6 replies to this topic

[iamlost]

If you like site analytics but (1) don't like to share, especially with big bad G, and (2) you don't have the skills to roll your own, and (3) you don't mind beta angst (minimal documentation or help available) then take Urchin for a free 90-day (3-month) test drive.

Urchin Software Beta Now Public

Urchin is suitable for organizations that have content behind a security firewall or have other restrictions that prevent them from using the Google Analytics service. Urchin is also useful for those who want to perform ad-hoc historical log processing, who want to store their web analytics on local servers, and those requiring third-party data audits.

After that it'll cost you $2995.00 to keep your data out of G's data banks.

Further reading:
* Urchin Frequently Asked Questions

* PC World Business Center (16 October 2007), Google: Urchin Analytics Software Lives

* FrankElley hit the G-Analytics nail on the head back in Nov05: Post #5. Now basically owning the low-end analytics market G appears ready to make an attempt at the mid-level analytics market.

[bobbb]

especially with big bad G

It seems funny to hear/see this now. Seven or eight years ago G was like a rock-star with hero worship and all and everyone loved to hate MS.

In the mid 80s Bill Gates and MS were like a rock-star with hero worship and IBM was the bid bad.

This means we need a new rock-star. Anyone?

[eKstreme]

This means we need a new rock-star. Anyone?

Please feel free to worship me. Oh, and I can play the rock-star role too.

Come on, it's like this: :notworthy:

Pierre :angel:

[iamlost]

It seems funny to hear/see this now. Seven or eight years ago G was like a rock-star with hero worship and all and everyone loved to hate MS.

Generally, yes - but iamlost in part because I march to my own syncopated drummer.

I find that most people equate liking a behaviour, service, or product with liking the originator (and vice versa). Then, as with Google, when the dichotomy becomes apparent these people feel abused and betrayed. People are strange creatures. :tinfoil:

Please feel free to worship me.

Sorry, Pierre, but I save my worship for certain select humans of the female gender. Indeed worship of you would be Far too eKstreme. :angel:
Would mere admiration do? :pieinface:

[Autocrat]

LMAO @ you two... far to funny

That is a hell of a price for analytics...
Will it be worth the money?
Will G really leave the data alone?
How long did it take some of the G spinners to come up with excuses for potential clients?


May have to have a play with it though, jsut to see what I can get out of it (As well as how long it takes for me to break it).


As for the "hating G" side of things... some people are merely sheep, and will follow the flock no matter what... then again, sometimes people just don't like something because it's bad


And yes, a new "rock star" is indeed needed, as the market place, though active, is not exactly as lively as it was, and we all know what tends to happen when companies get big, and fat and used to getting away with things...
(then again, I'm wondering what G's next stunt will be to get in our good books?)

[Adrian]

Autocrat, you should have a look at the price tags on some of the other mid to high end analytics packages out there Compared to some, $3000 isn't a great deal.

Urchin Software from Google is able to track much more data, offers advanced cross-segmentation, and has numerous interface enhancements.

Some of the details on the 'upgrades' in Urchin seem a little vague, and seem more about how it runs, rather than the stats it produces. It's clearly aimed at either fairly large single sites, or companies/agencies tracking many sites. It's not designed for your part time blog, or the brochure site you've just built for a small local company.

Interesting to see what happens to Google analytics after this. They can't really provide upgrades to the free service, without upgrades to the paid service, so will we see improvements to the free service from now on?

[Autocrat]

Could be a prime opportunity for them to penetrate the lower end of the market too.

If they get substantial success with the mid-range, it may be worth their while saying...
"... hey, you can use the free stuff, or you can get better performance and free upgrades if you go for Little Urchin, our small business stats software ..."

They could run it much the same as the free one... but the free one doesn't get immediate upgrades/improvements/extra-features.
Infact, I would handle the big product first... three months later make similar improvements to the lesser one, then three to six months after that (six to nine in total) make a few of those changes to the free one.