Furry Goat says he hates the TopDesk trial so much that he doesn’t want to register. The question’s been asked of users before as to whether we should switch to a traditional time or usage limited trial keep it as is. Last time this was asked we didn’t get much of a response, but the majority of the responses we did receive indicated that they preferred the trial as is. Seeing someone loathe your software so much over balloon help messages is very disconcerting however, so I’m throwing the question back out there:
What kind of trial would you like to see, and why?
P.S. Keep in mind that the trial has to offer users an incentive to purchase the full version (development’s fuelled mostly by Red Bull and coffee, and we’d rather not have to resort to shoplifiting them 
).
How to Win A Sale
A few hours ago, I was lamenting over TopDesk. While I loved the app, the nagware approach to remind users to register drove me nuts enough to uninstall it. Fast forward a few hours: I’m going to buy a copy
James – see my followup post at http://www.furrygoat.com/2005/08/how_to_win_a_sa.html
You’ve won me as a customer, just by offering kick ass support.
I bought TopDesk after just a few hours because I liked it a lot but I was annoyed by the trial nags (specially the hotspot that could not be disabled and drove me nuts). I think that I would have bought it anyway but I perhaps I would have waited a little bit more.
I think that you could perhaps offer 2 trial versions. In one you can change all the options but you cannot save them. However there are nags. This lets the users try all that TopDesk has to offer.
The second trial version has no nags but you cannot change the options (and of course not save them). This version would have the basic options enabled (hopefully without the bottom right hotspot enabled!) but nothing else.
Another thing that you could do is to wait sometime until showing the first nag. Perhaps 10 minutes. That would give people time to enjoy TopDesk at its best and see how it would be to use the Retail version. After that time the nags would appear. Of course you must make sure that there is no way that someone could crack it and make it never show the nags, which might be hard.
It is incredible that you guys are responding to blogs. Great job! I wish more companies would have this level of support.
I agree with Angel, I just downloaded the demo and its very cool. But no nags for the first 8 hours or so and then switch into the nag mode that you currently do seems very reasonable to me. If you don’t like it after a day of use you probably won’t. This is a love it or hate it thing.
Guys,
We’ve put up a modified trial version that only displays the balloon help nag or splash page every 10th time you use a hotkey. This should turn down the annoyance level of the trial a notch (I’m of the opinion that 10 nag-free activations is enough to get an idea of how things flow with TopDesk, but feel free to comment), while still giving users enough of an incentive to buy the full version.
As always, let us know what you think.
I have to say this is pretty cool. I used a competitors, but it seemed to have issues and ran slower than it should. This runs great and fast! I will give it a try for a few days, but I tihnk I am a future owner of this software. I always have a lot of windows open. My system is already burdoned though, even with 1 gig of memory, from all the little doodads I run, so I need to be sure this doesn’t add much more strain.
Great bit of programming though.
the nag-every-10-goes idea seems the way forward (I haven’t used any of the other trial versions to compare, though) as it’s annoying, but not infuriating. Not allowing the app to launch at startup may a bad thing though – I rebooted shortly after installing topdesk, and almost forgot to launch it again. but glad i did! so maybe allow launch at startup, but with preferences forgotten, as now.
having said all that, as soon as i get my paypal re-activated, i’ll buy it. so the trial cant be too bad (not a great name though! maybe something more descriptive of what the app actually does?)
I don’t mind nags if the software is outstanding, or at least gives me what I want, and balloon-nags can be turned off with TweakUI anyway.
As an off-topic question, I bought 2 licenses yesterday and am awaiting a download link or activation code or something. What is the average turnaround time for registration?
Conan – It’s instant, unless you paid by PayPal eCheck, which takes around 4-5 business days to clear. If you didn’t pay by eCheck, contact us through the customer service request form and we’ll sort it out first thing Monday.
Hi again. I did use PayPal, but it was a credit-card transaction. My receipt does not point out that an eCheck was used (I’ve not heard of one before now) so I’ll drop your customer service a line. Not that I mind waiting, but the sooner the better.
Thanks for the quick response.
I might have missed this feature but does the trial version list the features that are disabled? It would be nice to see what we are missing…as to help us make the jump. I love the price though…I am tempted to go ahead and buy it since it is so reasonable…$10 I spend that when I go out to eat at lunch. =)
It’s nice to Know that at least some people got the chance to even try the software. I downloaded it for the first time just to see if it was all that everyone said it was and it tells me that I am past my evaluation time limit…. well at least let me try it before you tell me that. I guess i’ll just have to buy it or just upgrade to VISTA first.
Donald: Why don’t you contact support, they’ll be more than happy to help you with any problems.
Hello, I have Windows XP Pro!
I tried Topdesk however when I went to un install it. It said this program can not be uninstalled!.
(Yes i went through add & remove) I have tried every possible to un install this program and still it remains!.
Pretty sad you have to FORMAT just to get rid of 1 program that hangs.
I did recommend this program to my friends. And a few liked it enough to buy it. I also liked it, i just do not have the money to buy it!.
I like to test programs and I have for many years done a lot of beta testing. I need help to finally remove for good this hanging program.
That it seems lol many of the un installer I have tried can not remove.
Thank you
thunder7: Sorry to hear you’ve had so much trouble uninstalling. There’s no need to format though; if you contact Otaku Support we’ll be more than happy to help you resolve the problem.