Re: OMG!

["Frank Townsend" <ftownsen@iamdigex.net>]

That's the whole point:  that Apple IIs *have* become a hobbyist interest.
Like other old technologies which are often (not always) impractical for
everyday uses, niche markets arise to support them.  Consider old tube COMM
gear, old cars, old audio equipment etc.  There are plenty of companies that
sell parts and literature used to keep these old machines going.  Look in
the back of Antique Radio Classified and you will see what I mean.

Vintage computers are, however, somewhat early in their "vintageness" and as
such, the Apple II hobbyist market is immature.  However, I don't understand
why someone writing software for a given market no matter how small should
"be chided for expecting monetary compensation for their efforts."  The same
factors that make software so easy to pirate make it cheap and easy to
distribute and sell.  Why *shouldn't* someone expect to be paid for
something they make and sell?  That's the nature of a cottage industry.
People expect to be paid for something they can make at home for which there
is a market however small.  Foolhardy?  Kind of judgmental, don't you think?


"Kelli Halliburton" <kelli217@crosswinds.not> wrote in message
news:9cgh6r$1kq6$1@newssvr06-en0.news.prodigy.com...

> The reality is, in these days of 0 effective market, what is at best a
> hobbyist interest, and the existence of the FSF and the GPL, the Apple II
> platform simply cannot economically sustain any new development. Those
> authors who have continued their efforts to provide the community with new
> applications, utilities, operating systems, and games are to be commended
> for their loyalty and enthusiasm, but to be chided for expecting monetary
> compensation for their efforts. I'm not saying they should expect piracy,
or
> give in to it -- I'm saying they were foolhardy to attempt any sort of
> commercial release, even including shareware, and expect to reap any
revenue
> from it, much less actually turn a profit. IMHO, of course.