Customer Expectations

By David Zaleski (31 January 2007)

Here is my issue with any product whether it is freeware or payware. I like to think of it as The Truth in Advertisement. Microsoft and FSX which I purchased the deluxe version. I have a high end computer and I can't run the product unless I turn everything off. My point is this. Microsoft included a minimum specification on the product box and I exceed it. I'm from the old school, if you're honest about your product that is to say, up front about its specifications and limitations so we the buyer might make a rational decision as to whether we wish to upgrade our PC's to run it, then it is our choice to do so or not. I hold the payware and freeware developer to the same standard. If either market wishes to promote their product far in advance, this does not become an issue as far as I'm concerned unless it doesn't live up to its hype after laying out good $$$$.

I'm one of those people who look for good freeware products before I'm forced "and I mean this in the kindest way" to purchase a payware product. This preference is based on economics and not necessarily quality. I have purchased payware products that should have been freeware and visa versa. Let's face it, because you purchased it doesn't necessarily make it good. Debating over free market enterprise pros and the developers who do it for the love of the hobby should be nipped in the bud. I support both markets. As long as you have a product for sale and someone is willing to purchase that product, so be it. But what ever market in the flight simulator world you support be honest about your product. Spell it out on your web sites or packaging so it can be reviewed in truth before someone spends the buck. If I had my way, freeware developers should be held responsible for what they upload to FlightSim.Com or any of the major flightsim sites. I have gotten some real nasty stuff in some of the downloads over the years.

There has been much debate over the years concerning the payware vs freeware product market and I'm sure we haven't heard the end of it. I believe, should the freeware market developer produce a product worthy to compete with payware but chooses to remaining a freeware product then they have my blessing and I have some incredible freeware products I have downloaded. Should they decide somewhere along the way to change markets, they still have my blessing. But the bottom line is the buyer. And we make the decisions that propagate the market. I have written several articles that drove this point concerning virtual airline programs. I don't care how wonderful a web site you created and it has all the bells and whistles of its real world counterpart but have no pilots to fly your binary airplanes, then you have nothing. I would like to see developers whether they be freeware or payware to remember the end user. Include in writing the limitations of their product, not after we have purchased or downloaded it. In general the industry has done a pretty good job.

David Zaleski
Dezaleski@aol.com

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