Feeware - Thank you Freeware developers. The Gauntlet has been thrown!

[Guest Dakota]

Thanks to all those developers who have put in some incredible amount of hours and supplied us with wonderful planes to fly at no charge. You rock! We benefit from their hard work. With all this fantastic freeware that is seems to be showing up lately for FS2004. It appears that the payware people have got their work cutout for them. Since we can now be very discriminating in our choices and get only the best of the best. The payware has now got to be superfantabulous before hard cash is put down. The great freeware is good news for this hobby as new standards are being set. It is great time to be a simmer with FS2004.

[ls25 0]

I have to say, I whole heartedly agree with everything you have said above. I will take a good freeware over a great payware product all day long. The freeware artists really put things together for the community & I think more people need to show them some appreciation, and maybe, JUST maybe, they will reconsider staying freeware designers :)

[robert young 2,897]

Fair points, but as I've said ad infinitum, some developers do offer BOTH freeware and payware, and in our case that is unlikely to change.We are shortly to offer an updated SF260 for users who want to fly it in FS2004. We were not in the least obliged to offer this free and almost ground-up rebuild, and we spend quite a lot of time on other offerings which are free from the beginning. I believe FSD and some other developers do the same.So there is a middle way and philosophically I am a supporter of it.In terms of value the majority of addons are inexpensive when compared to weekly average living expenses, or outlay on other leisure activities which last hours rather than the months of pleasure a good addon will offer.I think people will continue to be willing to pay for quality.Kind Regards,Rob Young - RealAir Simulations

[flyking 0]

Very well said. Its wonderful to see that there are still Freeware Developers who generously contribute so many wonderful flight sim products for the enjoyment and benefit of the flight sim community.I also want to say a sincere Thank You! to these gracious developers who work so hard for this great hobby.flyking

[Guest shanwick]

There is room for both freeware and payware in our hobby.I just wish that more developers of payware products would offer some form of try before you buy download so that I could see if a particular addon really suits my purpose before parting with money.David

[Guest LLgaz]

>>>>>I just wish that more developers of payware products would offer some form of try before you buy download<<<<

[Guest Melvin]

I think that your posts clearly summarize the current situation :In one group, you can find people who are living for their passion, spending time without counting to push away limits between virtual simulation and reality, always being ready to support someone with his difficulties. Mr Young is one of them, that's why I wish to take advantage of this post to thank him for his great job and to say how much I appreciate the fact that SF260 update will be free of charge. In the second one, you discover the gathering of ones who give only attention to the commercial aspect of the transaction. The last example showing as close the truth as I am, is the recent policy chosen by CaptainSim : if you are not customer, you can't access to their forum. It's a strange behaviour. I'm used to reading feedbacks about a new product before purchasing. It is not possible now if I want to buy their new F-104. Support is one parameter that mustn't be neglected. But I don't think its quality will be better if you decide to filter posts as it's the case now. Good feedbacks can have a positive repercussion on sells. Don't forget this advice !Vincent.

[Guest shanwick]

>>That's indeed wishful thinking. No developer will ever do that.<>Now in this regard, developers like PSS, Flight1, Dreamfleet, etc. technically does release trial versions. That is because you can get a refund VERY EASILY if you want it.<>Given that a free trial of any of these products would be difficult for the developer.<>Plus, if a product has a bug list of more than 100 problems and is unflyable<

[ErnieAlston 33]

>In the second one, you discover the gathering of ones who give only >attention to the commercial aspect of the transaction. The last >example showing as close the truth as I am, is the recent policy >chosen by CaptainSim : if you are not customer, you can't access to >their forum. It's a strange behaviour. I'm used to reading >feedbacks about a new product before purchasing. It is not possible >now if I want to buy their new F-104. I don't understand this policy either. The best way to show you have a good and stable product is from comments from your current customers on your forum.I've seen this sort of restrictive action with other products as well. I guess they have their reasons, but I don't get it myself.Regards.Ernie.

[Guest LLgaz]

David, I really agree with everything you have said here. But at the same time, we have to be realistic: There are no trial versions. Developers will not release trial versions. And personally, I don't think that they should be forced to do so if they don't want to.Given that reality, which would you prefer.....a developer that says "Positively NO refunds"....or one that readily offers refunds?My point is that, given that there are no trial versions, a refund policy is the closest thing that we have to not being burned. So as a compromise, I would suggest that developers offer a refund but limit it to about 15 to 20 days after your date of purchase.

[Guest shanwick]

I take your point, Anthony.Maybe there is another way. Avsim have their quality and annual awards for outstanding work from third party developers. Would it, I wonder, be possible to devise some sort of system whereby developers' quality of work, customer care, etc. could be assessed and presented in some sort of rating system?This could be quite invaluable. Not only would prospective purchasers benefit but it might also encourage those developers who produce poor work or have a poor customer relations policy to improve.At the moment we only have users comments to go by. I am not suggesting these serve little purpose - far from it - but you either have to be a frequent visitor to this forum or else spend a lot of time searching for information in order to get a general feel for a developer's work before you buy. A central point of reference for this would, as I say, be invaluable.How about it, Avsim? Any merit in my suggestion?David

[Guest Dakota]

I that would be a great idea to be able to have something similar to Amazon.com where you can write your own review and rate each product for others to read. It would be a great service to the FS community too. With this post I am not being critcal of payware, I have bought my fair share and will continue to do so, but for them the thanks they get is their paycheck. The only thing freeware developers get back is our appriciation and expressions of thanks. I also think if the payare is not a cut above the freeware and have some very special features, then what is the point of charging for it. I do think there are some fantastic payare packages out there where they have done this very well, but the bar is rising.Thanks, John