I can see frustration on both sides. Lifetime means what it says. We can talk semantics all day and never get anywhere. I can also see that having a viable business means the software will continue. I also don’t like heated exchanges, where someone is called a troll for voicing their opinions, and where someone says the company is unethical. There has to be a willingness to talk things through and come to a reasonable compromise of sorts. With any software purchase, there is a company that wants to do what they love and make money to keep doing it, and a customer that wants use out of it. If those two things benefit each other, everyone is happy. When the equation becomes imbalanced, there is friction and one side has to make a change. Software doesn’t do what the customer expected, refund or change the software. Business has to decide what they can do. Business can’t stay afloat with current software licensing model to stay in business. Have to change or go under, not good for anyone.
Extremes:
1. Business changes licensing model, leaving current customers in the dust.
2. Business marks all current customers as lifetime paid and changes model for new customers.
My guess is that option 2 is what most customers would want, unless they have other reasons motivating them such as fear of the business going under and losing access to software they love. Number one was probably the best bet to keep the business afloat at the risk of alienating customers.
Seems a compromise was put forth in between the extremes by providing a free period and by reducing fees to try to create a win for all. Some like it, some do not for whatever reasons. The choices are to continue to try to reach a consensus, or a higher percentage of agreement, or just see what survives the fallout of the current offer.
1. In an effort to offer other options for discussion, which may be impossible, it there a way to turn over the API portion of the code for community updates, or charge for API updates.
2. Maybe you get a percentage of trades like an exchange. I’d give you .1% of all trades. I give Bittrex .25% on each.
3. Another thought would be to continue to support API changes for free, and entice people away from the old software with great new features with Margin. This would only work if there was an agreement on what current feature sets or performance criteria for Leonardo it should end with. I know there are challenges with this as have been mentioned.
I think entertaining a frank discussion with customers, without everyone getting bent out of shape, is beneficial for everyone. It may not change the current offer, but it could change opinions to be a little more positive and receptive to changes that must happen for us to continue our relationship. I think everyone wants this to succeed or we wouldn't be here.
Thanks for your contribution. I really appreciate it.
However, none of the final options you mentioned are possibly for us as our resources are quite limited and our efforts have to go into improving
margin. Maintaining a second codebase is completely beyond our capacities and it is for this reason that we have to EOL leonArdo. There will be a final version and some limited updates in special cases with key additions, but that will be the extent of it.
Once again I really appreciate your opinion.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
Hi,
I’m one of your small time "heroes"
1. I’m the one complained December 21 2017 that ping pong does not "loop" it did just the first part either buy or sell and then just went to sleep. Here at the forum Marginsoftware claimed that it is fixed! It was not until well later it was confirmed over and over to be broken.
2. I’m the one noticed you that your stop loss was just yellow line well I’m the one took the bullet for you my friend Margin / Jonathan as your stop loss did not help me at Christmas time. freakin stop loss had just one job to save my ass but. It just did NOT!
My point here:
Your product is proven faulty and faulty after you told us it is fixed. In this forum you are reading at this moment. So Margin UG (haftungsbeschraenkt) as a company does not deliver promises and does not fulfill MY expectations.
Therefore:
There are plenty of arguments at both sides. In that case there is institution for that to solve such questions daily basis it is called Consumer Disputes Committee as far as I understood it’s at
https://www.evz.de ? They will calmly decide who is right. And without hesitation will shut any company down eventually to protect customers if needed.
I think that I as a private individual have 2 year period to file my complaints and if issues are not fixed within reasonable time I do have basis to claim back my money?
Same institution will act as independent mediator at such situations where your customers might think you use “bait and switch” tactics in case you will just repackage your existing product!!!
As I’m not German citizen nor netizen I cannot make the initial claim as it must be filled at country of origin. Und my German is really bad.
So if there are German heroes then just file the claim and it will be solved normally within 90 days FOR GOOD!!!
NOTE!
Margin UG (haftungsbeschraenkt) at this very moment still sells “lifetime licenses” to customers who might not be aware of ongoing changes (OK new logo and rebranding.) but at the chart I can still buy your product “FOR LIFE” like today? Really? Maybe it is good time to specify the phrase “lifetime license” on the page or remove it.
NB! I’m not mad I want the situation to be sorted out before I start dumping my money into it monthly basis that’s it!
Thanks
edit:
i filed the complaint thru:
https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/main/?event=main.home2.showCOMPLAINT FORM SUMMARY
COMPLAINT REFERENCE: 2018/18335
Print out date: 09/03/2018
STATUS: Registered
NOTE !!! IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT I BLAME MARGINSOFTWARE NOR EMPLOYEES IN ANY WAY!!! I AS I CUSTOMER CAN ASK LEGAL ADVISE FROM INSTITUTIONS AS EU CITIZEN. I DID IT TO PROTECT MY CUSTOMER RIGHTS AND TO BE SURE THEY ARE RESPECTED!
Consumer protection legislation in the EU guarantees that everyone has the right to be treated fairly when buying goods and services whether online or offline.
European legislation guarantees consumers
fair treatment
products which meet acceptable standards
a right of redress if something goes wrong