Donations??

[snaithbert]

I just wanna make sure I understand something here:

Even after I paid 5 dollars for the iphone app- I still have to donate to keep using the subsonic software? If this correct? If it is, maaaaaaaaaybe mentioning it on the app page might have helped. Not that that would have kept me from downloading it, but it's the kind of thing people really should know before they buy something. Because it sort of translates into "buy this now and find out later that you need to pay an additional fee if you want to keep using it."

Some advance info would have been nice, and well, frankly- more ethical.

[Poffa]

The iPhone apps is not developed or maintained by the Subsoinic team. It's a third-party software. If you donate you'll be able to use third party software. If they charge you, you can't blame Subsonic

If you have a droid you can download the app for free as it's developed and maintained by the Subsonic team.

From the page http://www.subsonic.org/pages/apps.jsp:

Please note that most of the apps are made by third-party developers, and are not maintained by the Subsonic project. Some apps are commercial, while some are available for free.

[snaithbert]

"The iPhone apps is not developed or maintained by the Subsoinic team. It's a third-party software. If you donate you'll be able to use third party software. If they charge you, you can't blame Subsonic."

Um that doesn't really make any sense. Not to me anyhow. Subsonic may not have developed the iphone app, but they clearly commissioned the development and they're clearly making money off it. This being the case, who else can we blame BUT subsonic for basically double billing? Once for the cost of the iphone app and once for the forced "donation" to keep using their software.

Something just doesn't feel right about all this. There's absolutely zero info about this in the iphone app store or on the subsonic site. If feels shifty, as though someone's trying to pull a fast one. Typically a lack of clear, straightforward information indicates that someone's trying to avoid explaining something they'd rather avoid explaining.

[dan_i]

I understand your frustration, but want to point out that on the front page of the subsonic website it says:
" Donors get access to premium features like:

* Unlimited use of Subsonic apps for iPhone, Android and AIR."

And on the "Subsonic Apps" page it says: "Also note that after a 30-day trial period you need a license key to use the apps. You get a license key by giving a donation to the Subsonic project."

[snaithbert]

Actually- I don't see any message on the app store page for subsonic that mentions anything about donations. Having used the app for a few days, I now see how excellent it is and I plan to donate, but I have to be honest here and say I see nothing on there about donations. Maybe I just missed but honestly, I cannot find it.

[wattershed]

Actually- I don't see any message on the app store page for subsonic that mentions anything about donations. Having used the app for a few days, I now see how excellent it is and I plan to donate, but I have to be honest here and say I see nothing on there about donations. Maybe I just missed but honestly, I cannot find it.

He didn't say "the app store page," he said "on the 'Subsonic Apps' page...".

As in, here: http://www.subsonic.org/pages/apps.jsp

This might not be outrageous to you if you watched it evolve chronologically, where it was at first the web component, then the app for Android hardware (free for 30 days, then a donation to keep it going). That was the only app Sindre had his personal hands on (someone feel free to correct me here, but that's how I'm recalling it), bringing his grand total to $0 + whatever you wanted to donate.

Beyond that, it's more or less out of his control how the apps in the iPhone app store are acquired or what cost it is to the user to obtain and continue use of them. If someone came out with an iPhone app for Subsonic which was free, your total would, again, be $0 + your donation amount. If the only iPhone app for Subsonic cost $99.99, Sindre would see a grand total of $0 of that, until you donated, at which point he'd still only get the donation amount.

The level of confluence you're ascribing to Sindre for the actual Subsonic server and the pricing structure of 3rd party apps is rather misguided, to be honest.

[makkonen]

It seems a bit unreasonable to blame the developer of Subsonic (Sindre) for the actions of people over whom he has absolutely no authority.

In order to use subsonic, you had to download and install it from the subsonic website. That site provides advance warning of the required donation for use of the API-based apps. (Though I'll grant that if you were in a hurry, you could download the server without ever seeing that warning.)

If there's no information about the donations on the iPhone App's page, that falls squarely at the feet of the iPhone App developer. Of course, it might not benefit their sales to make that clear; on the flip side, it might not benefit their reviews to fail to make it clear.

(I have nothing against the developers of either iPhone app, as it seems they are making good products at a low price; a price they are quite justified in charging, independent of the cost of the subsonic server. I would suggest they add a note to their application description about the way everything works, but, really, they're not obligated.)

I can see your position, snaithbert, and I can see it being one that leaves a bad taste in your mouth. But to ascribe malice or a lack of ethics to it seems a stretch.