xplanetFX 2.2.26: Clouds again!
Version 2.2.26: * Rewrite of the clouds download handling to fit Hari Nair's clouds service (based on a fee recently) * New clouds image download routine implemented in BASH * Reduced PERL download script to check for corrupt images only * Configuration options in GTK and CLI user interface * Fallback on CORAL network (free) if login fails
After a long discussion with Hari about going commercial with the clouds images we found kind of a compromise to fit his and the communities needs. Finally he made the clouds images available for free over the CORAL network at a highly reduced update interval again!
So in the first place I want to thank him for having an understanding for the needy peoples necessities and secondly I want to say sorry if I got on his tits too harsh ^^
The compromise looks as follows:
- If you want to have the clouds as usual with updates every 3 hours and you are able to afford it, please register at his website xplanetclouds.com for a little fee (or more if you just want to support the developer of xplanet – the base rendering engine of xplanetFX)
- Everyone who isn’t able to pay for frequently updated clouds images or who just can live with the reduced renewal will get them for free again with an update cycle of 24 hours – once in a day.
I personally can grasp his point (even if I’m not totally happy with it). But since he has his reasons to go along this road we all have to respect that. If you want to know more about please ask him individually since he wasn’t that cool with publishing our correspondence.
But please keep in mind that it will not change anything – it just snarfs your and his time.
If you’re experiencing any problems with the new download stuff (the usual mirrors don’t work anymore – there’s just the deployment over CORAL network which can have its problems from time to time) please let me know, I tried to implement it in a hopefully stable manner.
So Hari – thanks a lot for giving clouds back to the free and open source loving community again!