I think some very good points are made here, and I don't think anyone questions the fact that the VI software is a brand new product which has to be payed for by customers.

What I think has been confusing for many is the VIP guarantee, and since it probably also has been a major factor contributing to many buying VSL products, the matter is extra sensitive.

Before VI, the statement "never pay for the same sample twice" was pretty simple and straightforward, as it basically was all about samples and sample upgrades. Now however, there is much more to consider and the matter is rather complicated.

I think what many have objected to (as others here have already mentioned) is the fact that old customers might be forced to upgrade all the way to the Extended version in order to make use of their discounts, whereas new customers can upgrade one step at the time if so desired.

Problem is, in doing this, the old users will in effect have "payed for the same samples twice" which is exactly what they were guaranteed to not have to.

Even if you only pay for one single sample twice, this can stil be viewed as a violation of the VIP guarantee, since it clearly includes the word "never" which is very absolute and definitive.

Yes, you can of course argue that the new samples are 24 bit as opposed to the old 16 bit, but if I'm not mistaken...from a legal point of view, they are still to be viewed as the same samples. The fact that VSL does not offer an 16 bit version upgrade as an alternative might also influence this.

I do think that DG had a very good point when he said that this is actually more of a platform change than a sample upgrade. Personally, I agree with him that this might indeed be the most accurate way to view this problem.

It might eliminate some of the "missing links" in the upgrade path mentioned by Tele here...and it would not force old customers to upgrade immediately to extended version...but in the end it's still what VSL decides that counts.

The discount calculator is still not up, which for me is a very good sign. This mean that VSL is taking this matter extremely serious and I'm confident they will do their best to solve this in a manner as fair as possible to all customers (old and new alike).

We'll just have to wait and see to know for sure I guess.

R

@Rodney_G said:

Before VI, the statement "never pay for the same sample twice" was pretty simple and straightforward, as it basically was all about samples and sample upgrades. Now however, there is much more to consider and the matter is rather complicated.

I'd like to know how much costs a sample.

[*-)]:

0.0115 Euros / Sample if you step into the Symphonic Cube (no discounts included)

And don´t forget the included Vienna Instruments...

@Paul said:

0.0115 Euros / Sample if you step into the Symphonic Cube (no discounts included)

And don´t forget the included Vienna Instruments...

Compared with some of the bread and butter stuff, 16 bit, that i have this price is lower - don't want to mention any names here. [[;)]]

Poor Paul, you got a tough time these days with all theese discussions going on. [[[;)]]]

tele

@Paul said:

0.0115 Euros / Sample if you step into the Symphonic Cube (no discounts included)

Wow, that's cheap. [[:|]]

Can you please post a complete list so I can pick out the exact ones I want to buy? [:P]

R

Well it gonna happen, you'll be able to select witch instruments you want to buy and authaurize on your Dongle key

I already posted this elsewhere and I think it is implied but not outlined in the posts above: How about deviding the VIP discount between the Standard and Extended version. So I, owning the complete Pro Edition, would get $2280 discount when buying VI Standard and another $2280 when then upgrading to VI Extended.

My example is for the complete package, but could of course be applied to buying individual segments as well.

This would give me a chance to fall in love with the VIs for half the price and would be less of a blow for recent VSL buyers and might enable more people to upgrade to VI and also fall in love with it and want to upgrade to Extended and many people would be a lot happier and VSL might not lose any money at all (so may ands...).

Wolf

wolf, maybe you should consider to exclude the collections which don't appear in the pro (with and without solo strings, because this is a special case related to horizon solo strings or not) - this gives you 4.255 $ discount on 9.240 and results in an upgrade price of 4.985 and doubles your content.
again (as mentioned in another thread) comparing the pro strings (1.520) with orchestral strings std. (1.130) should make clear this would not be an upgrade (pro strings to SC strings) regarding the content, although you would get the 24bit samples and the new mapping.
upgrading from pro strings to SCstrings full costs 1.195 (2.500 - 1.305), so the discount covers almost the total cost of your earlier purchase, even more if you got it for a reduced price (summer, holiday)
christian

Christian,

I understand that may calculation is just a simplified example and maybe the numbers distracted from the idea itself. I am also not complaining about the total amount of discount you offer - I'm quite ok with this.

The core of my idea is just to devide the discount (that you already figured out) between the two stages of the VI Libraries instead of only applying it when a VIP user buys the Extended VI.

Another way of seeing this idea is: initially we pay for the upgrade to the VI platform (the mapping, 24 bit, the convenience), but we get 1/2 of the discount because we are already loyal customers owning substantial licenses and the VIP promise. Then, when upgrading to Extended, we pay for the extension of the library and get the second half of the discount (for the same reasons as the 1st half). Seems to me this is partly how VSL is marketing the difference between Standard and Extended.

applying the disount this way would make the transition easier both on the financial planning and the analytical customer-mind.

Wolf

(another Austrian in California - but not in politics)

I was a bit awestruck by how it appeared to be priced to begin with. And to be honest I think it all spawned from the fact that SOOO many people were throwing opinions out left and right that had no idea what was going on due to the discount calculator not being up and the small update that VSL ended up changing on the pricing list of the products that just had the Standard Edition Price, Extended Edition Price, then FULL Price listed.

At this point in the game I think I get the intention of the pricing and the realization that I get the massive FULL llibrary for $4500 or whatever less than a new user makes complete sense. The fact that I'm paying the bigger price to get the initial package is somewhat irrelevant, because I'm looking to just get the whole shi-bang at once.

Consider the actual logistics of the way the pricing is set up - the reason the Standard version is the pricier version as far as VIP pricing is because it allows VSL to garner a substantial income for what was obviously something that took indefinite man hours to create and like Herb said, allows the relationship between them and t he resellers to be as simple as possible, so you can still get the Standard edition elsewhere for reasonable prices.

With the upgrade to the Extended edition what they are telling YOU, as in the prior edition owners, is that they ARE honoring their commitment to give you more by allowing you to get the GARGANTUAN increase of possibilities in the Extended Library for mere pennies in comparison of someone picking up VSL today. In retrospect it HONESTLY isn't a skewed business model, because all the things for which you are getting discounts can be paid for in a more simplified fashion (aka via online) because the content comes with the discs and requires just to be unlocked.

I won't lie. I complained at first and part of me wants to now. But where I stop myself is when I realize I will be able to get the best stuff (the extended content) for WAY less than a new user, which is what I expected and want.


So two suggestions to all ye naysayers -

You can accept something that is not going to change...

OR

You can keep complaining and give yourselves more to think about when it really is not going to benefit you or anybody else in the long run...

@Another User said:

The Standard Library contains much of the Pro Edition sounds and some new stuff,

Therefore it should be possible for VSL to offern us a path to the Standard Edition.

tele

Tele,

They do offer you a path to the Standard Edition...

You go to the Symphonic Cube page.....select Symphonic Cube at the bottom of the list on the left.....choose your part of the world from the pull-down menu, and you will be able to select "Buy now" under the Standard Edition very soon.

-Tim