The problem is less the money but more the situation. You had a lot of developers come in last November when Android was nothing but a buggy SDK. These developers worked their tails off (in part because of the money Google was dangling in their faces), some quit there jobs, wreaked their lives for it. Then when the ADC was over, Google had a bunch of apps and a largely tested SDK. Google could now go to the carriers and say, "We have something to offer."
Then Google clammed up, withheld the SDK, didn't tell the community about it and refused to respond to answers when it became known. Strike 1. Then the developers waited for the open system to deliver their apps and be able to compete against those on the inside track. Google witheld that option as well: Strike 2 Now we find out about the 30% witholding and 25 dollar fees. It's not that these are very different than industry norms, but to some developers, who were sacrificing so much, to find out they were a tool for validating Android for Google, only to have to start shoving money out of their pocket, adds salt to the wound. Maybe Google should donate that 25 fee to a good cause, if its just to discourage bad apps from the app market. I also think Google should wave the fee for all ADC entrants, after all haven't they proven their commitment to the platform? Shane On Fri, Oct 24, 2008 at 2:04 PM, Ed Burnette <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Not to worry, you can always host a .apk file on your web site (taking > care to give it the right MIME type) and educate people to turn on the > "Allow install of non-Market applications" option. Or use one of the > other app stores. Or stick a Paypal donate button on your site and > collect $25 from fans then use that to pay Google. Lots of options. > > > On Oct 22, 3:12 pm, "Ewan Grantham" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Well, I'm going to have to seriously rethink releasing a free application > if > > I have to pay for the privilege. Yes, I know I can use the alternate > markets > > if I don't want to pay, but that cuts out a lot of potential users. > > > > Would have been nice to have been told about this before I: > > a) coded the app > > b) put it in the wild on a couple of the alternate marketplaces > > > > because now I either have to withdraw and resubmit, or decide it's not > > something worth the trouble. > > > > Anyone who has pulled down a copy of "Mars Lander" care to tell me > > (privately at my email address, not through the list) if you think it's > > worth a couple of bucks or not? > > > > On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 12:14 PM, Mark Murphy <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >wrote: > > > > > > > > > Al Sutton wrote: > > > > >http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2008/10/android-market-now-ava. > .. > > > > > Even more than the $25 is the 30% cut for the carriers. That definitely > > > leaves plenty of room for competing markets, particularly if developers > > > pass some of the savings on to the consumers. > > > > > -- > > > Mark Murphy (a Commons Guy) > > >http://commonsware.com > > > _The Busy Coder's Guide to Android Development_ Version 1.3 Published! > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Discuss" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
