CLARIFICATION Simresource Website

["Michael Bean (Simresource)"]

Hi Everyone,
Over the past week Ive gotten many good comments and suggestions regarding
the Simresource website. Of course, I appreciate hearing the positive
things, but critical comments have been especially helpful.

A couple people have asked me for some clarification on the Simresource web
site. The purpose of the site is to promote system dynamics simulations and
to grow the community of system dynamics users. Simresource has been
developed with resources made available from Powersim. However, the site is
intended to promote system dynamics, not just Powersim Constructor. Authors
with simulations in any format (for example, Vensim, Ithink, Dynamo, or
stand-alone simulations) can upload their models and either give them away
or charge for them. Weve worked hard to make sure the site doesnt favor
one tool over another for downloads and uploads.

The site is meant to act as a bridge between authors and new system dynamics
users. Many of these users might not have used an SD simulation before. For
that reason, we want to provide free software to run the simulations new
users download.

Right now, if you download a Powersim simulation, the site will make a free
version of Constructor Lite available for download. Currently, only
Constructor Lite is available, but I have asked other vendors if they would
like to provide software and will make this software available on the site,
if I receive permission to do so. Powersim Constructor Lite is *only* made
available to users if they download a Powersim simulation. Were not trying
to force users to try Powersim, just make it easier for them to run the
simulations they download. This context-sensitive download feature will work
the same way for other vendors.

Authors have the option of charging for the simulations they provide. I
think charging for simulations is important because it helps to establish
the value of system dynamics as a serious analysis tool and provides
remuneration for the hard work the authors have put into their models. The
site generates revenue by taking a percentage of each simulation sale. Of
course, no revenue is generated for simulations that are provided for free.
The revenue generated by the site will be used to defray the costs of
running the site.

Currently, there are no promotional emails associated with registration on
the website. This could change in the future-I havent thought this aspect
through entirely. However, if we do so in the future, it will be
permission-based, meaning that users will be able to choose if they want to
receive promotional email.

Starting late next week, users will be able to post reviews of the
simulations they download using a 1 to 5 rating system with open comments.
Only users that have downloaded a simulation will be able to post a review.
Currently there are some reviews from "Simresource staff," most of which
were posted by me. It didnt occur to me initially, but I now understand
that there could be a perception that I might favor certain simulations over
others (such as Powersim models, or models from friends). These Simresource
staff reviews will be removed within the next week.

Eventually, other people will run this site but, for the moment, I am
"Acting Managing Editor" Along with several other people, Ive invested a
considerable amount of my personal time and energy into developing the site
and I want to make sure that it gets started off well. Of course, Im still
keeping my regular job at Powersim.

If anyone has questions about or suggestions for the Simresource website
(http://www.simresource.com), please email me at michael@simresource.com.

Thanks!

Michael
From: "Michael Bean (Simresource)" <michael@simresource.com>