"Pro Version"?? Personal License? Free? Not Free? Help!?

[jkoerner]

The CintaNotes home page is very confusing:

At top of the page, it describes CintaNotes as a "Free, lightweight and user-friendly note taking application".
Which makes it sound as if CintaNotes is FREE.

But then, a bit further down, we are urged to "Buy Personal License for $25".
(That line, however, is struck-through, and followed by "Christmas Discount - buy now for $18.75.")

So, if one needs to to buy it (whether at $25 or $18.75), then in what way, precisely, is it "Free"??
I thought that being "bought" was more or less the opposite of being "free"...

So... Is it free?
Or is it not free?
Is there really a Free Version?
And, what is a "Personal License"?

Is there a separate "Personal Version," which differs in some way from the "Free Version," and which requires one to purchase a Personal License in order to run it?

Or does buying the Personal License merely give one a license to run the Free Version? (Which you could show, as proof of something, in case you get stopped for speeding or failing to signal your turn?)

How is that different from running the Free Version without a License?

Then, it gets even worse:
Below the bit about "Personal License" and "$18.75", there is a separate BOX, in which it says that
something or other (it's not at all clear exactly what) can be found "Only in Pro Version 2.0."

"Pro Version 2.0"?
What is the "Pro version"?
And what is only in it?
Is it Free? Or Not Free?
Does one need a License to run it? A Personal License, at $18.75? Or a Free License?

Where can one obtain a Free License? And how much does it cost?

How many different versions are there? Three? Free, Personal & Pro?
But there is only ONE download link, not three.
Is there a comparison chart somewhere showing differences between them?

I am becoming more and more confused by the minute.
I hope someone can clear all of this up!

[Thomas Lohrum]

The CintaNotes home page is very confusing:

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. I understand your concerns. As far as i know a redesign of the homepage is on the way.

As for the licenses Cintanotes is currently available in three editions:
a) free license, no need for a license key
b) personal, 25$, adds some commercial features such as TABS, Links to notes, etc. not included in the free version
c) business, 35$ plus taxes, same as personal, but for use in companies

The download link is the same for all three editions. Merely the portable version has a different download link.

The Christmas offer should be removed from the homepage.

Please note, that there can not be given any warranty on the information presented, since i am a regular user just as yourself.

Thomas

[CintaNotes Developer]

Jon,
you're absolutely right - the licesing scheme now is a mess.
Here is a small map which should make a bit of sense out of it:

LICENSES:
Free license - only basic functionality, comes pre-installed
Personal license ($25) - This is a PRO license for individuals - unlocks all commercial features
Company license ($34.99 + volume discounts) - This is a PRO license for companies - also unlocks all commercial features.

How it will be in near future:
Free version - only basic functionality
PRO version ($24.95 + volume discounts) - both for individuals and companies - unlocks all commercial features.

At top of the page, it describes CintaNotes as a "Free, lightweight and user-friendly note taking application".
Which makes it sound as if CintaNotes is FREE.
But then, a bit further down, we are urged to "Buy Personal License for $25".

CintaNotes is a freemium software: there exists a free version of CintaNotes, you can actually use CN to your advantage without paying a dime.

Examples in the industry:
Evernote: "Get Evernote, its free" - they also call themselves "free", but for a premium account they take $45/year.
Simplenote: free basic functionality, premium account costs $19/year
Skype: basic functionality free, premium features for money.