>> I should point out that MathReader is simply Mathematica with a few
>> features turned off. The "development costs" should be minimal. (They
>> probably spend more on testing it to make sure the requisit features
>> really are switched off...) But sure, it's a cost analysis.
> 
> Part of that cost analysis, then, is what amount of revenue is likely to 
> be lost when (not if) someone figures out how to unlock the full product 
> features and posts it on the Internet.  If it truly is Mathematica with a 
> few features turned off.

Well, I would guess that they probably "turn off" this stuff by omitting 
the code necessary to do it for the most part. That way the download is 
smaller, and to "turn on" these features again would require basically 
reimplementing them.

Then again, I'm no expert. I don't know how exactly they did it. (It's 
something like a 100 MB download.)

>> (Actually MathReader *is* free - it's just that you have to jump through
>> hoops to get at it. But it doesn't cost any actual money, no.)
> 
> The hoops probably (I haven't looked) involve you giving them something 
> of value - like your contact information so they can market to you.

Oh yeah, you gotta give them a whole load of personal data. Plus the 
installer scans your PC and generates a hash code based on your 
hardware, and you have to send this code to get the license key. So 
they're determined that you should only install this program on *one* 
PC. (Which seems somewhat counter-productive to me... I mean, it's not 
like they gain anything by making it harder to install on several PCs.)

> See?  You pay something, just because it isn't money, doesn't mean what 
> you offer them in exchange has no value.

Heh. Not "what you offer" but rather "what they demand". ;-)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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