- 2003.05.08
Now that Apple has opened the door to mini-pay (as opposed to
micropay of a few pennies) with its online music store, online
purchases of other items for even smaller amounts may follow. It's only
natural to speculate about things people might be willing to pay for.
Here's my list. This isn't intended to be a list of new ideas; just a
list of what I'd be willing to pay.
I'd pay 99¢ for most shareware games. I'd buy a bunch more than
at the $15 or $20 level. Some I'd pay more for.
Sending email. I'd pay 99¢ to send 1000 emails. That would bite
into spammers profit margins a bit, I'd say. I'd even vote for that as
a tax so everyone pays it. Receiving emails should still be free,
though.
Media. I'd pay 99¢ for a blank DVD-R.
QuickTime Pro. I Still haven't shelled out for that. I think it
ought to be included with the Mac OS, to be honest.
Copy of an obsolete Mac OS - anything prior to OS 9.
Enhancement packages. Fonts, effects, transitions, sound effects,
etc. for iMovie and iPhoto.
Removal of advertising from a favorite site for a month.
Printing an 8-by-10 photo at high resolution and having it mailed to
me.
A carbonized version of Word 5.1 for Mac OS X. Heck I'd pay $5
for that. Maybe $10. (I know Word 5 runs fine in Classic. I know there
are other word processors such as Nisus Writer. That's not what I
mean.)
That's all for now. I've already spent 18 Future Bucks.
What would you pay 99¢ for?
is a longtime Mac user. He was using digital sensors on Apple II computers in the 1980's and has networked computers in his classroom since before the internet existed. In 2006 he was selected at the California Computer Using Educator's teacher of the year. His students have used NASA space probes and regularly participate in piloting new materials for NASA. He is the author of two books and numerous articles and scientific papers. He currently teaches astronomy and physics in California, where he lives with his twin sons, Jony and Ben.< And there's still a Mac G3 in his classroom which finds occasional use.
