I agree with most of what you said, however, the price is not low.

I use microsoft software, and yes I paid for it. However, the software I use is vital to my schooling (being that I am a college student, and yes I realize that if I really wanted to I could get by with openoffice and whatnot but that's a different issue). I make no money on my MT install, I use the software "for fun" for lack of a better term. Now, I can see companies like Adobe and Micorsoft charging large amounts of money for software that is used to generate income for the people that use it, but SA charging $100-$700 for licencing to a product that many people just use as a toy is unreal.

Now, let's say I want to buy a video game. Most computer games start out at around $50 these days. When you look at the amount of work and development that goes into even the crappiest video games, it may dawn on you to see that it far surpasses the work put into MT. MT is nothing more then a really jazzed up interface to a database, and now a very overpriced jazzed up interface to a database.

Don't get me wrong, I'd pay $10-$20 for MT, but this is insanity.

Hmmm . . . insanity seems like a strong word and just the type of hyperbole I would hope to avoid. Also, I think that you should exagerate the true cost of using MT. If you were a heavy user of MT and not making any money off of it, the most you would pay was $189.95 (or $149.95 if you buy now). If you are like me and only write a couple of blogs, you would pay nothing. I think that overall the pricing structure is pretty fair, but this is obviously something we disagree on.

Now, I do worry that some of my favorite weblogs (Portland Communique for example) that make a little money from advertising, might not be able to afford the comercial licenses. Perhaps Six Apart will clarify the meaning of comercial to exclude advertiser supported blogs. I think that the intent of the comercial license is to allow large companies and institutions (who can afford it) buy software with support.

The problem I have, Noah, is that I provide web space for three of my friends to blog, as well as myself. That makes four of us. I've already donated $40 (as the recommended 20-25 I thought was a bit low).

But in order to keep us blogging with "the latest" (which, by the way, still falls far short of what a "paid" update should be), I'd have to pay $79 (that 119 - the $40 I've already contributed) if I do it right now. If I wait for when the version is actaully released, it would be $109 (149 - $40 already paid).

I'm not trying to gripe about things, for yes, I use Micro$haft (after all, they're not a monopoly, but run on 95% of all desktops), and for my graphic work, I have to use Adobe Photoshop.

But they do a heck of a lot more than act as a front end to a database.

None of the blogs I host advertise or make money. Heck, I've got a friend, "Pixy Misa" who gives blog space on the mu.nu servers for free and hosts almost 50 or so blogs there. Under the current pricing scheme, he coudln't purchase even a commercial license that would allow him the flexibility that he requires.

If there had been at least *some* discussion about going to a "forced pay" situation, then those of us who do a nice thing and host others at no cost to them would have sat up and said, "You know, you may want to rethink this matter".

If the thought of moving on ever crosses your mind... :)
I moved to WordPress a few months ago, and it was the best thing that happened to my blog. I wrote a How To move from Movable Type to WordPress over at my blog, which might be of interest to you.
WordPress lets me do everything MT did, and the support and user community positively rock!

hey,
saw your name on oddtodd.com and it caught my attention, brimhall isn't a very common last name. i stumbled onto your blog and saw that you have family in chico... so do i. my cousins cody and austen brimhall, uncle mike brimhall all live there. well, austen goes to school in san diego now... anyway, are we related? i live in texas, hudson texas to be precise. could you be a relative i've never met or hear of, or is this just a fluke coincidence? drop me a line if you feel like it. have a great day!

travis

John: You said, "But in order to keep us blogging with "the latest" (which, by the way, still falls far short of what a "paid" update should be)". This is true, which is why it is called a Developers Edition. Mena herself has said that this is not a "feature update". If you are looking for a feature update you should wait. Also, if you split the cost among your three friends (which only seems fair) the cost would only be $25-30 each.

Also, I think your friend Pixy Misa will probably have to evaluate giving away blogspace for free, but I think that if he contacted Six Apart they might be able to work out a license for him. If, in the end, the people he hosts want a free solution, they might be best served by Blogger.

I think that by releasing a Developers Edition, Six Apart has given you some time to rethink the matter of hosting for free. Don't upgrade, figure out your hosting situation and when MT 3.x Feature Release comes out, make your decision.

Since I notice that Communique has been mentioned, let's take a look at what the Personal license says:

“Non-Commercial Purposes” means use of the Software by an individual for publishing on a personal blog site on a single sever that does not directly or indirectly support any commercial efforts. Use of the Software for any purpose by any non-individual entity, including but not limited to any commercial entity, corporation, non-profit organization, educational institution, governmental body or group, is not permitted under this Agreement. Affiliate or associate fees that are earned by a personal blog site and are payable to a single individual and that are earned through activities incidental to the main purpose of the site are permitted under the Non-Commercial Purposes of this Agreement.

Communique remains the work of an "individual entity." Whether or not an ad strip qualifies as "affiliate or associate fees" might be debatable, and I would guess that 6A is going to have to address that issue in their licenses at some point because it's going to come up.

I would think I still qualify as an individual/personal licensee, and I suppose I'll find out when I try to get them to let me put my old commercial license "key" towards a personal license for MT 3 -- since the reason I had once bought a commercial MT license no longer exists and I don't need a commercial one anymore.

Also FWIW, I noticed movabletype.org in my referers today. Which would mean that the "recently updated key" that I've had for two years now is still triggering a listing in the "recently updated" list on their website.

I'm currently using GreyMatter 1.3 on one of my sites and can't wait to move it over to MT. I was waiting for version 3 (and time), but I may just stay at 2.661 or whatever. I've got 3 sites running already, and they're all non-commercial, non-advertised - and quite amatuerish. I laud SA's efforts so far, and hope to see things change: either more money in my pocket, or cheaper options.

TROLL BANNED - REPEATED OFF TOPIC POSTS

I wonder if I have a normal blog site structure..I would appreciate your coming to my blog and leaving some "fresh" ideas and proposals concerning what it is better to rebuild or reorganize.
I need your help and support. Thanks.