Please remove unavailable Add-Ons from UI

[TobiParticipant]

Hi,
I don’t want do start the discussion, if todays standard features for desks in a given price range need to be monetarized as add ons, but:

Its really p***** me off, when I am working with the desk, clicking on something and get a Full-Screen Modal Dialog “Please Buy that first”.

I am really begging: Remove unavailable options from UI, so I only can see, what I really can do. If someone needs a list what to buy, he/she should visit the Website or Utility Page (not get Advertisement while mixing).

Thanks and Best Regards,
Tobias

[HughParticipant]

I HAVE VIEWED SOME LESS THAT WELL THOUGHT OUT POSTS in these threads in the past: however Tobi’s has reached a new level. This dude is looking for any opportunity to blame anything available for his decision to travel on the cheap side of the street. If he ever bought a new car and discovered important missing functions that were not chosen when purchased, the ability to add them is very difficult and much more expensive. At least A&H leaves the door open to add various functions when you discover a need to use them: but apparently Tobi’s frustration with his reluctance to upgrade his entry level desk has become a psychological impediment and anger generator.
Hugh

[TobiParticipant]

I disagree in everything Hugh says… in fact while reading his posts for a while I am really looking for a “Ignore”-Function in the forum. Nearly every of his posts is not helping or worse, like this one. Nearly every of his posts is wanting me to not read it.

Best Regards,
Tobias

[TobiParticipant]

Hi again,
I am sorry — I have to write again.

Hugh is right in one point: I am really sorry for the harsh words from my first entry in this thread. This was uncalled for and I kindly apologize. Still the wish stays: I don’t like advertisement while working — kindly ask to remove it. There is enough information about Add Ons and everyone interested in SQ has read the Website about it more than once.

@Hugh:
Since I am in this forum (don’t know — for a year??) I am trying to ignore you. Your posts are often not helping and / or unpolite. Reading those posts is really bothering me for days. Examples:
1. Someone write a question. Your answer: “You don’t need that”. And I always think: How does Hugh know what anyone else needs?
2. Someone makes a feature suggestion. Your answer: “That is not possible”. And I always think: Oh… Hugh has access to SQ’s source code and schematics? Or why does he know what is possible and what not?

Please Hugh — go over the comments of yours from the last year and check how many of them fit into that scheme. You are often unpolite and not helping — “often” means often, not always — I know.

Regarding your answer to my inital request here: WHAT??? Why are you yelling at me?? And not only yelling but also insulting me?? OK — I apologized about my words, but you did not complain about the words, you insulted my idea and me personally… that is not polite and not helping. And I would expect a different way to communicate.

To be honest: I like the idea of the Forums here with A&H, and also the categories (“Questions” and “Suggestions”) are a great way to communicate, although I would wish more comments from A&H sometimes. But: I like music. Its mostly my hobby were I am having fun. But: reading those unpolite and not-helping comments is not fun to me. Hugh is the reason why I “paused” reading the forums for some month… I am only back because now my SQ arrived…

My feeling is, next time Hugh will be the reason for me leaving the forum and just talk to the very friendly A&H Email-support.

Best Regards,
Tobias

[Rob TParticipant]

I’ll +1 to this feature request – not everyone has the luxury of owning their own console, and not every rental console has the same set of add-ons installed. And without a way for users to bring their own add-on licenses (which has already been noted as not possible), someone using a rental console is at the mercy of what the rental house has installed. Having some clear indication of what’s installed and available would be a nice UI enhancement. (I’d also be fine with the typical “unavailable options are greyed out” approach instead of completely removing the indication that the option exists or could exist).

[HughParticipant]

The fact remains a preloaded desk that offers an option to purchase unforeseen needed functions is a huge improvement over the necessity of buying a new desk to get where you want to go. I have been a very satisfied A&H customer for more than 20 years and deeply appreciate the well thought out target market products they offer. While A&H gear is occasionally deployed in the rental market, that is not now nor has it ever been a high A&H priority. In the event a given user does not fit a specific design perhaps a more detailed amount of homework before purchasing should have been in order rather than whining about specific designed features.
If my comments bother you, don,t read them. If the SQ’s designed optional add ons bother you that much, buy something else. If this position constitutes a “get off of my yard” attitude: so be it!
Hugh

[TobiParticipant]

And where is your problem with the idea or marking or removing them if not available from “working” UI??

[TobiParticipant]

Sorry again — I have to refine my last comment.

Hugh, its not about “get off my land” — its about being unpolite, which you managed to be again. Please check your old posts for reference — you are really often bringing that “make-your-homework” comment. That is not polite. It implies you thinking knowing everything and all others should please read the f****** manual. That is not nice but arrogant.

Secondly I kindly invite you to join us in the 21st century. Here we are used to software based products like we currently are talking of. Its quite common that from time to time there comes a new version with bugfixes and/or new features. The producers especially bring new features to keep their products at value in a changing market compared to newer products. That expands the lifetime of products. Monetarizing those new features is an option: please check release notes of other desks — they bring new features for “free” (means: to hold the value of a product over time in a changing market). So I really don’t want to discuss payed Add-Ons, but regarding your “unforseen-function-to-buy comment” — this is how its normally done in the 21st century — so for me nothing special. It is allowed to bring new features with a new software release!!!! (Please check for reference your old comments: you really often say that people should buy other consoles — and that is wrong because of 21st century software based products!)

And again: taking your last comment for the technical side: I really would like to know, in which way the idea of hiding/marking unavailable add-ons interferes with your opinion…

Best Regards,
Tobias

[Søren SteinmetzParticipant]

On topic… kinda.

One way could be, that when you scroll the list of plugins, the non-registered/not bought ones could either be grayed out, or a simple “not registered” by the units not unlocked.

[HughParticipant]

1) There is a clear and unmistakable difference between technical capabilities and marketing strategies. A marketing “Loss Leader” is the practice of offering an irresistible great deal (SQ5) with optional add on features that will create a profit margin that is a sustainable business model. Check out any fast food drive thru menu: the combo option is where their profit margin exists. I appreciate the ability to see the optional features that are pre loaded in the SQ5 and have never been emotionally disturbed by displaying the fact they are readily available. Defining the available list is a convenience, not an annoyance for me.
2) There are advanced features available with bigger, more expensive, offerings within the brand that are not, and probably never will be, possible with the the entry level SQ line. The SQs share a core processing design that cannot reach some of the higher priced model capabilities: but what they can do suits a lot of us very well.
Hugh

[TobiParticipant]

Hi Hugh,
first of all I take note, that you are not even trying to apologize for your uncalled harshness… I am not sure that that is a good way to behave in a “community”.

> I appreciate the ability to see the optional features that are pre
> loaded in the SQ5 and have never been emotionally disturbed by displaying
> the fact they are readily available.
I am glad that you have not. Please accept that there may be others who would feel it to be an improvement to get lost of that displays.

> probably never will be, possible with the the entry level SQ line
Your are right about that. But you are not the one to judge what is and what is not.

> The SQs share a core processing design that cannot reach some of the higher priced model capabilities
What exactly do you know about that?? Do you have access to A&H internals, such as blueprints or source code? Or have you reengineered the SQ in any way?? Again: You are not the one judging the boundaries of the technology… that is for A&H only to do.

Best Regards,
Tobias

[HughParticipant]

Read Keith’s carefully worded posts over the past several years and you will discover official explanations of most every statement I have posted. The personal vitriol you have leveled toward me and my direct comments pursuant to A&H policies speak more to your defensive emotional problems than constructive criticism.
Hugh

[KeithJ A&HModerator]

Hi all,

Søren’s idea for greying out unavailable library items/add-ons seems reasonable.

It’s actually something that we’ve discussed internally a few times but have always allocated development/test time to more useful or fun features instead. What we did do was ensure things like the standard compressors were near the top of the list, so users wouldn’t need to continually scroll past things they didn’t have to get to things they did.

We definitely don’t want to annoy anybody, so if this is something which annoys you, feel free to add a ‘+1’.
If not, and maybe even if (as Hugh notes) it can be seen as useful to understand what is available where (e.g. DEEP compressors exist in the compressor library and not the FX library), I don’t think the greying out would be an issue but please correct me if I’m wrong.

As understand it, the annoyance comes from “I can recall this… oh… no, I need to buy it” and greying out would stop you before the annoying bit.

Thanks,
Keith

[AsherNParticipant]

Keith,

Graying is a great compromise. It shows what is installed and still shows what is available. BUT, It is only really useful if the frayed options are below the purchased ones, or I have an option to not show the grayed out ones.

[ioTonParticipant]

+1

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