The huge success of an AppStore failure • Hacker News Board

Re: The huge success of an AppStore failure

#51

Post by lloeki » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 6:29 PM UTC

programminggeek wrote: post #7

I don't think developers understand that pirates aren't customers, they are thieves. It is a crime of opportunity. If they can just take something for free they will, because they are probably 10-20 years old and they don't have enough disposable income to make buying a game easier than pirating one. So, they trade their extra time for their lack of money and go the pirated route even though it's a PITA. Yes, there i…

"probably 10-20 years old and they don't have enough disposable income"

Bullshit. Most 'casual' pirates (i.e jailbreak+installous, audio/video/books via P2P) I know are in the 30-50 range, with plenty of resources.

Re: The huge success of an AppStore failure

#52

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 6:47 PM UTC

robtoo wrote: post #45

Total_Meltdown wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But an app isn't an everyday purchase either. An iPhone, with the required data plan, is an everyday purchase. The hardware is more expensive once, and the plan is more expensive every month. Apps are purchased once.

An iPhone, with the required data plan, is an everyday purchase. You need to rethink and reword this.

[deleted]

Re: The huge success of an AppStore failure

#53

Post by robtoo » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 6:47 PM UTC

Total_Meltdown wrote: post #49

robtoo wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An iPhone, with the required data plan, is an everyday purchase. You need to rethink and reword this.

I said what I meant. When you buy an iPhone, not only are you paying for the hardware, you're committing to a monthly fee. A $0.99 app is not even a day of cell service, let alone a 2 year phone contract.

An every day purchase is a purchase that someone could (be reasonably expected to) make most days. Noone purchases an iPhone for themselves several times a week. Hence an iPhone is not an every day purchase.

You are getting confused because you believe that paying for a service every day make it an every day purchase. You only purchase an iPhone once (although you will possibly buy another iPhone a year or two later.)

Paying off a home loan over a few decades doesn't make a house an everyday purchase. And paying for an iPhone over a couple of years (or signing any two-year contract) doesn't make that an everyday purchase either.

Re: The huge success of an AppStore failure

#54

Post by ebiester » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 7:10 PM UTC

Jhon_bxl wrote: post #26

I don't get it. What's the real reason people hack a game that doesn't even cost a single dollar ? I often read the lack of income as a motivation, here on HN as well, but come on... If you don't have even a dollar for entertainment, how did you manage to get an iPhone ? I don't think that's the real reason. So, what's the thrill ? Is it just an habit to get as much free stuff as you can ? Or do people just not care…

Three reasons.

1. Pirates have more time than money. This means they have the time to evaluate 50 games, playing each for an hour or two.

2. Pirates tend toward hoarding. They're collectors.

3. The combination of the above two makes a perverse incentive in their heads. There's this idea that somethings should be "great" to pay for it. As they don't have any idea of the effort that goes into making a game, they don't value the time.

The perception of someone making less than 5,000 a year, regardless of whether the money is given to them or they earn it themselves, it's much different than someone making professional wages.

Honestly, I think the solution is to target those who have money, and those who know how hard it is to make a product.

Re: The huge success of an AppStore failure

#55

Post by cbs » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 9:19 PM UTC

eropple wrote: post #19

[deleted] wrote: post #6

[deleted]

To be honest, almost none of the people who pirated your App would've bought it in the first place, so it's not as if there's lost revenue, you wouldn't have got it in the first place. Common pirate argument #1. Prove it. Surely this is a falsifiable claim; do you have sources to back it up? The people who pirate your app, act as advertisers, others see them playing the game, and then some people go any buy the game…

>Some people, I'm sure, pirate because they can't afford things (though how did they get an iOS device?).

I bought a new smartphone last week. I can afford to, but it does not obligate me to piss away money on apps (I don't pirate them either). I can not emphasize how significantly higher the cost:value ratio of my phone and service is compared to that of some bullshit apps. How does that saying go, "linux is only free if your time is worthless"?, well, dicking around with apps on your phone is only cheap if your time is worthless.

If someone can manage to afford an iphone, it can simultaneously be a good decision and worth it for them and to still have a long way to go before their next most intelligent purchase is pricy glitter for their phone.