[whpalmer4]

One of the secrets that is entrusted to one who reaches the 33rd degree in the OmniFocus mystical hierarchy is the "defaults write" incantation to turn the icon British Racing Green in the presence of another true believer — no secret handshakes for us! :)

[endoftheQ]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

One of the secrets that is entrusted to one who reaches the 33rd degree in the OmniFocus mystical hierarchy is the "defaults write" incantation to turn the icon British Racing Green in the presence of another true believer — no secret handshakes for us! :)

mmhh... whpalmer4, GREEN, huh? OK, I'm sure next year you'll finally get that well-deserved Wizard of OF statuette, to go alongside the two Elphabas and the single Ruby Slipper which, let's admit, being c.1939, is not to be sniffed at... :eek:

Right, gotta go... broomstick's on fire, the flying monkey's are dive-bombing Toto and the Munchkins are revolting... [sigh...] no wonder I can't live without OmniFocus on my desktop. :)

[ifonline]

Originally Posted by endoftheQ

ifonline, really appreciated the above post, I genuinely laughed out loud

You're welcome. Just doing my part to keep the conversation lively.

[RiK]

Originally Posted by Chau

It seems like the Omni Group missed the whole point of "impulse buying" as ssh put it.

Have you considered perhaps that OmniFocus is not marketed at the people who just impulse buy every app they see and then never actually use it, but maybe it's aimed for people who understand and value the benefits they will gain from it?

Originally Posted by Chau

Pricing a "To-Do" app at prices over 10x the norm is sad...

OmniFocus is far more than a simple 'to-do' list. If you're not into GTD or serious about organising your workflow then I guess it's not for you and you'll be happy with one of the many cheap to-do lists but really, I don't think that insulting the guys at Omni on their own forums is going to take this anywhere good is it?

Originally Posted by Chau

It's better to sell 100 apps at $12 (=$1200) then 10 apps at $40 (=$400)

Better by who's standard? Skoda may sell a million small cheap cars, but I'd still rather own the Mercedes. I don't see software any different. I'd rather pay the right price for a piece of quality engineering over some mass-produced tat churned out in a fortnight any day.

Originally Posted by Chau

but they're probably losing more customers then they are gaining by pricing things sky high.

Sky high? Seriously? I value my time and OF has more than paid for itself, many many times over. It's one of my most used apps on all three platforms and is invaluable in my workflow. If you feel $40 is expensive *for you* then that's fine, but for those who actually use it in earnest it's incredibly good value for money.

I was in Paris last week and spent more than the cost of OF just on wine with a meal. Get some perspective eh?

[Greg Jones]

take a queue from Apple's pricing of their iWorks app suite.

I can't believe I'm being sucked into this thread again, but the iWork pricing comes up often and it is at best a questionable comparison. First, it is very likely that Apple uses the iWork apps as a loss-leader to promote the iPad platform. Apple does after all give iTunes, etc. away for free to promote the music store, iPods, etc.

Secondly, realize that for the apps that Apple sells in the app store, Apple pockets 100% of the selling price. For the iWork suite, a $30 sale is $30 returned to Apple. For OmniFocus iPad, a $40 sale the Omni Group sees $28, Apple sees $12 from the sale. Is a $28 gross return to the developer really sky high pricing?

[hypotyposis]

Originally Posted by Greg Jones

I can't believe I'm being sucked into this thread again

Ditto...

So I suggest people who think OG's pricing is scandalous and not in line with anything else happening on the iTunes store head over to the medical apps.

Lexi-Comp is a $300 (/year) application.

DDS-GP is $399.99

iDia, an equine anatomy app is $349.99

etc., etc.

Maybe you should write to those companies to advise them to reduce their prices by some hundreds of dollars to benefit from the value of "impulse buys"?

[gopi]

Would the impulse buy crowd be happy with OmniFocus? At $5, I suspect that many customers would be very, very unhappy and confused. OmniFocus is not a good impulse app. There would be lots of terrible reviews.

[endoftheQ]

At the risk of alienating everyone, a few points I'd like to challenge!

Originally Posted by RiK

Have you considered perhaps that OmniFocus is not marketed at the people who just impulse buy every app they see and then never actually use it, but maybe it's aimed for people who understand and value the benefits they will gain from it?

OmniFocus is far more than a simple 'to-do' list. If you're not into GTD or serious about organising your workflow then I guess it's not for you and you'll be happy with one of the many cheap to-do lists...

RiK, I'm sorry, but I don't feel that Omni is targeting OmniFocus at serious or fundi-GTD'ers, in fact GTD isn't even mentioned by Omni in their App Store blurb, but they do state (and I quote): 'Bring up a shopping list, agenda items to discuss at work, things to do at home, and any other lists you need.'

Originally Posted by hypotyposis

So I suggest people who think OG's pricing is scandalous and not in line with anything else happening on the iTunes store head over to the medical apps.

hypotyposis, the medical Apps you mention are never going to be for the casual user, they are specifically designed to fill a niche. If Omni is marketing OF as a task management App, then it easily falls into the impulse buy category.

Originally Posted by curt.clifton

When you buy an Omni product, you're buying the best customer support in the business. I suppose even the best make an occasional mistake, but I've never dealt with a support organization that had as high a batting average as Omni's.

OK, Curt, at the risk of encouraging you to bang your head against the wall, and making you feel bullied into hitting the 'reply' button, I have to say "really?". I accept that there is telephone support, something that must be hideously expensive to provide and not often found amongst App developers, but as I'm outside the US, it's neither inexpensive nor convenient. I've received equal, if not better, email customer support to Omni's from several 99¢ App developers, namely Atomic, GoodReader and WhatsApp.

Originally Posted by curt.clifton

Finally, while there has been plenty of complaining on this thread, sales, app store reviews, and nearly every seriously review that I've seen say that Omni absolutely nailed the value proposition with OF iPad.

Again, "really?", we must be reading different reviews! :rolleyes: Also, the last time I looked, OF for the iPhone was down to three-and-a-half stars on the UK App store. If it falls below three it is my understanding that future sales would be in serious jeopardy.

Originally Posted by curt.clifton

I also recognize that there is a vocal minority that wants certain features and is disappointed when they aren't added. (Clones in OmniOutliner, anyone?) I feel their pain, but don't see a bit of evidence that Omni is ignoring its customers.

Originally Posted by hypotyposis

Lots of people in this thread are discussing requested features whose evidence for "large support" we (users) only get anecdotically through the forums.

I completely appreciate that Omni is in no way obligated to include features that are requested by users, at the same time in my book that doesn't mean they are necessarily listening to their customers.

For example:

Originally Posted by Brian

It looks like the top of the "we need this feature" list (linking to address book contacts in some fashion) has almost 70.

The original request for linking to contacts was started in 2007, although admittedly, all the other 69 votes may have come in last week, ditto tags, calendar view, etc. :rolleyes:

I guess my expectation is that if Omni pitches OF at the non-GTD'er and at a premium price, then those users have a right to expect OF to have the features as advertised, have a consistent GUI and icons across the board, isn't full of fundamental bugs that have to be voted on to fix, and that it doesn't rely on a generous Member of this Board to create up-to-date user documentation (take a bow, jonwhite), etc. etc.

IMHO, Omni should stop development of any new features (such as DI which I've clamored for!) until the above basics are sorted and it should then market OmniFocus for what it is, a niche GTD program, not as a to-do list where, at such premium pricing, it seems to end up being an expensive disappointment to non-fundi-GTD'ers.

[witz]

I just recently ported my brain into omnifocus with all three versions. That put me back $130 dollars, which isn't chump change, but it isn't outrageous compared to other desktop software. Each has it's use for me, and toghether OmniFocus has really made a huge imprivement in my productivity. It has definitely paid for itself in less than two months. One of the best software expenditures I've ever made.

OF is why I bought an iPhone. I had an ipad, and tried all the GTD stuff, but the news of the coming OFiPad app lead me to try the desktop demo. Once I saw how well this all worked, it dawned on me that it wouldn't work forme unless I had it in my pocket, so I finally got an iPhone. It's more important to me than the phone at this point.

[RiK]

I think it's fair to say that OmniFocus has paid for itself many, many times over. I wouldn't be exagerating to say that the improvement to my workflow (not least proper reviews and the ability to plan my day over my breakfast!) since adding the iPad version means it's saved me more every day of the week than the app cost just once..

For the people who think it's too expensive I can only way (with a big friendly :D) - quit yer whining, you don't need it. Stick to a simple 99c to-do list and then everyone's happy aren't they!