I went to "Vector" which handles enormous amount of software

Software library site dealing from downloading free software to selling shareware "VectorI went to the interview on the occasion.

How much can you sell software download sales, how is the system to maintain transfer volume, introduction of evaluation system,Comment on Vector's software gives up to 3000 yen "Vector Comment Rally" campaignWe asked various points such as the real intention of holding the point that I was worried about using.

Contents of the impact are as follows.
This is a building with Vector.


It is on the 5th floor.


There is a big logo on reception.


State of office.


Web of the year A shield of the award history is decorated.


A movie that looked around in the office.


About blog service maglog

GIGAZINE (hereinafter abbreviated as G):Maglog is a monthly billing blog, what kind of deployment do you plan to do in the future?

Kobayashi (hereinafter abbreviated as small):I would like to develop a place to use it on a market basis. Since blogs are difficult to move horizontally in the current situation, we want to make it a place where you can cross and sell digital content. I thought about an image that is close to the existing Vector, but I need to do a bit more research. For example, since I want to make it easy to use it when I want to sell doujinshi as digital contents, I make initial cost free so that I can sell it when I want to sell. Even if it does not sell, it is a heavy burden. In fact, not all products are sold even by download sales at Vector. Selling software can sell gangs. So, I'd like to use it with the ease with which I will register as a matter of fact.

G:What about adsense ads running monthly billing function?

small:In the future we plan to implement the function to delete advertisements. Since we prioritized the start of chargeable service this time, it will be in the shape to be maintained later.

G:Are you planning to operate in your own domain?

small:We would like to be able to operate in our own domain. Advertisement and unique domain service are the main things we are thinking at the moment, I will do at least these two. I also want to be able to give preferential treatment on capacity.

About evaluation system

G:Why did you introduce the evaluation system?

Takane (hereinafter, abbreviated as high):First of all, the former Vector was strongly aware that "users just downloaded" from the user, and there was no information exchange between software authors and users. Therefore, if we could reflect the opinion of the user actually using the software, we thought that it would be beneficial for both the software author and the user.

G:The design also changed.

High:Simultaneously with the introduction of the evaluation system, in order to break out of the recognition that it is just a place to download, the design has also been changed by making it easy for the user who came to download to move laterally within the vector site and making it easier to use .

G:Did you have a campaign where you can receive electronic money when you add a comment?

High:Although I attached a comment evaluation function, it was hard to comment. I wanted people to be comfortable to understand by actively adding comments by introducing gifts.

G:Did something change by adding a comment?

High:As it is still the raw voice of the user towards the software, the interest appears to be high, leading to an increase in the number of users.

small:There was a plan to prospect that nature and number of people will rise as comment makes it easier to use as much. I guess some of the effect has come out. I think that the campaign was successful as the aim of rocket start.

Hamanaka (hereinafter abbreviated as Bama):For the campaign, we had discussions inside the company, but it started from the top because there was a push called "Do it at once." It usually starts after the discussion has been boiled down, but it is a rare pattern as a Vector that the first idea will be realized.

G:So is that a lot of discussion has prolonged in starting maglog?

small:I say scrap and build is exaggerating, but first it was a discussion on where the biggest market exists. At first I was conscious of selling straight and started from the place where blogging is attached to shop function. But that is why it will not start up, so we began to emphasize the blog part. Since Vector originally dealt with shareware that can communicate with individuals and individuals, I thought that there was no hand to make use of it.

■ Vector's work place

G:How many employees do you have in total?

Hama:It is 61 people. 38 are full-time employees, 23 are part-time jobs and part-time workers. The contents written on the site are intact.

G:What is the attendance system?

High:It's flexible. The core time is from 10 o'clock to 15:30.

G:Where do you take lunch?

High:In my case, my wife is making boxed lunches. Other people have a lot of eating out.

small:Well there is no cafeteria in the company so we have lunch buy or there are no options to go out to eat (laugh). Fortunately there are a lot of tasty food stores somewhat expensive but we are squeezing the wallet but we are using it.

Giant corn seems to be extremely popular in Vector office Guriko


A microwave oven and a refrigerator are also equipped with a pot.


G:Do you have any other events that you can say that you will not lose to another company?

High:We have an employee trip once a year. At a luxury inn. This year was Arima Onsen.

small:Hobbies on the human beings are also largely included (laugh). I go to a nice place every time with nori that I want to go to a nice place about once.

G:Do you have any other changes?

High:Many people are nerds. If there is something troubled with PC relationship, I am saved because it can be solved immediately.

Hama:Members at the time of inception are people from the era of personal computer communication, and they also like very new knowledge and new ones. So what I want you to help me solve almost 100%. Always come out if there is something.

High:I will do my best for my job (laugh)

G:Do you have a legendary episode?

High:I do not want to say that much, but last year's virus scam was hard. When I was aware of it, I immediately stopped the download and was chased by checking the machines one by one.

Hama:It was a unprecedented situation that the virus was spread within the company and distributed it, so it was hard to deal with it. It was not the form that the virus definition file was found as a result of being updated, but this time we had a sweet part, so I reflect on it considerably.

■ History and present of Vector

small:Originally the company Vector was a company that was in Nerima, was a company that sold free software on CD-ROM. But as software to record increased, the number of CD-ROMs increased rapidly and it became 12 sheets. Since it was also the rise of the Internet just at the timing that it will not be sold as it continues to increase as it is, we tried to switch from the magazine in 1998. It was a tightrope that publisher would become an IT company, failing is not allowed, but I changed my direction considerably.

G:I see. Sure it is amazing.

small:At first, the software said that "it is okay to publish it for a fee", but since the Internet is almost always free, we have settled on the current business model as a result.

On the shelf are the legacy that was issued when it was once a publisher.


G:What are the main users?

High:Many technical men in their mid 30's have it. 80% is male.

G:I think that Vector is the main distribution of libraries, but how much is the transfer amount?

Hama:It is over 10 TB in a month.

small:The number of downloads per day exceeds 400,000, is not it?

G:What kind of usage is assumed for the site structure of Vector?

High:In the flow from the top page, we are assuming a usage method that first uses Soft Navi, and then reviews and ranking etc. are referred from there.

Hama:Introduction of software actually checks newly entered software and picks up interesting things and makes articles. I also write about writing author's reviews and reviews.

G:How long is the posting period?

Hama:After deciding the software, it's about the shortest in a week.

G:Are there trends depending on the person who writes?

Hama:There is a field of excellence by the writer who writes, so we are asking the writer according to the field. There are things that require quite a special environment to run the software, but various writers are participating, so we can cope with most software.

Desk completely different depending on the special environment.


G:It is the management of the server etc, but what kind of system is it?

High:It operates with about 40 servers.

Hama:Since the system is complicated and changes according to the situation, there are times when we can not fully grasp it.

small:The department in charge of the system frequently maintains it, and it is adjusting the stability etc. by switching servers and data centers.

G:Why did you divide the download into FTP and HTTP?

small:Since it was different in transfer speed between FTP and HTTP, it was introduced in the age of dial-up connection. Because there was also a resume function etc. in FTP. Now there is not much problem.

High:If you are from a company etc., since there is a place where FTP connection can not be done, it will be only HTTP from the middle of April.

■ Software trends

G:Paid software began to increase from a certain period, is it sold?

small:We started in 1998, but thanks to sales we are doing well. Download sales of not only shareware but also commercial software are growing year by year. Even if I bought software, I did not have manuals or CD-ROM, so I thought that there was a sense of denial around the beginning, but I got the convenience of getting it right away from home without going to the store Let's see. It is the time of New Year's cards that it is most noticeable, so you can buy it at the moment you think you have to write and print it out. Also, if New Year's card software is over-the-counter, it will peak at the beginning of December, but if it is download it will grow from there. The most common thing is December 31, even if it becomes January 3, it is selling (lol)

Also virus software etc can be sold. It seems that more people buy it when thinking it is dangerous. Demand is stable for soft software that you need to obtain immediately when you want it.

If you tend to look at the price range of downloaded software, average is 2000 yen if it is shareware, and it is sold for about 4000 yen on average if it is made by manufacturer.

G:Is there a shareware genre that you sell well?

small:I concentrate on software with a value name rather than a genre. Hideharu editor and Becky! And etc are strong.

G:Does sales of download sales grow year by year?

small:It has been growing since 2000, but recently it has calmed down and it is a slight increase. Although novice users are increasing, recently because various things can be done on the net without purchasing software. As before, PCs are no longer going to be in the state of "just boxes without software", are not they? I would like to keep aligning new products that can be accepted by such customers.

■ Future policies and developments

G:As for the future policy, what kind of expansion is planned?

High:I will make a site called "Mashupedia" that mashed up WEBAPI in charge of Hamanaka. It will be a forum that companies and users who provided the API can discuss. In the form of pre-opening on March 29, we announced by e-mail to the user who seems to make mashup, and plans to open to the public soon.

small:In terms of direction of Vector, basically, the software business is based on revenue base, but while maintaining the library, I am planning to do various business such as maglog like things and online games. Basically Vector's selling is a lot of people visiting the day, so I am considering offering a wide range of maglog-like blogs and online games.

G:Thank you for today.