It's gone commercial 

Why is everyone going commercial all of a sudden? I sure hope someone comes out with an alternative to FSUIPC, as when it's payware, they will have a complete monopoly on the interface situation.

Quote:


How much does it cost now...?
(Actually we were warned about this some time ago)... ..!
...can't do without it tho'... ...!

Cheers...
Paul.
(England).

The situation is a little bit awkward, but we were well warned in advance. I guess we sit back and see what happens.
Either the payware version will fall flat on its face (most likely as most of us are tight, I know I am but that is 'cos I'm always skint!)
The designers won't buy it so the freeware stuff will keep pace with the last freeware version.
Or we all buy it... But as I said before I'm skint so I'll just have to make do.
Unless there are any clever bunny programmers who could do a spot of reverse engineering?

Ozzy

I agree, he will have a monopoly in the FS world, everyone will be forced to purchase it. Which in my mind is down right dirty. Not EVERYONE has a credit card and can buy it. I'm just hoping that the current freeware version MIGHT work in FS2004. Crossing my fingers.

Everything is going payware now! I respect Pete Dowson's move but it puts to much a price on other people because they can't afford all this payware! 

The reverse engineering thing isn't illegal. All you have to be able to prove is that you weren't exposed to the Pete Dowson source code!
Okay, a quick history lesson for the youth from an old foggie (who can still fly the paint off anything I might add!);
When IBM made the first PCs all the info about the system was readily available, except the ROM BIOS (basic input/output system) which was patented to IBM to stop cloning of their PCs unless you brought their chips (which were overpriced, in the traditional IBM fashion). To make the trap of duplication even stickier the clever eggs at IBM published the specs of the BIOS chip, so if anyone copied it they could be prosecuted!
Now the code in the ROM-BIOS was proprietry to IBM, so all a company had to do was get some programmers to make educated guesses about how it worked based on the input and output results, and then get some 'virgins' (people who had not been exposed to the IBM code) to write the necessary. The company that did this was Compaq Computers. They made the first clones and didn't break the law because they could prove their programmers hadn't been exposed to the IBM code, and hadn't duplicated it. Therefore the law had not been broken. IBM hadn't thought this through v.well
So the whole point of FSUIPC is that if you could write a 'similar' program without Petes source code, then you'd be sound. At least that is the theory. Whether anyone is clever enough to is another matter. I know I'm not!!!
I personally admire Pete a great deal, he has given a great deal to this community with little or no return, but I think making FSUIPC payware is a big shot in his own foot as most people can't/won't fork out for it. If he made all his other stuff payware instead I could see some logic in it.
However it is obviously his bread and butter program, and he needs to put food on the table just like the rest of us, and he might be suffering personal circumstances that have precipitated this move. I think I'll just watch and wait before I make a judgement one way or the other.

Ozzy

well the problem is with all these designers going payware, sites like these will have trouble even staying alive. IMHO i think people will someday realize that the payware idea is getting a bit outta hand when they start wasting too much money on it. I mean, fine i think maybe 5 bucks is a reasonable price but when designers start selling their products at 15...then 20...then 30 bucks thatll be the end of payware (In My Opinion) Although some people overlook this as a hobby, there are many who look at it only as a game. Skiing and surfing are totally different things. This is virtual reality, where nothing you see is real. I can accept and respect the fact that designers spend so much time in the making of their models; time which they can use to spend with their families and enjoy life. But then thats their problem since no one is forcing them to make models and if they want time to spend with their families then they should organize the time frame they use for designing and for real life. Still i respect and admire their work and although i may comment on my stance towards this issue and my opinon it should not be interpreted as complaining or insulting. As a matter of fact payware designers are good entrepreneurs and are quite smart in realizing a way to earn money in this type of 'business'. So let me repeat again, this is my own opinion on this subject..

Remember people no one has said if or if NOT FSUIPC will work with FS2004, I doubt it but its possible. If it is, Pete's battleship has been sunk, hook line and sinker...