[comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d] Shareware author's poor response rate

ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi) (01/05/91)

In article <4545@vela.acs.oakland.edu> w8sdz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Keith Petersen) writes:
:
>Put this in the "frequently asked question" list.
>
>     Phil Katz <katz@csd4.csd.uwm.edu>
>
>Don't expect an answer to email.  He only answers about one in ten
>messages that I send to him there.  That's a pretty poor return.
:
>Keith Petersen
>Maintainer of SIMTEL20's MSDOS, MISC & CP/M archives [IP address 26.2.0.74]
:

Even if one might understand the background, I feel slightly peeved
about this state of affairs.  There is no denying the fact that we
are offering a free service to shareware authors by distributing
their programs.  And looking at the download statistics this service
is far from negligible.  (In all fairness, this shouldn't be
generalized to each and every big shareware author.)

...................................................................
Prof. Timo Salmi        (Moderating at anon. ftp site 128.214.12.3)
School of Business Studies, University of Vaasa, SF-65101, Finland
Internet: ts@chyde.uwasa.fi Funet: gado::salmi Bitnet: salmi@finfun

everett@hpcvra.cv.hp.com. (Everett Kaser) (01/06/91)

/ ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi) writes...
> w8sdz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Keith Petersen) writes:
>>Put this in the "frequently asked question" list.
>>     Phil Katz <katz@csd4.csd.uwm.edu>
>>Don't expect an answer to email.  He only answers about one in ten
>>messages that I send to him there.  That's a pretty poor return.
>>Keith Petersen
>>Maintainer of SIMTEL20's MSDOS, MISC & CP/M archives [IP address 26.2.0.74]

>Even if one might understand the background, I feel slightly peeved...
> (In all fairness, this shouldn't be
>generalized to each and every big shareware author.)
>Prof. Timo Salmi        (Moderating at anon. ftp site 128.214.12.3)

In all fairness, this shouldn't be generalized to ANY OTHER shareware author.

Everett Kaser                   Hewlett-Packard Company
...hplabs!hp-pcd!everett        work: (503) 750-3569   Corvallis, Oregon
everett%hpcvra@hplabs.hp.com    home: (503) 928-5259   Albany, Oregon

ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi) (01/09/91)

In article <1991Jan5.085708.617@uwasa.fi> ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi) writes:
>In article <4545@vela.acs.oakland.edu> w8sdz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Keith Petersen) writes:
>>
>>Don't expect an answer to email.  He only answers about one in ten
>>messages that I send to him there.  That's a pretty poor return.
>>Keith Petersen

I have now had a number of email messages concerning this subject,
some having divergent views.  But I am very pleased to note that
each and everyone has given the views in a nice and constructive
manner.  I appreciate that very much. 

I am not going to debate the issue here, but let me point out two
things that some emailers have obviously misunderstood. (= I was not
clear enough.)

1) I was not criticizing shareware authors for a lack of support,
nor for not answering user questions or requests.  What I was saying
is that when an experienced user (like Keith) sends useful feedback
without wanting anything in return, nor asking for any services, one
would appreciate some kind of an acknowledgement every now and then. 

2) I was not implicating anyone specificially.  And I am not
gereralizing either to all shareware authors.  (I should know of
both sides of the coin, myself, anyway.)

...................................................................
Prof. Timo Salmi        (Moderating at anon. ftp site 128.214.12.3)
School of Business Studies, University of Vaasa, SF-65101, Finland
Internet: ts@chyde.uwasa.fi Funet: gado::salmi Bitnet: salmi@finfun