MT Pricing
There's been a lot of talk over the past couple of days about Six Apart's new pricing structure for MovableType. Most of the things I have read have been reactive, emotional, and deeply ironic as my friend Derek rightfully pointed out. However, there has also been a element of truth to the concerns as well. I've kept quite because I wanted to see how Six Apart would respond before jumping to conclusions or jumping ship.
First, I want to say how much I appreciate MovableType, Ben, and Mena. They're just people, people! And they're figuring this thing out as they go. Kudos to them for keeping their wits about them and responding quickly to the criticism. I think they've learned a lot (the hard way) these past days. Give 'em a break.
Secondly though, I'd like to add my 2 cents to the conversation about pricing. I had two issues with the original pricing model both of which had to do with stifling innovation - only one of them, however, has been addressed. Issue one was their definition of "blog" which originally placed undue limitations on the creativity of someone developing a site, that has been corrected. I think the second is just as creatively stifling - it has to do with their limitation on authors.
The web is all about working together and innovative ways of collaborating have been emerging from this new medium since it's inception. I think they will continue to do so. Just take a look for a moment at BaseCamp for an example of an emerging use of blog tools that is changing the way people work. BaseCamp is a business application used by people making money but it's not the only place people are pushing the limits of content tools. I'm currently working with some non-governmental organizations that are exploring ways of using blogs to bring justice to oppressed people. At the same time I'm working with a group of volunteer authors to create a web magazine about the city I live in: Madrid.
I think there are two questions that need asking. First does adding a price tag to a feature inhibit it's use? And secondly is it a good idea to inhibit personal and non-profit collaboration? I mean will it be good for the future development of MovableType and even TypePad? I think the answer is a resounding yes & no. Yes - a price tag does inhibit the use of a feature. Even though I've heard it suggested that I could ask my collaborators to pay me the $10 "membership" fee that would be required to add them to my MT installation I know from experience that getting them to write is hard enough let alone adding a price tag as well. And no - creating an environment where caution is the rule is not good for the future innovation. Six Apart needs it's personal and non-profit users to keep pushing the limits and innovating if they are to keep it's place as a market leader. Businesses will never innovate as fast as personal users will, so, if you want a picture of the future look outside corporate world.
So what would I suggest? Clarify the line between non-money-making ventures and money making ones. This was quite clear in the former licenses. Give the non-money-making ventures freedom to innovate and charge people more when they start making money. Sounds a bit like a sneaky way out of paying for this powerful software doesn't it? Well, on that point you'd be wrong. I am willing to invest in my hobby and pay for this incredibly powerful software and I have a Paypal receipt for $45 dated 14 Jan 2002 to prove it.
This would be my model pricing model:
Personal / Non-profit license
$0 for the first domain that you publish to, 3 authors.
$60 for the second domain that you publish to and unlimited authors.
$20 for each additional domain that you publish to.
For profit licenses
$200 for the first domain that you publish to, 5 authors.
$500 for three domains, 10 authors.
I think that defining what they currently call "URLs" as a single third level domains (that means myfriend.shmuel.org and shmuel.org would count as two domains) would help alleviate abuse of the system. If people want to give their friends subdirectories on their site - let them - as long as they're not making money off it. If they are charging their friends then they need to get a commercial license. As for the commercial licenses the author limit makes more sense here. As Jason Kottke points out "seat" based licenses make sense in a business context where each person involved can be connected to a dollar value. If you run a good business then more people you have working for you the more money you are making.
Anyway, I truly hope that the folks at Six Apart will tweak their pricing one more time before they lock it in. I think a little more TLC would be better for the blogging community, non-profits, and most importantly Six Apart.