The author built an education tool and faced an ethical dilemma about paywalling it. They decided to provide a “frugly pricing” model, making the UI ugly for non-paying users. They discuss the challenges of fair pricing in the education sector, avoiding ads and VC funding. The author highlights the use of cosmetic crippleware to incentivize consumers to pay for a license. They also mention the use of skins in video games as a fair pricing strategy. The article emphasizes the balance between ethics and profits, encouraging design thinking to create a better world.
https://taylor.town/frugly