Freeware forever!

[uriahms]

Considering the global economic crisis we certainly can't afford to to buy new computers everytime a new version of MSFS is released AND tough luck for those who intend to make a few bucks on add-ons. Don't think I don't realize what's going on these days. Everything nowadays for MSFS is PAYWARE! I mean I appreciate the excellent quality of work being done and if it involves a whole day's work and you got laid off your job and this feeds the wife and kids then fine. But what I don't agree with is the closing of the FREEWARE market for FS. I mean up to today we can't get a decent panel for a 747 if it's not payware. We spend 50 bucks to buy FS. Spend another 40 bucks for accel. Fork out more bucks to upgrade or buy whole new machines and then to fly a decent 747 with a nice working panel we're asked to fork out more money. Call me cheap, but with the way things are going financially these days we just don't have the money for that. So I'm sorry to all the PAYWARE factories out there you may just have to shut down.

[rservice]

Unfortunately,not everything in life is free.You do not HAVE to buy payware.Since FSX and Vista have been introduced,developers have required a lot more time to produce authentic payware models.I believe PMDG worked four years on the MD11,and Level D have yet to produce the 757.Add to that, an authentic model may require research, programming expertise,the cooperation of the aircraft manufacturers,and probably a team of people to come up with an acceptable product.
Most of the people who buy payware are hardcore simmers who demand higher levels of sophistication in the end product,and it is a limited market with a limited sales window.
So,personally I will buy payware if it has good reviews,has good support,is within my price range and is something that I will get my entertainment value for.
Ron

[Tim_A]

I paid many hundreds of pounds for a good hifi system, and yet I have to pay more for CDs to play on it? OUTRAGEOUS!

I really don't get this attitude that everything "has" to be free. Why is the FS addon developer less entitled to be paid for his work than anyone else? For sure, when times are hard, people buy less stuff, but them's the breaks. I don't know what it is you do for a living, but calling for payware developers to be shut down is as bad as me saying you should be put out of a job. Just because their work is supporting a hobby, doesn't make them any less entitled to their income.

And the freeware libraries are still full of good quality stuff for FSX.

[ubersu]

The 'FREEWARE market' has always been there and always will be; calling it a market is a misnomer - it's people putting things together for their own satisfaction and releasing them for the use of others. With FSX, the level of complication has increased dramatically and for some it's no longer fun. Likewise, with the rise of the 'I'm entitled!' generation of users the fun coefficient has decreased dramatically. If you want freeware I suggest you learn to produce it.

DJ

[meshman2]

To the original poster I ask a question, when was the last time you sent an email to a freeware developer thanking them for their work?

There is payware mesh for Hawaii, I released freeware. Over 5,000 downloads and I recall one email, from someone I knew.

It's not important to me that I garner any recognition, in fact I actively discourage it. But if you value your freeware, an occasional email to a developer might keep it coming.

[napamule2]

Mesh,
And how many of those 5,000 downloads actually got installed, and used? Some people download anything and everything (especially if it's FREE-hint,hint). I won't say that only 1 person (1 email) actually used it, more than once, as I can't tell. Had you charged $1 for each, then you would have something to 'show' for your efforts. (After the 'middle man's' cut you may get $0.33? $0.22?).

So that '..had 5,000 downloads' bragging line don't really mean much, after all, does it. And would you have time to answer 5,000 emails? 1,000 emails? So SELL it and THAT would be your 'reward'. But, then you would have to provide 'Support', and you don't want to go there, now do you?

I don't have ANY payware for ANY simulator versions. Other than FRAPS and WINZIP, and both can be used 'Free', due to generousity of the vendors. I don't 'share' my FDE's anymore. If you want to get V-22 nose out of the dirt, or make the Harrier hover, or run the F1 Ferrari at 200 Kts then you will have to learn do it yourself (like I did) because as soon as I up load the 'fix', some jerk will 'improve' it and then claim it as his own work. No bueno. Sell the FDE's. Can't. Not mine to sell. But, I could charge for my TIME spent (doing trial and error). But, that same jerk would 'improve' it and sell it (his time?) so what's the use. Is the 'Mesh' you made yours to sell? Or just the time spent putting it together. And do you realize that they (the ingrates, jerks, rivet counters, trouble makers, whiners, etc) might not even know how to fly ANY aircraft in sim. It's ugly and it's sad.
Chuck B
Napamule

[ScatterbrainKid]

Call me weird but if I ever decided to create aircraft for FSX I'd do it for the enjoyment, not to make a few bucks out of, and I'd make my creations freely available to all my FSX brothers..
In fact I already enjoy writing free tactical articles for PC strategy game websites, and was approached by a publisher last year with a view to putting them all in a book, but I replied "thanks but no thanks, I'm not interested in making money out of what I do".
Like I said, I'm weird..

[n4gix]

Call me weird but if I ever decided to create aircraft for FSX I'd do it for the enjoyment, not to make a few bucks out of, and I'd make my creations freely available to all my FSX brothers..

I started out doing freeware, but with the loss of my job (company downsizing), the lousy economy, ~12% unemployment here in NW Indiana, not to mention my declining health...

...my "payware work" is my ONLY source of income. Even so, my total earnings each year for the past six years has been consistently been just below the official "Poverty Level" here in the United States.

I most certainly would not "call [you] weird," I'd call you gainfully employed! Lucky you!

For those who actually buy the products I've worked on I give a heartfelt thanks.

For those who pirate my work as well as those who d/l the pirated work, may your rewards be equal to your contributions...

For those who neither buy products, nor use pirated copies, my thanks as well, and best wishes for you and your families...

[RyanbATC]

Your guys' Cirrus rocks

Anyway, yeah I notice a decline in fresh, original freeware for FSX but with longer development times (I think) a lot of devs deserve some sort of reward (may it be monitary etc etc)

[ScatterbrainKid]

...my "payware work" is my ONLY source of income..

I retired last year and am now on state pension and rolling in cash, so I get the distinct impression the Brit welfare/pension system is a lot different to the USA's.
Or maybe the fact that i've never been married has something to do with why i'm never short of a few pennies..