A letter (well email actually) to MDN Members
Dear ….
I want to start by thanking you for choosing to support the Mac Developer Network by becoming a member. It is really encouraging when people choose to put their trust in you by parting with their hard earned cash in order to purchase something you have to offer.
The concept of premium content, only available to members, was introduced in January 2009 as a way of trying to raise enough funds to support the production of the MDN suite of podcasts. You may have noticed the volume of premium content on MDN has decreased over the last month or two. This is because I have been having to engage in some alternate forms of income generation because MDN has not been producing the level of support I hoped it would. As this latest phase for MDN has not succeeded I now all to quickly find myself having to make changes yet again.
From today onwards there will be no further episodes of Late Night Cocoa, The Mac Developer Roundtable, The Mac Software Business Podcast, Xcode Quick Tips or Developer Lives. I am simply unable to keep up with the demands these podcasts make while trying to earn a living elsewhere. From now on I will be concentrating on producing high quality Mac developer video training, something, having such a demanding podcast schedule has prevented me from doing.
However it is not all doom and gloom as I am hooked on podcasting to the Mac developer community and will from next week be releasing a new magazine style podcast for Mac Developers called “The MDN Show” , This single show will run from 90-120 minutes and will incorporate segments with some familiar names such as Late Night Cocoa, The Mac Developer Roundtable and Mac Software Business. Yes this one show will try and maintain within itself the essence and quality of the individual shows MDN has been producing for the last two years.
One of the most frustrating and disappointing aspects of introducing premium content has been watching the audiences of the podcasts plummet from the thousands to just a few hundred. One of the great things about Late Night Cocoa was that so many people listened to it. As I feel that the community aspect of the podcast was one of its greatest qualities that has lead me to the decision that The MDN Show will be a free podcast.
So what does this mean for membership of MDN. Well everything you have been paying for has disappeared. At some point next week membership of MDN will be changed to just reflect peoples desire to support it. It will cost just $10 a year , you will get access to the Big Blog and the product discounts you currently enjoy and that is it. The podcast will be free and the video training will once again become a paid for product.
So what does this mean for you as someone who has paid money to join and get content that will no longer be available.
Well firstly your membership will be switched to the new supporter style membership and be set to run for a full year from the date it is reset.
Over the next two weeks you will be sent details of a compensation package I am putting together to try and ensure this change does not leave a bitter taste in your mouth.
Obviously if the compensation package does not suite your needs or desires please do ask for a refund of your membership money and I will do my best to honour all requests (in proportion to the time you have remaining on your membership).
Once again I feel bad that I am messing the Mac developer community around.
I am hoping this new approach will allow me to achieve my goals and still allow me and what I do to be seen as a positive aspect of the Mac developer community.
If you have not downloaded the videos you are entitled to on the current MDN website please do so over the next few days as they will disappear soon.
All the old episodes of the podcasts both free and premium will be made available for free once the new podcast is launch.
I want to once again thank you for your support and the kind words of encouragement many of you have sent over the last four months.
Scotty
The Mac Developer Network
http://www.mac-developer-network.com
I definitely sympathize. Our full-time indie startup is finding that it’s not nearly as quick and easy to profit off of hard work as it can sound sometimes. I’m very glad to hear that you plan to continue podcast hosting. Your podcasts are really top-notch: well-produced, focused, accurate, interesting, helpful… Godspeed on this new phase!
Very sad news… I’m a big fan, and enjoyed my turn as guest on your show. I can’t argue with the need to make a living.
Some random thoughts:
-I wonder if there’s a way to spread the workload around, to keep the podcasts alive? I know editing is time consuming; maybe rotate that around those who have the capabilities and are willing to help?
-90-120 minute programs are (in my opinion) too long. When I have time for a podcast I want to get the whole thing in, and 30 minutes is just about right. I don’t know how this would mesh with the magazine format (which is a nice idea). Maybe just split it into segments, like NPR does with Science Friday (a 60 minute weekly show that syndicates in segments). Just thinking out loud.
I am looking forward to the video training, something I find very useful.
Thanks for all the time and work, it’s always been appreciated!
(NB: sorry for the potential double posting, I forgot to log in an hour ago, and the initial comment is still waiting moderation)
Scotty,
Thanks for this post. Contrary to what you fear, I personally don’t find this move irritating or irresponsible or as trying “to mess around with the Mac dev community”, to the contrary. You are very open about your goals and your situation, and it is in fact reassuring that you are trying to build something that can be useful for the Mac dev community, and at the same time that can sustain itself. Something that can’t sustain itself is not good for anybody. You have been experimenting with various alternatives and you are still trying to find your way around. Thus, I am quite sure I won’t be the only one to support you on your new path.
To help with this move, I have a few comments on your plans:
* podcasts take time to listen and too many podcasts is not necessarily what people want, it can get overwhelming. Before starting as an indie this month, I used to have ~2 hours commute every day, and that was almost too much MDN for me to listen to (I would also listen to other podcasts). With so much content to produce, it is hard to keep the quality always on top, and thus you are simply diluting the gems in lower quality background, which makes listening to the podcasts less enjoyable and in the end, some people will simply give up. Less podcasts, with higher quality, maybe more editing, will make people hooked and want to come back, and waiting impatiently for the next episode. In this sense, your new move goes in the right direction.
* shorter podcasts is also better, IMO. I would aim for less than 30 min episodes. Longer than that, and it’s harder to listen in one stretch, and then the listener loses the continuity and may lose track of what she/he listened to so far. I am worried that a 90-120 min show will be too long. It would be better to either edit it more, or split it in smaller pieces more focused. It also make it easier for people to pick and choose what they want. I realize you are actually trying to replace all these podcasts to just one big one, but it seems you are still going to have several segments (?). Look at what “Science Friday” does, I love it: the radio show is 1 hr long, but for the podcast, they actually make each segment available independently.
* I liked the concept of what you started on with Brent Simmons and repeating the same theme with several guests. For questions that are central to Mac development, this is a great idea to have a different developer come every week on the same topic for 3-4 episodes.
* To follow up on the previous point, I think one-on-one works much better than a group, in particular because recordings are done from a distance. The episode of the round table that stood out for its level of wit and dynamism was the one you recorded with everybody in the same room. When people are **not** in the same room, and unfortunately, it is almost always the case, it tends to be dull and slow, as there is no way for each guest to tell what the others are thinking or about to say. Thus, one-on-one is better when done over the phone or skype. This fits well with the previous point: better have each developer for 20 min each, one per week, than all of them at once for 60 min. The quality goes up.
* While the audio quality has increased over time, it is still somewhat disappointing. The content can be great, but if the audio is subpar, it degrades the experience. You should keep investigating into other ways to record, it is worth the time and energy you may have to spend on this. The audio quality is what really make shows like “The Talk Show”, “Core Intuition”, “You Look Nice Today” or “Tack Sharp” even more enjoyable. I believe for all these examples, they record their own track on each side of the call, and then mix them. That trick is easier to use with one-on-one conversation. If that means the guest has to install software on their computer, so be it. I wonder if people at Rogue Amoeba would be willing to give you a special license for their recording product to allow temporary usage on the different host’s computers, maybe in exchange for some ad space on MDN? If your podcast becomes synonymopus with quality audio, that’s a good placement for them In terms of hardware, getting your guest a good mike is harder to achieve. But since a lost of guests are recurring, they should get a good mike anyway and it is worth the investment.
So, in summary, less content, in shorter bits, at higher quality, will make your podcast(s) more attractive and will have people totally hooked. Well, me think
cheers,
charles
Wow, I just also realized Mitch Cohen had the exact same remark about Science Friday and short podcasts (posted independently). We must be onto something, here!
Hi Scotty,
Thanks for your message and for your hard work over the past couple of years. I have found many of your podcasts very helpful.
If you are going to continue podcasting, please consider a short format — 60 minutes at the most, but around 30 minutes would be ideal.
I’ve noticed that the iPod Shuffle (on which I listen) does not take well to really long tracks over 60 minutes long — it messes up the in-track navigation. So, shorter is better.
Thanks,
Paul Howson
And I was thinking your thought Charles, about one-on-one shows being easier to follow (at least a good chunk of the time). Scotty was nice enough to ask me to be part of a Roundtable episode. At least for that one, everyone recorded individually using a Skype plugin. The audio quality still varied by guest (different setups everywhere). But that sort of a show has to be a mess to edit. Tons of fun to be a part of though!
The best shows for audio are those between the same folks each week, where audio is consistent and fine-tuned over time. Shows with guests are bound to be inconsistent. That’s fine – guests are critical to some of this stuff. I get lost by not knowing all the voices when four or five happen simultaneously, and everyone’s thoughts blend together. My personal favorites are the one-on-one’s, not just for the technical content but more inspirational.
Group discussions might be better for some things, like reactions to an Apple announcement, where commentary really can build as a group. More tech stuff or personal experiences seem to get pulled in different directions, I think.
I know whatever Scotty comes up with will be great. I’ll really miss the retired shows, if indeed they’re gone for good.
Scotty, you’ve clearly put your heart and soul into this over the years, mate.
I’m ashamed to say i never signed up for a paid account because I’d never caught up with the archive – I started listening at episode 1 and hadn’t ever needed to pay for content. Sad to think i might not get the chance now.
All the MDN podcasts have been a fabulous resource for those of us who’ve been interested in what Mac/iPod development can involve, and you’ve kept me company on many sleepless nights with newborn insomniac babies. Who, like their dad, still can’t code ObjC for toffee
You should be proud of what you’ve given to the community and i hope you get some payback soon. i certainly owe you a few beers.
Scotty, I fully support your new move, but I also agree with many of the comments here. Shorter is better, split ‘em up, keep the quality high. I, too, know that editing the podcasts can be a real bear, but I’m betting there are some folks out there who would volunteer to help. Definitely an option to investigate.
Scotty:
Initially I was upset in the same way as when one of the few television shows I watch is cancelled. I understand the reasoning, though and wish you well there. Now I’m hopeful for the “spinoff” (as I am hopeful for the next in the Stargate franchise
).
I agree that a thirty-to-sixty-minute-segment format is more preferable for the way people seem to listen to podcasts. I would lean toward sixty minutes, though. I also think Charles’ suggestion of recording each end of the conversation on the local computers is a good one for sound quality.
All that said, I’ve benefited from your podcasts. Even if I’m already familiar with the topic, it’s nice to hear others’ opinions or suggested approaches. I’m sad to see these old shows go but, as I said, I’m hopeful the sequel will allow you to focus and take your talents to a new level to the benefit of the community while keeping you from becoming a starving beggar on the street.
Keep up the good work.
– Josh
Scotty,
I have just returned from a 6-month posting to Iraq, and had looked forward to joining your network once I got home. My collection of Late-Night-Cocoa mp3s were invaluable to me on quiet nights. Now I see I am a bit late. Apologies, and thank you for what you have done here. I will join in whatever capacity you leave open.
Very Respectfully,
Mark A. Jablow
Thanks and welcome home
Scotty,
I would like to join MDN to help support the great work you are doing! I get an error message when I try to pay via PayPal. How can I complete my membership sign-up so that I can pay and also get access to the discounts you offer to members? Thanks for your assistance.
Laurence
I have replied to you comment by email
I too have received an error message from PayPal when attempting to sign up for a one-year membership.
It looks like the PayPal error only occurs when attempting to make payment immediately after registering for a new account. If you wait for your password to arrive by email and use it to log in, you can then click the PayPal payment button, which now works correctly.
Hi Scotty,
You mentioned a “compensation package” in your post:
“Over the next two weeks you will be sent details of a compensation package I am putting together to try and ensure this change does not leave a bitter taste in your mouth.
Obviously if the compensation package does not suite your needs or desires please do ask for a refund of your membership money and I will do my best to honour all requests (in proportion to the time you have remaining on your membership).”
Maybe a discount on the new NSConference 2009 videos?
Compensation package details will be sent out on 24/25 June 2009
It’s really too bad that people have gotten so used to everything on the Internet being free that a service of this quality is not economically viable. And giving away one of the video packs from the NSConference is more than enough compensation. But I have one requests: is it possible to get Video Pack 3 instead? I’m an iPhone developer so Video Pack 1 isn’t really that useful to me.
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