I agree for overall cheaper price (of course ) but if we had to move from existing model, I would rather do 1 time purchase for app and reduced cost for modules.
Personally, as long as the NB dual works with metr on some level (soldering is a no though), Iām okay with leaving things as is
Speaking candidly, fuck subscription. Seriously. Not directed at you @Chricious, just in general as imo, itās one of the worst idea for the consumer end. I absolutely hate going to subscription (ie Adobe, JetBrains, etc) and would rather do 1 time payment to feel I properly own the product.
but i think thats significantly cutting the profit of the modules.
1x 50ā¬ app
3x module lets say 15ā¬ per Module is 95ā¬ compared to 3x50ā¬ per module like it is = 150ā¬ modules
@Chricious
thats why iām saying i donāt like soldered modules. 1 dual Neobox comes with 1 metr module. The Module is just connected via Uart but with the connector directly on the module instead of wires. (for example, could also be a standard metr module.
If your neobox brakes and you get a new one you receive it without metr module. You unplug it from the broken neobox and plug it in the new one. That way they donāt need to produce a new module because the old one still works, that brings the overall cost down.
Thing is about a subscription for programs you have each year the newest version. Updating apps etc is not free. If you buy something you are limited to the program off that year.
Wait, so let say the app indeed cost 40 euro. For that you have the app with one slot.
A module is ā¬10/pcs. When you order a second module it is also ā¬10. But to enable it you have to buy a extra slot in the app for let say 20euro.
At that moment more guys will buy a second module for their board then now for ā¬50/pcs. The ā¬50 we pay now is for +90% just for the app itself.
Thing I was always wondering is why we need to pay just the same price for a second module while we already paid for the app that is included in the price off the first module.
I am at your page. I am pro one time fee. I just want to be fair and mention all possibilities for Metr. But I think to pay for the app and not for the module makes total sense. Like it is now it makes in my eyes not much sens. The modules are too expensive for what they cost in production and the software is too cheap since itās free. I would shift it. But again, not bad blood here. Iām just brainstorming.
Make the app free from the play store/App store so @rpasichnyk donāt have to pay anything to google/Apple.
And add slots in the app. Buy your first slot for 40 euro and you can link your first module to it. (Sell the module for 5/10euro)
But your second slot for 20/30 euro and so on.
Each slot is linked to your account.
This also create some options to work together with Jeff and other companys.
To fix the issue with all sold modules before. Give those guys a free slot who already own a module. If you have already 2 bought give those guys a 3 slot.
Physical - non-soldered, uses standard ports (ie. uart) as this allows for easy migration and servicing.
Business model - one time fee for app, reduced price on modules. Preferably no additional cost for additional modules (as modules are priced to be competitively enough and also as @pjotr47 states, helps avoid buying in bulk and reselling). Potentially shift the one time fee to the initial module to save on Apple/Google dev tax.
The difficulty here is how to manage all of that. Creating the backend service and database and host is probably a huge pain in the ass. Any sort of money would have to be done outside of the app as in-app transactions incur a fee on the Apple/Google side I believe.
There is also the lack of incentive for metr to do all of this. It requires more hosting and management from their end. Tacking on the cost to the hardware with the app free is probably the easiest.
Alternatively, open source the code but maintain IP for hardware. This allows for more people to help develop on the software side and allows them to control things overall as they still have ownership of the software
Thatās exactly the point^
Your system could be so much abused @pjotr47, itās like all those Spotify, Youtube, Netflix subscriptions, they are getting abused by people who shares their accounts with other friends. And these systems are based on a subscription, so if metr would ever integrate a system like this, it would have to go based on a subscription system for each month.
Itās like Apple, you buy one Iphone, Ipad whatever, the next one you buy, you still pay that OS fee. (Same with windows).
The app is already free.
Why not leave this system as it is, and if people are interested for a metr module, they buy directly from itās creator? It makes everything easier as not everyone would be interested by this.
Then, it would still keep itās plug and play system which wonāt change for those who care about itās modularity.
BUT. What happens if i sell my metr module? I sold it for 10ā¬ and iām stuck with a 40ā¬ App.
yes but its doesnāt get cheaper the more you buy. First is a premium and doesnāt matter how many you buy afterwards, they all cost the same but less than the first one.
Very easy solution to this. Lock it to 1 phone. So you can only connect your account where you have your slots bought on connected with one phone. You have to see each metr module like you have now a device list on Netflix etc.
Only thing is indeed the whole programming, service and database. Buying a slot can be easily done on the website like he has now.
The metr module is perfect if you only have one board. I have 4 boards laying at home but I am not crazy enough in my head to pay 200 euro for a f*cking app. I have spend now 100 euro just for 2 modules.
For everything there is a solution. Make each slot like a license key. You can disable the license key from your account and sell it.
Can you even lock it to one phone?
Iām pretty sure Apple donāt let you do that, and if you have multiple devices, it would allow it on every device with your accounts on it.
Even then, most paid apps on apple, when bought by one user, could be downloaded to all the devices where the user has his account. Account sharing is a huge issue here.
There are apps where you could use your friendās account to download, and then switch back to your own acc, and the app would still be there.
You need to login with your account details in the app itself. So it is lockable to one device. We have a professional timing system for the esk8 kart rides. It is also limited to a amount off devices. The cheapest option was 1 device. If you want to use another device. You have first to log out on the original one.
It is all a suggestion guys. But I think the way how it now works is not how it should be.
If you buy now software for the pc. You have with many companies the possibilitie to buy it for one pc or more. For more pcās you have to pay less for each pc.
@jeffwuneo and @rpasichnyk , do you need hardware or software to integrate with each other? Excuse my ignorance here but does integration mean built in (read soldered/part of the NB dual)? If not, I would assume (and this might be my mistake) that metr talks via normal ports and you really need source code right? Alternatively, is there an api for metr?
Also if @jeffwuneo just needs a metr on hand to test and develop, @rpasichnyk, Iād be more than happy to buy one and get it shipped to Jeff.
They create neobox = more poeple buy vescs
Then more people get interested in the metr module.
Itās more a one way benefit for metr right now, but ofc the benefit isnāt as big if they would collab together.
) but if we had to move from existing model, I would rather do 1 time purchase for app and reduced cost for modules.