Hello,
there would have been one right way: The previous beta versions should keep on working, because they were named as "Freeware" and not "crippleware". Mixy could create new functions, which are only available in the 1.0 commercial version.

But, what is really a very bad decision by Mixy is, to let the beta versions stop working! And further more, in another forum Mixy wrote:



Sorry guy, but this sounds like Scarm is the little brother of WannaCry!

Sorry, this is not the way how to communicate with Your potential customers.

Hello Mixy,
OK, thanks for these clear words. That meens, that 0.9.30 and previous versions will not stop working. That's good and OK for me.

It would have been helpfull, If You had given this information earlier and there wouldn't be this bad discussion about Your "Freeware".

I didn't want to attack and insult You and Your work. I've been a big fan of Scarm and without the word-of-mouth recommendation I (and many others) did, it wouldn't have become such an success!

Therefore, You should understand that the community is thankfull for Scarm, even if not all of them payed for it. But You called it Freeware, not donationware or Demoware. There are many other software developers around the world who spend hpurs, weeks, years of the their time without get payed. Because they have fun and idelism.

You are very disappointed that there were not enough people who spend for Scarm. So, to call Scarm Freeware maybe was a wrong decision for Your case. But You should understand: To share Scarm as Freeware was one reason, maybe the most important reason, why it has now such a big fellowship.

You shouldn't be angry about the fellowers, who didn't spend money. You should be thankfull, that we promoted Your software for free of charge! A advertising campaign with such a success like the word-of-mouth recommendation I and several others did for You, would have been cost You several millions of dollars!!!

Regards,
Moritz

Hello Mixy,



Sorry, but You still don't realize, that my recommendations and my posted examples of my layout, created with scarm, are part of the big success of Scarm. I promoted Scarm since 4 years in several forum boards and facebook news groups - for free!

You should realize that Scarm wouldn't be successfull without a big fellowership behind!



Sorry, Scarm was Freeware and not "Free for people who offer help"-ware!

I spend time for several things for free! I don't have to justify where I spend my time and where I don't. I help several people on their problems inrailway modeling. I repair and convert locos for free, sometimes for only a tip. But I do it, because I have fun with it and I'm happy when the "customers" and friends are happy with the results.

And as I explained:
You should have communicate more often like:

"Sorry, I have to release next version of Scarm as commercial version. The old beta versions will still work but they will not any more supported by me. If You want to use the new functions from Scarm 1.0, You have to purchase a license."

This would have been a clear wording, clear strategy and understandable for all users. The users could decide to stay with the old but unsupported beta version or switch to the commercial version.

But You didn't! And this is Your fault.

Don't cry about "ungrateful, wanting more and more at no cost, not giving anything in exchange", because this is unjustified! Realize, that You did a mistake of communication with Your customers and fellowership!

Regards,
Moritz

Yes, a good customer communication isn't easy. And IT experts and computer scientist have not the best profession for customer communication

Mixy,

I believe you are missing the point that people are trying to make regarding changing your software from Freeware to a commercial software. I do not believe anyone is suggesting that you should not charge for your developed software version 1.0.

However, what people are upset about is how you went about this decision and disabling the Beta versions without a real warning within your forum message itself (not buried in a blog or a link). To a large degree you relied on forum members to be your promoters and beta testers and this was a poor way to shock us that it is no longer a freeware no matter how many hours we have spent on our individual projects. That time and effort is now frozen for us. That is a shame.

In the past you have always been very friendly on this forum or when asked specific questions. I find it distasteful how you are reacting to some of the members by calling them ungrateful, blind, etc. That is not the way to deal with potential "customers". Very early in my career I was told "1. The customer is always right. 2. If the customer is wrong and being an idiot refer back to item 1". That simple message has always served me well.

I have numerous software programs, free and commercial, that sometimes change to a new version resulting in former versions still functioning, but no longer supported. In all cases you usually get months of notice that this change is forthcoming and what you need to do to proceed with the update or to keep the old version running with no further updates or support. Unfortunately you did neither and in my opinion this is why you are getting the backlash now.

It is a real pity since I have always promoted your excellent software on this forum when anyone asked for a track software recommendation. In light of these recent posts I am not sure I would do that anymore.

Peter

That link is the link to the blog. Just keep scrolling down and you will find all the passages Mixy quoted.

Juhan,
I see no problem to release Scarm as commercial software with license.

But the previous release beta versions were released as FREEWARE and not as limited test software. And Mixy has included a time limitation into the beta versions, which will lead to missfunction and encoding of software and user projects. This means, the user will not be able to continue the work on the layout, unless he has payed for a license!

And this is not the normal behaviour of Freeware!

Mixy could have inform the followers, that the beta versions will not be supported anymore and new functions will be only available with the new released version 1.0 with payed license. This would be completely OK.

But his way is not the friendly way. It's more like the little brother of WannaCry.

Therefore, I will never buy a license for Scarm. I don't know, what other unknown functions he programmed into the software code to ask customers for money. I have no faith in such a business behaviour.

Moritz

I think you have captured the essence of the problem in your first sentence very well!

Sorry, that's wrong!

Scarm was promoted as FREEWARE, this is, how Mixy wrote about Scarm.

Yes, the Version was always a 0.xxx beta version. But it was FREEWARE!

And I know several other software projects, developed as FREEWARE, many of them are open source! Have You ever heard about Linux???

And believe me, to develop an operating system is much more complex than Scarm.

And again, to sell Scarm 1.0 is completely OK for me. Nothing to criticize.

But the way of communication and the destroying of the design work of the freeware users is in my opinion a bad bad decision by Mixy.

Just wanted to add I fully support Moritz-BR365s view. My layout was designed using Scarm and soon I will no longer be able to access my own work. It would have been nice to know that up front.

A community business model based on donations would have been much more appropriately here IMHO. Just add big 'donate' buttons to your software and you will receive some income as well.

A question for all you other users: with the departure of scarm, what is now the best free trackplanning software?

Scarm 0.9.30 beta is still available for download on a german server, but as Milen told, it has already the "time bomb" inside, allthough this version is from December 2015.

Therefore, the best solution will be to download this beta version and run it in a VM. Make a backup of the VM, then, after the usage timeout has come, You can override Your VM with the fresh one and the timeout starts from beginning.

I can totally understand Mixy's decision for versions 1.0+ to no longer be freeware and support and patches only being available for licensed users. However, older versions of SCARM should have remained freeware without support or patches (i.e. I don't agree with a timebomb having been added to those versions).

With that said, I have been happy with SCARM and plan to continue using it so I have purchased a license.

You are right, Peter!

And, Milen did programming the time bomb function and other protection stuff within 2015 or earlier.

It was enough time for him, to tell the truth to the users, that he is using the Freeware users as gratis beta testers. He decided 2015 or earlier, to disable the software, he was distributing as Freeware.

This is really a big nasty act!

No discussion about Release 1.0 license fee. This decision is understandable and no point to criticize.

But telling Scarm is Freeware, that was a big lie!

As a matter of fact it is a RANSOM WARE, asking for money to unlock Freeware Layouts.
Is it LEGAL?

Have you read Mixy's posts in this forum,. He is advertising it as a "freeware", although the program file are labeled as beta .xxx.
Do not be naïve and defend his unethical behavior.

Its not ransomware, you can still load your file and print it with an unregistered copy - see Mixys post elsewhere in this forum.

Are you saying you had a purchased version of 1.3.0 and now that 1.4.0 is out it has been disabled, or that you had a limited free version of 1.3.0 and that it has been disabled? If you paid for it, i think you have a strong argument. However, if you only had the limited free trial version, then you are experiencing the same thing the rest of us did when he made his software a retail item and all of the Beta versions were basically disabled for further modification. That was pretty nasty and frustrating. If MS disabled their previous OS every time they brought out a new operating system, there would be a massive outcry. They provide a support end date and that is fine since you know when you are on your own, but it is still usable.

Thank goodness!
This is great. I bought a cheap railway software program from Märklin in Germany a few years ago, but its all in German with no language packages. My dad and I spent a few days google translating things and making our own notes - and we gave up.

Hi. I would contact him directly at ; scarm@scarm.info

Welcome to the forum Nickjo71.

Just as a friendly suggestion, when you refer to an old post by quoting a statement that is almost 4 years old, it is customary to advise that you are bumping an old thread. That way the readers are aware that this is not a new development in a thread that was very emotional at the time.

To the best of my knowledge Mixy has not been back on this forum since he said he was leaving and he will most likely not see your message.

Peter