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Omni Group Layoffs

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Re: Omni Group Layoffs

#191

Post by sjwright »

mgkimsal wrote: post #140
taneq wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a consumer of software there are three MAJOR problems with the subscription model: 1) If it's for a piece of software I use on an ongoing basis the cost often rapidly eclipses what I'd have paid for standalone software, and it never stops rising. 2) There's usually some awkwardly contrived cloud tie-in, purely to enforce subscriptions, which breaks the software if your internet connection or the supplier's servers…

I've found JetBrains and .. tele.. ? (screenflow) to both be decent compromises. Well... I guess screenflow isn't a rental - I upgraded through version 6 - I may upgrade to 9 now, as there's enough 'new' stuff (and I have a newer laptop) to make it worthwhile. I appreciated it not being a subscription, precisely because nothing changed for me - I kept using the same software for a few years, knowing I was missing out…

The Jetbrains model needs a simple, catchy name so that more companies can be inspired to choose it. Perpetual subscription?

Re: Omni Group Layoffs

#192

Post by Wowfunhappy »

...can someone please give me an excuse to go buy Omnigraffle? I want to, but I need a reason.

What would I be able to use it for in my daily life as a layperson doing layperson things?

Re: Omni Group Layoffs

#193

Post by sjwright »

Angostura wrote: post #96
dman wrote: post #82

Nothing signals to me that the market for high quality software is utterly and completely broken than this piece of news. Sad to hear this - if the Omni folks are having difficulty what hope do other small shops have. I am always amazed at the creativity SW folks show when coming up with reasons/excuses for not paying for tools - the culture around this is very saddening. On the other hand my friends who are into ele…

This is very sad. But I used to buy all the Omnigroup software until a couple of years ago, the prices went up a lot and I stopped.

Wow really? I remember looking at their prices 5–10 years ago and thinking they seemed a bit inflated.

Re: Omni Group Layoffs

#194

Post by snarf21 »

dman wrote: post #82

Nothing signals to me that the market for high quality software is utterly and completely broken than this piece of news. Sad to hear this - if the Omni folks are having difficulty what hope do other small shops have. I am always amazed at the creativity SW folks show when coming up with reasons/excuses for not paying for tools - the culture around this is very saddening. On the other hand my friends who are into ele…

I agree with your general point. We don't value time savings enough. However, I'd offer a few observations.

A lathe does what a lathe does every time. Even if the company goes out of business, there will be parts available for it for a while. No one at the lathe company can decide that it will stop performing feature X because it isn't popular or make enough money.

This leads into the second point. Companies (and individuals) have become fearful of external dependencies. So they push for FOSS so that they can avoid lock-in. Or they adopt an "invent here" mentality. Look at how many technology projects Google has cancelled despite the fact that they have infinite money.

Re: Omni Group Layoffs

#195

Post by macjohnmcc »

riffraff wrote: post #95
dman wrote: post #82

Nothing signals to me that the market for high quality software is utterly and completely broken than this piece of news. Sad to hear this - if the Omni folks are having difficulty what hope do other small shops have. I am always amazed at the creativity SW folks show when coming up with reasons/excuses for not paying for tools - the culture around this is very saddening. On the other hand my friends who are into ele…

> On the other hand my friends who are into electrical, woodworking or automotive take a deep pride in the tools they own. I don't want to justify the "cheapness" of the software users, which is certainly excessive, but the feeling of ownership of a physical object is still very different from software. For example, you can easily lend your toolbox to a friend, your hammer won't ever stop functioning through no fault…

I don't think that professionals are likely to loan their tools to friends nor do I think they consider that option when they decide if they will buy a tool. It's tools that make their jobs easier or possible.

Re: Omni Group Layoffs

#196

Post by criddell »

new2628 wrote: post #162
dman wrote: post #82

Nothing signals to me that the market for high quality software is utterly and completely broken than this piece of news. Sad to hear this - if the Omni folks are having difficulty what hope do other small shops have. I am always amazed at the creativity SW folks show when coming up with reasons/excuses for not paying for tools - the culture around this is very saddening. On the other hand my friends who are into ele…

OK, I'll bite. I have a fundamental aversion to paying for something that has zero marginal cost. I feel I'm taken for a ride if I do so. If I pay for a book, I feel it cost some effort to produce it physically, print it, bind it, ship it. I cannot force myself to pay for an e-book, which is a pdf copied at no extra cost. Same for digital music and software or any other digital "good" or subscription. I sympathise wi…

Do you pay for cable tv or Netflix?

Re: Omni Group Layoffs

#197

Post by 6gvONxR4sf7o »

new2628 wrote: post #162
dman wrote: post #82

Nothing signals to me that the market for high quality software is utterly and completely broken than this piece of news. Sad to hear this - if the Omni folks are having difficulty what hope do other small shops have. I am always amazed at the creativity SW folks show when coming up with reasons/excuses for not paying for tools - the culture around this is very saddening. On the other hand my friends who are into ele…

OK, I'll bite. I have a fundamental aversion to paying for something that has zero marginal cost. I feel I'm taken for a ride if I do so. If I pay for a book, I feel it cost some effort to produce it physically, print it, bind it, ship it. I cannot force myself to pay for an e-book, which is a pdf copied at no extra cost. Same for digital music and software or any other digital "good" or subscription. I sympathise wi…

What about physical things with near zero marginal costs? Do you feel like your logic applies to an album on a CD when everything was on CDs?

It’s absolutely immoral to me that you see a long chain of work (research, writing, editing, marketing, printing) and judge it solely on its last component (printing). There are so many physical goods where the final piece is just a small portion of the final cost.

Re: Omni Group Layoffs

#198

Post by mcgrath_sh »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #177
eskaytwo wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And it’s much easier to expense a one off purchase on tax than adding up all the recurring subscriptions. But yes, the cognitive load is a big one for me too.

Same for me. I describe it in terms of relationship. Each subscription is another relationship with a third party that I otherwise don't care about, that I don't want to be in any ongoing relationship with. I just want to a) pay for the software, and b) use it to do the things I need done. Just like if I were buying a hammer.

A power drill is my favorite analogy. If I drilled holes once every 18 months, I’d gladly rent from Home Depot. If I found myself doing a weekend project every month, I want to own a drill. That drill comes with the expectation that it has an 18-24 month warranty (support cycle) and if my power outlet (OS) doesn’t change after that, I expect the current drill (current version) to keep working, essentially, until the hardware dies. However, I do not expect Milwaukee to add a light or whatever new feature to the drill, or change the plug if my outlet changes. After that 18-24 month period, I expect that new features, breakage, etc will mean I buy a new drill.

I know it is an imperfect metaphor, but it helps get my point across that valuing ownership doesn’t make someone cheap. It makes them unwilling to lease software.

Re: Omni Group Layoffs

#199

Post by mcgrath_sh »

sjwright wrote: post #191
mgkimsal wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've found JetBrains and .. tele.. ? (screenflow) to both be decent compromises. Well... I guess screenflow isn't a rental - I upgraded through version 6 - I may upgrade to 9 now, as there's enough 'new' stuff (and I have a newer laptop) to make it worthwhile. I appreciated it not being a subscription, precisely because nothing changed for me - I kept using the same software for a few years, knowing I was missing out…

The Jetbrains model needs a simple, catchy name so that more companies can be inspired to choose it. Perpetual subscription?

Rolling lease to own, maybe?

Re: Omni Group Layoffs

#200

Post by techslave »

snickmy wrote: post #61

I would love to hear more how the COVID19 has exacerbated the business down period. I naively thought that enterprise software would not see a strong impact from COVID19 in the first 2-3 months.

i wouldn’t think so either but in no way is omni in the category of enterprise software.
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