Flex 3 Beta 2 - Lower Price Flex Builder 3
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Published
Monday, October 01, 2007
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6:08 AM
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In your email inbox today you might receive an announcement from me regarding new packaging and pricing for Flex 3. Flex Builder 3 will ship in two editions: Flex Builder 3 Standard edition ($249 US) and Flex Builder 3 Professional edition ($699 US). Additionally on Nov. 1, we are repricing Flex 2 to align with Flex 3 and providing support upgrade options for Flex 3 starting at $99.
Here is a detailed FAQ on the issues:
Q: When will Flex 3 be released?
A: Flex 3 is currently planned to be released in early 2008.
Q: How will Flex 3 be packaged?
A: Flex Builder 3 will have two new editions: Flex Builder 3 Standard edition and Flex Builder 3 Professional edition. The Professional edition has all the great features from the Standard edition, plus the charting and visualization components, the profilers, and the Flex test automation framework.
Q: How much will Flex Builder 3 cost?
A: Flex Builder 3 Standard edition will sell for $249 US. Flex Builder 3 Professional edition will sell for $699 US. You should also note that effective November 1, 2007, we will be aligning the price of Flex Builder 2 with these new prices so you can purchase copies of Flex Builder 2 now for these same prices.
Q: If I purchase Flex Builder 2, am I eligible for an upgrade to Flex Builder 3?
A: To be eligible for a free of charge upgrade to Flex 3, you will need to purchase maintenance along with the purchase of Flex Builder. Effective November 1, 2007, you can purchase maintenance with Flex Builder 2 for $99 US which makes you eligible for a free-of-charge copy of Flex Builder 3 Standard edition when it ships. Also effective November 1, 2007, you can purchase maintenance with Flex Builder 2 with Charting for $299 US and become eligible for a free-of-charge copy of Flex Builder 3 Professional edition when it ships.
Q: Can I still purchase Flex Charting for Flex 3?
A: No. Because we had limited interest in the use of Flex Charting as a separate offering, charting will now only be available in the Professional edition. When Flex 3 is released, we will be offering an upgrade path from Standard to Professional editions.
Q: Can I add charting to the Flex Builder Standard edition?
A: Yes, by upgrading from Standard to Professional you will get the charting components, plus the profilers and the test automation framework.
Q: Is it true that I can now get the Flex Test Automation framework with the purchase of Flex Builder 3 Professional edition?
A: Yes. With Flex 3 we will be changing the licensing for the Flex Test Automation Framework and it will be a feature of the Professional edition.
Q: Will the Flex Skin Extensions for CS be part of the Flex 3 release?
A: We will most likely ship the final versions of the Skin Extensions with the Flex 3 release. Although packaging has not been finalized, because they are extensions to CS3, they will most likely be released separately, in parallel with Flex 3.
Q: How long can I use the Flex Builder 3 beta 2 software? Can I extend the time limit?
A: Because the Flex Builder 3 beta product includes all of the features within the Flex Builder 2 product, the beta expires after 60 days. You can unlock the beta by entering a valid Flex Builder 2 serial number if you have one.
Cheers,
Ted :)
And expected Euro region prices will be pretty much same but $ replaced with € again?
Please try to make a difference this time, and make FB3 prices more in line with US prices for rest of world as well.
Great news in the Flex world.
Ted, Is QuickTest pro still required to use the Flex Automation Framework?
João Fernandes
Sweet!
It's nice to see a price drop :)
If you already own Flex 2 can you purchase the $99 maintenance?
As an early Flex 2 adopter I feel like I just got iPhoned, where's my $100 Adobe store credit :P
As other mate said, I expect the price in Europe will be (U.S. price/ 1.4X€)
This is just a shy we have to pay a 40% more for the same product. I consider FB isn't worth 700€ at all.
No doubt... Maybe this is what people meant by iPhone 2.0?
But this is cool stuff. Now it's a debate over Flex Builder Standard or Professional... hmm.
What is the cost to upgrade from FB2 to FB3 Pro?
Does having a current charting license have any impact on that maintenance fee?
I, too, would like to know what the upgrade path for current Flex 2 license holders is. We just purchased 3 "Flex 2 with charting" licenses within the last month and we were going to order 5 more next week, but I am going to hold off until November to make sure that we can get the maintenance.
Ted, Does Flex Builder Standard edition with Charts in same price includes the AdvancedDataGrid package...? Or will have to pay some thing more fro it. If so, what would be its price....?
Question:
“Also effective November 1, 2007, you can purchase maintenance with Flex Builder 2 with Charting for $299 US and become eligible for a free-of-charge copy of Flex Builder 3 Professional edition when it ships.”
Should this say $699 for Flex 2 with Charting rather than $299?
I totally agree Erki. As the US dollar plummets, us Europeans keep Adobe afloat. Genereal excuse is the cost of doing language conversions, yet this doesn't happen in the UK and we still pay double.
Should this say $699 for Flex 2 with Charting rather than $299?
No, it says "you can purchase maintenance", that is if you already own Flex Builder 2 with Charting, you can get Flex Builder 3 Professional (with charting) for $299.
What I question is this: "You should also note that effective November 1, 2007, we will be aligning the price of Flex Builder 2 with these new prices so you can purchase copies of Flex Builder 2 now for these same prices."
Doesn't quite make sense, I don't know what he means by "now for these same prices". What *same* prices? I'm guessing he would have been clearer if he had said that the price will drop to $249 on November 1.
I wish that there more sources out there for this information, Adobe's site has no press release about these price changes.
If you bought Flex Builder 2 and Flex 2 Charting as separate packages, how can you buy the maintenance package and still be eligible for the free upgrade to Flex 3 Professional?
What are these "visualization" components?
Regards
_____
Arne
While I like getting information as early as possible...its frustrating to get a hint and then no clarification for days..
Several people have asked this simple question...
If we aready have FB2 with Charting..how much do we need to shell out for an updgrade to FB3 Professional? Please clarify this
So are Adobe adopting the same approach as others such as codegear where you get screwed over on prices becuase of same lame ass thing called maintenance ?. What is the deal with this BS if the software is buggy you should fix it why should I pay additional fees so that I get access to fixes for problems that shouldn't exist in the first place. Also upgrades, if I want to move to flex soon why should I get double hit with upgrade prices. You want people to move to Flex let them buy Flex 2 from the first of November with a free Flex 3 upgrade, why not actual try to get a bit of extra market interest.
It's November 1st... where's the new pricing??
Hi,
As of today (november 2nd 2007), still no change in the pricing (well, it does make the pill easier to swallow for me, I've just bought Flex 2 with charting)...
It would be really nice to have a coupon for registrations after november 1st.
Why is there such a price difference between the upgrades?
I mean, the flex with charting users are not getting a very good deal on the upgrade! It's the same as haing bought flex builder 2 without charting and upgrading to flex builder 3 professional.
One would have thought that the more you paid in the first place, the less you would have to pay to upgrade...
I own Flex Builder 2 with Charting, and I kind of echo Jamal's sentiments. Seems like getting the full package initially is really of no use now.
The price difference for the upgrade from Flex Builder 2 with Charting to Flex Builder 3 professional should have been a bit more lenient.
Thanks Anonymous (lol!),
By the way, you may be interested in what the flex team at Adobe is thinking on the same subject: http://weblogs.macromedia.com/flexteam/archives/2007/11/flex_builder_2.cfm#comments
Ted, I'd also really like to know Adobe's plans on European pricing (UK pricing in particular as there is no language conversion needed). $699 US is currently 340 GBP. Are we expected to pay 699 GBP?
I can't find where to purchase the $99 maintenance package. Can someone post the link here? Thanks!
Likewise -
Adobe is really straining the goodwill of UK / Irish / Euro developers by fixing a high exchange rate. Not fair and counter productive. We will not forget.
@MaxRahder (and others):
There is zero mention of the maintenance/support/upgrade plan on Adobe.com. You have to call sales to purchase it. Also, a correction to Ted's pricing:
Upgrade Plan: $88 (not $99)
Download/Physical "shipping" cost: $20 (yes, they will charge this on downloads too)
Also, the upgrade plan is available without any product purchases. What's more, the upgrade plan will go away the second Flex 3 is released (literally, the day-of).
Hope that helps - it definitely seems annoying to not list this on Adobe.com I agree.
As an added follow-up, if you elect to have media physically sent to you, that's an extra $5.20 (on top of the $20 already, which is apparently the fee to join the volume licensing program which is a requirement for the $88 upgrade plan).
Also, upgrade plans aren't valid on non-volume licenses bought through Adobe (so, Amazon.com, CDW, etc. are not covered).
AND if you elect for the download option thinking you would receive your product faster than the shipped option: you still have to wait >72 hours for the order to be processed and your download to be available. This timing fact is not mentioned anywhere and is amazingly confusing when you receive multiple licensing.adobe.com logins, none of which contain any downloadable software nor do they mention having to wait any extended period of time.
Whatever CRM system Adobe uses has completely and utterly missed the point of the "C" or the "R" and most of the "M".
Oh and you can't cancel an order without faxing them a "letter of descruction" even on a download option, and you can't do THAT until your logins have been processed.. which takes over 72 hours.
*insane*
I've ordered from Amazon.com with overnight shipping for $18 - it'll be here tomorrow. (I'm annoyed I had to.)
I was considering buying Flex 2 with charting however in Australia it is $969AUD which equates to $838USD. Obviously not fair....
Is it valid that I purchase Flex from the US? I'd like to save myself $140USD
Perhaps that can pay for maintainence plan
Like others who have commented here, I'm trying to buy FlexBuilder 2 with the support as you described and I cannot see how to do it anywhere. I looked everywhere on adobe.com. If I have to call adobe to do it I simply won't buy flexbuilder (I'm sure the evaluation will work fine for me). It is ridiculous to have to call someone to buy software let alone from Adobe! Please explain how to buy flexbuilder 2 and not have to re-purchase fledbuilder 3 when it is released!
Posted on the Adobe 3.0 Forum 1/26/08
I purchased 2.0 in May 2007 at $500. The same product now sells for $250. Ted has a pricing structure on his Blog (http://www.onflex.org/ted/2007/10/flex-3-beta-2-lower-price-flex-builder.php) that I cannot find within Adobe sales. I have spent 3 hours on the phone trying to find someone who can upgrade me for the pricing that is on Ted's blog. I know that he is not in charge of pricing, but I should be able to upgrade for around $300 ($200 price differential plus $100 maintenance) vs. $450 for 2.0 charting. Adobe referred me to Figleaf and a guy named Mansuer promised a $75 upgrade from them, which hasn't happened, and I’m not holding my breath. But I don't care about something for nothing, because if there is a universal truth in the S/W business, you get what you pay for. However, I'm not going to be left behind either.
So how about one of you top dogs working this forum get with the marketing VP, who ought to get with the sales VP, and get the Adobe distribution chain on-board with your marketing evangelists. Customers who supported the development of FLEX by BUYING the product for early adopter prices should not be left out of the upgrade path!
The GOLD release is almost here and someone ought to fix this before it hits. My next step is to call the VP of Sales and work down from there (yeah you Adobe guys, I can see you smirking…:>) and maybe something can be done. Don’t make me do it, because then I will be upset! Thanks, and in spite of my tone, I know how it is with this stuff. I worked with Christophe briefly at Sybase in my past life (he certified me for teaching Java 1.1) and we always had to deal with the different camps not communicating, or features getting cut after they were marketed to user groups.
You folks are great, keep up the great job in supporting the community…
Curtis Fisher
Hi Ted, I'm in a dilemma - I'm using FB3 with charting but can't unlock it with my valid FB2 (incl. charting) license key. Is there any way around that, I urgently need those charting watermarks to disappear for a release version of my project.
Any idea anybody?
Lars
So, for those of us who started evaluating Flex 2 after the first of the year, and purchased in February at $699, and found no option on the online store to purchase maintenance, where are we left now that arriving at flex atlanta conference and hearing that Flex 3 will be released Monday? Or is this sort of like the iPhone fiasco and essentially SOL? Thanks.