[ale] WinGIMP.com selling 'packaged versions' of GIMP 2.0 for Windows

[John Mills]

Hi -

On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 Sigmascape1 at cs.com wrote:

> I found out that the GIMP 2 has been released.

Thanks for mentioning this. Time for an update.

> I am going to update my Linux machines soon with this release, but I
> also wanted to find a packaged Windows executable to load on some other
> machines. I went to WinGIMP.com. Big mistake. WinGIMP is selling
> 'packaged versions of GIMP 2 for Windows for $79.95! There has never
> been a time when I thought charging for a CD or packaged version of GNU
> software was inappropriate, but $79.95???

Well, they have to provide at least three things:

1. Executables for the GIMP-2.x and its requisite libs (gtk++, etc.) for
Win*, which seems to mean building it from sources. (I only found Win*
binaries for GIMP-1.2 from gimp.org.)

2. A properly configured installer with at least some directions. (The
free one may be fine, or may need some configuration - I don't know.)

3. Primary and supporting sources as required to comply with GPL.

It would be good to provide some documentation - available electronic GPL
versions at a minimum.

Realistically they probably need a bright box and some printed docs for
retail sales.

If they don't _really_ streamline the installation and users' startup,
customer support will literally kill them. I'm sure we could quickly come
up with a long list of dead companies that succumbed to this. (Anyone
remember 'JRT Pascal'?)

I offered to set friends up with GIMP-1.2 for Win* for free, and they
declined after reading the site's notes re: patches, installation, lack of
warranty, etc.  I think they were foolish to decine, but mention it to
point out some folks are uncomfortable with honest marketing. ["Honest
marketing"? &8-|}]

> I was thinking $4.95 or some other reasonable price, but this is not
> good. WinGIMP is also offering an 'upgrade' for $29.95 and other package
> pricing. For a while now, I have noticed this site selling GIMP, and
> that is fine, but who would pay this amount of money?

Many people use GIMP mainly for their photos. Win* photo packages range
from free (given with cameras, scanners, and printers), through Adobe
_Photoshop_Elements_ (and friends), on up to Adobe's full _Photoshop_. At
$79.99, winGIMP is nearly head-to-head with _Elements_ and I doubt they
will take away many sales there.
 
> What do you guys think about this?

Build your package, talk to some distributors, set your price, and go for
it. Your up-front investment is pretty small.

 - John Mills
   john.m.mills at alum.mit.edu