Overall the thing managed 12,988 downloads as of today. So that's good, all things considered. But yeah, they want $79 to basically do nothing -- they don't host the file locally, all they do is provide a link -- and in all the time that the game has been out there, I think I've made something like $100 on it (I get four bucks from each sale over at Feelies).

If Download.com actually did something then maybe I could see where they are coming from. If they wanted a micropayment then maybe I could see it. But they don't host the file, they don't screen the array of retarded comments, they had awkward and (frankly) stupid requirements to get the thing listed there in the first place, and I can't laugh hard enough at the fee that they are asking for. 79 freaking dollars. Unbelievable. Oh, but it's not eighty! Ha ha ha!! Because that would be extreme or something!

I wonder what happened, really. They get all this traffic only because their URL name is "download.com." Did they have to fork over $15 for the domain name recently and is this their way of making it back?

Hopefully everybody else in my situation ignores them and they see a significant portion of their downloads eliminated. This makes them worthless and some competitor can take hits from them.

I know its probably hopeless, but you could try explaining to "Hunter" that you are not a company, you are a single computer programmer from fort Collins, and the game was never charged for anything, and you quite honestly have no intention of paying $79 for a free game that you made yourself.

730 times in the past month? Why the FUCK do we not have 730 members now?

So I guess it's tucows.com from now on... unless there's a better place that you guys know of.

[quote]**Note: Please do not reply directly to this e-mail, see below for instructions on how to reply***

Hello Robb,

I'm contacting you regarding Fallacy of Dawn, which is listed in the CNET Downloads database and available for download on Download.com and other sites affiliated with us around the world. You are listed in our database as the publisher contact of record for Fallacy of Dawn.

As you may have heard, last year we implemented a new fee-based listing structure in the CNET download libraries: Download.com, ZDNet Downloads, and our affiliate partners. We are now requiring that all publishers purchase a listing package through Upload.com (http://www.upload.com/), our publisher listing service. Product listings that are not purchased will be removed from our download sites.

Your product, Fallacy of Dawn, is currently slated for removal on June 24, 2003. Please purchase a listing package for your product by June 23 if you wish to remain listed in our directories. The basic one-time fee for listing in our library is $79.

You might be interested to know that according to our logs, your product was downloaded 730 times during the past month (May 3rd - June 3rd) through our download sites. In addition to retaining and growing this distribution for your product, there are other benefits associated with purchasing a listing with CNET Downloads. We also offer a tiered suite of services for publishers who update their products frequently, or who want to put more muscle behind their product promotion. Full details on our various listing packages are available on Upload.com.

To purchase a listing package, following these simple steps:

1. Verify your current product listing information on Download.com, and note any changes that need to be added to the listing.

2. Log in to your Upload.com account. If you do not already have an Upload.com account, please take a few minutes to register and request access to your listing using the instructions on the Web site: http://www.upload.com/

3. Choose the Edit or Update options in your Upload.com account to submit your new product information. After you submit your new product information, you'll be prompted to select a listing package. Then all you need to do is go to the checkout, and the process is complete.

Full details on our listing packages are also available online in the Upload.com Help Center, located here: http://upload.com.com/1200-21-916200.html.

If you have any concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at mailto:unpaidproducts@upload.com.

If you are not the appropriate contact for Fallacy of Dawn, our apologies! We ask that you please forward this e-mail to a more suitable contact at your company.

Best wishes,

Hunter Hoffman
Program Manager
www.upload.com
[/quote]

Ah, well. It's been real, "Hunter."