K6TU Remote - release announcement V1.2

Dale KB5VE

While I support your view 100% Stu don't throw someone under the bus who does not feel the value is there for them. If I buy a new iPad which will work the way you said I will probably get the program, I can assure you my resources are not that meager, but at the same time being a Banker for 46 years I have always weighted the use verse the cost. When I was promoted to VP and transferred the realtor asked me what price house I could afford to which I answered between $500 and $ 600 k she immediately took me to houses ranging between $600 and a million. I finally told her I had no interest in these houses and wanted to lookin the 225 to 300 range. She imeadiately brought up what I had said. To that I responded " you asked what I could afford not what I wanted to pay!" . So don't blast someone who looks at the value based on use. I used a flex 3000 dedicated to remote for three years connected by team viewer and snipe . Worked great not as good as this but still great and I did it with a iPad 2.n Mr Most of the people I have introduced to flex still look at ham radio as a hobby not a devote mission to have better and more than others, I do not have a humble station by any means any my radio cash fund is more than I will ever use but I never buy play per ties on credit and when I do buy I do based on need not to show others I have more than them.

So what you have done is great if the need is there. Until 2.0 comes out there is no need on my part. Who knows what this Christmas awill bring I might get that new I pad and be all set up for the future, but for this to really make my station removable it will have to have the ability to control my antenna system, turn on and off my amplifier, display output of the amplifier , rotate the beam, activate the auto tuner. I can do all that with a Windows based tablet right now.

So be sure to not throw the baby out with the bath water but don't assume someone who feel the product is not right for them right now will not want it in the future! Keep up the good work.

As far as operating system I never used ME anyway. Yes I use win 7 which sevens me well. At this time. I am not eat up with App,e being the best system as some apple users are. I have had a few spend hours sinning the praise of Apple to the point I felt like I was at a Obama rally with him telling me it did not matter what I wanted because he and the government knew what was best for me. I work for the largest asset based value bank in the world and they refuse to use the apple products . I had a company issued iPad but when we were to activate they back out due to security concerns. Do I know Apple no because it is just a tool, not the sun rising each morning to give me life. So some day my 100 bucks might be in the bank but not now not as long as it's my 100 bucks and as long as we have the right to choose. As far as the free look no problem I have deleted it least I abuse the privilege. Dale
KB5VE

David Decoons, wo2x

While there has been no mention about renewal cost, I feel the renewal should not be at full price as a new subscription. Hopefully there will be a discount for annual renewals. My two cents. Dave wo2x

Stu Phillips - K6TU

Dave,

There is already a discount for yearly subscription versus the 30 day sub.  In the US, a 30 day subscription is $9.99 while the yearly is $99.99.  The subscription covers all upgrades issued during the subscription period at no extra cost.

Apple's subscription mechanisms do not provide a way of being able to offer renewal pricing at a different level than an initial subscription.

Stu K6TU

Stu Phillips - K6TU

I thought about not posting what follows below but I want to be very clear why I chose to make K6TU Remote available via subscription rather than a one time (and never free as in ****!) purchase.  I had written what follows below as a part of my response to a another comment in this thread but realized it was better as a standalone post and not a reply.

So here goes...

The iPad Pro is a great example of the costs associated with keeping an app current and why there are ongoing costs.  I have an Air2 which size and performance wise is great for me.  But now I will have to purchase an iPad Pro so that I can test my app with that hardware - that costs me real money, not just time.

Every time FlexRadio changes the software in the radio, I have to test and often make significant code changes in order to keep the app current with their software.  This takes time especially when I have to now test the app across multiple iPad versions.

Apple typically makes a major new release of iOS once a year.  Each OS change has to be tested and often requires application level changes as new functionality is added which folks expect to be able to access in an app or as functionality is removed.  Yes, Apple removes or changes interfaces that are necessary for an application to work.  This takes more time.

Last but not least, there is new functionality that I add in the app.

Consider this; I had dinner with some friends last night - my friends have a new car that is a 2016 version of mine.  Wow - does it have some cool new features!  Unfortunately, they aren't available as upgrades on my car.  Sure would have been nice to have a subscription that enabled me to get new functionality as my car ages.  The new features aren't worth (to me right now at least) the price of ordering a new car and having to eat "drive off the lot" depreciation but that's my choice.

I apologize for the length (but not content) of this response - I'm not (as the responder to one of my other posts suggested) throwing anyone under the bus.  There is a larger point here that I'm making.

Software development costs money.

Lots of money...  software developers especially for iPad applications are expensive.

If FlexRadio had to hire someone to write the remote app, I'm sure they would have analyzed the cost versus the revenue it would generate as a first upfront step.  They would have sighed and erased the idea of the app from their planning.  It simply makes ZERO economic sense - even considering the pull through they might generate from people who buy a radio because of the app.

Apart from a long career developing software and managing teams of developers building software that is massively deployed around the world, I'm a business guy and get faced with economic tradeoffs every day.  Developing any product requires understanding the size of the market for that product and what people will pay for it.  If the revenue you generate won't pay for the product development, its generally a rotten idea to pursue.

If we as users of the radio want useful capabilities that augment, streamline or complement our operating of the radio, we need to be prepared to pay for them.  This is doubly true for us as operators of FlexRadio 6000 series radios as in many cases, the capabilities ONLY work with a Flex 6000.  This is called a constrained market.

The revenue I generate from K6TU Remote will never provide a replacement for my day job (I'm not retired) and frankly as an app with its target market, doesn't represent the best use of my development time.  I could easily write apps that would generate a larger amount of revenue,

So I chose to make functionality available by subscription to make a point.

That point has now been well made and I can point to this post when answering other questions about costs, subscriptions, why-not-free (as in ****) in the future.

Thank you for reading and for the opportunity to make this important point.

Stu K6TU

Stu Phillips - K6TU

Dale,

I was not throwing you under the bus or out with the bath water.

I appreciate you have a choice.  If the value for you isn't there with the app you have a clear and simple choice - don't purchase the subscription.

But then equally (since I have a choice too), don't take me to task with comments like:

Most of my friends indicated the yearly ani up is not what they want to do.

I appreciate that value is in the eye of the beholder and therefore the app isn't for everyone.

Simple choice - don't buy it.

More complex choice - don't complain about it.

Stu K6TU

Stu Phillips - K6TU

Lawrence,

Apple applies the same review process to each release of an app although from a developers point of view, the number of iterations to get an app through the review process can be "more than one" for a first release - that was the case for my Remote app.

Typically it takes 5-10 business days for an app to process through the queue after submittal before Apple begins the review process.  After the first approved release, the time in review is typically very short - an hour or so.  It then takes about a day for the app to be available throughout the App Stores around the world.

A developer can request an expedited review in the event that something gets seriously broken but makes it through the process.  Apple is clear that this is not to be used for regular releases so abusing that escape route would likely be "a bad idea" (tm).

Thank you for subscribing!  It's great feedback to show that the effort developing the app was well worth while!

Stu K6TU

K0UNX

Personally, I would like to EXTEND A HEARTY THANK YOU to STU for his efforts!  I am subscribing to K6TU Remote, and feel that I'm getting my money's worth!

There will always be a few that feel that everything they want in life should be provided, just like Mommy and Daddy provided when we were children.  In recent years, we've seen people demanding all sorts of benefits from governments at all levels, as if governments are the source of all things, and that the governments owe it to us, just because we're so darned important.  We've seen governments default on their bonds as a result of that attitude.  I don't want to see software developers stop developing because they aren't rewarded for their efforts.  Stu is enriching my life, and I'm happy to pay for it.

I don't use "JUST" K6TU Remote.  I also use SSDR on my iMac, and DogParkSDR on my MacBook AIR, but the ability to take my iPad into the back yard, or to the breakfast table, OR UP THE TOWER WITH ME WHILE TUNING AN ANTENNA (which I'll be doing in about 2 hours) gives me LOTS OF FLEXIBILITY that I value.

That said, this thread must be very discouraging to STU and to the fine folks at DogPark.  I'd rather see them spend their time actually CODING, rather than defending the value of their efforts.

Jim Flannery
K0UNX
UNIXman@mac.com

Dale KB5VE

I will not go off here but i am sorry you took it that way. Believe me in my field if i took that comment so negatively I would never get anything done. As I tell people who feel what i have to offer is not priced right or doesnot meet the need i simply tell them I understand and I hope they find what they are looking for and if they dont I will still be here to help them.

Keep writing code you are very good at it. I a sure the rewards for you will be many.

Dale

KB5VE

Paul Christensen, W9AC

I agree with Jim's comments.  K6TU is the master of his own offer; he need not secure approval from anyone.  Nor, is his pricing subject to a democratic process.  

Paul, W9AC

  

    

Stu Phillips - K6TU

LOL!  I didn't take your comment negatively at all - but I live in a direct, fact driven world.  You made a statement:

Most of my friends indicated the yearly ani up is not what they want to do.

I responded to a statement you made but after this response, I will let you have the last word and get back to writing code.

73
Stu K6TU

Stu Phillips - K6TU

Jim,

Thanks for the kind words and I assure you, I'm not discouraged!

Having fun writing software the proves out to be useful!
Stu K6TU

KY6LA_Howard

Stu

Thank you for your BRILLIANT Program.

As you know I have already used it on my DXpeditions to remote back to my station in the USA with great success and I even had an interesting adventure being chased down the beach still in QSO using the iPad..

Your program is by far the easiest and most seamless way to remote from an iPad.

It's unfortunate that "Hams are Cheap" and somehow, while willing to pay $$$$ for hardware seem to expect all software to be free... even though the cost of software development can be many times higher than the cost of hardware....

The community needs to thank you for all your hard work...

Dale KB5VE

Ok the friends who have the 6000 series all 6500 but one that is right in all and myself . I could post calls but the numbers are it. I explained that Windows 10 is the same thing. In fact flex started off with a vegetarian by the year and you saw how far that went I still have a free version update in the bag. I am sure you have enough to buy it to make it worth your while and that is all that matters . Have a great day no hard feelings on my part. I have bought 5 of the flex knobs keep two on my desk at all times!