Sure, as a user, I'd not be that happy to have a new fee instituted for my Kaleidescape system, but let's look at it from a business point of view.
The Kaleidescape Data Service must be very expensive to run... they not only buy most new DVDs to enter the information, but they promise the ability to send in your DVDs and CDs and have them scanned and added to the DB. They scan covers, pay for shipping both ways, they're very responsive with errors or changes reported by users...
Frankly, I'd pay for the service, and as a business decision, I wouldn't fault them for deciding it should be a fee-based service. Kaleidescape right now makes a good deal of money on the sales of the units (and drives, etc.) but has no ongoing fee from users for the data.
If the purchase of a server came with say 1 year free of KDS, then it cost say $300-$500 a year, I'd feel that was easily worth the money. And I'd like to see them have a nice ongoing revenue stream from users to help ensure their long-term success. If they don't succeed, we'll have awfully expensive doorstops.
As analogies, I paid dearly for my car's navigation system, and I pay for ongoing updates to the data. I pay for the Response system every year for my car's "SOS button"... I pay Tivo to supply me with Guide listings. (Tivo delivers ZERO content, only guide listings to enable their features!)
Thoughts?
The Kaleidescape Data Service must be very expensive to run... they not only buy most new DVDs to enter the information, but they promise the ability to send in your DVDs and CDs and have them scanned and added to the DB. They scan covers, pay for shipping both ways, they're very responsive with errors or changes reported by users...
Frankly, I'd pay for the service, and as a business decision, I wouldn't fault them for deciding it should be a fee-based service. Kaleidescape right now makes a good deal of money on the sales of the units (and drives, etc.) but has no ongoing fee from users for the data.
If the purchase of a server came with say 1 year free of KDS, then it cost say $300-$500 a year, I'd feel that was easily worth the money. And I'd like to see them have a nice ongoing revenue stream from users to help ensure their long-term success. If they don't succeed, we'll have awfully expensive doorstops.
As analogies, I paid dearly for my car's navigation system, and I pay for ongoing updates to the data. I pay for the Response system every year for my car's "SOS button"... I pay Tivo to supply me with Guide listings. (Tivo delivers ZERO content, only guide listings to enable their features!)
Thoughts?