Freeware Appreciation Week

[Clutch Cargo 384]

Hey AVSIM,

 

I saw a post in a thread that got me to the point I thought I would drop a line here as a suggestion...  "Freeware Appreciation Week".  The post actually suggested a Freeware Appreciation Day, but then I thought, heck, why not make it a whole week?

 

AVSIM could be "ground zero" the effort here, maybe even payware developers would help sponser in some way (I'm sure many of them started as freeware developers).  I forsee a week of AVSIM articles on freeware developer interviews, tips on freeware design, freeware reviews, freeware tips & tools,  Hardware "how-to's", etc.,  I could go on and on.   Sure it would take sever months to plan but maybe could be also used as a recruiting tool for new members and even promote to get new people into the hobby (something I fear is severely lacking).

 

Just wanted to throw it out there and see if it stuck on somethin'

 

Clutch

[doorstep 46]

Clutch, the FS9 Kia Tak Scenery you did has got to be the best scenery ever, in my book. If there's an award available then, you should get it!  Well done and thank you.  Now how about FSX ;-)

[Chuck_Jodry-VJPL 663]

Sorry to have taken this long to say Great Idea! , will look into this .

 

Best CJ

[fppilot 4,335]

Who do I appreciate and value in this category? SunSkyJet and in my experience there is no equal!

[Jimmy RFR 406]

I fly (and land on) a ton of FSX military freeware - my sim would be empty without it. Then there's all the other stuff: the Bluesky photo-scenery, the 40+ AN2 paints, all my wonderful AI packages, the list just goes on and on...

 

Basically, yes - I think a Freeware Week is an awesome idea. :lol:

[Chuck_Jodry-VJPL 663]

Frankly it would take a month to do it justice, possibly September with a featured producer each day and interviews with the teams behind some of the large AI , repaint outfits and prolific producers , and some Legendary names like Milton , Dino , Dimetry ..

 

Best CJ

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

I posted an earlier response to this in another thread. Do I have four volunteers to be "Freeware Evangelists"?

[ViperPilot 81]

Here's a shout out for a few others, especially for the FS 9 crowd...

 

Tim Conrad, Brian Gladden, Kaz Ito, Mike Stone and Tom Gibson for their many airplane contributions, Glenn Copeland and Kirk Mitchell for their Gauges and Panels, Tom Fica and Frank Betts for their many AK and CA scenery packages, and Holger Sandmann for his work with Mesh... Also, we cannot omit the many freeware contributions our dear departed comrade David 'Opa' Marshall made while he was with us (RIP).

 

Showcase and Review some current and 'classic' freeware airplanes, Repainting tips, a Scenery Design tutorial for Dummies (like me)... the list can go on and on.

 

Tom... what duties would a "Freeware Evangelist" have? Got the Polyester leisure suit, and the Good Book; anything else?

 

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

Tom... what duties would a "Freeware Evangelist" have? Got the Polyester leisure suit, and the Good Book; anything else?

 

Here is what my thoughts were... We would create a special forum where only selected freeware reviewers would be allowed to start topics. Those topics would be reviews of freeware placed in the AVSIM Library (just AVSIM's, no others. After all, we don't want to advertise other libraries, now do we?). These reviewers (otherwise known as "evangelists") would do a in-depth review of the freeware add-on, plane, scenery, util, etc. The point would be to give fellow community members a chance to see a review of these selected freeware and an opportunity to comment on the review and the freeware itself.

 

A lot of great freeware goes un-noticed or unseen by members and the reviews would give members a single location to view the reviews of the "best of the best", so to speak.

 

The evangelists would have to have thick skins, a good deal of experience in both simulators and add-on's and be willing to put in a review once or twice a month. They would have a special user group membership and would be the only ones to start topics in that forum.

 

If interested and willing to put in the time to do it right, review with total objectivity, then let me know via PM your interest. Keep in mind that we don't want negative reviews; we only want reviews that address "the best of the best". Anyone can write a negative review. We want to highlight to the community the best and why they should add it to their collection and by doing so, recognize the freeware contributors that attain that status.

[Dorel Mornea 5]

Sounds very good! I'd like to join, but I don't have time to write 2 reviews per month or so, and I wanna place my reviews on another site/sites as well. But I'm looking fwd to this!

[ViperPilot 81]

It's a very good idea, for sure!

 

Unfortunately, I only have FS 9 installed, and the majority of the Freeware releases I suspect would be for FSX, with an occasional exception (TDS 787). I also don't have any experience with airliners, so... :(

[jetsflier 87]

Here is what my thoughts were... We would create a special forum where only selected freeware reviewers would be allowed to start topics. Those topics would be reviews of freeware placed in the AVSIM Library (just AVSIM's, no others. After all, we don't want to advertise other libraries, now do we?). These reviewers (otherwise known as "evangelists") would do a in-depth review of the freeware add-on, plane, scenery, util, etc. The point would be to give fellow community members a chance to see a review of these selected freeware and an opportunity to comment on the review and the freeware itself.

 

A lot of great freeware goes un-noticed or unseen by members and the reviews would give members a single location to view the reviews of the "best of the best", so to speak.

 

The evangelists would have to have thick skins, a good deal of experience in both simulators and add-on's and be willing to put in a review once or twice a month. They would have a special user group membership and would be the only ones to start topics in that forum.

 

If interested and willing to put in the time to do it right, review with total objectivity, then let me know via PM your interest. Keep in mind that we don't want negative reviews; we only want reviews that address "the best of the best". Anyone can write a negative review. We want to highlight to the community the best and why they should add it to their collection and by doing so, recognize the freeware contributors that attain that status.

 

I would be delighted to help. I'm always on the lookout for new freeware, since it doesn't break the bank.

 

EDIT: Sent you a PM.

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

It's a very good idea, for sure!

 

Unfortunately, I only have FS 9 installed, and the majority of the Freeware releases I suspect would be for FSX, with an occasional exception (TDS 787). I also don't have any experience with airliners, so... :(

Alan, actually there is quite a bit of FS9 freeware released daily. Check the library. If you are interested, send me a PM and we'll work it out.

 

AND TO EVERYONE ELSE! We would like reviews of FREEWARE for ALL platforms, Flight, P3D, X-Plane, etc. All platforms are welcome.

Hey AVSIM,

 

I saw a post in a thread that got me to the point I thought I would drop a line here as a suggestion...  "Freeware Appreciation Week".  The post actually suggested a Freeware Appreciation Day, but then I thought, heck, why not make it a whole week?

 

AVSIM could be "ground zero" the effort here, maybe even payware developers would help sponser in some way (I'm sure many of them started as freeware developers).  I forsee a week of AVSIM articles on freeware developer interviews, tips on freeware design, freeware reviews, freeware tips & tools,  Hardware "how-to's", etc.,  I could go on and on.   Sure it would take sever months to plan but maybe could be also used as a recruiting tool for new members and even promote to get new people into the hobby (something I fear is severely lacking).

 

Just wanted to throw it out there and see if it stuck on somethin'

 

Clutch

 

I think that is a fantastic idea that we could incorporate into our upcoming Freeware Reviews Forum. We could add interviews, how-tos etc. and then as they may warrant, publish them to front page articles. Do we have any volunteers to help in the areas that Clutch suggests?

[Trans_27 Pilot Chase 59]

I'd love to help, but I have no idea how to compose a full length review as I've never done one. I guess I'll just sit on the side lines.  :huh:

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

I'd love to help, but I have no idea how to compose a full length review as I've never done one. I guess I'll just sit on the side lines.  :huh:

 

We learn by doing. Do.