Alt.Binz forum
Alt.Binz (English) => General talk => Topic started by: Ivanhoe on January 12, 2007, 04:17:30 am
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Hello All,
My first post but don't worry i've been using various programs like Xnews/Grabbit/Agent/Newsleecher and IMHO this program knocks them all for SIX.
To show my appreciation to the author(s) i would like to make a donation.
What are the procedures for donating?
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we are currently working on that :) you'll see it appear on the site soon
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It's one and a half years ago that the thinking process was already under way. Anything has come up?
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Are you serious? ;)
you can donate via Paypal since september last year, to do that go to the main site (www.altbinz.net) and click "donate" or click donate in the version 0.25.0.
I quote from the main page:
Alt.Binz 0.25.0 is the last release available to public. It's freeware. You can use it for free as long as you like.
However, if you think this software is valuable and you want to support it through monetary donations, you are encouraged to do so. By donating you will help the development going. Also you will gain access to future versions of Alt.Binz and you will be able to make feature request that you would like to see in upcoming versions.
Please donate an amount that you think Alt.Binz is worthy by clicking on the Donate button. You will be taken to PayPal site. Make sure you fill out your forum username in Comment box. All online transactions are safe and secured.
Thanks
Newest Version is 0.28.1
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It was quite a thing to find the damn thing through search.. a lot of donation threads. It was a fun read :) I tried to make a donation but it fell through and I have to try again a a week or so Paypal told me... so I will do that.
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Ive just downloaded Alt. Binz (after reading about the program on a forum) I'm running the program for the first time and I must say at this early stage I like this program.
Ive made a small donation, and I will be more then happy to donate further amounts after I have used alt.Binz for a short while.
Keep up the good work
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Indeed its a great program and i have been using it for some time now, and has been working flawlessly, only recently had i started playing around and noticed the RSS feature, which works brilliantly so Finally got around to donating, hopefully can contribute further in the future aswell.
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I absolutely loved the 0.25 version! I am actually thrilled to be able to give the newer version a ride tomorrow... All giddy, this is kid stuff!
:)
Keep up the good work! See you all around in here if I get some time on hands for a change...
KouweZakkie
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I made a donation and it was refunded - is there a minimum? I gave a couple bucks to get the latest - if I like I'll probably continue to donate. What's up with donations being refused?
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Same here - I sent a small amount for the binsearch capability not present in the free version. If .28 works fine, I will be happy to increase the amount.
-- John
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It's not a try-before-you-buy scheme - or rather, 0.25.0 should have given you all the info you'll ever need about whether Alt.Binz is the right program for you. As the popup suggests, donate what you think the program is worth to you (compare it with similar programs). If you don't think it's worth much at all, the developer has the right to refuse your donation and wave you on your way, allowing you to enjoy the free version for as long as you want.
As there has been endless discussion about this elsewhere in the forum, there's no need to repeat the same old same old here.
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As there has been endless discussion about this elsewhere in the forum, there's no need to repeat the same old same old here.
I agree and apologize for not reading before posting... I just signed onto this forum. I think the author is clearly doing what he thinks is right and that alt.binz is a great product. I would like to donate $30.00 if it is accepted...
-- John
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[deleted - blah bah]
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If anyone else has given up on Alt.Binz completely, maybe one of these proggies would be better suited to you:
Newsleecher & SuperSearch ($29.99 per year)
https://newsleecher.com/?id=buy
Newsbin Pro with Internet Search ($40 lifetime upgrades + $5/month for Internet Search)
http://www.newsbin.com/users/signup.php?&price_group=2&product_id=1
Newsrover ($29.95 lifetime registration plus sales tax)
http://www.newsrover.com/order.htm
Ultraleecher & UltraSearch ($19.95 single license + yearly extra for search, I'd tell you what price but that page ain't workin)
http://www.ultraleecher.com/cms/index.php
Forte Agent ($29.00 single license)
http://www.forteinc.com/agent/upgrade.php
Grabit & Grabit Search ($24.99 per year)
http://www.shemes.com/index.php?p=usenetservice&act=order
NewsReactor ($20 registration)
http://www.daansystems.com/newsreactor/
Most have free trial versions, too. Maybe they'll give you a free version indefinitely in return for a token amount until you decide you like it and pay full price - who knows, it's always worth asking.
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Just to clarify, I believe Grabit itself is actually free and you pay for the search. Another good one that was not mentioned is SABNZBD plus. It is still free too. Generally speaking, the free choices or the one time pay choices (like AltBinz or Newsbin) are better values. Having said that, I don't blame people for questioning "donations", where it is sort of up in the air, rather than doing business in the usual way. I vaguely recall there was some sort of banking issue? At any rate, it is the way it is. Personally, I still use 25.0 in its diminished capacity. It is probably better for the free index sites not to bypass their adds anyway. It seems clear they don't really want you doing that IMHO.
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I only listed ones that are directly comparable with the latest version of Alt.Binz in terms of features, including integrated search, which excludes vanilla Grabit and SABnzbd (both are comparable to 0.25.0 in its current state). Feel free to add any more to the list if they meet the criteria.
There's nothing 'up in the air' about the donations system, and Alt.Binz is not a commercial product. If it was, you can guarantee that the price would be way higher than the typical donations received & accepted, which are a lot lower than those other apps. A minimum isn't specified, as this would become a de facto price. Only those attempting to donate tiny amounts are rejected. There were 50 attempts to donate 0.01 euro last week, which after Paypal fees = 0. It's not difficult to understand - and 1,600+ Contributors seem to have managed it without complaints so far. The truth is, Alt.Binz is still the best bargain out there.
Anyway, I'm breaking my own rule by talking about what's been discussed ad nauseum elsewhere in the forum, and I'm boring myself to tears just reading my own words.
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Well, people deserve to be paid for their work right? The donation scheme just seems weird. Most people do just what you said, set a price that you can charge to a card and say take it or leave it. That's the way most of the world works. Since it does not make as much sense to do it any other way, I'm still going to chalk it up to some sort of banking issue. If the weird donation thing is the only way for the developer to keep AltBinz alive, then I say power to him. Btw, no one said donating via Paypal was difficult to understand did they? I mean it is not some mystic secret or anything. I'm supremely confident I could 'manage it' if I wanted. As for adding to your list, I don't think I will. It seemed somewhat unsolicited and I'm pretty sure you and I are not the only ones who can do a google search.
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There's nothing 'weird' about the donation scheme - there's plenty of donationware out there that works in a similar way. It has nothing to do with a banking issue. My other comments weren't directed at you. Unsolicited or not, the list is relevant to the discussion - at least, I hope it brings some perspective to it. Clearly the 0.01 euro crowd can't google.
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It has nothing to do with a banking issue.
I think the reference is to Paypal and how it eats up a big chunk of small donations...
-- John
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Oh, I see you're now a Contributor, welcome & enjoy. Be sure to install the new multicore par2.exe from New Versions forum as well, it's sweet. :)
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Thanks! And thanks for your patience in all of this... I will certainly give the new software a try.
-- John
Oh, I see you're now a Contributor, welcome & enjoy. Be sure to install the new multicore par2.exe from New Versions forum as well, it's sweet. :)
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There's nothing 'weird' about the donation scheme
Oh yes there is too. But that's just opinion.
there's plenty of donationware out there that works in a similar way.
Really? Name three. I don't disbelieve you but I can't think of many good donationware programs that have the same model. Mirc, for example, works on the honor system. Perhaps our definition of donationware differs. The fact that I can't think of many good donationware programs which you can only use the current version AFTER you donate, is not the main reason I think it is weird. Whatever, as I said there must be a reason it is the way it is. But I'm probably not going to do the donation thing on principle alone. Usually when I 'donate' I don't expect to get anything in return. When I buy something, I expect to know exactly what I'm getting and for how much and I want to trial a working version of the version I intend buy first. At any rate, carry on. Version 25.0 is a really good program. Based on that I imagine the newer versions are too. But I don't really know that for sure now do I?
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"But I don't really know that for sure now do I?"
Of course you do. Now who's being disingenuous? You get 0.25.0 for free, and if you donate you get lifetime upgrades. The rest is just blah blah. So stick with 0.25.0 and continue enjoying the fruits of Rdl's labour for free, nobody here will judge you for that, since that's what the developer has offered.
Your self-justifying bullshit is another matter, though: do us all a favour and just take it somewhere else. if you don't want to support the developer, then fine. But don't think for a minute that anyone believes that there's a principle at stake here.