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43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

Merlin on MacBreak Weekly 75

MacBreak Weekly 75: MacHeist Replies

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Hosts: Leo Laporte, Merlin Mann, Andy Ihnatko, Scott Bourne, and Alex Lindsay

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Guests: Philip Ryu of MacHeist, Andrew Welch of Ambrosia.

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Apple reports record earnings… then stock tanks, Philip Ryu of MacHeist and Andrew Welch of Ambrosia give counterpoints to MacHeist discussion, and more.

Here's a direct MP3 download of our marathon 107 minute, nearly-ruined-by-Skype-farts MBW 75.

And, hey, whaddaya know? MBW is having its Diamond Anniversary. I should pick up a necklace or an industrial drill for Leo.

This week, Leo invited Philip and Andrew on to talk about MacHeist. I hope they feel like they got a fair hearing and were able to say their piece. For myself, I'm still not sure how I feel about MacHeist, but I'm persuaded that the process is improved over the first time it was offered. On a personal level, it was cool to be given a chance to talk to Andrew, whose Ambrosia Software has been with me like a secret friend for almost as long as I've used a Mac.

This time around my pick of the week is Airfoil by Rogue Amoeba (although I also profess my affection for lots of other stuff Paul makes). Good interview from last year with Paul over on Ars Technica.

Mark1701's picture

Re:Re: (Ok, at this point I'm just continuing the conversation)

Let’s assume that you are correct and that MacHeist is a profit driven enterprise. In order to suspect MacHeist of exploitation we would also have to assume that VectorDesigner, Snapz Pro X, Pixelmator, CSSEdit et. al., are developed by non-profit software developers who are charging customers only what is necessary for them to break even on development costs.

I have no problem with MacHeist acting as an game/advertising agency/promoter/distributor provided they have not coerced, deceived or defrauded the participants. If this were the case, then we could draw an analogy between Wal Mart and MacHeist. The problem with Wal Mart is that they are able to demand lower prices from American factories in virtue of the volume of their buys along with the explicit or implicit threat to go overseas and exploit third world factories (and indirectly third world workers).

Given what was stated in episode 75, the developers entered into voluntary contracts, were paid a substantial sum of money, and raised money for charity. The fact that MacHeist received a share of the profits for their effort doesn’t appear to me to be unseemly, unless again you believe that this whole endeavor was somehow a non-profit enterprise on the part of all the parties involved.

 
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