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June 09, 2006
Free software motivates through punishment
I needed to record some audio yesterday, so I downloaded a trial version of Audio Hijack. I knew the trial version would have limitations -- crippled features, no ability to save work, only a handful of launches. I'm posting about Hijack because it did something I'd never seen before . . .
After 10 minutes of using the trial version, I was assaulted with annoying static blasting from my speakers. I found you can't stop the noise until you quit the program. This is digital punishment designed to persuade.
Even though Hijack warned me of the impending audio punishment when I installed the app, I was still puzzled when my Mac freaked out. I was working with a colleague, and she was also baffled. We restarted HiJack, finished our work (in less than 10 minutes!), and called it good. If we had a longer project, I would have pulled out my credit card immediately and paid up (I probably will down the road, because I liked the app.)
Software punishment -- what has also been called "nagware" -- is definitely part of captology. I wish someone would list all the strategies software authors use to get people to pay up. If such a list exists, I'd love to know about it. These strategies would be both informative and entertaining.
-- BJ Fogg
Posted by BJ Fogg at June 9, 2006 01:58 PM