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I'm curious to understand why just about anything for the QL is commercial. IsThere are a lot of free programs around - go to Theirry's website and have a look. There are also a lot of commercial programs around too. This subject has come up before on the list and been debated at great length. The crux of it, as always, come down to free will. Those people who want to write programs for free and share the code will continue to do so and those who would like to earn something back from their efforts will put a small price tag on it. You can either buy it or not.
there that much of a market for QL software in Europe or the rest of the world
BESIDES the US? I might have a mistaken impression that any QL computing done
nowadays is by dedicated hobbyists. I guess I've grown too accustomed to the
Linux/BSD world of open source projects that anybody can hitch their wagon to.
The few commercial traders that there are make long trips to g to shows and workshops and devote a lot of time to support. The amount of revenue from the sale of commercial software will never cover this but it does go a little way towards it. Have a look at some of the stuff available for free and you will find there is more of it than there is commercial software. Some of it is absolutely brilliant too. By all mean contribute some for free yourself and, if you ever want to sell some of it then Jochen Merz, Geoff Wicks, Rich Mellor or myself will be glad to do it for you.
-- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex. Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030 fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk
