New License Model

Note to free users

Unfortunately, after offering a free product and a free service to millions of users for more than 10 years we are no longer able to do so. We would like to thank you for using SmartFTP and we hope to welcome you as a customer in the future. Thank you for your understanding.

To read more about the license please visit the purchase page.

License Example

A single user license – which can be used on any computer – for the Home Edition is 36.95 USD. This is a one-time fee. Included in the license is technical support and free upgrades for one year.

It may be a stretch to call this ransom but like many I have data stored within the program that I no longer have access to while being forced to pay this 36.95 to have access (ftp logins are stored within the program). This should be a warning to anyone using a free solution that the copmany can pull the rug out from under you after many years of a faithful relationship. While they have succomed to the allmighty dollar I will not forget this transgression and will look for a new provider. 

*Update* I did indeed pony up the dough as I didnt have the login info for an account and had to use the program. So maybe this was there plan all along, they got me. I will begin switching things over to filzilla for now unless I come accross a better solution.

Google will be adding a mapplet to Google Maps that will offer polling location information before the big day in November. for all those unsure where to go to vote.

The site will provide users with voting locations and registration information with all voting location information being made available by mid-October.  Until then, please check with your state or local election officials to verify your voting location if you need to know before hand.

What do you think about Google and how much of a role do they play in your political education?

So what happens to all that data Pandora (The Music Genome Project) has amassed? I would like to be able to download all the data and use in some future use. It would be a goldmine of data for the music industry. Imagine knowing what your customers like and dislike. Imagine having the ability to see exactly what types of music your customers are listening to. While I hope Pandora is able to survive I also hope that if they are forced to shut their doors the data they have accumulated isn’t locked behind that closed door.

I would love to hear other ideas on how the data could be released and used.

So maybe the tiered internet wont be much of an issue after all. (see post below)

More Here.

“Hmm, I dont see that email you sent, maybe I need to upgrade my internet plan.”

This line of thinking is non existent today but may be coming to the forefront with the little bit of news today that Comcast will be slowing certain web traffic during peak times (Source).  Without getting into the political discussion of Net Neutrality you can see how this could have a negative impact on the web.  So Susie is waiting for an important email and she goes to Yahoo to check but doesn’t see it as Comcast is under high strain and decided that her piece of email will be delayed.  Say this same example happens but Google decides it doesn’t want any of its web traffic delayed so it pays Comcast a fee to allow its customers unfettered access. Now if Susie is using Gmail she now can see the email immediately.  This situation is overly basic and could be seen as a stretch but is possible especially with their decision announced today.

Take a look at this popular web image used to describe a very different internet than we see today:

Tiered Pricing for the Internet

I would assume that if Comcast is successful with this many other internet providers will follow and the internet will look much different than it does today.

I have read some reports of Lenovo oferring the unlock code for the card. I am curious if anyone has done this and used the card for Sprint and how the signal/reliablility goes. I can currently use my Mogul to tether but would prefer to have this built in.

If anyone can point my in the right direction I would appeciate it. If I end up trying this out myself I will update the past to reflect my experience.

Update** Found some more info here so it may be possible though I have seen very mixed reports of the Verizon card allowing any unlocking.

I just received the first shipment from StartupSchwag. They send out promo items from startups to people who are interested in this normally free stuff for a small 14.95 fee. I was excited to get my hands on the package as I have been waiting for it since signing up for the service after reading the post about it on TechCrunch.

While I was aware that this would confirm all my thoughts that I have regressed into total dorkville I was eagerly waiting with much anticipation. I was hoping to find cool new companies, interesting items, and something that really kicked things off.

Boy was I disappointed. The package was sent in a typical USPS priority mail bag and looked like it had been through a long journey. I immediately opened the bag to see a glowing green shirt bearing the TechCrunch logo. I then realized there was no paperwork or any other information in the bag. I almost missed the 3 stickers and foam star that were accompanying the shirt.

I don’t have pics at this time but will add them shortly. While I may have had high expectations I would of though a little thank you note or welcome note would be appropriate. Also why not something that explains the companies on that same sheet, I am sure the companies would gladly provide a quick description of what they offer.

I was tempted to immediately cancel the subscription but I am going to give it one more chance. Hopefully they had some internal issues that have been worked out otherwise I cannot see Startup Schwag gaining much momentum.

A time has come and gone with Joost. No need to request invites!

They have been using the private beta as a way to get people interested in the site for about 2 years. They have finally pulled the plug on the exclusivity and are allowing anyone who wants to check out their system access. It was an amazing marketing feat that they were able to get so much attention to a closed and invite only platform. I doubt they would have had the same success and amount of users had they done this from the beginning.

This reminds me of the little kids on the playground that only want something that they cant have, once they obtain the object it doesnt provide them with much gratification. This was the case with Joost, a neat concept and a very real possible market mover but as of now it is still on the playground.

In the world of telephones not much has changed over the past 50 years though things may be changing. Voip services have nearly become mainstream with Vonage, GrandCentral was recently acquired by Google and promises a one number for all approach and many, many other startups have tried to gain a share of the multi trillion dollar phone industry. Did you know Bill Gates is no longer the worlds richest man, Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim whose fortune is now at an estimated $67.8bn (equivalent to 8% of Mexico’s gross domestic product) putting him in the lead by a whopping $8.6bn. There is a lot of money in this industry and people are starting to take notice.
So the problem is that automated phone systems suck, some of us even make cheat sheets to get around them. The web is opening up other ways to avoid this ongoing and growing headache.

Here is how Bringo works. You don’t even need to dial your phone. Just find the company you want to talk to in their directory, type in your phone number, and a couple of minutes later Bringo calls you and connects you to an operator at that company. I cant wait until thee guys release a mobile client that we can use on our cells, this would almost be too good to be true. The days of yelling operator, pushing ### and 000 are hopefully coming to an end.