[davidfarquhar]

I would be happy to pay for the upgrade to this program. I don't think it should be as much as the original version, perhaps 50% or so?

However I understand there are infrastructure issues with setting up an upgrade price, even if you did it as a separate app. You could offer the new version / app as "50% off for the first 2 weeks" which then lets all of us existing users "upgrade", and then move it back to the normal price?

Alternatively a popup box that mentions all your hard efforts, and requests a voluntary donation via paypal. If you coded it so the box only appears a limited number of times, and only until a certain date, then you probably wouldn't alienate too many people with the popups, and hopefully many of us would donate towards the app's development costs.

[maestralien]

I would be happy to pay for the upgrade to this program...

Great ideas and suggestions. Mike is free to choose, but definitely an upgrade price must be set.

[Rey_a]

Personally I would be happy to pay for the new version. Also a bit more than what I payed for the current version.

For (semi)professional musicians, depending on MS, I guess they would allready have a backup solution in the form of a second tablet, while having automatic updates on both tablets off to insure maximum stability.
Updates can then be allowed to happen manually on tablet 1. Weeks later on tablet 2, and again weeks later on tablet 1. . . . . Thus again reducing the risc of problems - also problems caused by updates from other apps.
Without any change from Mike this same procedure should work in highly reducing riscs with MS V5 by manually installing version 5 on one of the tablets, and testing/waiting for stability while, if necessary being able to perform from the current MS version on the other tablet. MS v5 is only installed on the other tablet when confident that V5 is ok.
There is still a risc of course that the tablet containing the current version of MS would have a technical problem, in the period that V5 is being tested on the other tablet. but that will be a limited period only

If Mike were to decide to introduce an new paid version, it would not necessarily mean that current customers not buying it would be left in the cold.
(I have no Idea what is techically possible and possible on the app buying platforms so I am not taking that into account)
There a few scenario's possible (a couple described below), one might be that the new version is an "early adopter" version.
This would mean that a new MS EA (early adopter) is introduced together with it's free evaluation counterpart. MS V5 will then initially be published only in MS EA and it's evaluation version. Professionals worried about being able to fall back to the current version (and others) could then buy this MS EA and run it (V5) next to MS (normal) in the current release.
Once everything is stable, Mike could then release V5 also in the normal version of MS. At this stage MS normal and MS EA would be identical for a short period. New updates would after that again be published in the MS EA version only offering proffesional musicians continued MS stability wile Mike brings out updates.

By Playing with the delay (not only now but also in the future)between a stable MS EA and bringing it's functionality to the MS normal version, Mike can create a couple of scenario's.
- He never does it : Then there are two completely different versions of MS.
- He does it immediately after MS EA is stable. Then MS EA is realy an Early adopter version. This one is the best solution for the professional musician seeking version independibility
- He waits longer. In this way he can motivate more and more people (that want the new functionality) to buy the new version and thus generating more income (which I think he deserves).
- He only does this when an major update in coming. In this way he could be moving to a scenario where an older and a current version of MS are offered, which would - I think - only make sense if the selling price of MS EA is higher than that of MS. He could then follow on some other software vendors who offer older versions of their software at reduced price compared to the newest with full functionality.

So these are my reflections/thoughts on the current situation. I hope everything is understandable as english is not my native language.

Mike, you have my greatest respect accomplishing what you are currently doing, in the situation you are doing it (with your daytime job and all).
I had a look at the previews and it seems the new MS will be great, better than my highest expectations - and a more polished app than the current. Great job!
Cant' wait.

[Skip]

I really need to get as much input as possible from users to know whether having to repurchase would be met with strong opposition, or would be welcomed as it provides the option to run both versions in parallel.

Thanks,
Mike

You probably have about 3-4 groups of users; pro/semipro musicians, who probably would pay for either a new version or 'pro' version; active amateurs, who may go either way; and 'part timers', who will continue using the program as is. Since there is no way for you to discriminate between them, maybe you should consider a shotgun approach. fulfill your commitment for the free upgrade by doing the proposed limited time full version upgrade, I would suggest 30-60 days. Use the present version as a limited, low cost or free version, and the new one as the upgrade/pro version with a trial period. After awhile you could probably let the old one disappear.
Most times when tablet use is brought up in the circles I'm in, it is for 'binder' replacement use and the additional capabilities are gravy.

Edit:I was making my post at the same time as the above.

[Ranjib]

This app is so good, I would pay another time (for midi and pdf export...)!

[videaste59]

Hi!! Mike , i'm a french keyboard player with a Korg PA3x , and receive a mail from Korg , that we'll have the possibility to connect a androide tablette with the keyboard ! Extra good stuff !! i use already the version 4 of your great app ; and thank you for the great job you'r doing ! a appeciate all the goodies of the version 5 and can't wait to test it ! when can we suppose the final version ? to empressed to get it ! have a good day , see you

[delgado]

I would/will pay for the upgrade and/or make use of the contribution button, if you are counting votes right now. Thank you for this application.

[alanmcorcoran]

I think the MobileSheets II is the way to go. I guess my expectations are rooted in the old days of software - I actually thought I might be paying $9 a month for *this version*. I'm actually pretty happy with it the way it is right now - it's simple and it works. The one major problem I have is I can't see the link circles at all. Other than that, I don't really need any other features.

I'd also be happy to pay $1 a month to support development and keep you in business. I don't think most users understand how tenuous the software business is. if they lost support for something they rely on to make $$, they would be (at least temporarily) screwed.

I've noticed a few minor bugs - if you re-open it, it seems to want to re-import whatever you imported last. I could do without the (Android?) number appended to my PDF file name in the title, sometimes it loads the previous or current PDF, then, a few seconds later, you get a black "loading screen" for a few seconds before the correct image appears. Overall, though, it seems pretty well featured and solid. Good job!

[GraemeJ]

I think you'll find the appended number is part of MS's filing system. It allows for two or more charts having the same name, but with different arrangements, keys, or whatever.

[chrisss]

Mike, I myself am also willing to pay for a parallel option, and also am inclined towards some approach that gives you compensation for your hard work.

A suggestion which MIGHT be a way to offer the customer the choice of "pure replacement update" or "run in parallel" --- and I offer this withOUT knowing if this works with either MS architecture or Play Store + others' architecture.

Is it possible to put 2 separate "products" up on Play Store, containing the same (similar) v5 app code:
a) a free-to-current-customers "v5 Update" product: this installs by overwriting v4 on the customer's tablet, hence eliminating the parallel or rollback options.
b) a buy/paid "v5 Parallel+Separate" product, set up under a slightly different product name: this is coded to install separately from v4, allowing parallel/rollback operation.

The app code for "v5-Parallel" could be exactly the same as "v5-Update," or could be different in some way. Or maybe at some point you could limit the update path on v5-Update ... like maybe v5-Up only goes thru v7, v8, or future updates thru, say, 2016 ... or something that keeps with the "spirit of the deal," the reasonable expecations of your current customer base.

And just speaking for myself, I intensely dislike subscription products- so far I have always found an alternative to Adobe and MSFT products that are going that way. I buy my (old) cars, I don't like leasing them. I want to own what I buy. I work hard to avoid any situation where I'm going to be forced into a change, like when you turn in a leased car, or an app or operating system I use FORCES an update or expires. It's about the UI, and stability, in addition to + as much as the cost. Continuity in user interface is very valuable to me, and I want contol over my own decision + timing of when I change.

If something I buy has a limited update horizon, or if (when) there is a MAJOR product generational step up (and v4 to v5 here is major) -- I'm happy to see the choice between hanging with my current version, and paying for the major step up (and learning the UI changes). Just tell me up front when I buy it, how that's gonna work- what I'm buying. I can't do that under subscription. MSFT 365 is a NON-STARTER for me, for these UI reasons, among others. That's even MORE true if the app is in some way integrated with my income.

And can't leave without commenting - this is a great product, and I sincerely hope you're able to create a decent and sustainable business model around it.

[scoleman]

I've used MS for what seems like forever! The improvements shown in the vids look great and I'm certainly willing to pay for a new version. I use this app every day, show it off to others when I can and can't imagine ever going back to floppy/flippy/weighty/etc paper books.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[GKW]

Mike, I'm also willing to pay to get the new version. If you choose for a donation button I would certainly also use it.

Do you have already a date in mind for beat testing release and roll-out?

[Zubersoft]

I'm working non-stop trying to iron out all of the bugs so that I can release the beta. I'm currently working through bugs in annotations, and then I need to fully exercise the sharing features. I also need to make sure MobileSheets runs correctly on a large range of android versions. If I can get the issues with annotations ironed out today, and either get started with, or finish the sharing features today, then I'm not far away from a release at all. It should be noted that this initial beta will not have translations for any languages but English (I still need to contact all of the translators who will hopefully help me), it will not work with the companion app (and I don't have a version of the companion app ready to test with yet), and there will be no manual available at first, which could be problematic for testers if they don't know what features are available to test. If people think I should finish the new manual first, and maybe even the tutorial videos, that would extend the timeline a little, but I think people will probably be able to figure most things out.

Mike

[GraemeJ]

For testing purposes, many users will want to upload their Companion generated backup to v5. I would think the foremost requirement would be for the new version to work with Companion - or an updated version of Companion. Until that happens, I see little point in releasing v5.

[Rey_a]

For beta testing, not having companion is not an issue to me.
In MS (not PRO), choose Options, Utilities, backup library, and make backup locally on tablet. Import into MS Pro can then start from there.