@cole_peters That's not an analogy for this situation. Sparrow was acquired. What else should they have done, said no?
@mattgemmell The analogy stands just fine: they were given a choice, and they made it—at the expense of users & integrity. "No" is a choice.- @cole_peters Integrity is subjective. They have every right to cash out. How selfish of you to say otherwise.
- @mattgemmell “Selfishness” has nothing to do w/ my statement. I believe in honouring the people who support you, not cutting them off.
- @mattgemmell Of course they have the right; that doesn't mean the work & users they cultivated should comply w/ suffering.
- @cole_peters I have no idea what you mean by "comply with suffering". You're using very emotional language.
- @mattgemmell IE, Sparrow will no longer receive updates; existing users receive the brunt of this decision. People who have bought into it.
- @cole_peters How do you "honour" customers while being acquired by a larger company who will have mandated you stop developing the app?
- @mattgemmell Precisely my point; the honourable thing would be to continue to develop for customers and decline the kill/buy-out.
- @cole_peters Rubbish; honour doesn't enter into it. They don't owe you servitude for some tiny purchase. Let them enjoy the fruits of work.
- @mattgemmell IMHO, honour should enter into everything. Respect for others, as well. If you develop a product for a group of people to…
- @mattgemmell …purchase and use, and then sell it off, what's the point? If you want to get rich, do it w/out slighting others.
- @cole_peters So your argument is that they should continue developing the software forever, refusing all buy-outs?
- @mattgemmell My argument is that I'm tired of seeing startups develop products and user-bases just to kill them off when the $$ comes along.
- @mattgemmell I'm not contending with getting paid — that's awesome. But at the expense of what you've built & the supporters? …No.
cole_peters
Cole Peters
Partner & designer at @Burdocks. Passionate about typography, responsive web design, minimalism and writing. Lover of architecture and fine cuisine.
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