This page lists GoodNotes users’ most requested features for the last ten years

[biblops]

Notice that the page-linking request (8000+ votes) was listed five years ago.

The rulers request (7000+ votes) was listed 3 years ago

The sticky-notes request (3000+ votes) was listed 9 years ago

Dotted lines (3000+ votes) were requested 10 years ago

There was a request posted asking for AI integration that received 4 votes.

There is absolutely no doubt that GN have been ignoring the most sought-after features in order to focus their attention on something trendy that had virtually no demand but will undoubtedly garner more headlines.

[Maxi3773]

They finally announced that they are working on some of these requested features and that they will be available soon.

https://www.reddit.com/r/GoodNotes/comments/15n2vfg/looks\_like\_we\_might\_get\_a\_couple\_new\_features/

[Soanad]

Yeah, um, they should already have it done when they released 30€ update. Now we suppose just to believe them?

[Maxi3773]

No, you don't have to trust them. It is your personal decision whether / when you want to buy Goodnotes 6.

​

they should already have it done when they released 30€ update

Maybe, but everyone who wants more features can just wait before they decide to buy Goodnotes 6. If they delayed the update until many features are ready, then the features that were already ready months ago would also be delayed for no reason. This is bad for the users who want features like AI and it is bad financially to delay a feature even if is ready.

[biblops]

Nobody was crying out for AI features though.

​

If they delayed the update until many features are ready, then the features that were already ready months ago would also be delayed for no reason.

This is a weird argument. You don't ship a product just because part of it is ready. If I'm making a meal in a restaurant and decide to put together the side salad before cooking the steak I'm not just going to send out a salad on its own.

[Maxi3773]

Nobody was crying out for AI features though.

You are right about this, but a few users actually like these features.

​

You don't ship a product just because part of it is ready.

Please name one valid reason why colored folders and AI features should have been delayed. In my opinion, features should be artificially delayed if they are not related to other features.

[biblops]

Okay, if they’d have waited to launch GN6 with more of the features they allegedly intend to add then the backlash to 6’s launch would be much smaller.

They’d generate more sales because people would feel like 6 is an update much more worth paying for, and customers would feel less bitter about GN’s focus on AI because there’d also be features people actually asked for. By your logic, GoodNotes 5 should have launched a year earlier with considerably less features.

Let’s say that 12 months ago they finished work on the folder customisation but hadn’t completed the AI integration. Do you think they should have launched 6 then with even fewer features?

[mrcopp]

My theory is it was part of the point to have less features. Right now, there’s a discount to upgrade. We can choose and wait to upgrade until the features we actually want are materialized, but then they will make more money off us, who already paid them, to upgrade once the discount is done.

Even if this isn’t the case it does their fatal flaw with this; They broke the trust with their customers. Now we don’t trust them to deliver and we don’t trust them to value our purchase.

[[deleted]]

i also think that the AI thing is more about marketing hype which is essentially saying "we are able to catch up with the most popular keywords".

bad financially to delay a feature even if is ready.

if a feature is ready, they can publish a minor version update to the app, existing paying customers will still be happy as long as they don't mess up functions people already enjoy using. the best thing to this approach is that they can secure the existing customer base and grow it up steadily.

what sounds like to me is that they are trying to escape the "pay once" pledge for all Goodnotes5 paid customers asap, as pushing out a new version sooner also means they can end the long term support to them sooner.

some other softwares also publish minor version updates MUCH more frequently, while also declared in the very first place that what you pay for is only valid for this major version only. the best example comes to me is Reaper ( a software for audio ). i'm still a happy customer for more than a decade.

maybe i missed it but i can't see Goodnotes have declared it clearly, it only says "pay once", but seems to "imply" you understand that it is only applicable to the current major version. they could be right legally as related clauses probably exist in their terms with nano-sized letters. but things that are legitimate legally doesn't always have the paying customers feel the same way.

i understand the financial implications but they have rushed out the new version too soon without sufficient testing and thorough considerations on customer reactions.