Existing users, 
Okay, the product is absolutely wonderful. But should it be classified as freeware when the author writes in reminders to donate in the middle of using it? Really. "Donate?" or "Quit" are the options during a session. That is clearly NOT freeware. It is donationware or shareware... possibly even ransomware (if you don't donate, i'll terminate this session).
I really do think it is worthy of a donation, and I wouldn't really complain if he wrote the whole application. But he based it off of the functionality (maybe even the source code) of fslogger which you can get for free from Amit Singh's website osxbook.com/software . He gives Singh credit for it.
So it's a great product. But if you want a truly freeware version (without a GUI front end), get fslogger. If he stops calling it Freeware, I'll donate.
fseventer
File system change observer that monitors installers & app prefs.
Version: 2.6.6
Great product, but NOT freeware.
Feedback Type: Commentary
Contributed by: bretta_dotmac Tuesday, August 12 2008 @ 09:00 AM PDT
Product Platform: MacOSX
Used Product For: 1-6 months
Comments
Great product, but NOT freeware. - bretta_dotmac
Okay, I shouldn't have assumed that you didn't write the whole program. I apologize for that. I appreciate the application. I've been using fslogger for a long time, but really like having a GUI to work with. So thank you.I like that you show how much I've used it and suggest a donation at startup and while quitting. That is very reasonable. It allows you to show the value of your application.
But here's what I don't like: As freeware, I don't feel I should be asked to donate during a session. If it's freeware, just let me use it. When the donate box comes up in the middle of doing something it's pretty annoying. Especially if it's running in the background because it will make the fseventer icon bounce in the dock. Shareware is supposed to annoy you like that until you've paid for it. Freeware shouldn't.
But sometimes when the box comes up, the options are "Donate", "Quit" and "Not Yet". I click "Not Yet", and it changes to "Quit", so the options are "Quit", "Donate" or "Quit". You force me to lie and say that I've already donated. That's just not right. The point is that I do want to donate, and I do want to be reminded to do so (at startup and/or quit).
And then there's the License issue. It says it's shareware and you have to pay for it. Here are a few clips from it:
___
1.2 The licensee is entitled to copy and distribute, with all documentation, unmodified copies of the software in ‘demo’ mode or for a specified trial period provided that the software is distributed free of charge, apart from reasonable reproduction or handling fees, and the licensee informs each recipient of the distributed software that:
a. the recipient is bound by the terms of this licence;
b. the software is shareware;
....
3 LICENCE FEE
3.1 The licensee is entitled to use of the software in ‘demo’ mode or until the end of any specified trial period without paying a licence fee.
3.2 The licensee is not entitled to full use of the software until the licence fee for the software has been paid.
....
___
So, really. I love the application. And I want to donate. But I really feel you should straighten a few things out.
Friday, August 15 2008 @ 12:52 PM PDT
Great product, but NOT freeware. - RbrtPntn
The options are "Donate...", "Not Yet", or "Quit" - it is not crippled, or ransomware - and in fact you will discover it is trivial to turn off the "want to donate?" dialog. fseventer never began as shareware and I don't want to force people to pay now.I'm sad that you feel that I didn't write the whole application - I must confess that I didn't write libc, carbon, any of the cocoa libraries, or even osx. Thought I did email Singh about some Leopard functionality he accidently omitted in fslogger once I saw his code was available..
I'm glad you think it's a great product though!
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Wednesday, August 13 2008 @ 04:02 PM PDT