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OPEN LETTER FROM BELGIAN DEVELOPERS TO PC SOFT
Posted by gpredl
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OPEN LETTER FROM BELGIAN DEVELOPERS TO PC SOFT March 06, 2025 09:22AM |
Admin Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 555 |
Translation to English. Link to French version: Lettre ouvert
OPEN LETTER TO PCSoft.
I've been working with “Windev” tools for over 20 years and as a direct client for over 10 years. I've been a member of the Belgian Windev developers' association for over 15 years, then became vice-president of this association and have been president for some years now.
I've always loved this tool, while being critical of what's going wrong or not so well. I've also disapproved of legal action against independent forums, although I don't agree with certain comments made on them. “I don't agree with what you say, but I'll fight for your right to express yourself”, said a famous Frenchman, that's the basis of democracy.
When it was announced that the SAAS version would be released around May-June 2024, even though PCSoft's sales director had told me that it would not be released before January 2025, I was astonished at the prices. I expressed my surprise at the prices. The SAAS version cost the same as the dongle version at around €100, except that the dongle is a lifetime license, whereas SAAS is a 1-year rental.
Mr Virgil SAMARITO, on behalf of PCSoft, contacted one of the association's vice presidents to put pressure on me to withdraw my comment. This only had the opposite effect. In an attempt at consiliation, today I feel more like I've been smoked out. Mr. SAMARITO, and he won't be able to deny it, with everyone's agreement, the video was opened to all and recorded for publication as indicated in the document drafted and co-corrected by all the participants, including himself! DOC [lnkd.in] Video [lnkd.in]
We were told that the Dongle versions would continue. That we should, and could, trust them.
Today, like more than 90% of you according to surveys, the unilateral decision to no longer provide versions or updates for dongles makes me sad, this STRONG feeling of a real betrayal is omipresent.
So what to do, to start with those who are in Dongles, don't switch to SAAS, renting in SAAS is tantamount to voting for PCSoft's decision to take us for a ride. Secondly, in production, we never use the current version, because historically, the version of the year is not stable, incomplete, buggy... to be on the safe side, we go into production with version -1. So in 2026, don't buy any updates. PCSoft will then see its shortfall.
PCSoft has a policy of divide and conquer, or at least that's how I feel about the exchanges with its Dir. Com. They want us to believe that numbers have gone SAAS. It's not true, and they never communicate figures. But look around you, those on SAAS are in the minority by far, and many of them regret it.
Kind regards,
Guenter Predl
office@windev.at
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2025 10:22AM by gpredl.
OPEN LETTER TO PCSoft.
I've been working with “Windev” tools for over 20 years and as a direct client for over 10 years. I've been a member of the Belgian Windev developers' association for over 15 years, then became vice-president of this association and have been president for some years now.
I've always loved this tool, while being critical of what's going wrong or not so well. I've also disapproved of legal action against independent forums, although I don't agree with certain comments made on them. “I don't agree with what you say, but I'll fight for your right to express yourself”, said a famous Frenchman, that's the basis of democracy.
When it was announced that the SAAS version would be released around May-June 2024, even though PCSoft's sales director had told me that it would not be released before January 2025, I was astonished at the prices. I expressed my surprise at the prices. The SAAS version cost the same as the dongle version at around €100, except that the dongle is a lifetime license, whereas SAAS is a 1-year rental.
Mr Virgil SAMARITO, on behalf of PCSoft, contacted one of the association's vice presidents to put pressure on me to withdraw my comment. This only had the opposite effect. In an attempt at consiliation, today I feel more like I've been smoked out. Mr. SAMARITO, and he won't be able to deny it, with everyone's agreement, the video was opened to all and recorded for publication as indicated in the document drafted and co-corrected by all the participants, including himself! DOC [lnkd.in] Video [lnkd.in]
We were told that the Dongle versions would continue. That we should, and could, trust them.
Today, like more than 90% of you according to surveys, the unilateral decision to no longer provide versions or updates for dongles makes me sad, this STRONG feeling of a real betrayal is omipresent.
So what to do, to start with those who are in Dongles, don't switch to SAAS, renting in SAAS is tantamount to voting for PCSoft's decision to take us for a ride. Secondly, in production, we never use the current version, because historically, the version of the year is not stable, incomplete, buggy... to be on the safe side, we go into production with version -1. So in 2026, don't buy any updates. PCSoft will then see its shortfall.
PCSoft has a policy of divide and conquer, or at least that's how I feel about the exchanges with its Dir. Com. They want us to believe that numbers have gone SAAS. It's not true, and they never communicate figures. But look around you, those on SAAS are in the minority by far, and many of them regret it.
Kind regards,
Guenter Predl
office@windev.at
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2025 10:22AM by gpredl.
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Re: OPEN LETTER FROM FRENCH DEVELOPERS TO PC SOFT March 06, 2025 10:10AM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 260 |
Hi Guenter,
thanks for sharing.
Even if I have to go for the SAAS version - probably only for the Mobile version - my trust in PCSoft is now broken.
In January Ι showed WX to a webinar organized by the "HELLENIC UNION of IT Business and Professionals". - a union that has over 200 independent software companies in Greece.
They where "shocked", specially since most did not know the product and I was asked to do another more detail presentation of WX.
I know a couple of them ordered the dongle versions.
Unfortunately now I am ashamed and will not continue the webinars.
And a small note for the new owners of PCSoft:
"Never underestimate (or overestimate) a developer's attachment to his tools - not everything is about sales targets ..."
Regards
Steven Sitas
GREECE
thanks for sharing.
Even if I have to go for the SAAS version - probably only for the Mobile version - my trust in PCSoft is now broken.
In January Ι showed WX to a webinar organized by the "HELLENIC UNION of IT Business and Professionals". - a union that has over 200 independent software companies in Greece.
They where "shocked", specially since most did not know the product and I was asked to do another more detail presentation of WX.
I know a couple of them ordered the dongle versions.
Unfortunately now I am ashamed and will not continue the webinars.
And a small note for the new owners of PCSoft:
"Never underestimate (or overestimate) a developer's attachment to his tools - not everything is about sales targets ..."
Regards
Steven Sitas
GREECE