Some freeware activity imitates commercial work

[Guest]

I've pondered this difference when reading the posts that claim "freeware's dead" and in reading some of the back and forth over critisism.Just like we imitate real flying, I think some of the freeware "organizations" and some individuals imitate companys. They advertise, ever see those posts offering an advanced look as some airplane design, with replys of "oh boy, can't wait"? They schedule releases! They go "out of business". They get demands from their "customers". We discuss product support when it comes to "upgrades" from previous versions. We see people worried about territory and copyright infringment.And we see a trickle of them convert over to commercial scenery or airplane design. So lets face it, some folks are treating freeware scenery design as the commercial market "minor league". And like in business these people are more or less agressive, driven by "scarcity mentality" in which people imagine raising their own promotion by lowering others.Competition! Who's so and so is best? Ever hear that? I guess I'm not completely free of these feelings, I like to see that my scenery design is leading edge, but I've never hesitated to help another, and it pleases me to see folks enjoying the design process more with ideas I could share. And in doing this, I've made friends of folks like Elrond Elvish, Misho Katulic, Ken Nelson and many others, that I would likely not have made with some competitive approach. Its about finding a different goal than promotion to rank of POOBA in the society of simmers. Or is that Phooba? never been sure.Its about personal satisfaction of problem solving. Its been ages since I've released anything cuz I've been having too much fun learning the autogen stuff, learning gmax, I had more fun than should be allowed when we were figuring out custom type setting for resample.exe, and with a recent study of the gmax vs scasm library objects, and even learned scasm as a coding language...a goal of mine for years. That's what I call top of satisfaction. This past weekend I helped a South American guy figure out LOD calculations for the whole world, and for all LOD levels. And then I wrote a tutorial for exluding small specific objects in scenery. Who knows, perhaps I'll even upload something with my new stuff, but that's about my kind of freeware...a free exchange of learning and teaching so that new ideas can bear fruit. I have the most awesome set of experiments that I fly around on my personal machine! LOL As the Zeppelin say: "RAMBLE ON......"Bob BernsteinEdmonds, Wa

[Guest]

I think new people will step up to the plate!It's fascinating! It bugged me no end that the Hollywood sign was on Mt Hollywood, so I learned how to fix that. Later I discoveed, when updating LA Downtown Hi Rise building logos, that Microsoft had textures for thr Griffith Observatory but no Observatory, which is on Mt Hollywood!One day, I'll understand surface hardness and aprons and water!Till then I'll keep on learnin'

[Guest]

I concure with BOB. Look at the TMB 700 for FLY!II, this freeware is absolutely outstanding to say the least! I would easliy pay $10-20 for it, yet it is completely free! :-xxrotflmaoThe Falcon 50 for MS FS 2002 is the same, extremely good freeware. Unreward in any financial way, what a shame.On another note, I think that the new Archer for FS 2002 is rediculously priced at $20. Especialy, from what I've seen of the screen shots. The FLY!II TMB 700 will easily bring the Archer to it's knees, without any effort what so ever. And it's FREE!!! hehe

[Donmo 6]

Freeware is far from dead. Take away freeware and you need no more major sim sites. What do people think keeps these sites open, payware. No! They have their own sites. It'll be around for a long time. Not everybody has to make money with a hobby. This is a hobby to me. To others it is a business. So be it. But I will remain freeware.Don Moser