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35401

Finished Programs / Re: IDEA: BlowUp or Read?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 11:05 AM »

you know,
this could be a project that, if at the end we still thought there was a lot of room for a freeware tool,
that i would feel comfortable going to companies like borland or microsoft and component authors, and pitch the idea of them donating tools in order to reward a programmer who wanted to take on the job of writing an open source tool for this.

but im still hoping there is an existing open source tool set that does 90% of what you want, and it will take some more days of searching before giving up that hope.

35402

Unfinished Requests / Re: QUESTION FOR CODERS - WHAT SOFTWARE WOULD YOU LIKE TO WIN?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 10:54 AM »

well people write freeware/opensource components all the time - it's no different from writing any other kind of software.
so there's nothing special about it really.
which reminds me, i'm supposed to release my license key components.. so much to do so little time..

35403

Finished Programs / Re: IDEA: BlowUp or Read?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 10:53 AM »

while we are rambling -
is it so wrong to hope for an economic model where a company can make money without having to price things beyond people's means, when it costs them $0 to make the software available to those with lower incomes.  this is one of the nice things about donationware - people can pay what they can afford.

but back to this software - part of the problem may be that most programmers may not know people with serious vision problems, so they aren't really in a good position to write the software.

but to tell the truth, i would think that surely there are a few programmers who must have significant people in their family with vision problems which would inspire them to write truly great freeware/opensource solutions.

(which reminds me, make sure you check sourceforge).

randy, if you feel up for it and want this to go somewhere, it would be so useful to prepare a kind of informal report as i said about the best software you find, what it costs and what it does right, etc.  

if you did nothing but prepare a blueprint for a programmer to write the ultimate freeware site-impaired tools, it would advance the cause

35404

Finished Programs / Re: IDEA: BlowUp or Read?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 10:44 AM »

it can take a long time to find the best software -
i really hope you don't give up and search dilligently for the best software in these categories -
if we really find that there is a huge gap between the best commercial hyperexpensive app and the best supercheap app,
then maybe its time for some of us coders to rally to this cause and do as carol says and level the playing field..

and it would be helpful to have a prioritized list of functions -
a big step would be just looking at all these programs and identifying what' simportant for a programmer who might not know.

and if anyone knows any site-impaired folks who have some experience with this software i'd love to hear from them on this thread.

35405

Finished Programs / Re: IDEA: BlowUp or Read?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 10:41 AM »

well i think there are 2 issues:

carol your points are well taken, and competition should drive down price - though it looks like we might be seeing a case of a couple companies buying up all the site-impaired soft so they can keep price high.

but the other point i make is this: the system we are in is all about making the most money possible, without regard to anything else.  but its worse than that.  this program is $500.  let's say im a poor person who can barely afford paying the electricity.  of course i cant afford $500.  now, how would it hurt this company to sell me a copy for $25.  it wouldnt, it would earn them $25 and cost them nothing.   but because of our economic system, they won't sell it to you for $25, because of this cycle of everyone trying to scam each other.  it's such a shame.

35406

Unfinished Requests / Re: QUESTION FOR CODERS - WHAT SOFTWARE WOULD YOU LIKE TO WIN?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 10:32 AM »

i've said this before but it bares repeating - if you are a poor freeware developer (esp. if you are a student), WRITE TO THE COMPANIES SELLING THESE COMPONENTS!!!

explain your situation, that you simply could not afford to pay the price they are asking.
tell them you will be using the component for freeware or donationware.

you would probably be very surprised at how many companies and authors will let you use the components for free or for a huge discount.
and if they won't - maybe that's not a company you want to be supporting with your money anyway.

just my 2 cents.

35407

Unfinished Requests / Re: QUESTION FOR CODERS - WHAT SOFTWARE WOULD YOU LIKE TO WIN?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 10:21 AM »

i am very interested in expanding donationcoder.com to do a lot of reviews of components (activex,dll,delphi), and i think it would be a great opportunity to try to bring some discounts and component prizes to coding snack authors.

35408

Finished Programs / Re: IDEA: BlowUp or Read?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 10:07 AM »

saypad just speaks text files - not what you are wanting and not particularly useful.

what would be nice is, if the $600 one is clearly the best after you do more research,
to hear a report from you after trying the demo for a while,
of the most important features.
like a priority list of what subset of features would still make a great app, in case someone wants to work on this but not try to fully compete with the full feature set of zoomtext.

it absolutely blows my mind that all of these great site-impaired software are so expensive - it shows everything that bothers me about this culture of trying to charge the most money you can get away with, even when it would cost you NOTHING to give this software to people who would really benefit from it.

i hope you keep looking and find some good freeware - surely some programmer has a mother or father who has vision problems and wrote a good program for this!

35409

Finished Programs / Re: IDEA: BlowUp or Read?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 09:48 AM »

now that's more like it.

35410

Finished Programs / Re: IDEA: BlowUp or Read?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 09:30 AM »

looks like a great app but my god the prices are insane - it's like $400.
this is what i hate about capitalism - you know it just sucks that they are pricing this beyond the realm of all normal people just so they can get the big high value purchases from organizations, and rich people, etc.

35411

Finished Programs / Re: IDEA: BlowUp or Read?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 09:11 AM »

yes of course - when i say a program already exists and might not be worth duplicating, i mean freeware.
if a program only exists as shareware, then no matter how good it is, it is worth doing a freeware/donationware version.

35412

Unfinished Requests / Re: IDEA: Large file generator

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 09:04 AM »

good point - it's easy enough to write that if you have some odd requirements regarding the bytevalue you want and the size in nice format, then its a tiny enough request to warrant writing.

i'll write this for ya if for some reason the heavens crash down and skrommel doesn't want to

35413

Unfinished Requests / Re: IDEA: Large file generator

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 08:54 AM »

skrommel - before you start!!! -> i know this must exist several times over in freeware land.

35414

Finished Programs / Re: IDEA: BlowUp or Read?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 08:53 AM »

maybe it would be nice to have the magnified window of user-defined size follow the cursor around, at some user configured distance away from it - do such programs already exist?

35415

Finished Programs / Re: IDEA: BlowUp or Read?

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 08:51 AM »

i know there are some good tools for people with eyesite problems, regarding speaking text and magnifying text.  and i know we actually have at least one person on this forum who knows about such tools.

certainly i think the easiest project would be a program that let you put up a large box on screen wherever you want, which showed the magnified contests of whatever is under the cursor - but i'm sure there must be 100 of these apps already available.

maybe you have something different in mind?  actually reading the text under the cursor aloud is more interesting and i'm not sure what the current state of the art for this is or what kind of shareware exists for it.

i'd be very interested in hearing more ideas for programs that would help those who having hearing/site problems use computers more efficiently.

35416

Activation/License/Language Help / Youth membership

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 07:41 AM »

In order to encourage donations we have some benefits normally available only to donating or honorary members (people involved in freeware/donationware scene, or people who have contributed in other ways to the site or software).

But we are an informal site that tries not to be bound by arbitrary rules and if you cannot or will not donate after seriously considering the approach of our site we would be happy to give you a full membership.

We especially want to extend this idea to our youth visitors who may be under 18 and may not have an easy way to make a donation.

If you fit this description just send us an email ([email protected]) and we'd be happy to make you a full member on the site.

ps. When you get older and have some spare money, or become the next Bill Gates, don't forget your friends at DonationCoder.com 
ps2. if you become the next Bill Gates please make sure you consult this donation chart we commissioned:  https://www.donation...te/HowMuchChart.html

35417

ProcessTamer / Re: ok finally about to do a round of work on Process Tamer - make your requests now

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 07:10 AM »

i've updated the main page and download page with a special graphic symbol and link to license key page - i think it stands out a lot more and should be easier for people to spot when they come to the site needing a freeware license key.

35418

Living Room / Re: give sticky topics another background color!

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 05:04 AM »

thanks carol - i'll adopt one of those solutions.

35419

PopUp Wisdom / Re: Tons more books available

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 04:25 AM »

the .mwl books for learning languages looked good but the file format was binary and strange.. but maybe we can find some other flashcard-like files that have an open format..

the scrabble word lists i'm not sure if they are suitable content.

35420

ProcessTamer / Re: ok finally about to do a round of work on Process Tamer - make your requests now

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 04:23 AM »

the key file page is here: https://www.donationcoder.com/Keys/

it's linked on the side of the process tamer homepage, and the download pages.. but maybe we need to make it clearer.

showing cpu load in tray is a good idea - i'm going to add it - just have to figure out best way.

35421

System Path Commander / Re: Feature request: move path item to system/local path

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 04:22 AM »

thanks carol, the download link on the programs webpage was good, but the releases-sorted-by-date page link was bad.
it's fixed now.

(page for program: https://www.donation...Other/Spc/index.html)

35422

General Software Discussion / Re: Azureus - IMHO the best when it comes to torrents!

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 04:19 AM »

i've been using the free bitspirit for a while - but have no idea how it compares.

35423

Living Room / Re: give sticky topics another background color!

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 04:18 AM »

i've been thinking that would be a very nice feature myself -
im hoping its part of the upgraded forum version that i will be upgrading this week.
if not, we'll try to add it, since it's definitely something that would be useful.

35424

Living Room / Re: Hot under the collar .... (and in the wallet)

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 03:04 AM »

at least it had a happy ending and fun pictures

i too have had horror stories with broken electronics, maybe we all have
cat hair got in my graphics card fan and stopped it and killed it.
my dvd burner also freaked out until i took it apart and cleaned the lens.

i do avoid all combo things now though, like combo tv+dvd player etc, or phone+answering machine, because it always seems that one breaks before the other..

35425

Finished Programs / Re: IDEA: Keyboard & Mouse cleaner

« Last post by mouser on September 27, 2005, 01:24 AM »

i believe i have code for the kids keyboard program that i have 25% finished that blocks ALL keys, i'll try to dig it up.