Re: DuelTris v1.0s posted to binaries....

[eaiu184@orion.oac.uci.edu (Jimmy Shaw)]

In article <C2Iznx.BLK@iat.holonet.net> ksg@orac.holonet.net (Kevin S. Green) writes:
>I also am very impressed.
>
>However, I will not send any money for this.
>
>Why? Games this good, or any programming this good, should
>be commercially sold and properly marketed. 

Yes, it _should_ be commericially sold and properly marketed.
However, what should be done often isn't what is done.  To quote
Niccolo Machiavelli, "how we live is so far removed from how we ought to
live, that he who abandons what is done for ought to be done, will rather
learn to bring about his own ruin than his preservation."  In a perfect
world, half of the junk ms-dos games wouldn't even exist, and GS
would be the most popular personal computer...

>Everyone keeps whining about the decline of the Apple //.
>Exception programs sold as shareware is partly to blame...
>there is no presence on the retail shelves and so the
>natural conclusion of the masses is: Oh the // line is 
>an old dinosaur that nobody uses or develops for anymore.

Retailers won't carry something that is only going to sell 5 copies,
when they can use the same display space to sell 50 or even 500
copies of something else.  Simple economics there.

I would rather see new software for the Apple II, in any way, shape
and form than not seeing it at all.  (which reminds me of Ron Mercer's
Prism: I believe the reason why it's not released is because the
contract talk with the publisher/distributor is stalled.)  If the
dribble of new GS/II software is going to get further limited and
stalled because of "going commercial," then I think it does more harm
than good.
 
>Nope. You'll get my money when I see it on the software 
>shelves.
>
>Oh, and lest you think I don't know what I am yammering about,
>I work for MicroAge Computers...in the product returns department
>of our Tulsa franchise. To date, I have seen ONE Apple //
>product being returned. The volume of IBM and Mac returns, however,
>is astounding but understandable because of the volume of initial
>_sales_!

Perhaps you can convince MicroAge to carry more GS/II softwares,
or even hardwares.  There are a few MicroAges here in the Los Angeles,
Orange County area, and wouldn't it nice for me to find some Apple II
support from them.

>
>Come on developers! Market your programs! Advertise! If you
>can't sell to one of the established publishers, start your
>own company or band together with other developers. There is
>nothing wrong with the Apple // market except that it is
>fading into obscurity. 

Easier said then done.  Marketing takes a heck of a lot of cash,
even in "small" publications like GS+, inCider/A+ (by small, I don't
mean it as an insult, rather in the subscription base.)  And I doubt
companies like Procyon, DreamWorld Software, etc. have money around
for advertising.  I think someone brought up the idea of a consolidated
shareware distribution system for the Apple II, that would be a better
and more practical solution for the GS community.  I think the point
for end users is to support those still writing new software for the
gs.  Holding your $15/$20 because you won't want to contribute to
the "decline of the Apple II through shareware/freeware" just doesn't
make sense.

>-- 
>Kevin S. Green / ksg@holonet.net OR gargoth@aol.com
>

Jimmy