While its a free world a lot of people in my opinion take the free development of BWW simply for granted.
As I mentioned in my Warpstock US presentation we checked the logs of the Netlabs RPM server.
In about one month (during the summer break). We had about 600 unique IP addresses connect with Arca Noae Package Manager to download updates. Knowing that by far not everybody uses ANPM on a daily basis that gives a much better inside in the private users using OS/2/ArcaOS. Its a bigger number then we thought it is.
Please Roderick, remove this from your speech. It sounds like Microsoft counting the statistics of MS Office piracy and crying out loud they could be making more money.
The RPM server statistics are not potential donators, if you ever think about charging money for the libraries on the netlabs RPM it will backfire. It may get money the first two months and later squeeze more people out of the community. That is called "bread for today, hunger for tomorrow" in simple words. In my experience only desperate salesman uses that strategy to cash their check at the end of the month and burn the customer for any future relationship within the company.
The donations are what they are, and I don't like treating the OS/2 community members as cheapo bastards living at the expense of software developers. It is better to inspire people to support the project by showing how important it is for our community and how much progress had Bitwise showed, instead of insulting the community saying that they haven't given enough.
The modern browser is an important project for the community and a lot of people had chipped in knowing that Bitwise can deliver. I can only suggest to change your speech into something more positive and don't get frustrated.
Regards
Martin I was busy at work, that is why I am responding late. I still think a response is proper to give.
From my perspective my speech is and has been positive. I have been writing news letters on articles.os2voice.org about the new browser.
I think I have done everything I can do to inspire people.
What I was trying to make clear is that I have been collecting a large amount of the money needed for the new browser via OS/2 VOICE.
But that OS/2 VOICE has 100 email addresses in our of people that donate/donated. Some donations went via the German
OS/2 community other via the BWW webshop. The biggest part of the donations came via OS/2 VOICE to BWW
Martin wrote:
"The RPM server statistics are not potential donators, if you ever think about charging money for the libraries on the netlabs RPM it will backfire."
Why are people that are using ANPM to download RPM packages from rpm.netlabs.org not potential donors ?
The point is that just about all the DLL files in rpm.netlabs.org are from BWW.
I BTW never mentioned anywhere that the RPM files would go behind locked doors.
Nobody is a salesmen here. In 2019 Silvan put in about 7000 Euro privately to help BWW pay for Dmitry his salary. OS/2 VOICE board members do not get paid for work, just like board memebers of Warpstock US.
When I see that about 600 people download RPM updates from BWW and over a period of 3 years I get about 100 email addresses....
All I am pointing out is that of the 100 email address we have about 7 to 8 people paid about 70% of what VOICE has sponsored BWW
over the last 2 years... Yes one person donated more then 10.000 Dollars over the last 2 years...
This message is/was an SOS to the OS/2 community again that rpm.netlabs.org needs money to be updated by BWW.
And if people can not give a donation, especially in the corona crisis I can understand that.
I however see how many donations come in...
The new browser can be downloaded free of charge as the current plans are. But it will have screen it you can not remove unless you make a
minimal donation. Also updates and support will only be provided. So basically the idea is the same with the browser. Sell it as Open Office binaries how they are currently distributed.
Until we reach that point, we need more donations to finish the browser.
Roderick