There are better ways to plead for donations.

[Neillithan]

First and foremost, I would just like to say that Mediacoder is a good program. I'm putting this right at the top because it is a great program and deserves your support.

However, I have begun to question Mediacoder as a program worthy of recommendation. This has always been a teetering issue for me and as of one of the recent updates, I think I may have made up my mind.

I do not like the idea of a Premium version of Mediacoder, but seeing as it's a $190 for 2 licenses, it's not for me anyway. However, donating is no longer a choice. In fact, it's pretty close to blackmail. Mediacoder is no longer donationware--it's somewhere between freeware and crippleware.

Batch processing used to be a staple of Mediacoder's features, but now that you are presented with a nag screen after 10 converted files, Mediacoder is no longer useful to me. I am forced to look elsewhere for a program to accomplish the same task. Luckily, I know of a few, one of which I have had a lot of success converting files. This wouldn't be an issue if the nag screen went away. I sat there waiting for it to disappear on its own after around 1000 titlebar numbers... but it didn't. If it does go away, that is an absurd waiting period. If not, then mediacoder is essentially useless to me.

I need the ability to queue up several files to be batch converted. Even on my Core i7 Quad, conversion time can be daunting and may take all night depending on how many files I convert. Since Mediacoder apparently interrupts the batch process and hangs indefinitely awaiting user interaction, it's safe to say Mediacoder has lost one of the greatest features in a free program.

I have given this some thought. Normally, I would donate to help a developer in despair, but there are many things that are breaking me to make this decision. Mediacoder has become so nagging, that it I no longer have respect for the developer. The program launches an intermediary screen with a donate button. Once you have closed this window, your browser launches to show you an unrelated website. Mediacoder itself has a donate button in it, the website has a donate button. I have seen your donate button, I have chosen not to donate for a very long time. That's not going to change unless a plea for help is made, nor is it going to change the minds of many others. Some people will answer your calls for help, but many will see it as a form of invasion, begging, or possibly even greed.

The reason I feel compelled to post this is because there is still hope. I'm here to say that Mediacoder is too invasive with its nagscreens. My recommendation would be to show the nag screen once per day, every day. The nag screen should only appear for around 10 seconds and unless there is user interraction, it should go away after 10 seconds. Also, it should not forcefully hover on top of other programs. If you are in need of help, please try to find an unintrusive way to announce it. My suggestion would be to write a thought out, inspiring plea that presents itself the first time the program has been launched. Do not force anyone to read it by setting a time out. Do not sound desperate or begging. Try to make it as positive as possible without being detracting (feature-wise). Batch processing has always been a free feature and should remain free. I see no reason it should be appointed to a premium version or donators.

If you do some of these things, I and many others will flock to this idea and you should see a better turnout in the number of donations. In fact, I would be happy and very willing to donate to help further Mediacoder's development. In short, I feel betrayed due to my opinion of Mediacoder's new transition from donationware to almost crippleware. I believe feature reduction in request for donations does not seem like an appropriate use of open source software. A kind, unintrusive request for our help is the best approach.

Thanks for reading,
-Neil

[Crayt]

Couldn't say it in a better way.

I used to appreciate and recommend Mediacoder, until money lead the development. Adware in the installer + limitations to basic features won't help getting money. 190$ + Internet licence/USB Key licence (WT* is that ?) will make people run away, including me. I'm not buying such an expensive and annoying licence do to basic stuff, once or twice a year. I won't donate because the developer(s) do not deserve it, there is no respect to the user anymore.

I can't find anything that is as good as an unrestricted Mediacoder, so I'm hoping that Mediacoder will become again the awesome program it used to be, as I'm willing to donate and help the development. As Neil said, asking properly and uninstrusively is the best way to get good results.

[oxygen]

i just registered to tell you guys that i agree so much with both of you. i just used mediacoder today to convert about 15 files that i recorded with my dslr... then i discovered the latest nag screen during batch-converting after coming back to my computer a few hours later.

so i wanted to see what the premium version is, found the licensing options and was dissapointed, because the prices are too high in my opinion. i think, that it will force quite a few people to use other software in the future (including me, at least for batch converting stuff...) or to use a mouse recorder to click on that stupid button everytime or whatever possible trick to circumvent that window.

what also annoys me is that i already donated some mony to get a mediacoder-id some months ago. why did i get an id? because mediacoder really is an awesome program and i wanted to support it (and get rid of a harmless nag-screen at that time).

so i have a few suggestions:

a) i would recommend you to rethink that nag-screen or
b) lower the licensing prices for private users or
c) offer a rebate for mediacoder-id owners.

maybe other users have other/better suggestions?

excuse my english

[meRobs]

The only real limitation of the FREE version of MediaCoder is a limit on batch processing -- after maybe 5-8 files in the queue there is the donation suggestion you mentioned. For extensive batch processing this limitation is removed by a small donation.

The Premium version, which costs more, is very different. It is progessional App offering a greater bitrate output, auto watching of selected folders, to add new files to the queue, and the means to add a Title video at the start, etc.