Free ComponentOne Studio Ent.?? What's the catch!?

Jeffry van de Vuurst

Roger J wrote: so why are the components still being sold? (oke in your case its abit different since you actually did make the free version somewhat different with the watermark) but for c1 , why do they still sell those compoentns? Why is (almost) everyone are some people so paranoid about it? :suss: :confused: I think it's great! I downloaded the resource kit, registered the components and I see no trials, nag screens or whatever. The "powered by Dundas" is very small and doesn't bother me at all. You get a ONE TIME free version of the components, no upgrades (except for C1, which includes a one time upgrade). So if you like the components, you might want to buy upgrades. That's the catch, if you can call it a catch. :) So I guess the sales will drop at the moment because of this action, but hopefully/probably they will rise because of people wanting to buy upgrades, etc. Just download it, try it and see for yourselves.

Rutger Ellen

I ve downloaded it and it was worth every bit (well.. it's called VB :) ) It's not a gimmic (see Dave's post) ! Component One is FREE, Usable and completely functional . The InfraLogistic components you get are Free an fully functional! The dundas chart DOES have a watermarked text but C.One has some great charts also. There are some components included as trial but those are not the ones mentioned above and that is made perfectley clear I can understand the reason for 'givig away' such components. Component One is trying to get a headstart on the .NET enviroment. If you use the components and a new version of Component One is released you WILL have to buy it if you want the upgrade (one upgrade is for free). and OFCOURCE all components work with c# and managed c++ also!! (CLR as you know) But with your bandwith i can understand that you wait for the CD version. Regards Rutger

David Cunningham

As I understand it, ComponentOne has organized their products into a quarterly subscription similar in presentation to MSDN. The product they are offering for free is a snapshot of their subscription. In order to build the market (and to secure market share I'd think) they want to seed the market with the hope of catching future upgrades and support agreements. You have to realize this isn't at all a new strategy. For ever Visual Basic has shipped with free versions of Grids, Charts and other components from key vendors, and they've built their businesses by adding additional value. David

Sijin

I had seen it, but wasn't convinced that it was going to be free. Too good to be true. But i just ordered the CD after reading this thread. Can't wait to check it out.

I always think that the idea of a compiler that compiles another compiler or itself is rather incestuous in a binary way. - Colin Davies My .Net Blog

Nish Nishant

David Cunningham wrote: Actually Nish, you should do a little checking before making such statements. It's not sneaky and the goodies are free. My fault. :-( I guess I should have. But I don't think I'd have tried downloading such a big file even if they shipped Adobe Photo Shop free with it! David Cunningham wrote: we added a very minor "Powered by Dundas Chart" watermark to the chart background produced. Check it out, we don't think it's distasteful. My point wasn't that any of the 3rd parties (Dundas included) were bluffing, just that there seemed to be some people who downloaded it without knowing the whole story [of course, they might themselves be at fault for not reading the fine print] David Cunningham wrote: We (the component community) want VB developers to know that VB.NET is where the excitement is, it's where the action is, and it's the future. :confused: But since all those components are .NET components, how come its associated with VB.NET. I might easily use them in my C# project or my MFC/IJW project, right? David Cunningham wrote: but in exchange they get your email address and/or contact info so they can try and sell you upgrades to future versions Hmmm, a few guys in Bangalore/Madras have burned CDs of the stuff and are distributing it around here. So they are not going to get too many email IDs from this part of the world (not that they'd have benefitted much I guess). Also someone sent in a direct link to the Trivandrum user group and I think that was a direct download link (no registration required). Anyway, thanks for the really detailed explanation, Dave! Nish

Extending MFC Applications with the .NET Framework [NW] (coming soon...) Summer Love and Some more Cricket [NW] (My first novel) Shog's review of SLASMC [NW] This post was made from Trivandrum city, India on a 0.0001 KB/s net connection

David Cunningham

Nishant S wrote: But since all those components are .NET components, how come its associated with VB.NET. I might easily use them in my C# project or my MFC/IJW project, right? Absolutely, and we sincerely hope that you do. Trust me Nish, we haven't all gone crazy ;-) we've been at this business for years, and years, and years. Imagine you invented the hammer, and everywhere you look people are pounding nails into boards with stones. It would make sense to give everyone a hammer, and then when the hammer wore out, they'd come back looking for more, they're not likely to go back to using stones. Nishant S wrote: Hmmm, a few guys in Bangalore/Madras have burned CDs of the stuff and are distributing it around here. So they are not going to get too many email IDs from this part of the world (not that they'd have benefitted much I guess). To activate the ComponentOne suite you need to get a code from them, and to get that i think you need to register on their site. That's how they get the emails. No activation is of course required for the Dundas Chart product, again this is a branding exercise for us. Also, if people are cutting CDs in Bangalore, they are in-fact only helping the effort. Not hurting it. David

Lost User

Yep! Too good to be true, especially since I was about to purchase a C1 license :) Beware of C1 Report.Net though... it's filled with bugs, although it got a lot better lately. Sijin wrote: I had seen it, but wasn't convinced that it was going to be free. Too good to be true. But i just ordered the CD after reading this thread.

Troy Marchand

Well the catch is simply this .... We (Dundas) hope that you will enjoy working with the control so much that you will want to purchase our other editions of the Dundas Chart, and/or upgrade the Windows Forms version you received for free. Also, we hope that the quality of the free product will also give you confidence in the other .Net products we are releasing shortly. Also, to keep things quite clear about the Dundas Chart component on the CD here is the full scoop about what you get: The Edition of the chart is the 'Windows Forms Professional Special Edition'. The 'Special Edition' has all of the same abilities as the Professional Edition - there is absolutely nothing removed from the product. However it does include some minor product branding ("Powered By Dundas Chart") in the lower right hand corner of the chart. We also have other edtions of the Dundas Chart available both for Windows Forms and ASP.NET Dundas Chart Enjoy the chart :) Troy Marchand VP Product Development Dundas Software

Troy Marchand

Just, see my response (located somewhere above in this thread) :) Troy Marchand VP Product Development Dundas Software

Chris Maunder

Nishant S wrote: it seems the version that ships with it adds a banner or something on each chart that is generated! So a small 'Powered by Dundas' logo in exchange for $700 worth of Chart is too much to ask? Hmmm... :) I'm planning on using Dundas Chart myself very soon (it's already up top in the lounge) which means you will be helping me out :D I'd be interested to see your comments once you realise what an amazing piece of work it is. Ask Dave how much of a cantankerous fussy bastard I am and even *I'm* impressed by the Chart ;) cheers, Chris Maunder

Ivor S Sargoytchev

Yes, I agree with Colin. However there is one more advantage to providing a free product which no one has yet mentioned. It is the hit on your competition, who did not manage to get on the Microsoft CD. In fact the hit on sales that everyone is talking about is not absorbed only by you, but it is also absorbed by your competition. Their sales will drop as well, because there is a free product out there. Your drop will be compensated by the large exposure a free product creates. Theirs will not! I mean think about a company competing or aspiring to compete with ComponentOne, which is not quite there yet and hoping to sell their product by having a lower price. This cannot be good for them! Remember, before IE became part of Windows it was a free product as well. Need I say more?

ColinDavies

Ivor S. Sargoytchev wrote: It is the hit on your competition, who did not manage to get on the Microsoft CD. In fact the hit on sales that everyone is talking about is not absorbed only by you, but it is also absorbed by your competition. Their sales will drop as well, because there is a free product out there. Your drop will be compensated by the large exposure a free product creates. Theirs will not! Very good point ! It's almost a form of dumping I guess. :-) Regardz Colin J Davies

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