Comments on: Software Book Cancellation

By: A

Wed, 22 Dec 2004 05:57:16 +0000

Well. This means I am also deleting my bookmark for this site. It all seem to have turned into a big I-know-everything-self-help blah blah anyways. I wish you kept on talking about real issues. I have a feeling I will soon see you on one of those BS infomercials on TV.

By: Jake Stine

Jake Stine — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 17:32:17 +0000

Congrats, Steve. Book or no, your honesty and fairness in your business practices are what will always stick out in my mind. I think you’ve been of direct professional and personal assistance to all your developers and the community as a whole, and that’s a noble thing. Knowing there are people out there like you has been as much of a motivation to me as any speech, essay, or book.

By: Brian Kramer

Brian Kramer — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 05:56:59 +0000

Hey Steve, is there any way you will release what you have written so far?

Thanks

By: Greg Squire

Greg Squire — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 00:59:35 +0000

I’m saddened to hear that you won’t be finishing your book; I was also eagerly awaiting it’s completion. It would have been a great resource, like your articles have been. But I also understand the need to “move on” at times, and it was certainly your call to make this move. Thanks again for all your great assistance to the shareware community, and I wish you well on your new career path.

By: Mirek Czerwiński

Mirek Czerwiński — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 00:13:59 +0000

It’s a loss that you won’t write your book.
But thanks for all your great input into the indie dev. communicty.
Hope you will do great in your new career.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Dec 2004 22:10:56 +0000

this industry changes quickly . if steves not activly in it any mroe what use is the book?

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Mon, 20 Dec 2004 21:39:41 +0000

Calm down, guys. I was going to be first on the virtual line to get this book, and I don’t like it being cancelled, but come on, it was *his* book, *his* project, and I’m not quite sure what you mean by “he PROMISED it!!!” – it’s his right to cancel it if he wants to. I’m not happy, sure, but saying “you have lost all the credibility you had!” is overreacting…

By: JD

JD — Mon, 20 Dec 2004 21:16:49 +0000

As much as I am disappointed with Steve cancelling his book, I agree with Adam that it was his personal call and Steve should be still appreciated for his contribution to the Shareware community.

By: Adam Stiles

Adam Stiles — Mon, 20 Dec 2004 20:11:05 +0000

Steve deserves to be commended for his contribution to the “shareware community” – not ridiculed for breaking a commitment. His decision and the open way he’s discussed only served to raise his credibility to me.

Why are James and TestTeq so ticked off? Perhaps they don’t know how to channel their disappointment in the project cancellation. But Steve doesn’t deserve ridicule. He didn’t take your money and fail to deliver a product. He didn’t break a promise or a contract. He simply chose not to finish a product that he’d previously started. That’s his call and no one elses.

Best to you Steve!

By: James Jeffers

James Jeffers — Mon, 20 Dec 2004 13:58:01 +0000

You have taught me a very important lesson. Don’t promise something you cannot deliver. In one fell swoop, you have utterly destroyed any credibility you had with me. Yes, I’m just one person, but this one person will probably never buy anything from you if I can help it – be it a software package or a seat in one your speaking engagements. Pity, you were my a hero in my personal pantheon.

I lost a few friends when Blizzard began to attack it’s customers. I swore that Blizzard would never get a another dime from me. Their glitzy, brand-sapking-new games came and went, and all the while my friends became estatic and asked me to joing them.

“No,” I said. I held my ground. If I went back on my word, even for something as petty as this, what good would my word and values be? They’d be nothing.

I am sorry to hear that your new career, whatever it is, encouraged you to cast off your promises made earlier. If you get an opportunity to “trade up” on your wife and kids, will you take it then, too, if it meant more growth?

Your decision may seem coherent to you – but it’s giving off a bad smell from where I sit.