Thought - AwareIM Lite

RocketRod

In order to spread the availability and awareness of AwareIM and allow it for personal use, would you consider introducing a lite version. This could be done simply by limiting the number of BSVs, BOs, queries and processes that can be built within the Config tool. You could also limit extras such as run time build etc. Wouldn't have thought it would be difficult and you could offer a very low price. I was considering when I retire of running some training courses at our Community center but the price is too prohibitive for the full version. Also it would be great to get it into schools. This way the word spreads and although the direct income may be low, hopefully the indirect income and users would grow.

Cheers Rod

aware_support

Thank you for your thoughts, Rod. We'll consider your suggestion.

BenHayat

There are many people who only need ONE BSV to get started, this would be a great way to get them in.
I think V7 deserves a new marketing direction.

Markfre1

I'm not a fan of this idea as I have seen other companies do this. Once you go down this path of limiting features based on price, you end up with frustrated users because you might want to be testing multiple ideas. AIM offers a 30 day trial with full functionality which I think is pretty adequate for any serious developer to understand the capability of the tool. It's a slippery slope as well, as some Companies then started trying to implement certain aspects for their regular developers and the end result was a net loss of developers. AIM's developer pricing I also consider fair that if a developer cannot afford it, AIM doesn't want to build their company around those type of developers. AIM needs to keep the product progressive, market more. and want us to renew each year. Mark

customaware

I agree.

I think the pricing is competitive and also Awaresoft are quite accommodating when extending the required trial time for
those where 30 days is not long enough.

In addition to that..... I see many who download the trial, play for a few days... then leave it for a few months and then have an issue
when they come around to getting back to it.

In this instance..... uninstall and then reinstall the trial again.

I don't see it as a big issue.

My previous development tool vendor went down the cut down freebie version and it was a waste of time.

Aware IM is a professional, robust and proven development tool and is not and should not be aimed at developers who think they should be able to get the
whole smash for 200 bucks. There are other tools available for that market.... learn Notepad.

One caveat to all of that.....

I would like to see a scheme that encouraged this being taught in Universities and colleges. Maybe an extended trial period and fixed Branding. Dunno, just a thought.

BenHayat

I think you guys are missing the point the Rod had intended with this thread. This idea is NOT about price reduction or trail, this is about "Market Penetration", where many buy into the Lite version for small project and they see what Aware can do for them in real life, and get the Pro version.
Trail version doesn't let you go into production, where as Lite will.
Lite doesn't mean for it's for Amateurs. It simply means, it allows you to do less and once you need more you upgrade to Pro. There is no loss for Awaresoft, just an additional income. All companies are doing that now. Heck, some even give it for free with unlimited time with limited features, just to turn them into paying customers. I'm not suggesting that, but you see the trend.

Ever since Kendo UI, offered their Core as free, their Pro version sales tripped... Why? Because after people built app, they needed more features in the Pro version, where as, they would have not cashed out for Pro to start with.

Market penetration is the key... Get more customers...
Fear kills you... 😃

mrbdrm

i agree with this approach too.
30 days in simply not enough to make a decisions on a highly capable tool like AwareIM.
a lite version intended to attract people to test and see what is possible on their own pace and in the same time limiting the publishing capability will be the best.