This is _no_ rant. I am just thinking aloud about what happened in the last few days
BinaryClock 2.0, the Tamoggemon binary clock for Palm OS was released to the public a few weeks ago. Version 2.1 of Binary clock for Palm OS is currently beeing distributed for reviewing. As always, a press release was sent out to all Palm OS sites that I knew-and answers trickled in promptly.
To my astonishment, most of them contained a simple request-please send me a full version via email. This wasn’t difficult back when BinaryClock 1.0 was hip, as the application consisted of just a single file. But Binary Clock 2.1 contains FontBucket and a load of extra fonts-its like 7 files in total. Sending them out to each analyst with VersaMail is a bit, um, painful.
Shipping BinaryClock as a PalmSource Installer Package was planned originally, but was dropped, as we wanted users to select their favourite fonts themselves.
However, as it looks now, there will definitely be a PalmSource Installer Package available for version 3.0. It will be huge, eat up loads of RAM and won’t even be available on palmbinaryclock.com itself-it will only be lurking on my SD card, waiting for an analyst demanding a ‘full version’.
To be honest-if I would be a reviewer of Binary Clock 2.1, I wouldn’t have any issues with the package…in fact, I would even be happy as the burden of ‘configuring’ was taken off my shoulders.
What do you think?
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Hello Tam
You’re Food for the analysts article really surprised me.
I know that some sites / reviewers are really busy, and don’t (feel they) have the time to track down the appropriate website, find the right file to download and wait to receive a keycode (or equivalent) in addition to investing the time required to review product NewFoo.
That being said: I review products for a small (but growing) Canada focused PDA website. Since we are small and just about to celebrate our first birthday, I normally locate the products myself, download myself, evaluate and write a review myself, etc. Often, the only time I receive a “full” version is if I don’t have time to finish (to my satisfaction) the evaluation process. In those rare instances, I have written the author, explained the situation and they have been kind enough to send me a “key”. Not to say that I haven’t received “full” versions other ways… just that the above is more the normal course of events.
On occasion we receive press releases about new product releases. When we do, we pass a few emails around amongst us, decide who is most interested in reviewing the product, has the time and can meet the software / hardware requirements.
One of the most memorable of those press releases included all the standard content, but also included a list of links to:
- the appropriate download file
- the appropriate support forum
- a way to pass back the UserID of the selected reviewer which generated an almost immediate return key.
I don’t see why you should need to do more than that. I mean, if I was getting paid by the WeReviewFoo company to write and post reviews on the WeReviewFoo site, is following a couple of included links really too much work? Even if I was (I am) a volunteer reviewer, I don’t think it’s too much work at all.
OK… I just read back through and I think I ended up ranting -=- Sorry.
FredPC ~ PDA Junkie
Hi FredPC,
thank you for the long and interesting post!
To be honest, I am also one of the people who usually ask for an install pack – but with me, this has a different reason. I am a VersaMail sync nut, and always have my full Outlook inbox on my TUngsten T3. This way, I dont need mobile internet.
Now, a simple download link doesnt really help me on the go…
Best regards
Tam Hanna