marco:

Phill Ryu wrote me a thoughtful response and counterargument with many valid points. It seems that I was wrong to assume that MacHeist’s deal was still a flat fee for developers. They offer percentages to some, especially for the larger apps. For that false assumption, I apologize, and I have edited the original post to remove the inaccurate statements in the second paragraph.

I’m not interested in arguing the specifics of the MacHeist deal with developers. I’m sure that nobody will argue the core of it: these applications are being sold at a steep discount.

My point is whether it’s a good idea, as conscientious consumers, to accept such steep discounts on the products that we use and love.

My argument is that it’s not.

Others feel differently. “It’s just a business.” “We shouldn’t be responsible for making sure developers get a good deal.” “It’s a great deal for consumers.”

If you feel that way, then we must respectfully disagree.

I appreciate your point, but you’ve absolved the developers of any responsibility.   Why is it up to the consumer to suss out whether this is a good deal for the developers?  MacHeist is not a gatekeeper like Apple is with iPhone apps.  If the developers don’t play ball with MacHeist its not like they can’t sell their apps through other channels.  The developers had a choice, they made a decision, and it’s not up to the consumer to figure out if it was the right one.

Now, consumers may not want to support the folks behind MacHeist, but that’s a different kettle of fish.