>> There are people who>>believe that their time must always be compensated somehow. >>That means they won't help you fix your brakes without>>charging you, and they won't help you on moving day, for the>>same reason. >>But..........>>This has nothing to do with the majority of the very talented>payware vendors. Most gave freely for years. Yet these days,>the research, development and programming is very much a full>time "job", that's much tougher mentally, than the "hobby">days. In fact, many of the best aircraft add-ons require a>group of people just to put it together. The always rising>"bar" of authenticity, is just too high these days.>>L.AdamsonOk, it's true that many of the best payware developers started as freeware, and worked for years (literally) before choosing the payware route, for whatever reason. Some of them even continue to contribute as freeware developers, as well as giving free advice. And yes, for those designing complicated add-ons, there is a lot more research and design required which means they need a whole team of these people.I can't say that it's true for the majority of developers, especially over the last year or two. While I recognize most of the names from most of the "big" developers, there have been plenty more start ups from people I have never heard of. I guess it's this majority that I direct your attention to. I've noticed plenty of posts in the forums mentioning a new design group(s) which will be releasing various add-ons, which never seem to materialise. My impression of those groups is that they are more "fly-by-night", and few have much freeware experience. There seems to be more of this group of people than the former.I've even had people email me to ask to use my models in their payware sceneries, and on one occaision, someone asked to use my original Pilatus PC-9 as the base for a payware version. These people seemed to have a "shortcut" attitude, and they would never be interested in eleasing a freeware version. You're right to differentiate them from the best of the designers at the top of the quality spectrum, most of whom I deeply respect.Somewhat related: A few months (years?) ago, someone mentioned that freeware designers could make a few bucks by uploading their work to sites like Turbosquid. The idea is that although they were freely giving their work away for free here, maybe there was someone out there who happened to need a 3D model of that PC-9 (or whatever) and wouldn't mind paying for it. I wonder if any FS designers are doing this?- Martin

Martin, can you shoot me an email at [email protected]?

G'day Patrick,>Why do you work all those hours on your aircraft, only to give>it away for free?You are missing the whole concept! I DON'T work when making an aircraft. I spend hour upon hour having a great time enjoying what I'm doing. That's what a hobby is all about. I get enjoyment out of it.At the end of the day I don't need monetary renumeration for my efforts. The self satisfaction of actually producing the add-on is the driving force that keeps me going. If that should wane then I'll simply stop. No amount of monetary inducement would keep me going as it would be a chore or dare I say it ; a job :-( Why give it away for free? Why not! It cost me nothing and once finished I lose all interest in that particular project and on with the next. If by uploading and sharing with the community I give just a small degree of enjoyment to another simmer then that's a bonus.On the broarder spectrum, if all freeware developers were to go payware then the HOBBY would cease to exist. Simming would fall into the realm of the rich.Cheers,Roger

>>On the broarder spectrum, if all freeware developers were to>go payware then the HOBBY would cease to exist. Simming would>fall into the realm of the rich.>I doubt it....The majority of hobbies have a cost associated with them. Just getting into the hobby of flight simming requires a computer, plus the basic hardware & software.In my case, my favorite aircraft are from payware developers. While a few freeware airplanes are excellent, you won't see many these days. Too much, has to be programmed into them, which does make it a "job" in most cases. But then there is nothing wrong with a "job", of creating excellent products, is there? L.Adamson

this is what I think why NOT sell add-ons for flight simulator (XPlane, fly, MSFS etc etc).Can you, in any moment give FULL support to your customer?I can not.Can you give guarantees that what are you selling is what you promisses? I mean, there realy is a full simulations of systems? And more, how can you give support to your customer to have the full feedback from the simulation that are you selling?I can not. no guarantess and nothing.and more.if I made something in my spare time, researching how to change, how to recreat the reality in the sim, or try to be more real, why should I charge people to use? to me, knowledge is for the mankind, or to the comunity and for any one else who wants to use and improve without intent of charging people to use it.this is my way of think.

That's a good point, though I would guess that even the freeware guys get hounded as well for their products, regarding problems...

>That's a good point, though I would guess that even the>freeware guys get hounded as well for their products,>regarding problems...You have no idea!There have been freeware designers that have just given up precisely because of the overwhelming whining and criticism, conjuring up problems that can be traced to not having read the manual/readme.txt first!Felix/FFDSPegasus Aviation Design