Yes, I agree with Tom. It is almost certainly the huge number of freeware authors involved that prevents the WoAI group from allowing all of the files to be retained by sites like AVSIM. Frankly, I don't think that the term "freeware" is accurate anymore. It should be something like (copyright protected, patented, and unofficially distributed on pain of death)ware.

I don't know about the code of WoAI, but if it would be cool if the code got open-sourced. Then maybe the community could take it further. As I am moving to P3D, it would be neat to see WoAI development go beyond its intended use with more features.

Yes, I agree with Tom. It is almost certainly the huge number of freeware authors involved that prevents the WoAI group from allowing all of the files to be retained by sites like AVSIM. Frankly, I don't think that the term "freeware" is accurate anymore. It should be something like (copyright protected, patented, and unofficially distributed on pain of death)ware.

 

Exactly. It's good to see some people here see what the problem with freeware these days is - it's getting to be just as bad in terms of copyrights as payware is. In the end it will only serve to damage the hobby more.

 

 

Exactly. It's good to see some people here see what the problem with freeware these days is - it's getting to be just as bad in terms of copyrights as payware is. In the end it will only serve to damage the hobby more.

 

I remember when freeware was freeware. Release it and do as you wish with it as long as you didn't profit off of it. Then it started with give me some credit at least as creators wanted to be known in the community and e-penis status. Now it's gone to the you can use it as long as I want you to use it. The day I get my panties all bunched up for x or y reason, I will take away my permission for you to use it. It's mine, I want it back mentality.

And here we are, complaining about.. freeware. :mellow:

 

Thanks to all the authors out there. Even if there wasn't any legal binding involved, I would respect their wishes. Tthose free workers and contributors are the everyday heroes of our little flight sim niche.

 

Hoping to see a lot of them in 2013 too. :smile:

Exactly. It's good to see some people here see what the problem with freeware these days is - it's getting to be just as bad in terms of copyrights as payware is. In the end it will only serve to damage the hobby more.

 

Actually this attitude towards no understanding or respecting authors terms of use is what is hurting this hobby and why freeware authors stop uploading (not developing). Why go to the trouble of learning the tools and jumping thru all the hoops and putting in all the time and work on an addon when you get criticized or lose credit for the work, mostly by users that have never done any design work. i have had heated forum conversations and emails with users that have used my work (and others) as their own AND SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH IT!

 

Freeware people are not getting paid, so asking for some recognition and respect for their effort is a small price to pay, but some obviously don't understand (or care) the concept.

 

I have so many sceneries and objects I have done on my PC, but due to the attitudes and misuse in this community, I have not uploaded anything in quite awhile. if I can ever figure out how to lock a BGL file to where my objects can't be used with a scenery editor, I will happily flood AVSIMs file library.

For all Active files you will need 1.42 Gigs and space for 508 files I didn't download the defunct airlines...

Actually this attitude towards no understanding or respecting authors terms of use is what is hurting this hobby and why freeware authors stop uploading (not developing). Why go to the trouble of learning the tools and jumping thru all the hoops and putting in all the time and work on an addon when you get criticized or lose credit for the work, mostly by users that have never done any design work. i have had heated forum conversations and emails with users that have used my work (and others) as their own AND SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH IT!

 

Freeware people are not getting paid, so asking for some recognition and respect for their effort is a small price to pay, but some obviously don't understand (or care) the concept.

 

I have so many sceneries and objects I have done on my PC, but due to the attitudes and misuse in this community, I have not uploaded anything in quite awhile. if I can ever figure out how to lock a BGL file to where my objects can't be used with a scenery editor, I will happily flood AVSIMs file library.

 

Maybe you need to have a look at your own attitude instead of blaming everyone else. Is receiving credit for your work so absolutely, earth-shatteringly important that you would put all kinds of legalisms in place to restrict its use and other's enjoyment of it? If it is, maybe you should just start charging for your work. Then you can complain about your loss of income which I could at least understand. But to release something as free and share it with the community then restrict its growth and development for the sake of your own ego is, frankly, very childish. Contrary to your statement, I think it's the attitude of freeware developers like you that are slowing the growth, development and enjoyment of our hobby. Sure you produce some great work which is worthy of acknowledgement but then you actively seek to use the law to prevent it being improved, innovated or used freely in other developments in any way.

 

At the end of the day so what if someone wants to use your work? Take it as a compliment! There are those that will use it without giving you credit but why does it matter? You know what you have created and anyone of any standing in this community will know and recognize this also.

 

If you are going to share your work with the community, share it freely and with a generous heart. To quote JFK "ask not what America can do for you. Ask instead what you can do for America".

 

 

I remember when freeware was freeware. Release it and do as you wish with it as long as you didn't profit off of it. Then it started with give me some credit at least as creators wanted to be known in the community and e-penis status. Now it's gone to the you can use it as long as I want you to use it. The day I get my panties all bunched up for x or y reason, I will take away my permission for you to use it. It's mine, I want it back mentality.

 

This sums it up very, very well.

I think World of AI is shutting down due to tax implications. POKSY shut down because its host owner did not want to pay lots of taxes for the site.

 

Aharon

Kannwar, you are quoting people on matters not even touching the (your) subject. :mellow: Nice try though.

 

If you would care for the wishes and thoughts of people creating free stuff as much as you care for actually using their work, things would look different. Better, to be precise.

 

Why not ask them, the devs, in detail about how they think about a future distribution? I think I've suggested this before. Still makes sense, not? Well, more than discussing assumptions or even posting accusations for five pages and counting. :huh: Just saying.

While you guys have been talken and squawken I've been downloading. My complete set will serve me well into the future.

While you guys have been talken and squawken I've been downloading. My complete set will serve me well into the future.

Exactly! A couple of hours and 1.42 gigs plus a quick snapshot of the website for future reference and good to go

Smart move indeed. Some months to go though. But it serves as a good tip I think.

Kannwar, you are quoting people on matters not even touching the (your) subject. :mellow: Nice try though.

 

If you would care for the wishes and thoughts of people creating free stuff as much as you care for actually using their work, things would look different. Better, to be precise.

 

Why not ask them, the devs, in detail about how they think about a future distribution? I think I've suggested this before. Still makes sense, not? Well, more than discussing assumptions or even posting accusations for five pages and counting. :huh: Just saying.

 

I'm not sure which quote you mean but if you mean the JFK one I think you aren't grasping what I'm getting at. The attitude of some here is that they produce their work and then demand credit for it. It suggests a desire for praise which is perfectly understandable but they then allow this desire to dictate the terms that they put on the community in the use of their work i.e. they are placing the gratification of their own egos before the evolution of the community and the opportunity for others to innovate upon and make their product part of other fantastic creations. I felt the general idea of that quote had some relevance here.

 

If by future distribution you mean a shared library that everyone contributes to and that other devs can make use of I think it's an excellent idea that I would adopt in a heartbeat. I am skeptical as to how many of the freeware developers in this community would subscribe to the idea but I'd be happy to be surprised. After all, freeware in our hobby should be about sharing our work and evolving the platform.

Just to help a bit on the discussion. WOAI is closing down. By this, they've stated that the site will disappear as well as all hosted files. That's a sad thing to happen. We may agree on that. Even more so after years of free service.

 

 

The attitude of some here is that they produce their free work and then demand credit for it.

Lets see. First, I've added a small but vital phrase. :smile:

 

So far, I didn't see anything in the linked WOAI text demanding anything. Perhaps that's why I can't relate any JFK quotes or rants about 'bad' freeware dev's egos to the actual case. Well, I do see that no one, especially among the people caring about a living freeware community, takes the step and offers his help. Or at least contacts WOAI to perhaps receive some clarification on how to share the files after the site is down.

 

That message with the 'who cares what they want!' tenor isn't helping. I think, by now, most readers did get that. :mellow: What can we do to avoid it getting repeated over and over?