Congratulations, Rich! Thanks for all the great support and services. Having bought quite some QL spare parts and collectables over the years, I wish your dedication and business to continue for a long time.
My favourite RWAP (QL) Software product is Image D (3D Perspectives Program).
Speaking of (RWAP) QL Software in 2016, 30 years after the QL’s commercial dead, I ask myself if there is (still) a real business case for it. Considering all the time, effort, handling and cost, is there any real net income from QL software anymore? If there is, is this net income worth the effort. At COWO I decided two decades ago that QL software was no more a business case. As a direct result all my QL software was declared freeware. I still love my software and am still maintaining it in one form or another (THE DISTRIBUTIONs, QL/E, …). And I’m pretty sure that my software reaches a far wider user base than it would if my QL software would still be commercial. This makes me more happy, than one or the other (if any) penny in my pocket.
Serious question: How many copies of Image D, 3D Terrain, Quick Mandelbrot III, SToQL for example did you sell in 2014, 2015 and 2016? I guess it ranges from ZERO sales to something in the low 10s per title.
http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk/leisuresoftware.html
As stated above I really like Image D (I bought it twice, once from the original author, once the update from you, all this decades ago). But compared to all the 3D freeware you can get for Windows, Mac OS, Linux and even Smartphones its features and usability are rather limited, if not useless. So for the user there’s no business/use case to pay for QL software. But for QL tinkering in cold winter nights (the hobby we all love), many QLers would give it a go and try (I don’t call it use) programs like Image D, 3D Terrain and even Q-Route (remember Google Maps and Google Earth are free) if they would be freeware and available for free download on the well-known QL websites. With declaring commercial QL applications freeware, the QL community would get new feed for cold winter nights and the software will at least be “used” (tried) once in a while instead of getting rusty on the (virtual) shelf. Don’t expect to get a lot of feedback (I and most others who develop, maintain and release something, normally get little to zero feedback for all the work) but as freeware the software, its authors and publishers will leave a legacy and get the honour of mind. Think about your titles then stand in the same line like Minerva, SMSQ/E, QPAC, QDT, GST, Prospero to just name a few which are all freeware now.
Personally I think your great anniversary opens possibilities such as declaring some if not all (old) RWAP QL titles freeware, which by implication will result in more time and resources for other activities such as (QL) hardware projects, your great spare parts services, etc.
Kind regards,
Urs
