Macromedia Pricing Versus Innovation
Macromedia announced their Flash Media Server 2 today. I find these two items in the press release contradictory:
1: “…a flexible development environment for creating and delivering innovative, interactive media applications.”
2: “Prices start at $4,500 for a two-CPU configuration Professional Edition license.”
That’s no different than the previous server, I believe. But come on. When the cheapest price is beyond the reach of almost all independent developers, there will be very little innovation, I assure you.
The success of Flash was based on the fact that tons of students, independent developers and animation hobbyists adopted the cheap tool (used to be about $200) and created cool stuff. Now even Flash 8 will be $699 by itself.
I hesitate to suggest that Macromedia offer a “developer edition” of the server, as in the past they have always crippled such versions so much that they can’t be used for anything innovative either.
I also find it funny that at the main Flash product page Macromedia features a video of Colin Moock, well known Flash book author and innovative developer. However, Moock’s Unity Server is a much more reasonably priced alternative to the Flash Media Server. It doesn’t have some of the media features of Macromedia’s server, but provides plenty of functionality and the right price ($139) for innovation.
on 9/8/2005 at 8:44 am