Quote:
Originally Posted by auricgoldfinger

I didn't ask why MS doesn't make software for free, I asked why there is a lack of free software on Windows given it has a much larger userbase than any other OS.
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You're not looking hard enough then. They're out there - there were 2 alternative to FRAPS mentioned here.
Thing is, just because they're out there and exist doesn't mean they're any good. If the paid for program is good enough and reasonably priced - there isn't much motivation for people to go and do the hard work of building a piece of free software.
So $37 and you get FRAPs... who's cheap enough, that they're really motivated enough to say... "Hey screw that, I'm not paying $37 - let me go build it myself." It isn't worth the time or energy.
If FRAPS was $400... you'd see 50 competitors out there, some paid-for (cheaper), some freeware....
But it's not, it's $37...so there's only a couple of alternatives.
Other programs... they're out there - you just have to look.
Secondary reason - even though it has a large marketshare - the entire lot of them are
used to paying for software (even though it's getting better - free-wise)....this isn't the Linux world.... So all the power to the devs building free apps - but the majority of software makers are still in it for the money. Debugging for different Windows OS's isn't cheap (like 20 different flavors ar any given time?)...so to make it worth the time and energy to develop those pieces of software - most companies charge money.