Thanks for donating to rejetto, RAWR-Designs is a seperate entity, we have our own paypal donation to help pay for web hosting and beverages.
I'm certainly open to donating to you guys as well... maybe after you release that next update that has the player builtin to the template.
I've switched back to default HFS template because it's easier for me to customize. I got a little confused trying to figure out what was going on inside your template. Not your fault of course... I'm just not very good with HTML. But modularizing your code into plugins is the way forward... keep it up.
What RAWR-Designs is trying to do is provide rejetto HFS with the external interface it deserves. We are trying to make it easier for anyone to use HFS effectively. We even have an Admin Panel planned which would achieve your idea of external customisation. We are the people working on the external plugins.
Well, I think you should work together to make a seamless product. Rejetto can work on the heavy lifting in HFS program to make it as simple and reliable as possible... and you guys can focus on the many templates and plugins needed to make HFS feature rich.
rejetto makes the tools, specifically Macros lately, and we make them easy to use. But we face the same problem as rejetto in that this is a project run in our spare time. Its also the reason why our new website is not online after 3 months since we started building it. Sure it would be up already if we used other peoples code but RAWR-Designs builds everything itself. Might not be time effective but we don't feel like we have accomplished something if we didn't make it ourselves.
Well, if you're making it all yourself that means you also probably own the IP rights to it... so... that keeps your options open.
The new website would give this community a place to post tutorials, their own templates or projects for HFS and more. The name RAWR-Designs will still be used, but the website will be for our work and the HFS community. We are also working on many projects which would work on any website. But time is the burden these days.
Again, it's only a burden if you get nothing back. If you treat it like an investment you can make a better program, do something you enjoy, and make lots of money all in one shot.
You just have to believe in yourself and take it seriously. You have a good product and you have the skills. The only thing holding you guys back is initiative.
For us this is just a hobby, and I think so for rejetto as well. Sure if we want to get rich we could start charging for things. I hope rejetto does not turn HFS into a shareware, ever, its biggest advantage is that its free and very powerful.
There are many different marketing models to consider. I would agree that shareware is one of the worst. A better model would be to have the current version of HFS remain free (I would still recommend upgrading the interface in HFS even on the free version) along with some of your templates as a "loss leader," and then have a "pro" or enhanced edition of HFS along with specialty templates and plugins that are solid individually. For example, the enhanced edition of HFS could accept triggers to execute scripts or executables based on commands given from client systems... and Rawr-design could have templates with database integration.
Understand the suggestion here. I am basically saying everything that is currently free - remains free. But the hard work you're putting off now because you've got bills to pay, happens now because you will get paid.
Everyone wins.
Maybe one day in the distant future we can make 2 versions of HFS, a basic version and a super bloated version which would cost like $20 for a lifetime licence. But at this point in time I think its best to steer clear of the get rich quick schemes and enjoy life.
Well, I'd suggest you proposition a software company you trust with the idea. They might be willing to give you an advance on your payment such that you're comfortable spending time developing this stuff. Further, the license for the pro version could be sold for quite a bit more if you polish and market it properly. You could even set up a sales portal at their site where freelance plugin makers can host their content for sale with the software company taking a percentage of all sales. If I knew you guys better and depending on the direction and marketing model you chose I'd even like to invest in the enterprise.
The important thing here is the concept. I've never seen a simpler way to host such a functional website on a computer ever. It kills me to think you're not profiting from your contributions. I know you're doing it for the love of the work, but you can have both. It's not an either/or proposition.
