Software Support > DOS/WinCab
Libraries
ex_directory:
--- Quote from: Chris on April 07, 2008, 10:41:29 am ---I actually think my DOS user base is fairly high, because DWJukebox is essentially the ONLY option for a DOS user. There are a lot of Windows jukes, and let's face it, most of them are better.
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I think it depends on what you are looking for, I wanted complete customisation, the ability to see album art, and the ability to use joystick controls to access the jukebox functions, apart from the last one not that specific. IMHO, your app is the best for my requirements - and I tried them all!!
--- Quote from: Chris on April 07, 2008, 10:41:29 am ---DOS is actually the reason DWJukebox exists, as my first MAME cabinet was DOS-based and putting a jukebox on it was the only way my wife would allow it in the house. I am actually not a Windows programmer at all; I still code in old-fashioned procedural-style C code. So I'm really not losing anything. If a break occurs, it may be because I may try to start using Media Player to play audio rather than the library I'm using, which would give me access to WMA files and remove the patent restrictions that keep me from allowing any kind of commercial use. The DOS version would still rely on the old library and thus would not inherit the Media Player features.
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It's a bit of a shame that you are looking at this with possible commercial intentions, personally I feel what the jukebox software badly needs is a good open source solution that can be contributed to by those people that are more interested than just using other people's software. Your product being designed from the customisation point of view would have been a great start. If a community can be built, features get built quicker and well, you know the story - MAME being a great example. There are lots of badly designed jukebox apps out there, fit for the developers purpose maybe but generally not the masses, and 1 year left the developer has moved on to his next project annoyingly :(
But no one can knock you for your intentions, it is your baby and your time that has been invested!
Chris:
--- Quote from: ex_directory on April 08, 2008, 05:00:57 am ---It's a bit of a shame that you are looking at this with possible commercial intentions, personally I feel what the jukebox software badly needs is a good open source solution that can be contributed to by those people that are more interested than just using other people's software.
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Allowing "commercial use" doesn't mean I intend to sell it. For example, at least two MAME cabinet manufacturers distribute my software with their cabinets against my requests and wishes. Those cabinets, although intended for home use, are not being given away for free. So DWJukebox is part of a commercial product and thus I can be sued by the patent holder of the MP3 patent. If commercial use could be allowed I wouldn't have to worry about things like this.
I also had to turn down a potential job for a local bar owner who wanted customized jukeboxes at each booth in his bar. I've recently had an unwanted job change that cut my salary by 25% per year and my wife and I are struggling to keep our house, so turning down this opportunity was painful.
I intend to keep the basic jukebox itself free, but my financial realities are not going to go away and DWJukebox is my biggest potential asset. So yes, I am trying to find ways to "monetize" it while keeping it free. That's why you've seen ads pop up on dwjukebox.com; the $5 per month or so I earn from the clicks will hopefully pay for the site's hosting. I'm look to possibly start selling things like control kits, keycap labels, bubble tubes, or other accessories that might help people buld a jukebox. I may even start building jukeboxes and selling them myself, although I would be more likely to do that locally rather than online. But I still want to give the software itself away.
As far as open source goes: I have released small projects as Open Source before, but as you say this is my baby, and I really don't care to give up control of it just yet. I spend a great deal of time doing technical support for free as it is; I really can't add time explaining my code to other developers, some of which who will gleefully bash me or question me for decisions I've made and directions I've taken, or code that isn't structured well. If I were ever to abandon the project, I would probably release the source at that point, but for now I prefer not to.
ex_directory:
--- Quote from: Chris on April 08, 2008, 10:49:07 am ---Allowing "commercial use" doesn't mean I intend to sell it. For example, at least two MAME cabinet manufacturers distribute my software with their cabinets against my requests and wishes. Those cabinets, although intended for home use, are not being given away for free. So DWJukebox is part of a commercial product and thus I can be sued by the patent holder of the MP3 patent. If commercial use could be allowed I wouldn't have to worry about things like this.
--- End quote ---
Now that is just not cricket. Have you thought of adding a startup splash like in mame where you have to press ok or toggle the joystick. Words to the affect if you are using this software as part of a commercial jukebox this is illegal...?
--- Quote from: Chris on April 08, 2008, 10:49:07 am ---I intend to keep the basic jukebox itself free, but my financial realities are not going to go away and DWJukebox is my biggest potential asset. So yes, I am trying to find ways to "monetize" it while keeping it free.
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It's a very difficult one, sounds to me like if you are putting your hopes on this then you need to move the windows version into a position that is marketable for commercial jukeboxes but I guess they also run under dos?
--- Quote from: Chris on April 08, 2008, 10:49:07 am ---As far as open source goes: I have released small projects as Open Source before, but as you say this is my baby, and I really don't care to give up control of it just yet. I spend a great deal of time doing technical support for free as it is; I really can't add time explaining my code to other developers, some of which who will gleefully bash me or question me for decisions I've made and directions I've taken, or code that isn't structured well. If I were ever to abandon the project, I would probably release the source at that point, but for now I prefer not to.
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I don't think anyone would disagree with this, now I understand your intentions I think you are doing the right thing.
Chris:
--- Quote from: ex_directory on April 08, 2008, 11:30:57 am ---Now that is just not cricket. Have you thought of adding a startup splash like in mame where you have to press ok or toggle the joystick. Words to the affect if you are using this software as part of a commercial jukebox this is illegal...?
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I have, but it would annoy the 99% of users who don't abuse the product.
As far as true commercial use, i.e. putting it in a bar to collect money, I have seriously thought about putting a back door in that would allow anyone who, say, selected a single song 6 times in 10 seconds with no credits in, to pop up an administrative menu that would show version information and allow the user to add credits. This would make it useless in a true commercial environment.
--- Quote ---It's a very difficult one, sounds to me like if you are putting your hopes on this then you need to move the windows version into a position that is marketable for commercial jukeboxes but I guess they also run under dos?
--- End quote ---
Not really putting any hopes on anything, just trying to get my hobbies to pay for themselves. And selling controls and decals and such provides a valuable service to jukebox builders as well. There are already specialized vendors for home arcade products like Ultimarc and GroovyGameGear but no one is doing the same for jukeboxes. Although GroovyGameGear does have a combined control interface and light controller that is just begging to be the centerpiece of a jukebox control kit.
ex_directory:
--- Quote from: Chris on April 08, 2008, 11:52:31 am ---As far as true commercial use, i.e. putting it in a bar to collect money, I have seriously thought about putting a back door in that would allow anyone who, say, selected a single song 6 times in 10 seconds with no credits in, to pop up an administrative menu that would show version information and allow the user to add credits. This would make it useless in a true commercial environment.
--- End quote ---
Go for it! I can't imagine any users of this system are going to complain, I can't speak for them (and I am really just a noob here), but I would expect they would support you if it helps your cause and at the end of the day causes no annoyances to them. At the end of the day, I guess a high percentage either have it on free play, have a button for a coin (I do) or if they have a coin door (which they are using it either as a money saving mechanism or the coins are reused).
--- Quote from: Chris on April 08, 2008, 11:52:31 am ---Not really putting any hopes on anything, just trying to get my hobbies to pay for themselves. And selling controls and decals and such provides a valuable service to jukebox builders as well. There are already specialized vendors for home arcade products like Ultimarc and GroovyGameGear but no one is doing the same for jukeboxes. Although GroovyGameGear does have a combined control interface and light controller that is just begging to be the centerpiece of a jukebox control kit.
--- End quote ---
Your right, that is missing. On my cab I have replaceable control panels, I remember when my cab was being used more for a jukebox than a games machine that I wanted to build a new CP with red triangular buttons for left, right and nice small white square numbered buttons for song selection (VMJ style), I could not source these. Of course then I was not aware of this forum which would have helped! To start and end my post with the same sentence - Go for it!
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