[OS X TeX] Flashmode-TS 2.1 - a complaint

[Paolo Ghirardato]

> Flashmode-TS now works with TeXShop/TeXShop under Tiger. A modified  
> TeXShop 2.03 application has to be used which can be downloaded   
> independently from
>
> http://www.math.uni-heidelberg.de/studinfo/gerhardt/texshop203mod- 
> G4.zip
> or
> http://www.math.uni-heidelberg.de/studinfo/gerhardt/texshop203mod- 
> G5.zip
>
> The modification prevents the pdf window to come to front after a  
> refreshpdf command is issued. The G4 compilation will also run on a  
> G5 but not as smoothly as the G5 version in my own subjective view.
>
> At the moment I consider the new combination (F-editor-previewer)  
> to be the best of the Flashmode variants which is mainly due to OS  
> 10.4, PDFKit and its superb implementation in TeXShop by Richard Koch.
>
> Claus
>
>

I have gone to Claus's website, to download this version of FS, and I  
have realized to my dismay that, even though I have purchased a  
license for FS, I will have to buy a new one if I want to use this  
version. In fact, the version I bought is for the Alpha/TeXniscope  
combination, and I have now learned that I need to buy a new version  
if I want to use it with the TeXShop/TeXShop combination.

I don't know about the other people in this list, but I have to admit  
that paying almost 120$ for a fully functional version of FS (one  
that would work for any setup I might be using) -- or even paying  
almost 60$ for one that only works with Alpha and TeXShop, for that  
matter -- seems to me frankly excessive.

I understand that each combination requires specific work (is it  
really totally different as the pricing scheme  suggests?), and I  
understood Claus's decision to charge for his useful program when I  
made it. In fact, I paid my 29.50 without complaining. Yet, it seems  
to me that the pricing scheme for Flashmode should have been devised  
in a manner that does not de facto constrain me to use a specific  
editor and previewer.
paolo

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