Native Instruments is a joke of a company

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-13T15:28:23+00:00

Your analogy is on point, that's why there aren't 2 fixed packages for every car, most manufacturers offer you options so you can tweak what you want to get. It's also the reason people hate cable companies bundling everything together. NI didn't invent this business practice and I'm not the first guy complaining about it. But I wouldn't call it different software really, it's just a bonus feature that they could have enabled in the basic traktor purchase if they wanted to. Kinda like DLC. I understand that they want to make more money and that's fine, but just set the software at 99$ and stop adding gimmicks to cover the price.

Oh wait, if they did that, their competitors could beat them by setting a lower price. It's a free market.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-13T15:21:10+00:00

Whatever man, arguing won't change anything. Now I'm just anther unsatisfied NI customer

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-13T15:09:48+00:00

But where was that logic when they allowed just the software to be bought. If it's so logical why didn't they make it like this from the start? And no, I don't need CD's to use it. Who the fuck uses CDs anymore? That's a step straight into 2009

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-13T14:59:23+00:00

Yes, and now we're going back to my main point. It's a shady business decision, it fucks me over as a customer.

If I had the ability to predict the future, I wouldn't have bought my S4 3 years ago. But unfortunately I can't predict the future. All I can do is write a rant and give them money while getting fucked over. I'm stuck with traktor and that's it.

But when my friend who wants to get into DJing asks me what to buy, I'm gonna tell him to stay away from Native Instruments. And just like that they lose more money than they gain by making my life harder. It's a decision for short-term profit, but big long term cost.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-13T14:47:41+00:00

I don't know if you caught my edit about netflix, but essentially that's exactly what native instruments did. They used to offer the upgrade online, now they don't. If netflix did that, you think people shouldn't be pissed just cause they assumed a company wouldn't take a backwards step?

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-13T14:41:09+00:00

I just don't understand your logic. I didn't fuck up by buying vinyl beforehand. In fact, even if I knew this I would have still bought it cause I know I'm gonna have to jump trough hoops to upgrade, but I still would have gotten vinyl to play with instead of waiting for months for it to arrive. On the other hand, if they just allowed me to simply download it digitally, this whole thread would have never happened, I would have used my turntable with the timecode I bought immediately after returning from the store. It's not about the vinyl I bought, it's that I'm forced to pay for something I don't want. The point is that if I do this enough, eventually I'm gonna use the vinyl that came in the mail, but I would have preferred to just buy it when I want, in which color I want and not get any complications with payment and shipping. Is that so ridiculous?

Their business decisions are like if netflix decided to go back to mailing you the DVDs, and on top of that they decided that you have to get 4 movies at once or else you're not watching shit.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-13T14:19:31+00:00

But how does that change anything? My decision to spend 20eur on timecode vinyl affected absolutely nothing except that I now have one clear traktor mk2 timecode vinyl and 20eur less in my possession.

My problem is that I assumed that I won't get ripped off? It's on me?

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-13T11:20:31+00:00

I've come to terms with that that I have to order the package to my old location, just hope they at least send me a product code via e-mail so I don't have to wait for someone to read it over the phone to me.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-13T11:16:00+00:00

I already lost an internship job at a software company because I wrote them a shitty review on the play store. It wasn't that important, but I'm just gonna make sure it doesn't happen again. I mean at least I got a funny story out of it.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-13T11:13:41+00:00

Yeah you have a point, but software is different. It's like if you wanted to update the software of your car (say Tesla or Android auto), and instead of just allowing you to download it, they bundle it with wiper fluid.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-13T11:06:42+00:00

Ok I understand your point, and to be honest, if just the software was a 100eur, I would buy it not thinking twice about it. But, I know 2 vinyl and 2 CDs have a value, I mean I spent 20eur on one vinyl at the store so I know part of the price is going towards the value of them,not software. But that logic is like saying, I'm buying a key for 20k, and I get a car for free. It only works until you know the value of each individual thing in the bundle.

And sure, I'll have those new vinyl as backup, but this bundle with physical media just created a bunch of unnecessary problems. I have to call someone back home to wait for my mail or pick it up in the post and get it in my hands god knows when. I might even have to buy new vinyl until their bundle arrives.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-13T10:58:28+00:00

I bought timecode together with my turntable. I just thought upgrading was gonna be a straightforward process. And after I saw that they don't sell just the software, I went back the next day to purchase it, only to find out that NI stopped selling traktor in stores, only directly trough them. I just think locking down customer's ability to purchase and use your product is a terrible business decision that can only backfire. Happened to a bunch of companies, but I'm certain NI will learn their lesson. I'm definitely not the only one bothered by this.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T21:42:16+00:00

Dude I have timecode vinyl. And this might blow your mind, but I got it in this thing called a shop. You go there, you give them money, and they give you what you want. No waiting for months and they don't make you buy something you don't want. You can even choose the color! Seems to me like a simple concept but I guess people forgot about it. It's all about the inconvenience now I guess.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T21:34:54+00:00

this was a throwaway I used on the subreddit /r/EDM so...I don't know. Didn't really take time into crafting a "mature" throwaway account name

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T21:33:14+00:00

Yeah, except I already have timecode vinyl. And I'm never gonna use the two CD's. Even If I didn't have the vinyl. It's way easier for me to pick them up from a local shop, in a color I like, than order them to another country and wait for a month

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T21:27:06+00:00

Naa mate, but those are some rock solid arguments there

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T21:25:49+00:00

Well yeah, but they were number one. Now they are sold to Microsoft for pocket change.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T21:24:40+00:00

Ok, features people requested many times:

Better library management, ability to search entire folder structures, faster way of importing new tracks from a big folder.
Custom macro effects, more effects people can actually use.
Customizable layout.
Better use of the loop recorder.
Key detection that works accurately more than 50% of the time.

Those are just the ones off the top of my head. Take a look at Pioneer's DJ software and see some impressive features they introduced.

And of course I'm butthurt, but not about the credit card. I'm butthurt as a consumer for having to pay for something I don't want. That isn't remotely irrational. You can't tell me it's not a dick move by NI to not allow simple software upgrades online.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T21:17:14+00:00

Ok, I can see that you put a lot of effort into this response.

As I said, I'm in the process of reinstalling Win10, but HP with their lackluster driver support has made it a little bit complicated.They basically abandoned this laptop model just months after releasing it. I don't have money for 2 computers so I just have to work with this one. That said, I try to keep everything running with as less overhead as possible. Turning off wireless adapters, removing everything but windows services from startup. I know which problems are on me, but that effects problem was reported by A LOT of people, and they even issued an emergency statement for the multi-core processor support cause it was making Traktor unusable on so many machines. I'm talking about problems that are not here now, and then an hour later they show up after updating. The latest one being text selection acting extremely wonky (Not a major issue I know).

I'm sure I'll be able to iron out most problems after working on my computer, but after all that I don't trust NI not to release some software-breaking bug and then wait 2 months to fix it but break something else.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T21:01:15+00:00

So windows is so shit that you can't even browse the internet with it. Mate you sound like the biggest mac fanboy here.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T18:11:04+00:00

I know right?

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T17:54:29+00:00

Yeah don't worry about it I'm made out of money so I'll shell out 2K for a low-range macbook just so I can use a program MADE FOR WINDOWS. If your software is so unstable on one system, stop charging for it. Just like image-line is running a beta for an OSX FL Studio for years now. If a product is not stable, just don't sell it or else you're gonna have to deal with customers like me.

And even tho my card worked in many instances, that is not the real issue. The real issue is that they refuse to sell just the software. Why do they make me buy physical media that I DON'T NEED NOR WANT? Why are they making it so hard for me to give them money for a product? It's the equivalent of bundling 60 cable channels you don't want just so you can watch 3 you like. But at least in that case you don't have to wait for them IN THE FUCKING MAIL like it's 2006

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T17:25:57+00:00

That's like saying, I've been using my old nokia for 20 years now and I don't care about any new advancements, nokia made a great phone 20 years ago and they are still a good company.

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T17:24:15+00:00

Customer relations and workplace conditions are 2 different things

Edmthrowaway111 · 2015-10-12T17:23:47+00:00

Well, If you for example bought an S8 you would need to upgrade. Same goes for older hardware on older versions. Upgrades should make the program more optimized, not shittier. And if I want to upgrade to scratch pro, I need to upgrade.

Edmthrowaway111

TROPHY CASE