den4b Forum

I wouldn't fret about it - you've done lots of great work but you've just GOT to have some personal life

I moderate a forum for TVersity (media streaming software) that supports all sorts of different device (consoles/phones etc) and I know what you mean about support taking over your life and burning you out (we've lost a few mods just through this)
The developers there only answer questions once a week now at most

Advice
Take no more than 1/2 hour a day maximum to provide support

Get a few moderators to answer the 'already answered 10 times a day' questions - they can also, deal with people who insist that you make YOUR programs work how THEY want, and users who complain that 'it's been 10 minutes since I asked why haven't you replied yet!!'

When you're bored, take a few days break - it's not going to kill anyone

You started doing this for fun, when it's not, quit doing the bits that you don't enjoy

Leave feature requests at 'Taken into consideration for future versions' - if you suggest that you might do it soon you'll be expected to have it working and out the door in about 2 hours, so don't ;-)

Don't get into arguments with users, it's fairly pointless in the long term and you don't need strangers annoying you - they'll either go away or stop complaining, just point them to a sticky that says how sorry you are that you can't support every users wishes, if only I had time etc....

Don't take anything on the forums personally - the users here don't look too bad, but neither do the ones on TVersity after I've deleted all the ones that swear at me/family - it used to get to me at first 'hey, I just delete spam why are you bitching at me?' but now I just delete them...... if you can't play nice then you can't play at all

Always remember that it's you 'letting' other people use your software, your not a company, they're not paying you, and any help is just a bonus

Anyway.. I hope you found some of that useful
Lots of great freeware projects are lost due to user pressure it'd be a shame to see yours go under as well

Illegitimi non carborundum :-)

Last edited by dloneranger (2008-03-12 04:30)

Have a greate time in Russia! And take a good rest from everything.
You're a great developer and your tools will stand for themselves even without your support. I fully agree with dloneranger - don't let it take your private life. Do something about the software if you will feel that it give you fun or will satisfy your ambitions, but don't let people press you.
I am also too helpy sometimes and I know how hard is to stand aside, but it helps, it really helps live your own life.
And if you decide to look through this forum, limiting time for support can be really very helpful. People will learn with time that you can't answer their question in two days any more. They will even have to learn that you will only answer really important (for you, not for them) questions, and only when you want.
BTW, some time ago my doarm roommate used an alarm clock to teach himself how to control his time spent infront of the computer. He was setting alarm for an hour when he was turning on computer and turned it off no later than 5 min. after the sound of alarm. It was REALLY hard at start ("I'll just finish that...", "Just answer this e-mail.." and so on), but he finally learnt how to stand up from computer at any moment, no matter what he was doing.

Maybe you should hide your email by your name in forum. That will stop people from asking you and only you. Forum is about asking anybody.

I wish you all the very best. You did a lot of wonderful work.
Konrad

A few years ago I was in desperate need of software that renamed large groups of files, I searched around the net and couldn't find anything to solve the immediate solution so I wrote a simple little script that would rename off of regex. That worked fine for the time being but I found myself needing this over and over again so I did a searched again and after about 20 different downloads, I stumbled upon your application. I absolutely fell in love with it becoming dependent on it for renaming files. Well, I formatted my drive a few months ago and I for some reason I didn't keep the install for it so when it came time to rename files on the new drive I was suddenly hit in the face with the reality that I didn't have it anymore. I spent hours searching for it but with the current state of the internet and the abuse of search engine optimization, I was unable to find it. Fortunately though, I was fed up again and did a quick search and walla - your app was the first to appear. This is a long and rather unnecessary story but I told it just to let you know that your application is, by all means, the best on the market and I honestly thank you for making it and putting your heart and soul to making it best out there. Having written just a simple script to handle renaming, I can only imagine the time that you've devoted to building this application - THANKS!

I regret hearing that after having built such a popular application that you still need to work more than 1 job. I'm not sure how much of that is financially dependent but have you considered utilizing your tool to generate revenue? I am highly supportive of freeware absent of adware but I also believe that you can capitalize on your program while still offering it free. Even if you just simply sold a few banner spots on the application you could probably generate enough revenue off of it to make the application worth while. Also, there is *no* harm in adding advertisements to your website.

I can't speak for everyone, but I personally would much rather see you see some form of return on your hard work. I am truly thankful you made this application and I wish you the best of luck in life.

Thank you,
Chance Dinkins

Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate your understanding and support.

As you already guessed, I'm back from my holidays! It was AMAZING!!! I drunk everything I could've drunk, I went to every party I could've went, and I met almost everyone I wanted to meet! In first 4 days I slept a little less that 10 hours, and after that I didn't even try to count because I wouldn't remember anyway! I didn't even touch computers while I was there!! 

I also had some time to think about everything, these programs I mean, and here is what I think....

I will continue my work. I will do it the way I like it, and no other way. The previously occurred situation cannot happen again! There will be no more long explanations for my decisions, and I will not stand any arguments regarding those decisions. If you, as a user, want to help me improve these tools - then help me with the forum, so I can spend less time answering questions/suggestions and more time working on the solutions. I have enough ideas on the list to keep me busy for a long time. I cannot spend a lot of time on any of the support or development, and some will have to learn with time that only important for me and from my point of view questions/suggestions will be answered/implemented.

Denis.

You have been most generous with your time, in fact your efforts have been heroic. No apology of any kind required.  Many thanks for your efforts.  It is your program.  Being freeware how could you owe anything to anyone.

I sadly knew this day would one day come.  I have been continually impressed with the ongoing and consistent development and support.

Forum work is very time consuming and sometimes very painful. I can relate having made 400 posts on another forum (using same username) supporting others, for a expensive complex program that is poorly written, poorly maintained, poorly supported and with almost useless documentation and questionable advertising ethics. I do it out of pure sympathy for it's users. Not fun and it takes up much of my free time. I have suggested ReNamer there on several occasions.

I would much rather support a program I appreciate as much as yours but I could never got a firm handle on the PascalScript instructions. ReNamer is the only place I have used PascalScript.  As much as I rely upon ReNamer every few days, I have not worked on a new script in six months. 

The quality of your work is amazing. It is rare to have a program be both powerful and friendly at the same time.  Maybe PascalScript is an additional power option for advanced users familiar with Pascal only, period.  As much as I appreciate and rely upon PascalScript in ReNamer it is frightening how much support it alone can require.

Fathom
Boulder, CO USA

ps.
Thank You also to the Senior Members of this forum who help out.