Another Great App Went Subscription Only and Everything Is Terrible. I blame Adobe for this. Ulysses, one of the best writing tools available right now, is going subscription only. If you previously purchased Ulysses for Mac or i. OS (it works seamlessly across Macs, i. ![]() Phones, and i. Pads) you are now going to have to pony up $5 a month or $4. And again, I blame Adobe for this, because it taught software developers that they can put their clients over a barrel—royally screwing early adopters by having them pay repeatedly for product. Back in 2. 01. 3 Adobe moved its most valuable software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere, to a subscription only model. If you want to use the industry standard software Adobe creates you have to throw down $1. It’s been a sore point for many a computer user who still remembers the halcyon days when purchasing software meant you, essentially, owned it. Since then many apps have moved to this new model—often promising cool updates as a “reward” for being a subscriber. Quicken, Autodesk, Adobe, and even more niche companies now like Ulysses, are moving towards this model and there’s no sign of them stopping any time soon. Ulysses is developed by a small publisher called Soulmen, and it’s co- founder, Max Seelman, took to Medium on Friday to defend his company’s decision. Our users expect a continuously evolving high quality product — and subscription is the only way we can truly deliver on that expectation,” he said in his post. Seelman went on to explain how software development has shifted dramatically since Soulmen first launched Ulysses. Software purchases used to be very different from how they are today. Until not too long ago, you would purchase an application and get a physical copy on a bunch of floppies (or later a CD). The thing you got — that was it. No patches, no updates. Developers had to put forward an extreme amount of attention to get everything right, because once an app was out, development had to be done.Seelman then noted that software development changed as internet speeds improved. With companies able to produce patches that not only resolved minor issues at launch, but also introduced new features. At first, these resulted in new features being added on- the- fly, but it quickly evolved into issuing more and more substantial patches — until today, where most v. Essentially, Seelman argues, software is now in constant development and pricing hasn’t kept up with this new cycle. Which, okay, it makes sense! If software is constantly getting features that normally would have warranted a new version and additional money than the company absolutely has the right to ask for more cash. ![]() When much-beloved Motörhead frontman Lemmy left our planet for a more metal one back in 2015, the world mourned.But now, the iconic musician has been immortalized.TheINQUIRER publishes daily news, reviews on the latest gadgets and devices, and INQdepth articles for tech buffs and hobbyists.InformationWeek.com: News, analysis and research for business technology professionals, plus peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. Bobby Womack The Poet 2 Download . Engage with our community. The company is offering, for a limited time, a discount to older users, and if those user happened to purchase the software within the last year than they’ll also received up to 1. Soulmen has also made it clear that the old version of the app available in the i. OS and Mac app stores will be available for use and updated to work with i. OS 1. 1 and High Sierra. After that you’re out of luck. What’s frustrating about this is how shifting to these new forms of payment are great for the developer and fine for new users, but suck, a lot, for old users. I know, because I’ve been using Ulysses for the better part of six years. It’s a piece of software I’m so attached to I’ve name- checked it when people ask why I don’t switch to Windows or Android for my daily work machines. The announcement of a move to subscription- based payment popped up as soon as I opened the app on my computer this morning and, annoyed, I took to Twitter to bask in the irritation of other users. Ulysses isn’t going to be the last app forced to make this decision. As consumers demand more and more from “minor” updates software developers will need to find a way to make profit. They can try to tightly manage their business and continue with the old model, demanding money only when a new and truly outstanding feature appears, or they can go the Ulysses route, which many companies, including Adobe, have done before. It’s proven effective, even as subscription fees balloon on users’ credit cards and leave them irritated and underwhelmed. Adobe, Autodesk and Quicken are all huge and required apps for their respective industries. They can afford to ask for money each month, but if Ulysses doesn’t provide cool new features with every update, that $4.Scrivener or some other non- subscription based writing app.At the very least Ulysses could have taken a note from the book of Plex.That software suite went from completely free to a subscription based model and users were..So Plex offered a lifetime membership.Essentially you pay out the nose once and never pay again.As someone who uses the app every day that was a no brainer for me. Install Puppy Linux Live Usb . I dropped my wad of cash and never looked back, and I didn’t have to look at yet another subscription fee on my credit card statement either. Just a thought Ulysses.. How to Start Your Own Podcast. The podcast craze of the past several years shows no signs of slowing down, and while every armchair broadcaster with a voice recorder app is eager to get in the game, creating a professional- sounding podcast isn’t as simple as it might seem. Here’s how to create, record, and publish your own basic podcast—and get people to listen.*This story originally ran in June 2. August 2. 01. 7 with additional reporting from Patrick Austin.*Before You Start, Be Ready to Commit. Before you rush into things, it’s important to keep in mind that podcasts take a lot of effort to get going. They’re not just recordings of people talking (not the good ones, anyway). Pat Flynn, host of the Smart Passive Income podcast, recommends you treat podcasting the same way you would any other big project: Podcasting is extremely fun and exciting, but there is one thing you must do before you start podcasting: Commit. You must internally commit to podcasting, as you must do with anything that is potentially beneficial but takes some time and effort to do. It’s easy to assume that podcasts are easy to produce because they’re audio only, but don’t be fooled. They can take up a lot of time to put together, especially at first. Also, podcasts do best when they’re released consistently. If you’re interested in developing any kind of listener base, you have to be ready to release episodes on a regular basis. All in all, podcasting can be fun work, but it’s still work and should be treated as such. You also shouldn’t expect to get rich from podcasting either. It’s certainly possible to generate income from podcasting, but that usually requires advertisements and sponsorships—both of which you’ll get after you’ve built up a listenership big enough to make it worthwhile to advertisers. If you’re not interested in starting a podcast for the fun of it or to have your voice heard, you might not get much out of it unless you already have an audience. What You’ll Need. You can’t start a podcast without equipment, and good equipment will go a long way. Here’s what you’ll need: Microphone(s): Any microphone will work for recording your podcast, but listeners can usually tell the difference between low and high quality microphones. If you’re not sure what to look for, our list of the five best desktop microphones is a great place to start (I use four analog Audio- Technica AT2. As you shop around, you’ll also need to decide whether you want to use a USB or analog (XLR) microphone. USB mics convert analog sound into digital so you can plug a USB mic directly into any computer and start recording without much hassle, but you could potentially get lower audio quality compared to analog. Considering you don’t need any extra tools or devices to record with a USB mic, they can be a little cheaper in the long run. Analog microphones use XLR connectors, which means you need another device to get your audio onto your computer, but you can get higher audio quality and can use them with other sound equipment (if you had a PA system or wanted to play live music, for example). Of course, if you have a gaming headset or other basic microphone around, you can easily use that too. Portable XLR Recorder (optional): If you plan on using analog microphones for your podcast, you’ll need something that captures your analog audio and converts it to digital. Portable XLR recorders can capture multiple microphone channels and allow you to do basic sound level adjusting and muting on the fly. Audio files automatically get organized and stored on a memory card that you can insert into a card reader or slot in your computer. These are amazing tools, but they can be expensive. You can find them for anywhere between $1. I use a $4. 00 Zoom H6 Handy Recorder with four available analog channels). Audio Interface (optional): If you want to record directly to your computer with your analog microphones, you’ll need an audio interface. These devices allow you to plug in one or more analog microphones and will convert the analog audio to digital. Most audio interfaces will connect to your computer via USB or Firewire. Audio interfaces can cost as little as $3. You can see why a USB microphone is a cheaper option.)A Computer: Any Windows computer or Mac should work fine to record, edit, and upload your podcast. Thankfully, editing audio doesn’t take a ton of computing power. Additionally, depending on how you choose to record—directly to the computer or onto a dedicated recording device—your computer will also need the right ports. USB microphones, for example, will obviously need an open USB port. If you’re using analog microphones with a portable XLR recorder or audio interface device, you’ll need either a 3. USB port, or in some cases, a Firewire port. So before you spend any money on equipment, make sure you have a computer that can support it. Audio Editing Software: For the actual recording and editing, you’ll need a Digital Audio Workstation (or DAW), there are a lot of good options out there, but the licenses for some of them can cost a pretty penny, though. Licenses for professional level DAWs like Reason or Pro Tools can cost anywhere between $3. Apps like Hindenburg offer simpler audio editing software for under $1. Reaper is a fully loaded audio production app for $6. Adobe’s audio editing software Audition CC is available with a $1. Because of that, most people will recommend free open source programs like Audacity when you’re just getting started, and that’s what we’ll use an example throughout this how- to guide. Pop Filters (optional): The clearer your audio can sound, the better. Pop filters, while not required, are fairly cheap and can keep your plosives from making a nasty sound on your recording. If you don’t want to buy any, though, you can make some of your own. You might be thinking that all this equipment is pretty expensive, and you’re not wrong. However keep in mind that decent audio equipment will last forever if you take care of it. It may be expensive to get started, but after the initial purchase, you’re set. Step One: Narrow Your Topic and Find Your Niche. Just like blogs, there are a ton of podcasts out there. That means that you can probably find a podcast about everything under the sun already. Don’t get discouraged! While just about every broad topic is already covered, you just have to find your spin on things to make an old idea something new. Dear Lifehacker, As a side project/experiment, I’ve started my own blog. The problem is, now that I …Read more Read. For example, if you wanted to make a podcast about music, ask yourself if there’s an audience out there for what you want to talk about. Maybe you narrow your idea down from music in general to bluegrass specifically. Now your coverage is specific: the music, people, and culture of bluegrass. Once you have your topic narrowed down, it helps to add a spin to it. Maybe you talk about bluegrass music and culture while sipping moonshine with your co- hosts. It’s kind of true that everything has been done before, but it hasn’t all been done the way you would do it. So find an angle that’s personally interesting and you’ll be better off. Step Two: Download, Install, and Set Up Audacity. As mentioned earlier, Audacity is a great DAW for podcasting beginners. It’s open source, free to use as long as you like, and is available for Windows, OS X, and Linux. Before you can jump into recording, however, there are a few tricks to getting it all set up properly: Download Audacity 2. Connect your microphone and open Audacity. See if your microphone is being recognized by Audacity by checking the drop- down menu next to the small microphone icon. If you see your mic, go ahead and select it. In the top- left corner, you should see the pause, play, stop, skip back, skip forward, and record buttons. Click the record button and talk into your mic to make sure it’s working properly. Stop recording and playback what you just recorded to make sure everything sounds okay. You’ll want to export your audio in the MP3 format later on. In order to do that, you’ll need to download and install the Lame MP3 encoder for either Windows or Mac. Once that’s installed, close and reopen Audacity. Record yourself talking for a few seconds like before, then go to File, then Export Audio, and select MP3 Files in the ‘Save as type’ dropdown menu. Name your file something simple like “test. Find the MP3 file on your desktop and try playing it in your MP3 player of choice, just to make sure everything is working properly.
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