We've been getting lots of feedback about the Mac App Store- here are a few questions that have come up recently.
Is the Mac App Store the only way to buy your apps going forward?
Not. We'll continue to sell our applications directly from our online store in addition to the Mac App Store.
Does the Mac App Store automatically integrate with my existing apps?
There are some cases in which an app will appear as "Installed" in the Mac App Store if the app ID and version number match up. This might lead you to believe that your existing apps can be updated through the App Store. However, if you didn't purchase the app from the Mac App Store, you won't be able to update through the Mac App Store. As soon as the version number changes, the Mac App Store will no longer think it's installed and will instead offer to sell you the app (the button will say "Buy Now" instead of "Installed").
How will updates to the applications be handled?
The updates to apps purchased direct from us will be available as soon as we release them. Updates for the Mac App Store purchases may be delayed slightly, pending Apple's review process.
I see a different version number on the Mac App Store than I see on your website; what's going on?
We're going to attempt to keep the versions of our products available on our website aligned with the ones on the Mac App Store as much as possible, but we may need to do updates specific to one store or the other on occasion.
The previous answer describes one case where this may happen; there may be a few others. If we need to fix a bug in our licensing code, for example, we don't think Mac App Store customers will want to download a whole new application just to keep the version numbers in sync.
So, should I buy your apps directly through you, or through the Mac App Store?
It depends. It's important to think of the Mac App Store and our own online store as two separate channels that you can buy our apps through: the Mac App Store offers simplicity and convenience, while buying direct from us offers more flexibility in terms of upgrade pricing, bundle discounts, access to beta releases, and educational discounts.
If you're comfortable with the way you've been buying our apps all along, then there's no real reason for you to start purchasing through the App Store. If you're new to us and our apps (or even the Mac platform in general), it might be easier to buy from the App Store.
Is the Mac App Store the only way to buy your apps going forward?
Not. We'll continue to sell our applications directly from our online store in addition to the Mac App Store.
Does the Mac App Store automatically integrate with my existing apps?
There are some cases in which an app will appear as "Installed" in the Mac App Store if the app ID and version number match up. This might lead you to believe that your existing apps can be updated through the App Store. However, if you didn't purchase the app from the Mac App Store, you won't be able to update through the Mac App Store. As soon as the version number changes, the Mac App Store will no longer think it's installed and will instead offer to sell you the app (the button will say "Buy Now" instead of "Installed").
How will updates to the applications be handled?
The updates to apps purchased direct from us will be available as soon as we release them. Updates for the Mac App Store purchases may be delayed slightly, pending Apple's review process.
I see a different version number on the Mac App Store than I see on your website; what's going on?
We're going to attempt to keep the versions of our products available on our website aligned with the ones on the Mac App Store as much as possible, but we may need to do updates specific to one store or the other on occasion.
The previous answer describes one case where this may happen; there may be a few others. If we need to fix a bug in our licensing code, for example, we don't think Mac App Store customers will want to download a whole new application just to keep the version numbers in sync.
So, should I buy your apps directly through you, or through the Mac App Store?
It depends. It's important to think of the Mac App Store and our own online store as two separate channels that you can buy our apps through: the Mac App Store offers simplicity and convenience, while buying direct from us offers more flexibility in terms of upgrade pricing, bundle discounts, access to beta releases, and educational discounts.
If you're comfortable with the way you've been buying our apps all along, then there's no real reason for you to start purchasing through the App Store. If you're new to us and our apps (or even the Mac platform in general), it might be easier to buy from the App Store.
Last edited by Brian; 2011-01-14 at 01:47 PM.. Reason: add version number question