I purchased this year's MacHeist bundle after last year watching from afar wondering why there was no such opportunity for Windows apps. Now, as a Mac user, I am very happy with the value and quality of apps I purchased through MacHeist. As a relatively new user who had heard of many of the apps and tried out several, it was almost a no brainer.

I have to admit, one of the aps in the bundle I had been using but had not yet paid for-- I'm not proud of it, but now I have that app on the up-and-up and I think for many people this is a system by which they can legitimately own software that they wouldn't normally purchase. I also think you'll be surprised at how many will go ahead and purchase the upgrade whenever the time comes. You get used to using an app and it becomes part of your workflow, then you're going to want to pony up and get a new version with more features.

That being said, the Malcor fiasco gave MacHeist a black eye. I think there has been some confusion in the comments- no one is pointing a accusatory finger at the puzzles and games during the heist, but instead lifting an altogether different finger in response to the fake hacking and news that came out before from sites like Macapper. That caused problems with hosting companies and their customers and that kind of marketing, effective as it may have been, was not cool.

You have a great deal, you're helping charities, and you're helping developers-- yell it from the proverbial rooftop, but don't stoop to the level of something akin to mooning a car full of kids.