As the creators of the first real-time online audio processing platform we are always striving for the best possible user experience. The team behind mix:analog is small (and we'll introduce them soon). Not everything can be done at exactly the same time. One of the missing features was partial billing of mix:analog tokens.
How the MAT billing system works
The mix:analog tokens (MATs) are a virtual currency used in mix:analog to lock down time with high-end audio tools. You can get a vintage Telefunken Tape Machine, a great sounding Fairchild 670 clone or even a custom designed VCA compressor. Your MATs get exchanged for locking out everyone else from using that gear.
Locking down is done for a period of 15 minutes just for you. From - say, six o'clock to quarter past six. The problem is that most people want to use the system exactly when they arrive into the application. That may be not at exactly six o'clock but more like ten past six. We don't want to force mix:analog users to use the system always on the clock.
Since the grid of fifteen minute intervals is fixed on the start of the hour there was no way to reserve an irregular session between a custom start time and end time. We tried that in the past and it was a jumble. You gave us a clear answer that 15 minute intervals on a fixed grid were fine to organize time.
So if the end time is fixed on quarter past six and it is already 10 past six, charging you a full fifteen minutes of use is not really a good way to start. Users were not really getting a fair trade for their tokens.
The fix: Partial Billing
We have now changed it over the past few days to a new system. You will only be charged MATs proportional to the number of minutes booked. In the case where it was ten past six and you ordered the slot between six and quarter past six, that is five minutes. Five minutes out of 15 minutes is one third. If the gear you wanted to lock down is worth 120MAT for 15 minutes, you would only pay 40MAT. The new system saves you money!
We are really hoping that you will like this small change :)
