I also think that the price is OK, because when Zapchess was first released the single CPU version wasnt close enough in strength with single CPU shredder
but this is what i mean:
when zapchess was released, the price of shredder might have been ok.
now - since zanzibar came out and brought a progress in playing strength, the relation of price and strength of deep shredder10 is IMO not justified anymore.
either a stronger versions comes out, that would justify the price, or the price of the old version 10 is IMO too high.
People have the right to decide about the price they like to sell their program and customers have the right if to buy or not to buy it.
The only justification to the price is if SMK can make more money by higher price.
Of course higher price can mean less customers but it still can be enough customers to justify the higher price.
I am not sure if reducing the price now by SMK is a smart decision and it is possible that part of the customers are going to be angry that other buy what they bought for more money and decide not to buy shredder in the future.
I do not think that it is a logical reason but I read in the past that customers do not behave in a logical way and if the price of something goes down after they buy it they can get angry instead of being happy for the other people that can buy it for cheaper price.
Uri
Another thing to think about:
We are buying more than an engine. Shredder is a complete chess system with opening books and chess database and GUI. It is one of the few tools that can successfully procees a set of EPD records and produce correct EPD output (ChessAssistant springs to mind as another, and there may be some other one, but I can't think of it now). At any rate, Shredder is clearly an excellent chess system. People complain about spending $70 for a chess program. To me, it is a miracle. The programmers of the top chess engines can easily make a *lot* more money doing some boring Cobol programming for a bank. But they choose to write chess programs because they love it. As a side benefit, we get true excellence for the price of lunch at a good resteraunt. And then people whine about it. Even more astonishing is that we can get Rybka and Glaurung and Scorpio for FREE. You would think that it would make everyone happy [WOW!!! Free chess programs that play like a great grand master!]. But no, they are now dismayed because the free Rybka 1.0 can beat the pants off of ChessMaster, which they payed $30 for. So now, they are really hot under the collar! How dare they charge me $30 for this thing that can't even beat what I payed nothing for!!!
A philanthropist made a great donation to all. And now people are not singing but mourning. Woe is me! I have a free cadilac car, but I payed $10 for this chevrolet and now I can't even get my money back.
I do not think that it is a logical reason but I read in the past that customers do not behave in a logical way and if the price of something goes down after they buy it they can get angry instead of being happy for the other people that can buy it for cheaper price.
Uri
that is how free market works.
things get cheaper, thats jopw capitalism works.
if the things would not get cheaper when they are older only because some customers would be pissed, capitalism would not work.
have you ever seen a customer complain because the PC he bought 4 months ago for 2000 $ is now suddenly 500 $?
The PC that he bought is cheaper now because the current PC's are faster than the one you bought and the demand for the one you bought has gone down. I doubt that he would change the price scheme even with a new release, the only exceptions are Loop and Rybka, why be a follower?
Thorsten
That is called the free enterpirse system. You charge what you think people will pay. If you are right you make a lot of money, if not then you lose.
I worked for a software company that licensed their software to cities and special districts and although you could buy an accounting software package for maybe $100 the company I worke for charged $50,000 and a monthly service charge on top of that. They had no problems selling their software. The market decides what is fair not individual people.
Bill
The PC that he bought is cheaper now because the current PC's are faster than the one you bought and the demand for the one you bought has gone down. I doubt that he would change the price scheme even with a new release, the only exceptions are Loop and Rybka, why be a follower?
the chess program has to be cheaper now because current chess programs are stronger than the one that was offered for 99 EURO once.
ok - whatever. there are plenty of people saying NO why should he change the price, plenty of people saying he should.
The PC that he bought is cheaper now because the current PC's are faster than the one you bought and the demand for the one you bought has gone down. I doubt that he would change the price scheme even with a new release, the only exceptions are Loop and Rybka, why be a follower?
the chess program has to be cheaper now because current chess programs are stronger than the one that was offered for 99 EURO once.
ok - whatever. there are plenty of people saying NO why should he change the price, plenty of people saying he should.
anybody can decide himself.
You are the only one saying he should change the price.
mclane wrote:i wonder why stefan is not reducing the price of shredder, since it has now an enemy (Zapchess) beeing stronger and less expensive.
Shredder is not the execption here -- it's Zapchess. Shredder has much longer history and reputation. Why is this even being discussed - people will vote with their $$$$ anyway. I agree that the pricing of Zapchess makes it very atractive for an MP engine. I might pick up a copy...I see no reason why Stefan should discount his engine because of Zap!Chess.
