I bought my original Windows copy off the website, because that’s all you could do back then. Now I am trying out a Mac Mini M1.
I noticed that Scrivener is on the App Store, and available for download here. Assuming they’re the same exact version, what difference does it make how you buy it?
I know, on Windows, we’ve had issues over the years with the external licensing server not always realising that you do actually own that software you’ve used for years. Does the AppStore version check that same licensing server, or does the website version?
Do L&L get more of the money if we buy off the website rather than AppStore?
Anything else that might help make a decision?
Thanks for helping a Mac newbie. :mrgreen:
I always buy from the developers rather than the App store wherever possible. Although L&L have to pay Paddle, I think it’s less than the 30% Apple charges on the App Store. Also, if you buy direct, upgrades—if and when they are available—come through more quickly from the website, as they don’t have to wait in the queue for validation by Apple.
That said, e upside of purchasing from the App Store is that licensing is handled by Apple. However, I’ve never had any problem with Scrivener licences—last upgrade licence for me was in 2017 with the launch of v. 3 for Mac!—and I can’t remember any on the forum since the move to Paddle like the problems some have had with the Windows version
As a further note of difference, I believe the sandboxing restrictions are less stringent on the direct download version. But perhaps someone else can confirm that.
Enjoy your M1 Mini, These new Apple Silicon machines are great, in my three-weeks limited experience!
Mark
I’ve never used the App Store version.
L&L gives a brief explanation here:
scrivener.tenderapp.com/help/kb … pp-store-2
And more in the list here:
scrivener.tenderapp.com/help/kb … stallation
Thank you both. Great answers, very useful info.
Getting my head around how the Mac works (after thirty years on Windows) is challenging, but the little box performs very well. The detail about the possible drawbacks and restrictions, as well as benefits, of the Mac App Store were enlightening. I had no idea any of that happened.
I’m missing Dragon Pro a little, but not enough to rebuy as the Mac version (heard rumours they’re discontinuing a lot of it anyway. )
I can always dictate on the PC when I need to. Mac dictation is decent, but does make more mistakes than Dragon.
It may be time I bit the bullet and learned QWERTY touch typing, since I’m on my last wired Dvorak keyboard and only one company seems to still make them. That would free up a USB slot with a combined wireless, or even bluetooth set.
Back to learning MacOS and writing. :mrgreen:
I had my own PC since the TRS -80 in 1979. I went through many OS’s and machines and was on a MS OS since 1986. I finally switched to Mac in 2009 because I couldn’t stand the thought of buying a new machine with Windows Vista. Also since Apple was then using an Intel chip-set I knew that if I wanted to run a Windows program I could on a VM.
There are plenty of sites to help make the transition from PC to Mac. I also found that practically for any program on a PC there was an equivalent or better Mac version. And if there wasn’t then I could run the PC software I needed on a VM. And, to my pleasant surprise, I found a whole world of fantastic Mac software that had no equivalents in the PC world. I was and am still happy with my move and can not imagine ever having to go back to a PC. If I want to remind myself of how awful MS Windows is I just rev up my VM and use Win 10. Funny thing is that Windows runs better in the VM than on a PC box. (I don’t know if that is still true with the M1 chip.) I still have Win XP running on my VM on an external HD. I have 2-3 clones of it and have never had to reinstall it. When I was on a PC box it seemed that I was reinstalling the OS every 3-6 months. And of course now I don’t worry about malware, whereas on a PC I was spending inordinate amount of time scanning my computer for threats. And of course there is Time Machine for backing up your data, you can never have too many backups. Time Machine alone is a good enough reason to switch to a Mac.
I often see people on the forums complaining about the lack of Scrivener v3 for Windows. I bite my tongue and refrain from telling them - “just a get a Mac and your problem is solved.” There, I said it. For all the pain that some of the Windows users give everyone on the forums I am wondering why L&L even bother with making a Window’s version, better to just stick to the macOS. I recall some years ago when I asked a software company if they were going to make a Mac version of their software they politely told me to take a hike.
It must be out of the goodness of their heart that L&L are developing the Window’s version. I hope they at least get a big payoff for all the trouble they have taken.
I also avoid buying from the App store, I like to give all the money to the developer so they have decent income and can make a better product.
As a developer myself, I do the same thing. I bought my mac versions of Scrivener and Scapple through the website rather than the app store for this reason (I did the same for both Windows versions - I don’t even think they are in the windows store?). Software development is a huge amount of work and I would much rather that hard work be rewarded with more money rather than feeding the behemoth that is Apple.
It was an effort(s) by a Scrivener for Mac user, Lee Powell, to get things started.
If you’re interested, the genesis of the Windows version is written about––its reveal––in the L&L blog here:
literatureandlatte.com/blog … ategory=57
Thank you for the history lesson. Windows users should consider themselves lucky someone is interested in developing something for them and some should stop whingeing already.
Oh, don’t worry, we who are not the ordained of the Church of Apple bow and scrape at the altar of St. Jobs every day and do penance for our sins, aware of how unworthy we are and how fortunate and blessed we are that the Turtlenecked One’s priests deign to notice us groveling worms.
Refreshing to see you know your place in the world and have at long last admitted.
Mac and Win (under sufferance) user.
That was directed at the Windows whingers, the ones I have seen you tangle with on more than one occasion.
Not at the general world of Windows users.
An off-topic comment here (apologies), just had to leave a comment stating I am also a new Mac user after 20 years on Windows! Macbook pro m1. Sooooo different from Windows. Scrivener is working great on it - no issues so far. I miss the number keypad, but that’s a detail. LOVING the portability of it and being able to bring my laptop anywhere (assuming I could go anywhere with the lockdown and all…)
Happy learning Teriodin!
You don’t have to leave Dvorak. In System preferences>Key board> Input Sources
you can select various flavors of Dvorak.
Another thing about the Mac is that they are solid machines and last a long time. My first MBP that I got in 2009 is still running with macOS 10.11.6 (the highest it can support). Just got it cleaned and a new fan put in. Will keep it until it either dies or is unable to run the Web APPs that my wife uses it for
My 2011 MBP died in 2018. And my current 2018 MBP is purring like a kitty with zero issues.
So at least in my case I feel I got my monies worth. Whereas my Windows machines seldom lasted more than 3-4 years.
My last PC was an IBM ThinkPad (2005) loaded to the max. It cost the same the 2009 MBP, but definitely didn’t last as long. So total cost of ownership has to be considered as well.
Thanks, I suppose I could use that and swap all the keycaps around on a regular keyboard, which is what I had to do 30 years or so ago when I learnt Dvorak.
The actual hardware keyboards are getting like rocking horse poop now, even though it’s an ANSI standard of some kind.
It’s a shame, because the key-top swapping doesn’t work on many keyboards owing to the profiling on the different rows. I even had a Logitech one where the F and J keys had a different switch fitting under them once.
How about something like this?
kbcovers.com/dvorak-keyboard-cover/
Or, just a set of keyboard stickers? I realise you may have excellent reasons for avoiding thses solutions, but if so, I’m curious as to what they might be. (I knew a writer who wrote in Cyrillic on a Mac with the use of a keyboard cover, so at least some writers find them an acceptable compromise. )
Appstore customer service is automated and heavily relies on algorithms.
L & L provides individual service.
If the algorithm shut you down on the App Store, good luck sending emails. Sure you can go into your local Apple Store, but that assumes you have access to one. That may not be the case if you don’t live in North America/UK/EU. In the Middle East, the only “real” Apple Store is in Dubai. I guess Iranian purchasers pay in cash and give fake names so they won’t have to worry about sanctions. There is no official Apple Store in Israel, either; I guess the Israelis will have to queue with the Iranians in Dubai.
There are lots of reasons why you can get shut down on the App Store.
It would seem that a combination of using these covers plus selecting Dvorak in keyboard preferences would solve his problem.
I wouldn’t notice the different keys. For some reason I tend to wear the letters off the keys. I have a relatively new “Magic” (not) keyboard on this iMac and already the letter A is unreadable unless you know what it is. R and B are fading fast with F, T, B, N and M in hot pursuit. In two years there will be few keys I can read. The keyboard that came with my 2014 iMac and the keyboard on y mid 2015 fifteen inch MBP are great to type on. Unfortunately the 2014 iMac keyboard seems to need batteries at just the wrong times, so it’s sitting in a drawer.
The key wear is most irritating on my 15" mid 2015 MBP because I can’t replace that keyboard easily. I serendipitously got a new keyboard when I had them replace the battery in it a couple of years ago, but the letter A on that one is now a bright spot where the letter used to be where the back slight shines through with other keys deteriorating rapidly from heavy use. The keys on it look worse than those on this keyboard but they function perfectly.
Fitch