Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!apctrc!lbrown From: lbrown@apctrc.UUCP (Lawrence H. Brown) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Games we'd like to see but were afraid to ask. Message-ID: <341@apctrc.UUCP> Date: Mon, 19-Oct-87 12:27:36 EDT Article-I.D.: apctrc.341 Posted: Mon Oct 19 12:27:36 1987 Date-Received: Tue, 20-Oct-87 06:28:32 EDT References: <440@mitsumi.UUCP> Reply-To: lbrown@apctrc.UUCP (Lawrence H. Brown) Distribution: na Organization: Independent Contractor for Amoco Research Center Lines: 58 Keywords: PD SHAREWARE Comercial ....should improve each step. Summary: PD vrs commercial onions In article <1806@cadovax.UUCP> keithd@cadovax.UUCP (Keith Doyle) writes: >In article <4199@well.UUCP> ewhac@well.UUCP (Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab) writes: >> Furthermore, programmers throughout the industry *LOVE* the Amiga, >>and would like to write stuff for it. > >This is good and bad. The bad side is if you are a programmer for the >Amiga trying to market your first product, you have all of these other highly >motivated programmers to compete with. There's the latent fear of finding >your package totally undermined by some incredible peice of public domain If a PD product can undermine your comercial product than that tends to suggest to me that your product isn't worth selling, or that you haven't spent enough time on the product. >domain software or competitor who's package is cheaper or has a bigger >ad budget, right at the point you've just stretched your financial This is natural, since we are a capitalistic comercial nation. If you can come up with a better ad campaign you can market anything (ie: Ford Escort) :-) :-) Seriously, these are the joys of competition. Look how many Term. programs are out there... more keep coming. >resources to the limit to manufacture your first batch (can you say >Bankruptcy? I knew you could). I think we've all been amazed by the >quantity and quality of the PD stuff out there. I view this as a total plus. If Joe Normal can see a neat demo or PD program, and is told that he can get this for next to free, he's probably going to think, "Wow! if this is the PD stuff, the comercial stuff must be great!! ( 1/2 :->) Joe commercial programmer, on the other hand would and should do a bit of research into the PD thats available. Check with the Users, see what they like/dislike/hate about the PD program and how a comercial program should improve on these things. If there isn't a PD version, you may have discovered a new niche for the computer, or there may not be any interest. If there are a slew of PD programs then there must be some interest and you have examples from which to determine how you can do yours better. In some cases you might even be able to get the original author to work with you in making it a winner, if you are willing to cut him in for a share. Some may just want their PD code acknowleged. This is how I view it: PD--Any quality, little or no support, docs or source. Shareware--minimum quality, some support, docs and source included. Comercial--high quality, bug-less, dedicated user support, full docs. (note also that source should/could be available for a much higher price) Flames are welcome, I'm admittedly viewing this more from the user view, and from the promotional view than from the programmers view. I'm just speaking from my own personal experience. Kudos to CA for finally starting some advertising. Still need more. -- Lawrence H. Brown USENET: ...!uunet!apctrc!cdf!zlhb0a or zlhb0a@cdf.apctrc.uucp (?) Phone: (918-660-4389) 24 hrs, voice. USmail: 7325 E. 50th, Tulsa, OK 74145 Disclaimer: I paid 25 cents to see the light. Call it cheap entertainment.