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Feature tiers

Some application developers are starting to implement "feature tiers", where the core/base functionality is free or at very low cost, then there are 1-3 tiers of capability improvements that can be purchased based on the users needs.

 

I deal with data nonstop at work as an engineer, but without someone to train me I had to learn JMP by myself, which was hard given that I could only really use it at work, so it took me a while to realize how useful it is for almost everything where data is involved -- which the data-minded person sees everywhere.  There needs to be an easier path for people in my situation to learn and grow-into JMP.

 

So, my idea -- offer JMP as a single download with subscription-enabled feature tiers:

 

  1. Free tier.  Basic data tables, Graph Builder.  Available free for non-commercial purposes and small businesses <$100K/yr (similar to Fusion360, BBEdit), intended as a welcome mat for non-users.
  2. Basic tier.  Adds table tools (summary, subset, stack, join, etc.) and simple platforms (distribution, fit y by x).  $9/mo (similar to Photoshop, Office365), intended for serious home users and small businesses.
  3. Full tier.  Adds fit-model, screening, clustering, measure & control, DOE, etc.  $30/mo, intended for engineers and data scientists in industry.
  4. Pro tier.  Adds current JMP Pro features.  $100/mo, intended for niche market with specific needs.

 

Currently, I can't even get people in the door since the barrier to entry is so high.  The JMP trial version doesn't work because the timeframe is too short to learn the tool.  But with the arrangement above, I could get probably 30 of my friends/acquaintances to download #1 with a 5-minute demo, and maybe 5-10 of those would upgrade to the #2 tier within a couple months to get the table and data fitting tools.

 

An additional benefit would be that under this paradigm, there would be no reason for anyone to remain on an old version of JMP (unless they had an old computer?) and therefore support requirements for older versions would mostly disappear.

3 Comments
Ryan_Gilmore
Community Manager
Status changed to: Archived
We are archiving this request. If this is still important please comment with additional details and we will reopen. Thank you!
BHarris
Level VI

I still think this is a win-win idea for SAS.  

 

Right now SAS is getting zero dollars from me personally because I can only use JMP at work and the individual license is prohibitively expensive for me to get just so I can play with weather or other data at home.  But with this idea, SAS would be getting $$ from me every year.  

 

I'm sure I'm not the only one in this situation.

BHarris
Level VI

BLUF:  JMP should really be free for non-commercial use.

 

This weekend I had a bunch of engineering students in my home (friends of my daughter).  We started talking about software, and I mentioned how my team at work used to use Excel/Matlab/Python for plotting and data analysis, but once we started with JMP it changed everything and we never looked back.  None of them had heard of JMP.  They were interested, but I couldn't show them because I only have JMP at work, and they also can't try it without triggering a one-time 30-day demo clock, which is a heavy commitment.

 

The more I think about it the more I believe JMP should be free for non-commercial use.  Then everyone can download it and play with it, use it for their finances or their church or personal interests.  Once they get familiar with it, they'll realize they need it at work, then tell their company they need a license.  Yesterday I asked my team if they ever left our company, which of them would ask their new employer for a JMP license and every single hand went up.  Company licenses are where the money is, and people won't request it until they're familiar with it.  I bet I could sell 2 dozen licenses just through my friends and acquaintances under this arrangement.