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Comment Missing the Point (Score 2, Interesting) 437

by rising_hope (#26080875) Attached to: iPhone App Pricing Limits Developers
People pay for good software. People pirate good software, too. Some people pirate good software in order to see if it's worth paying for good software. The iPhone is relatively pirate-free, due to it's DRM system, ensuring that more people are paying for apps than ever before. Unfortunately, without a trial-ware market, developers are forced to make lite versions of products, rather than demo-products that retain full functionality for a limited time, or whatnot. I think this actually creates a worse market for the iPhone, since many aren't willing to pay $20 for something that may or may not be decent. Mobile software, in general, is less complex than desktop version, and therefore, I think it's difficult to price any app higher than $20-30. Additionally, legal or not, many people in families buy one copy of a software program at home, and install several copies. Since this is not possible with the iPhone (at least out of the box), people aren't willing to buy an app for $30-50, and go around and buy another copy for the wife. This is really one of the first devices to feature such as large, DRM-hardware platform for developing software, so what we're really seeing is free-market economics and creative solutions for what will and won't sell. I paid $10 for spore, and it was a waste. I paid $10 for monkey ball, and it was a waste. I paid $15 for a voice dialer that was a waste. And then, a free one from Melodis just came out that was superior and free. It's not that I'm not willing to pay for apps. I've bought plenty of "high dollar" apps, and would have gladly paid more for them. But, the model of buy, even though you can't try, is what bugs me. But, more developers have been doing limited versions of apps, which has put me at ease. EA has a trial version of spore, and had I played that, I'd have gotten bored quickly, and not paid for the full version. But, pacman's one level demo rocked, so I bought it. Same thing with Reign of Swords. My point is, people are a lot more willing than you think to pay for apps; but you have to be willing to give away free demos in order to convince people to pony up for more spendy apps.

Feed Vaccine Offers New Control Options For Foot-and-mouth Disease (sciencedaily.com)

From feed by sdfeed
A new vaccine holds promise for protection against foot-and-mouth disease which strikes cattle and swine, as well as sheep, goats and deer. The new vaccine works quickly, demonstrating effectiveness within seven days. Tests thus far have shown that vaccinated cattle retain immunity for at least 21 days, but scientists expect that future studies will show that the new vaccine at least matches the six months of immunity provided by current vaccines.

Feed Superconductor Discovery Solves 20-year-old Mystery (sciencedaily.com)

From feed by sdfeed
Scientists have made a major advance in superconductor research by "growing" the purest samples of superconductors to date. Superconductors are a class of materials that conduct electricity with no resistance. They are already used in MRI medical imaging scanners, levitating trains, and power lines.

Feed Veterinarians At Increased Risk Of Avian Influenza Virus Infection (sciencedaily.com)

From feed by sdfeed
Veterinarians who work with birds are at increased risk for infection with avian influenza virus and should be among those with priority access to pandemic influenza vaccines and antivirals, according to a new study. The study showed that, compared with the control group, the veterinarians who worked with birds had significantly higher levels of antibodies in their blood against the H5, H6 and H7 avian virus strains, indicating previous infections with these viruses.
Movies

Submission + - Guvinator terminates Canadian camcording (www.cbc.ca)

Submitted by dottyslashdottydot
dottyslashdottydot writes: During Arnold Schwarzenegger's visit to Ottawa yesterday, it was confirmed that Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be introducing a bill to make camcording in movie theatres illegal in Canada. However, people are sceptical that this will make little difference in the amount of pirated movies available. Doug Frith, president of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association was quoted as saying that this "is really the first step — not only for the movie industry — where the government has shown it will seriously address the whole area of intellectual-property theft."
Businesses

Shutting Down Annoying Recruiters? 612

Posted by kdawson from the make-it-stop dept.
An anonymous reader writes "My company is under attack by the leeches and bottom-feeders of the IT recruiting world. They call into our company phone directory constantly — hundreds of calls per day — trolling for names, hawking their job candidates, and refusing to hang up or stop calling, even if we curse their mothers. Our attorney says the calls are perfectly legal: there is no 'do not call' list for US corporations, and it's not harassment. Through education, we've gotten our engineering group to stop answering the calls or hang up, but I was wondering if the Slashdot community has any ideas for more creative solutions to make this stop, either through technology, US law, trickery, etc."

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