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Does it matter what we call ourselves?
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| Scott Kane 2008-02-05, 5:01 am |
| For many years the issue of are folks "shareware authors" or "trialware
authors" etc has raged across many forums - it even raged here for a time
until the "rager" was given the chop for being abusive. Back in 1999 and
even as recently as 2006 I would have said something along the lines of
"Hey - look, just write it, sell it and call yourself a software engineer,
or programmer etc". However.... Humans are after all human (yes I have
these flashes of insight sometimes <g> ) and it seems we like to call
ourselves something and indeed get significant satisfaction from doing so.
In the 1990's the word "professional" reached a peak (it began really in the
1950's but it took fifty years to peak) where by professional" didn't mean
you were a doctor or a lawyer or had a degree at all but rather it defined
how you behaved. Thus, as with so many words in English, the meaning
evolved (or devolved some might argue). Being "professional" was the a big
deal back in 1989 and right through the 1990's and into the new millennium.
That's  - I'm not having a go at folks calling themselves anything and I
do like the idea of "professional" defining a code of conduct and how people
act, do business etc. Rather it's illustrative of the need to have a *name*
that defines and gives credibility.
Now that the word "Trialware" and it's associated organization has been
shown to be as about as Earth shattering as a grasshopper hitting a
windscreen of a moving Mac truck is the word "shareware" and "shareware
author" truly descriptive or even *adequate* for how folks like to think of
themselves and indeed, perhaps to a lesser extent, the media followed by the
public who generally become "experts" based on something badly described by
a "journalist" in "pick your favourite computer magazine here" ?
Is the term ISV (Independent Software Vendor) and more specifically to one
or two person businesses mISV (the "m" for Micro as in small) more
descriptive? More importantly can it deliver on a promise the name
"shareware author" or trialware author" or "software developer" never
delivered? A marketable description that the media and even the general
public can recognize and - golly - even *appreciate* as being something
worth supporting?
Scott Kane
Moderator comp.software.shareware.*
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| Steve Wolstenholme 2008-02-05, 5:01 am |
| On Tue, 05 Feb 2008 03:40:47 -0500, "Scott Kane"
<davidkane@noSpam.ozemail.com.au> wrote:
>Is the term ISV (Independent Software Vendor) and more specifically to one
>or two person businesses mISV (the "m" for Micro as in small) more
>descriptive? More importantly can it deliver on a promise the name
>"shareware author" or trialware author" or "software developer" never
>delivered? A marketable description that the media and even the general
>public can recognize and - golly - even *appreciate* as being something
>worth supporting?
Does it really matter what we call ourselves? Do our customers care?
I write software and sometimes get help from others. I suppose that
makes my company a milliISV rather than a microISV.
BTW, mISV is milliISV. uISV is a bit closer to microISV.
Lets just be plain old ISV.
Steve
--
Stephen Wolstenholme Neural Planner Software Ltd
EasyNN-plus. The easy way to build neural networks.
http://www.easynn.com
| |
| Scott Kane 2008-02-05, 5:01 am |
| "Steve Wolstenholme" <steve@tropheus.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:rjbgq3pj693k8curlcucdlss2mpqjs69t5@
4ax.com...
> Does it really matter what we call ourselves? Do our customers care?
I don't disagree nor do I think customers ultimately care. It's more about
the nature of human psychology - the need to have a label.
However..... One of the problems of the word "shareware" or even
"trialware" or the other manifestations is that the perception in the media
has been and remains that it's often rubbish, may have spyware etc
(invariably not the case and with most of these infections coming from
Peer2Peer and cracks and patches - but who ever let accuracy get in the way
of writing an article?) and that re-educating them is futile (it's failed
pretty much for twenty years or more). Perhaps - big perhaps - redifining
what one calls one's self - as in the case of the word "professional" - may
assist in raising the bar for what is, let's be honest, an industry with
low entry, little regard for quality, low talent and low value. The good
software is written by people like you, Steve, but most of it is utter
rubbish.
> I write software and sometimes get help from others. I suppose that makes
> my company a milliISV rather than a microISV.
Starting to sound more like a multi-limbed insect there <vbg>
> BTW, mISV is milliISV. uISV is a bit closer to microISV.
Yes, it starts to get a bit silly if one isn't careful, I know the argument,
the theory and the symbols involved. It'd be easier to stick with mISV but
that's my HO.
> Lets just be plain old ISV.
:-)
Scott Kane
Moderator comp.software.shareware.*
| |
| Woodie M 2008-02-05, 7:28 pm |
| Good question Scott. I've never cared for using the label Shareware or
Trialware, at least not when presenting my products or company to potential
customers. Why should my product bear a different label as software from the
larger more well-known companies? I think it would just muddy the waters.
Freedom Software is a software company. A small home based one yes (I don't
hide the fact, it's plainly spelled out in our contact pages) but a software
company none the less. I do like use acronym mISV when talking to my peers
though.
-Woodie Morris
Freedom Software
Worship Him presentation software for churches
http://www.worship-him.com
support@worship-him.com
Joel's Journal Dreams and Visions logbook for Christians
http://www.joels-journal.com
support@joels-journal.com
"Scott Kane" <davidkane@noSpam.ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
news:47a820b5$0$5614$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> For many years the issue of are folks "shareware authors" or "trialware
> authors" etc has raged across many forums - it even raged here for a time
> until the "rager" was given the chop for being abusive. Back in 1999 and
> even as recently as 2006 I would have said something along the lines of
> "Hey - look, just write it, sell it and call yourself a software engineer,
> or programmer etc". However.... Humans are after all human (yes I have
> these flashes of insight sometimes <g> ) and it seems we like to call
> ourselves something and indeed get significant satisfaction from doing so.
>
> In the 1990's the word "professional" reached a peak (it began really in
> the 1950's but it took fifty years to peak) where by professional" didn't
> mean you were a doctor or a lawyer or had a degree at all but rather it
> defined how you behaved. Thus, as with so many words in English, the
> meaning evolved (or devolved some might argue). Being "professional" was
> the a big deal back in 1989 and right through the 1990's and into the new
> millennium. That's - I'm not having a go at folks calling themselves
> anything and I do like the idea of "professional" defining a code of
> conduct and how people act, do business etc. Rather it's illustrative of
> the need to have a *name* that defines and gives credibility.
>
> Now that the word "Trialware" and it's associated organization has been
> shown to be as about as Earth shattering as a grasshopper hitting a
> windscreen of a moving Mac truck is the word "shareware" and "shareware
> author" truly descriptive or even *adequate* for how folks like to think
> of themselves and indeed, perhaps to a lesser extent, the media followed
> by the public who generally become "experts" based on something badly
> described by a "journalist" in "pick your favourite computer magazine
> here" ?
>
> Is the term ISV (Independent Software Vendor) and more specifically to one
> or two person businesses mISV (the "m" for Micro as in small) more
> descriptive? More importantly can it deliver on a promise the name
> "shareware author" or trialware author" or "software developer" never
> delivered? A marketable description that the media and even the general
> public can recognize and - golly - even *appreciate* as being something
> worth supporting?
>
> Scott Kane
> Moderator comp.software.shareware.*
>
| |
| Scott Kane 2008-02-06, 8:24 am |
| "Woodie M" <woodie17@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:ReecnC.A.uuB.43OqHB@sol01.ashbva.gweep.ca...
> Good question Scott. I've never cared for using the label Shareware or
> Trialware, at least not when presenting my products or company to
> potential customers. Why should my product bear a different label as
> software from the larger more well-known companies? I think it would just
> muddy the waters. Freedom Software is a software company. A small home
> based one yes (I don't hide the fact, it's plainly spelled out in our
> contact pages) but a software company none the less. I do like use
> acronym mISV when talking to my peers though.
I was very slow in getting to this - probably because I moderate
comp.software.shareware.* <g> - but yes, I must admit I prefer mISV when
talking to peers and I think it could be argued that it's a lot easier
explaining what an mISV is than it is explaining shareware to people (or
more usually *correcting* their misconceptions on what it is).
Scott Kane
Moderator comp.software.shareware.*
| |
| Bob Kochem 2008-02-06, 8:24 am |
| "Scott Kane" <davidkane@noSpam.ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
news:47a9974c$0$5601$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> "Woodie M" <woodie17@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:ReecnC.A.uuB.43OqHB@sol01.ashbva.gweep.ca...
>
>
> I was very slow in getting to this - probably because I moderate
> comp.software.shareware.* <g> - but yes, I must admit I prefer mISV when
> talking to peers and I think it could be argued that it's a lot easier
> explaining what an mISV is than it is explaining shareware to people (or
> more usually *correcting* their misconceptions on what it is).
>
> Scott Kane
> Moderator comp.software.shareware.*
>
I just use 'software publisher' if asked.
That seems to requires little/no explanation.
Bob Kochem
MinuteMan Systems
| |
|
| On Tue, 05 Feb 2008 03:40:47 -0500, "Scott Kane"
<davidkane@noSpam.ozemail.com.au> wrote:
>For many years the issue of are folks "shareware authors" or "trialware
>authors" etc has raged across many forums - it even raged here for a time
>until the "rager" was given the chop for being abusive. Back in 1999 and
>even as recently as 2006 I would have said something along the lines of
>"Hey - look, just write it, sell it and call yourself a software engineer,
>or programmer etc". However.... Humans are after all human (yes I have
>these flashes of insight sometimes <g> ) and it seems we like to call
>ourselves something and indeed get significant satisfaction from doing so.
I really don't understand this need to label ourselves. I know my
customers don't care what I call my software, unless it has negative
connotations. And I know the big boys don't go around labeling their
software.
Bar coding fonts
http://www.barcodingfonts.com
| |
| Bob Kochem 2008-02-07, 8:24 am |
| "Scott Kane" <davidkane@noSpam.ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
news:47a9974c$0$5601$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> "Woodie M" <woodie17@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:ReecnC.A.uuB.43OqHB@sol01.ashbva.gweep.ca...
>
>
> I was very slow in getting to this - probably because I moderate
> comp.software.shareware.* <g> - but yes, I must admit I prefer mISV when
> talking to peers and I think it could be argued that it's a lot easier
> explaining what an mISV is than it is explaining shareware to people (or
> more usually *correcting* their misconceptions on what it is).
>
> Scott Kane
> Moderator comp.software.shareware.*
>
I just use 'software publisher' if asked.
That seems to requires little/no explanation.
Bob Kochem
MinuteMan Systems
| |
| David Webber 2008-02-09, 7:30 pm |
| "Scott Kane" <davidkane@noSpam.ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
news:47a820b5$0$5614$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> Is the term ISV (Independent Software Vendor) and more specifically to one
> or two person businesses mISV (the "m" for Micro as in small) more
> descriptive?
When I saw "ISV" the first time, I thought it was a variant on one of those
unnecessarily large, gas-guzzling cars. It still feels like that.
How about "small software business" or "small software house"?
Dave
--
David Webber
Author of 'Mozart the Music Processor'
http://www.mozart.co.uk
For discussion/support see
http://www.mozart.co.uk/mozartists/mailinglist.htm
| |
| David Webber 2008-02-09, 7:30 pm |
| "Scott Kane" <davidkane@noSpam.ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
news:47a9974c$0$5601$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> I was very slow in getting to this - probably because I moderate
> comp.software.shareware.* <g> - but yes, I must admit I prefer mISV when
> talking to peers and I think it could be argued that it's a lot easier
> explaining what an mISV is than it is explaining shareware to people (or
> more usually *correcting* their misconceptions on what it is).
One reason I don't like it is the "V". "Vendor" means "seller" - nothing
more - and the whole point (for me) is that I personally create (and
support) the stuff I sell. And others sometimes sell it for me. It's
like calling a farmer, an IVS (independent vegetable salesman).
Dave
--
David Webber
Author of 'Mozart the Music Processor'
http://www.mozart.co.uk
For discussion/support see
http://www.mozart.co.uk/mozartists/mailinglist.htm
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