If I were to write a Java-based blogging tool that allowed you to post to Movable Type weblogs, I’d call it JaMTomorrow.
Gettit?
Fortunately I have better things to do with my time.
I suppose this is the right occasion to mention how excited I am about the thought of Movable Type Pro, which Ben and Mena Trott say is coming some time in the summer. Here are some of the features I can’t wait to get my hands on:
- Custom entry fields
- Integrated spellchecker
- Category hierarchy
- Workflow
The custom entry fields and category hierarchy in particular are going to be invaluable for the Bob Shaw site I’m planning. Workflow could be useful, but it depends what they mean by it.
Pricing is going to be another interesting question. Mena recently talked a bit about the cost of the NetNewsWire RSS aggregator:
“Pricing software — especially software that has previously been free — is a pretty taxing task for the independent developer. It’s an incredibly difficult game where you have to put your personal feelings aside and consider what people will be willing to pay.”
Movable Type is free for personal use, but it has a suggested donation price. If you donate more than $20, you get a license key which makes your blog show up on the Movable Type home page whenever you write a new entry. If you donate $45 or more, you become entitled to support over IM. A Movable Type commercial license, however, costs a flat $150.
Movable Type’s policy has always been that when they eventually release a fully paid-for edition (MT Pro), they will subtract the cost of any donations you’ve made from price. I’m starting to wonder now how much MT Pro is going to weigh in at.
I’m guessing it’s going to be around $145.
I think that while the Pro features are just plain lovely all round, they are going to appeal most to the people who already love and use the software. If you fall in that category, then you’ve probably already made a donation. And if you’ve laid out the $45 (we have), then upgrading to Pro would be a nice, round $100.
Would I pay that? In an instant. Movable Type is one of my all-time favourite pieces of software. It’s a sheer joy to work with.