> > Commercial (price undecided yet) and a demo version: useable, but > > limited by the number of program icons which can be set up. > > > > Please do NOT flame me. I mean no disrespect to anyone involved in developing > QL software or hardware. I am a casual user, who has just recently gotten > back "into" using QL after more than 10 years. I understand this is mostly a > philosophical question, but I have a direct question I'd like an answer to. > This is NOT a direct response or reaction to the above mentioned product, BTW. > > I'm curious to understand why just about anything for the QL is commercial. Is In the case of Launchpad, the SHEER amount of work which has gone into it. Just over 2 years of work in my spare time and still not quite complete (though close). Most of my other QL software is freeware.
Most software writers now release their software as free software of some description for the QL. A few authors releasing major and professional works (e.g. the QPC emulator is commercial, the SMSQ/E O.S. is commercial, the QemuLator emulator is shareware and a few small software houses like Just Words release a few high quality commercial QL programs). The commercial output is by far eclipsed by free software from people like Jonathan Hudson and many others - just refer to my PD library, QL PD-CDR or the free software on the QL-emulators CD to see the number and cvariety of saoftware available free for the QL. Not flaming you by any means! Glad to see you taking such interest in the QL. -- Dilwyn Jones
