product made by the same developer.

Compared to ActionNames?
DB4 gives you a far greater level of customization. Saved views, and templates are very powerful.
But along with "Power" comes a level of complexity rarely seen in palm products. (You must read the manual.)

If you take the time to read the manual and set thing up right Day to day use is very fast.
It is set up more like your built in datebook on steroids, its interface being more like the built in datebook.
Support for DB4 blows AN out of the water. It is not even close. Service is the stuff of legend.

Initially AN is much easier to use. It has more features "hard wired" into its product. Many prefer its more intuitive feature set. ANs is much smaller in size.
ANs is also different than both DB4 and the built in apps in that it is far more contact centric by nature. The new "History" feature is a further evidence of this.

Think of the difference betweeen Outlook and Act. Information manager, and Contact manager. Similar capabilities but differing ways of getting there.

Neither is really better, both have their fans, I for one keep bouncing back and forth.