If anything, it's the opposite of a dark pattern: you get to see if it'll provide any value for you without paying a dime. It's a far better proposition than paying up only to find out that it won't free up any space for you. The linked site is very clear about how the pricing works.

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Bjartr a day ago | parent | next [-]

> The linked site is very clear about how the pricing works.

Yes, it is.

It is also, very obviously, placed in such a way to reduce the bounce rate off the landing page and increase conversions.

When was the last time you were on a site that had meaningful content below its "releases" section?

Why is the answer to the "How do I pay?" FAQ question bend over backwards to first say >Hyperspace is a free download in the Mac App Store. Once downloaded, it’s free to scan an unlimited number of files. Scanning will let you know how much space is eligible to be reclaimed.

Why doesn't the app store description say which capabilities are free and which are paid?

One or two of these are innocuous, but there are are a dozen small choices like this that have been made here, all aligned to increase the likelihood of one thing: Put the user in the position where they've already installed the app, sunk some time into it, and are anticipating the benefit before making it clear that they have to pay money.

That the page technically contains the words "you will need to pay for Hyperspace" does not mean this isn't a dark pattern.

	▲	a day ago \| parent [-]
		[deleted]

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Balinares a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

What makes it a (crystal clear IMO) dark pattern is that the purportedly "free" feature set gives the user no value whatsoever. It only exists to induce sales. Inducing a high-bar commit (the purchase) by first securing a low-bar commit (install + scan) is an old trick. Don't fall for it.

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Analemma_ a day ago | parent [-]

I think this is an outrageous abuse of the term “dark pattern” from people who want to be angry more than they want to think. The website mentions repeatedly what the pricing model is, and the operation is “we show you exactly how much value you would get from paying, and then you can decide whether it’s worth it to you.” That’s as honest and plain as business can get: Plenty of people don’t have many/any files which would benefit from APFS COW snapshots and for them paying before the scan would be a ripoff.

	▲	goodmythical a day ago \| parent [-]
		We used to call products like this trials or trialware. There was always clear verbiage on the site attesting to the fact that the product was not free but that you could download it for a trial to see if you liked it before paying for it. But I suppose this doesn't even really offer a trial as it doesn't do anything at all until you pay. Here, the first mention of any kind of cost to this software is ~1/8th of the way down the page when you're met with Q: How do I pay for Hyperspace? which litteraly states that it's a free download that doesn't do anything unless you pay them, meaning that it is not free in any sense of the term.

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sssilver a day ago | parent | prev [-]

This would only be true if it didn't take your time before asking you to pay to not waste the time that it took.

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runjake a day ago | parent | next [-]

It says it’s a paid app right on the linked page.

	▲	goodmythical a day ago \| parent \| next [-]
		It doesn't mention being a paid app until after it says it a free download roughly 10k characters down the screen.
	▲	csomar a day ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		There is a giga ton of content in the homepage. Are you really going to read it all? The main window doesn’t suggest it’s a paid app.

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alsetmusic a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

The app store identifies apps with paid features. You shouldn't be entirely surprised.

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Analemma_ a day ago | parent | prev [-]

You are complaining that it can’t instantaneously perform a complete scan of your disk, and then attributing malicious intent to this lack of magic instant scanning technology.

What are we even doing here. The knee-jerk conspiratorial foolishness on this site is completely off the deep end.

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sssilver a day ago | parent [-]

No, I'm complaining that it doesn't ask me to pay before it takes my time to perform a complete scan of my disk (ideally before it even gives me a download of the app).

We both know it does so intentionally, and we also know exactly what the intent is.

	▲	drdeca a day ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Wouldn’t the ideal be that it informs you up front that it requires payment to get the benefit, but allows you to scan to estimate the benefit before deciding whether to pay (but after acknowledging that getting the benefit requires payment)?
	▲	boxed a day ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		No we don't know this. And in fact you can listen to the Accidental Tech Podcast at length to hear him thinking through the current design at length.