Smile Software, unethical and bad practices
09/06/15 20:37 Filed in: Industry
Everything I hate about some software developers - Smile Software.
====
I am a big fan of innovative software that makes your life - whether work or personal - easier, more effective, and hey, sometimes even fun. I also buy all the software and media that I consume - I’m not a believer in the “the copyright law is out of date therefore STEAL ALL THE STUFF”. It doesn’t work for me.
So, I buy the software I use. In this case, Text Expander from Smile Software.
What do I expect in return? I expect the software I’ve bought, I expect it to be advert free, and I expect to get some level of support for my investment. To be fair you don’t always get that - but what’s important is I usually know what I’m buying.
It’s sad when I get to the point that after buying some software I find that I’m removing it through the unethical and downright rude practices of the original software developer. I’ve now removed this app from my Mac, and my iOS devices, for this simple reason.
Smile have made a chargeable upgrade available for Text Expander. Whoop. I’ve no issue with that at all. It’s progress - and hey, some of those upgrade features I may actually like, and I may be tempted to be upgrade. Not now though, not a hope in hell’s chance. Simply because they’re doing something that in my mind is simply terrible.
Ever so often now when Text Expander is running, I get this popup:
That’s right - even when I’ve bought and paid for this software in the first place, I’m still subject to advertising and popups when they’ve released a new version.
This is not cool. If I wanted to put up with advertising I’d go for freemium products. I don’t want to put up with it, so I don’t.
Perhaps I may go torrent this next version? Not because I want to the software or the new features, mainly so I can get rid of this damm unwanted advertising.
Of course I won’t - but there’s no way Smile are getting any money from me. I may switch to TypeItForMe. So the reviews aren’t as nice, and I don’t think there’s an iOS app(?), but hey, I don’t have to put up with this unethical crappery.
Shame on you Smile Software.
blog comments powered by Disqus