e-Vents

[ Wednesday ]

 

Software Updates...'The NeverEnding Story'

An e-mail notification this morning reminded me of something that many people probably already know. Software updates are perennial.

Most of us remember the promise of a new software application that would make our PCs do amazing things. The publishers promoted the release as an end-all to the 'old way' of doing things. Initially, sales of the new application would take off, and the trade press would write glowing reviews, prompting more people and companies to purchase the product. Generally speaking, after a year or two, sales would continue to grow, but at a lesser rate than before, and pressure would be put on the software development team to find some enhancements to the product.

That is how the software industry operates today. They study product life cycles, and recurring revenue streams. When a new product is accepted in the marketplace, the publishers quickly turn their attention to scheduling an ongoing upgrade process for their applications.

This morning, my e-mail announcement was promoting version 6.03. Now, I had the original DOS-based version of this application, and when the Windows version came along, I got it. Those versions had virtually all of the functionality that I have needed over the years. I must admit that I have purchased a few upgrades, but I generally skip one or two 'majors' before acquiring a new one. In other words, I upgrade on the 'whole numbers', not on the 'decimals'.

One complaint is that I bought an upgrade approximately 90 days before a subsequent upgrade was released. Perhaps the publishers should adopt the automobile manufacturers' schedule for new models. That way, I will know that if I can hold out until September, the new version will be available. But a heavy discount in August might encourage me to get by with the 'old' version for a few years.

There are some good examples of software products whose initial version still works quite well, thank you. If you are looking to merely balance your checkbook, get an older version of Quicken. You can run the DOS version if you like...it will do exactly what you want. If, however, you need to download bank statements and credit card transactions, you will need one of the later versions. But that's always the rub, isn't it? If you want this little accessory for your car, you need to upgrade to the next higher convenience group. It's the same with new software releases.

But just as I don't need to buy a new car every model year, I don't need the latest version of software.

MM [11:29]