Save a bundle?

December 14, 2006 8:05 PM

Is the Mac Heist bundle worthwhile? I'd really like to get TextMate but they're still short $37,000 and I'd hate to pay $49 for everything but the product I want most. Is there any speculation of whether they might just throw it in after all?
posted by furtive to Computers & Internet (15 answers total)

Textmate is the only app I use in that list and then only occasionally (when working with Ruby on Rails). BBedit still rocks my world. In my opinion, not worth it.
posted by camworld at 8:12 PM on December 14, 2006

DevonThink is the shit. One of my favorite and most used programs. I think I paid more than that for it (though I bought the pro version).
posted by dobbs at 8:12 PM on December 14, 2006

When the show started on Monday morning, I was convinced they'd never get to the $100,000 level in time. But sales actually seem to be speeding up and, I'd bet, if they even get within spitting distance, MacHeist will just make up the difference. After all, how can you hold out an app all week as a premium, then just say "sorry, folks, no dice" at the end of the week?

Also, when you buy the bundle, you can direct the licenses to as many as 10 different addresses (one per app), so this could be just the Holiday thing for all the geekier folks on your list.
posted by baltimore at 8:24 PM on December 14, 2006

I thought there might be some backlash as a result of John Gruber's analysis this week. Some people don't think it's a very good way to support independent Mac software developers.
posted by web-goddess at 8:33 PM on December 14, 2006

Your options are:

1) Pay $49 for TextMate, and get a free upgrade to version 2.
2) Pay $49 for the bundle and hope you get TextMate, and no free upgrade. But you get a bunch of other software for free.

If you are doing it to get TextMate, option 1 is clearly the better choice.
posted by smackfu at 8:58 PM on December 14, 2006

I don't use TextMate, but I'm the kinda guy who would use TextMate. And as the kinda guy who would use TextMate, I don't see a single other even vaguely interesting app on the whole list. And they note that buying TextMate from them means you have to buy a TextMate 2 upgrade instead of getting it free. So, I'd say, if you want TextMate, just go buy TextMate.

OTOH, maybe you should wait for the sale to end, see if the bundle includes TextMate, and then see if someone else who bought the bundle will re-sell you his TextMate license for $10 or so.
posted by boaz at 9:03 PM on December 14, 2006

I thought there might be some backlash as a result of John Gruber's analysis this week. Some people don't think it's a very good way to support independent Mac software developers.

Anybody who has backlash here is just plain silly.

The developers agreed to the deal. They didn't have to. This indicates that they felt it would make more long-term money than not doing it. My business sense is that they're absolutely right.

This looks like a huge win/win for anybody who would consider buying more than one of those applications standalone, for the developers and for macheist.
posted by Tacos Are Pretty Great at 9:21 PM on December 14, 2006

Best answer: Buy Textmate. It rocks. The rest of the apps are a bit meh, apart from DevonThink (which rules) and Delicious Library (which I find of no use, but is well made).
posted by bonaldi at 10:58 PM on December 14, 2006

I agree w/ the analysis that Delicious Library is mostly useless. My friend is making good use of the iClip, and the game I got is worth 10 bucks....

The same friend also likes the news reader, which I'm going to use over shrook (a free newsreader).

In all, they are good software programs, even if a few are limited. The bundle isn't half bad.
posted by cschneid at 11:37 PM on December 14, 2006

I thought there might be some backlash as a result of John Gruber's analysis this week. Some people don't think it's a very good way to support independent Mac software developers.

Which really has nothing to do with the question. Regardless, there's plenty of counter points to gruber's article. Check them out and make your own decision if you feel the need furtive.

As far as the programs, I stick with programs I love and upgrade them continuously, so it wouldn't be a good deal for me. If you never upgrade, go for it.

Devon, imho, isn't worth it unless you have serious info overload. Textmate blows away bbedit and is cheaper. Bbedit seems to be chugging along on the backs of oldtimers who keep. hanging. on.

And I love newsfire.
posted by justgary at 12:51 AM on December 15, 2006

Hey, I wasn't saying whether I agreed with Gruber or not. But the poster (and other commenters) seemed to be wondering whether they'd get to the magic number or not, and I threw that out there because it seemed like it might be a factor. Judging by the fact that sales have apparently picked up this week, maybe Gruber actually spurred people into buying that wouldn't have!
posted by web-goddess at 2:24 AM on December 15, 2006

Best answer: Note that TextMate has now been unlocked even though they have not yet reached the 100K mark...
posted by mzurer at 9:20 AM on December 15, 2006

Response by poster: They've unlocked TextMate so I ended up purchasing the bundle. There is a 60% discount on the upgrade price to TextMate 2, which means that all things considered this is a great deal, a great way to raise awareness of mac apps, and a great opportunity to give money to charity. Thanks for your answers folks!
posted by furtive at 11:39 AM on December 15, 2006

TextMate unlocked reference: forum link
posted by devbrain at 11:50 AM on December 15, 2006

Hey, I wasn't saying whether I agreed with Gruber or not. But the poster (and other commenters) seemed to be wondering whether they'd get to the magic number or not, and I threw that out there because it seemed like it might be a factor

Got ya, Apologies.
posted by justgary at 12:23 PM on December 15, 2006