www.macobserver.com/columns/thebackpage/2001/20010831.shtml
The Mysterious Case Of The Free Mac OS X Upgrade That Will Cost You US$20 August 31st, 2001 I have gotten personal confirmation on something from Apple that has been eating away at me for some time. Based on that confirmation, I decided it was high time I spoke out. So, what is this about which I have to offer such a preamble? That's right, Apple is going to charge us US$20 for a free update to Mac OS X, and at this point there just isn't any possible way for you to get that free upgrade for free. That doesn't quite add up to me, and it shouldn't to you either. There are lots and lots of issues that are involved, and I want to offer equal time to all of them, so let's dive right in. I wasn't worried at the time, because it was obvious that getting the CDs were going to be an *option*. We would be able to download the update for free, but if we wanted to, we could get it on CD for twenty bucks. The howl immediately went up from Mac users around the Web who were outraged that they would have to pay for this update, and it turns out that the less optimistic were actually right. Most of the early adopters of Mac OS X bought the new OS knowing and understanding that it was really the 2nd public beta of the OS. We really didn't care anyway, because we wanted to use this new and beautiful OS, and it wouldn't take that long for Apple to really clean it all up and make it right. It's fast, it's stable, and it has some of the interface issues fixed. Those of us who supported the company by buying it at that time are now being told we have to pay another US$20 to run the real version. That doesn't even figure into this issue because it is completely overshadowed by the fact that we should not have to pay an additional twenty bucks for having had faith in Apple's ability to make Mac OS X all that it could be. For it's part, Apple's official line is that there were so many things changed in this new version that it requires a full install from a boot disk in order to make it happen. Because that disk is so large, the only way Apple can ensure that its customers have uniformly positive upgrade experience is by shipping it on CD. After all, for most people a 650 MB download isn't a pretty thing. Add to that the fact that we would all then have to burn the disk image as a CD, from within Classic, even if we did get the image downloaded successfully, and you can possibly see the nightmarish hell that Apple Support might be in for. Dave Hamilton and I have been going over this issue, and he pointed out that the mainstream press would have a field day with the idea of Apple requiring people to download a disk image, boot up in Classic, and then burn a CD, and the company doesn't need any bad PR. The same thing goes if Apple were to make the files downloadable as an unsupported way to upgrade. I just won't justify Apple's potential for support and PR difficulties with the notion that I have to pay more for the OS I should have been paying for in the first place. Apple is all grown up and can figure out a way to do this right. As a point of reference, I can get CDs pressed in lots of 2500 for 35 cents each. Throw in another 3 bucks for shipping and handling, and I am stuffing these things in a CD-envelope and shipping them out for less than US$5. Apple is dealing with hundreds of thousands of units, however, and their costs would be a fraction of that. Heck, if Apple was charging a ten-spot, I would be a lot less tense. That's not the case, though, and Apple is clearly looking to profit from this upgrade in terms of material-costs. I hope the mainstream press picks up on this and roasts Apple over blue-hot flame. I hope that Apple does the right thing before this is necessary. For one thing, Apple could let us burn our own CDs at the Apple Store. Sorry about that (I don't live near one either), but my point is for Apple to provide a free *alternative*. Charge me US$5 for the disks, or even US$10, but let me get that money back the next time I buy. That way Apple's costs are covered, but I don't feel like I just spent a night in prison bunking with a big guy named Spike. As a customer, I don't feel that's all that much to ask. Flames will never get you anywhere as you will be ignored. He started using Macs in 1990 when the Kinko's guy taught him how to use Aldus PageMaker, finally buying a Power Computing Power 100 in 1995. Today, Bryan is the Editor of The Mac Observer, and has contributed to the print versions of MacAddict and MacFormat (UK). You can 27 send your comments directly to him, or you can also 28 post your comments below. Most Recent Columns From The Back Page 29 Gateway Country Stores vs. Apple Stores April 2nd 30 Apple Death Knell #39: iPod Won't Save Apple March 18th 31 50 Million iTunes Downloads: Missing The Big Picture March 16th The Back Page 32 Archives Back to 33 The Mac Observer For More Mac News! John (9/27/2001, 12:45 am EDT) * 41 What a whiney little bitch. Dean Lewis (9/5/2001, 06:08 pm EDT) * 66 Re: Puiz's comments - Thanks for the cogent argument, Puiz. Puiz (9/5/2001, 05:15 pm EDT) * 74 The real cost of the update - agreed. MadDog (9/5/2001, 05:05 am EDT) * 88 Wowza - Thanks for all the comments folks. Puiz again (9/4/2001, 01:34 pm EDT) * 104 $20 bucks is fine with me. Puiz Andrs (9/4/2001, 01:14 pm EDT) * 108 Get over it - Good lord, man. James (9/4/2001, 09:21 am EDT) * 110 Get over it and quite publishing this! Kai Cherry (9/2/2001, 11:07 pm EDT) * 127 Apple gives us so much! Manish (9/2/2001, 03:26 pm EDT) * 140 This is not new, get over it. Habebe (9/1/2001, 12:48 pm EDT) * 155 It's only $20 - Really, what's the fuss about? Ulf Dahlen (9/1/2001, 11:49 am EDT) * 157 Well said - Well said. W Henry (9/1/2001, 11:16 am EDT) * 162 Kai Cherry, where you been? Kerryb (9/1/2001, 09:15 am EDT) * 170 Reward for loyalty - Totally agree with your comments! LesLS (8/31/2001, 10:17 pm EDT) * 198 Do we pay for S&H or Work? Dan (8/31/2001, 06:40 pm EDT) * 208 Wine and cheese - Would you like some whine with your cheese? Ben (8/31/2001, 04:59 pm EDT) * 220 It is ripoff, morons! Van Fruniken (8/31/2001, 04:36 pm EDT) * 224 Not upset - yet - I don't mind twenty bucks at all. Zaremboid (8/31/2001, 04:36 pm EDT) * 226 Not upset - Zaremboid (8/31/2001, 04:32 pm EDT) * 227 Is it really that big of a deal? Patrick (8/31/2001, 03:29 pm EDT) Post your Own Comments Your name: Subject: Your comment: Post Your Comments Search The Mac Observer! Updated With Code Optimizations We also offer 249 Today's News On One Page! Yesterday's News 5:00 PM 250 GarageCUBE Shipping New Video Mixer 4:00 PM 251 St. Mac Products Guide 266 New Arrivals New and updated products added to the Guide. No portion of this site may be copied without express written consent. Other sites are invited to link to any aspect of this site provided that all content is presented in its original form and is not placed within another .
|
http://csua.com/feed/