Rodent Regatta

There is a classic study in free enterprise and marketing that is playing out before our eyes. Six Apart, after months of expectations, releases a new version of their flagship product, Movable Type. In a classic twist of irony, the announcement probably carries more ”trackback pings” than any other post in the history of Movable Type. Unfortunately, the majority of them reflect the frustration of a user community that is more disappointed with being ”blindsided” than having to pay for software.

Here’s a rough summary of how it has played out. In a matter of a very few weeks, we learn that it is not a ”feature” release. Then, we hear of a scheme called TypeKey for protecting Movable Type users from unwanted comments. Some privacy fanantics went nuts over the registration methods behind that. Remember, this is from a company that also offers a (utility-computing) version of its software called TypePad. [Editorial note: maybe there is ultimate strategy playing out here. Price your more sophisticated tool so that only sophisticated users buy it. ”Drive the rest” toward your recurring revenue service.]

Then, at the moment of actual release, Six Apart announces their first pricing method. I don’t believe software can be adequately enhanced and supported without a price. Someone somewhere must have a revenue stream to be able to continue what they are doing to further the software. So, price isn’t my issue.

This morning we hear from one of Six Apart’s competitors, who depends solely on donations and volunteers as the methods for enhancing and supporting his software. It seems that in the middle of this fray, a new guide for migrating from Movable Type to WordPress is ready. On top of that, a new release candidate for WordPress’s next version became available overnight.

All of this is classic, American free enterprise. The importance of words, their timing and their meaning is paramount. The style can be as important as the words themselves. One player pulls a hamstring and competitors capitalize. The long-time fans and teammates come to the rescue of the injured player.

Willl New Coke be pulled? Will it be repriced to make it more palatable? Will competitors seize share during the moment of weakness? Will customers get what they want? Yes, they will!