Structure Type ... End Type

krolikbest · Joined: 02 Jan 2017 Posts: 112

Please give on a page a paypay account or how to donate.
Thank you for a Bascom

albertsm · Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 5917 Location: Holland

Got a donation yesterday from you MWS Very Happy

. Thanks !

I will give an extensive reply later today.

albertsm · Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 5917 Location: Holland

I moved this topic since it is not really suited for bascom-avr forum anymore.

This is not really the right place to discuss this but I like to add my opinion.
As the long time users know (the ones using BASCOM-LT or BASCOM-8051), I started this mission because I felt the new 89c2051 chips were too good to be true.
They made my projects much simpler because before of that I had to use a lot of CMOS/TTL chips. And making a PCB was still done with UV light, ink and tape.

I found the available tools too complex so made my own tool.
Today you can buy electronics for little money but then even a resistor cost 5 cents. And only electronic shops sold them. There was no internet. So a lot of traveling was required.
In order to get some funds to buy equipment and processors, LCD, etc. I sold the software for a small fee. (I realize that small is relatively)

The AVR version came because of user questions and because I noticed the huge internal SRAM which was great. And in circuit programmable was another great thing.
Because I had a full time job I had to make long days. I helped with all kind of questions. Since support took too much time I started working full time for MCS.

Each new feature requires coding, testing and documentation. But also support. No matter how good or bad we document, we get questions.
A wish for a new option is quickly made but we (and I am responsible for the end result) have to make sure that all existing code remains working.
With more and more features, the testing takes longer. One mistake and we get a lot of support tickets.

For the 2081 update I even worked on my birthday. I got a few thanks, but many more questions about the Grey code in the editor.
People get upset because they do not read the help/history and don’t understand a great feature. That was a bit of a turning point for me. I began to reflect and realized that there are many users : prof users, hobby users, illegal users. And they all need different things.
Please notice that I do not ask for your ‘thank you’, I understand that offering update/support for free is my choice and that users see this as normal practice. I have no bad feelings to anyone. I see it as my own fault. I was never in business to get rich. I just want to keep things going.

Some users appreciate our efforts and some do not care, they just want quick updates and features.
The illegal users we ban from our site. The forum now only allows posting from registered users. This also allows to post attachments with code intended for customers.

Because we also develop products for customers on a commercial basis we were always able to offer free updates and support.
The free updates are for bascom friends. Officially we offer 2 years of free updates and 1 year support.
In practice both services have been free since 1995.

Support questions range from engineering help questions to bascom related questions and bug reports.
We have just a small team and the reason we still exist is that we are on a mission. We believe in the product. And while your mobile is not supported after already 2 years we want to make sure that users that invested time and money in Bascom, will have benefit from that over 10 years too.

But even while we support this, we need money to pay for the team, server, office, etc.
We used to offer an SLA service for companies. They get support within agreed time. We charged 99/year but even that is way too little for the actual time we spend on some of them.
For this reason we faded out this service, only existing users can continue this service.

In 2019 we will change free support to paid support. For licenses older than x year. A lot of support questions are from users that lost PC or license or want to install a 15 year old version in win10.
All this time we spend takes our resources.

MWS : I appreciate the money you sent. But there are a number of users on this forum and other Bascom forums that helped others for free for a long time too and you are one of them. I should pay for that since it helped me as well Smile

. Essentially, it was one of the reasons we could offer free support for such a long time. Because of the helping users.

The TYPE is valuable otherwise I would not have started the implementation. For 2081 I forgot to set a compile switch for the public release so you get some beta things.
In 2018 we did a lot of research for features that are still on the to-do list. Some things are connected.

Customers that ask for features we often offer to do this for a fee. So a number of options are sponsored.
The TYPE will be there eventually. No matter if you pay or not.
But you need to realize that in order to have such an option quick it would cost a lot.
At the moment we are finishing UPDI programming support, something more important IMO.

To be clear, updates are still free. Support will be a paid feature after x years. Support and updates are 2 different things.

When you want to donate, I will not stop you Smile

.
But please take in mind that for a donation there should not be an obligation to do something in return.
If you want to have something badly, write to support and we can discuss it from there.
When you want to send a gift, our paypal account is paypal@mcselec.com
You can also include me in your last will Wink

, no just kidding. I lost some valuable bascom friends already Sad

As I am in the middle of development to get the next version out, I will not have much time to thank in case of a gift.
I wish I had more time to write but this is already a long story.

Wish you all the best.
Mark Alberts

Madf · Joined: 13 Nov 2011 Posts: 179 Location: Moscow

I also donate slightly.
Thank you for a very useful product. Embarassed

aphawk · Joined: 23 Jan 2010 Posts: 168 Location: Brazil

Mark,

If more people thinks like you do, the world will be a better place !

Thanks for all the time you had deserved to Bascom, this don’t turn you a rich people, but for sure
put you in our hearts and our minds as a example of a talented people that has helped many of
us to transform our dreams in a reality!

Paulo

six1 · Joined: 27 Feb 2009 Posts: 553

Hi Mark,
maybe it's time to change strategy...

Buying Version of Bascom with free Bugfix inside the Version.

Upgrade with upgrade fee for new Versions.

Iwill be on board...

best regards, michael

Plons · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2019 7:41 pm Post subject:

Six1 wrote:

Duval JP · Joined: 22 Jun 2004 Posts: 1161 Location: France

I had pay my contribution as we discuss before.

and It will a pleasure to pay updates.

JP Wink

Sarek · Joined: 15 Oct 2009 Posts: 72

sielcon · Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Posts: 74 Location: Argentina

Hi Mark, I have been a Bascom user for many years, I never used it in a very professional way but I have made some products that are the customers. I would also pay for updates and support. It seems to me that if you have to change the strategy, BASCOM is too good to be practically free. A cordial greeting.

Micha · Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 57

Hi

In Version 2.0.8.1 the Keyword "Type" does not work. OK. Sad

But now I use BascomAVR 2.0.8.5 an I found in the Online-Help, that a new keyword ist added. Smile

See here: https://avrhelp.mcselec.com/reserved_words.htm

"Type" is an added Keyword.

But I can't find more information about "Type" in the help. Shocked

How can I use this Keyword/Statement?

Thanks.

albertsm · Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 5917 Location: Holland

there is no info because it is not supported yet, it will be in a future version that is why it is reserved.

Micha · Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 57

Hi.

I hope the Keyword "Type" will be implemented soon,
because it would be very useful and I wait for it since 3 years.

Thanks for your answert.

albertsm · Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 5917 Location: Holland

yes it is useful. but you wait for this, and everybody wait for something else.
if you want it really badly you can contact sales and we can implement it for a fee. but it will not be cheap.
at the moment the focus is on implementing new processors.
offering free updates and support has drawbacks.
and you wait, did you ever told that to support?