License to print...money ?

[David Mantripp]

I started this thread moaning about the price for the direct print extension.  Actually, after some thought (a rare occurrence) I did wonder if maybe there is a little more to creating this than I first assumed, and perhaps it is not quite so ridiculously overpriced - just very expensive.  Irrelevant to me anyway since I don't own 6.1

However, I am rather disturbed by the aggressive ranting that followed.  Some comments are just too much - yes, Quentin, IP has a poor UI, but id it is the worst you've ever seen, you're bloody lucky. Yes, the support policy is weird, but actually, at least with IP Lite, when you add it all up it isn't so different to a "normal" policy.  It is the "maintenance contract" phrasing that is weird - if it was phrased as $xxx for an upgrade with 90 days free support, how is that different from, say, a Photoshop upgrade (except that with Photoshop you can scratch the 90 days support).  Colorbyte obviously lives mainly in the pro prepress world, and their language derives from that. What they are essentially offering is service based pricing.  It just translates strangely to the consumer world, but I doubt that IP lite is a primary source of income to them.  I've been using IP for some years. Sometimes I've asked for support, and I've always had a rapid and courteous response - Daniel Barrett, I think, is the person who has emailed me - and this despite the fact that every single case could simply been dealt with by a quick dose of RTFM (the manual, by the way, is pretty good).

I have paid well under $1000 for 4 years printing excellence.  Since I've used IP, my paper & ink wastage is almost zero, as the guesswork is completely gone. Screen to print matching is excellent and highly predictable. The colour profiles alone are worth the money.  Since I tend to print on expensive Hanemühle paper, which costs close to the same price per box as IP Lite, the cost saving is substantial.  And let me repeat, it gives fantastic results, colour as well as B&W.

I find IP rock solid, except when I don't read the instructions.  I guess Colorbyte is a very small concern, where technical skills are given higher priority than business skills.  Yes, they're a bit eccentric, yes they're sometimes infuriating, but do they really deserve this vitriolic ranting ? I don't think so.

[goer]

I know there is absolutely no point in this post but I'm going to vent anyway....

$200 to add application level printing to ImagePrint ?  AND to get it for ImagePrint Lite, you need to upgrade to IP 6.1, which offers zilch, nada, to Epson 2100 users.  A total of nearly $500 to add a feature which should already be there.

Given commercial realities (which, surely, are going to sink ColorByte sooner or later anyway), I'd be prepared to pay, say $50 to add this feature to IP 6.0, but otherwise, I'll just put up with the standalone interface (or maybe ColorByte would like to buy that bit back from me ? Let's say $150 with 3 minutes support ? Or even discontinue it and REDUCE THE PRICE, since they have finally worked out that whilst their RIP is fantastic and their profiles are superlative, their GUI design skills would make a kindergarten blush)

I know, Michael, that you do say that it is expensive, but sometimes maybe "TOO expensive" would be more justified.   Certain sections of the digital imaging industry need to get a grip.[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=58056\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I went to your site. You look like a nice guy. You probably are a nice guy. I'm a nice guy. I'll back off some. I do like the product. Tech support has been great, but I'm done. I'll let time tell me what to do. The industry is changing fast. In the future let's all try to not give birth to things we'll later regret.

[David Mantripp]

Like the owner of this site, I reserve the right to change my mind  

[Nick Rains]

Marked above in red are some things I'd like to address. Sour grapes possibly for no response from Colorbyte. Followed by free plug for CameraBits. Could be a good product, but title reminds me of Kibbles N Bits. Followed by a slam of a product you've never had. Can't slam it if you don't own it. Then you negate your entire post by warning us about the power of the press. You are the press. Colorbyte shouldn't be ashamed. Writing a post of something you know nothing about, of that you should be ashamed. Colorbyte has a good product. We the hands on users are just trying to express our concern for a product that is good possibly great, but provides very limited support and very expensive upgrades. All of my requests for support have been handled quickly and accurately. I hope I've ironed out the kinks before support runs out. I also hope Colorbyte does well and succeeds. It will just have to do so without me spending anymore money. Last I hope I've been clear and not to offensive with this post.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=59890\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Nowhere do I 'slam their product' - I have zero information about it, as you say. I am just put off by their lack of response to more than one email. It's the attitude, not the product, that I have a problem with - I'll let those who have actually used the product slam it, or praise it, as they have done above, particularly with respect to the upgrade policy and support quality.

I did not write a post about something I know nothing about, I wrote a post about their lack of customer service, which is something I do know about.

I will continue to tell anyone who cares to ask about my experiences, that is why any company with half an idea about marketing should never ignore emails, no matter who they are.

I will also happily tell people about my positive experiences with Camera Bits whose customer service is excellent. Incidently the product is Photo Mechanic - Camera Bits is the company.

[goer]

Like the owner of this site, I reserve the right to change my mind 
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=59963\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Not always that easy. Remember STANLEY "TOOKIE" WILLIAMS, he birthed something then said he changed his mind. Your case isn't as extreme, but the gang is still going strong. This thread my die. I have wondered where threads go when they die. Peace.