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Guest Scott Campbell

So When Did We All Decide to Kill Freeware?

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Well it seems like the trend is clear enough: freeware is dying. Two years ago, you'd be hard-pressed to find a payware flightsim addon, but now it seems to be going the other way. More and more developers are switching, usually with less-than-wonderful results. So my question is, how much longer? When will the day come that planes are sold one-per-CD at the local EB? We should see something close buy the time FS2004 comes around. After all, look how much things have change since FS2000 was released.You know, it's really sad that our society places money on such a high pedestal. Flightsim is a hobby, not a profession. I say keep it that way.Adam Stanger

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I've yet to see a freeware aircraft even approach payware addons like 767PIC, the PSS Airbus, or anything put out by Dreamfleet. Who has the time and energy to make something like those without getting anything in return?? I'll gladly pay $30 to get a near expact recreation of a real airliner - why should we expect people to give that to us free???


Ryan Maziarz
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Guest

hello,there was lots of payware for FS98 also: Ralph Tofflemeier's panels, Aeti's Proflight98, Abacus' aircraft, Safari's sceneries, Wilco's Airport2000, Aerosoft's German Airports, Lago's Mad Dog, Flight1's Flight Director, Just Flight's Concorde, Apollo's Advanced Glass Cockpit... payware is nothing new at all. And it didn't kill freeware so far.yours

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Falcon 50, Falcon 50, Falcon 50. FREE! FREE! FREE!Ken

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Guest frankcubillos

ProjectAI had several generous offers to make it payware. They kept it Freeware!Frank Cubilloswww.FSGateway.comHome of FSVC and ProjectAI

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I have tons of great freeware planes in my hangar.Just a few of them:PA23Piper WarriorFalcon 50Lear 35Twin BonanzaBell UH-1HBell 47Tons of A320, A330, A340, B767, B747, B737...Even a couple of Tu-154B-2 and IlyushinATR42Beech1900DJetstream41MirageP180 Avantirj85TrikeExtra 400and many more.I'd say Freeware is alive and well :)


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I know that Lennart was disgusted when a set of payware textures was released, and as a lover of Lennarts work I tended to have sympathy, because I wouldn't have the pleasure of alternative textures without his work.However, perhaps not all artists are well able to be benevolent - you have skills, you need to make a living, money isn't always easily made, at least honestly, and some parts of the world offer less opportunities and little in the way of social security.I am not saying that all shareware/payware authors do need to make money at this work - just that possibly some might, and for very good reasons be glad to receive payment. That takes away nothing of my indebtedness and gratitude to every freeware artist who's work is on my harddrive, available from the file libraries at this site or at others. Hope I havn't spoken out of turn, if so, my apoloigies.PH

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... and I also do not believe that freeware products are by definition of less quality or depth than payware ones. There are plenty of examples of outstanding software packages that are still provided free and are just as good or even better than many payware titles. How about the Yannick/Banting aircraft? The FS2000 (and 2002) Beavers. The Falcon 50 ! The POSKY aircraft!? Scott Campbell's ACLoader? The Bell 47G helicopter? The beautiful trees you can download? Chris Willis' clouds and other add-ons? Don Moser's and Naji's bush sceneries !!? The list is endless.Sure, a lot of succesful developers 'go commercial', often lured by some of the few add-on publishers in this industry, but there will always be plenty of freeware authtors too. People that do (at least part of) what they do because they like doing it, and who will not be bothered with commercial deadlines and other limitations.I wouldn't worry too much.... ;-) :-outta Francois :-wave[table border=0 cellpadding=10 cellspacing=0][tr][td valign=bottom" align="center]"At home in the wild"[/td][td valign=bottom" align="center][link:avsim.com/alaska/alaska_051.htm|Don's Alaskan Bush Charters]"Beavers Lead the Way"[/td][td valign=bottom" align="center][link:www.avsim.com/vfr_center/mainpages/vfr_flights_main_page.htm]VFR Flight Center]"Looking Good Outside"[/td][/tr][tr][td valign=top" align="center]http://avsim.com/hangar/air/bfu/logo70.gif[/td][td valign="top" align="left" colspan=2]http://www.fssupport.com/images/moose2.gif[/td][tr][/table]________________________Francois A. "Navman" DumasAssociate Editor &Forums AdministratorAVSIM Online![/bemail: fdumas@avsim.com________________________


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That is kinda of a presumptious Subject line, don't you think so?Just who is the "WE" that decided to kill freeware, Adam? You seem to have had a thing for payware products,for a while, is this your way to troll for a few derrogatory statements? This subject has been hashed and rehashed ad-nauseum so give it a rest and post something positive!http://members.cox.net/pstepanoff/images/OK_c2.gifPete S

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I don't think anyone has made a decision to "kill" freeware. I certainly haven't, as I have no plans to ever go commercial. It's my bobby, and I do it simply because I enjoy it. On the other hand I don't for a minute begrudge anyone elses decision to go commercial. There are lots of reasons why a freeware developer may do so. I think part of the problem here is that people who aren't directly involved in flight sim development don't (they can't reallY) have a true appreciation for the amount of effort involved in creating a functional 3d model. I know I have spent 200+ hours on a single design, and I don't do VC's or complex panels. I've seen complaints about paying $20-$30 dollars for a commercial aircraft package that took many more hours than that to build. By comparison, ask a carpenter to give you a bid on a 200 hour construction project and see what get. And it is a simple fact that many "commercial" developers get barely enough income to cover their expenses. I don't think any commercial flight sim developers are likely to challenge Bill Gates' status in the near future.So (IMHO) if you want to see freeware continue, don't take it for granted. When someone gives you a freeware aircraft, scenery, utility, whatever, they are giving you hours out of their life. I've seen a number of freeware developers that have been driven commercial or quit altogether because of the way they are treated for giving something away free. Don't act like you have a "right" to get something for nothing. If you do, noone likely to give it to you.Mike Stone

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If we profess to live in a democratic world then we also profess to have freedom of choice.Developers are free to charge for their work if they so desire and users may choose not to pay to obtain that work if they so desire.David

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Guest Max Cowgill

The (virtual) sky is falling! The (virtual) sky is falling! Jeez, you guys are making me work overtime today ;)Max Cowgill

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My work will ALWAYS be FREEWARE or it won't be at all. Don Moser

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