I see that Softpress are getting anxious about the wait for a (hopefully favorable) review of Freeway Pro AS on the App Store.
In all innocence, I wrote a very favorable review and tried to post, only to find in pop-up red:
“To review this app, you must have purchased it from the App store”.
Understandable I suppose, but it stops those, like myself, who are suspicious of the new ‘Empire Building’ look of Apple Inc. and like to deal directly with the producer, from making a contribution to telling the world about our favorite Web Page Design tool.
I agree, Bob, and thank you for taking the time. The trouble is (and they know this first hand from the iOS App Store), people aren’t always as genuine as you. People will rate themselves up and others down just to get a commercial edge.
What you can do is go to any of the numerous software sites and write your review there. Whether it’s MacUpdate, CNET (formerly Version Tracker) or on forums, they all depend on personal opinion to make them worthwhile to their visitors.
Earlier today I happened to read a forum posting on DPReview, which mentioned that the App Store now recognises software installed from other sources, so if you subsequently download an update through the App Store it will then show up as a purchased item that can then be downloaded onto all your computers.
I just wondered what the pros and cons are of doing this as far as Freeway is concerned? I currently have the latest version of Freeway Pro purchased direct from Softpress, so I don’t know if it differs in an way to the App Store version.
I can see dangers in a situation where the App Store becomes too dominant for distribution but a friend was telling me recently how he deliberately purchases software from the App Store now because it enables him to get a new computer set up as quickly as possible from a clean install. It also enables him to update his other machines more quickly.