Irony, a definition
JUST A THOUGHT FROM 13 May 2004

Irony: Bloggers all over the world using their free copies of Movable Type to bitch and moan about the new version, which asks people to pay for it.

I understand why people are pissed. Six Apart could have done a better job of explaining what was changing and why. Most people's first link was to secure.sixapart.com, which hit them with a pricing table and little explanation. This is a major shock to anyone used to the joy and freedom (emphasis on the "free") of Movable Type.

But I've long been amazed that such a powerful tool was free. All those bloggers pitching fits need to take a step back and look at what they've been getting for free all this time, and the facts about the new licenses.

The fact is, it's still free to download and use the brand-spankin new Movable Type 3 - Six Apart just asks you to agree to use it with only one author and up to three blogs. And even then, there's no enforcement of these limits. They're using the honor system.

Movable Type has grown up, kids. Giant sites like About.com use MT now. This pricing plan is not about sticking it to the little guy - it's about setting up a system for bigwig business users to pay what they should. This is a good thing, because it gives Six Apart a reason to start aggressively developing Movable Type again.

This site is powered by Movable Type 2.6. It, and every site out there using Movable Type, still works today. And will still work tomorrow. And the day after that. The new licensing plan only applies to Movable Type 3. If it doesn't work for you, you can go right ahead and keep making your site, exactly as you are today, for as long as you feel like it.

So let's see. It's free to keep doing what you're doing. Or it's free to install and use MT3 with a limited number of blogs on the honor system. Or you can opt to pay.

I think the price points are a little high, sure. And I bet you Six Apart has heard that loud and clear. So let's wait and see how they respond.

The folks who make Movable Type have always treated their users with respect. Let's return the favor and give them a chance to process all the feedback that's crammed into their inboxes right now before raising our fists to the sky.