Pattycerts, your optimism is a great trait.
However, "we" includes "me", and I and many thousands have perused the "free" mobile software offerings, picking up bits and pieces, and not infrequently picking up something that makes our hearts jump just a little bit. Usually, as the software is free -- and that's why many of us are there -- many of us in "we" do not drop a thank you line or better, as can be evidenced by the
amount downloaded versus the
comments/posts made, and by the fact that the author may not conspicuously allow us to know that
this is an option (donating or thanking), and most importantly, by the fact that many times we come upon software as a result of someone else's posting, and do not have the (prominent) easy opportunity to donate as a result of this secondary or terciary posting.
However, if someone designs useful software, and multiple times displays (at least) a semi-non-obtrusive, easy and conspicuous manner in which to thank/donate to the software creator, this should be carried over if a poster is going to display the author's product to another community, group or site, especially if it's without the author's express permission. Free software has licenses, too, as many of us know. The original author designed and implemented such a (simple) system, and it was completely left out of this thread.
I do find it difficult to understand why someone who has done so much posting, experiencing with free and nonfree software (much more than me, likely), and moderating (a leader among the crowds), would do what appears to me was done in this post, in leaving out what the author had designed into each of his own postings and contributions. The poster undoubtedly ought to have known this, as s/he was extensively involved in the thread from whence the software came. And yet, the poster has his/her own signature after each of his/her postings, advertising a site:
www.wmexperts.com .
Ooooooo.... (as in a long "ew" ) probably not cool.
The numbers seem to show that the software "shamelessly" posted, combining all posted versions, is approaching a thousand downloads (around 850, rough possibly-short count). A few months ago (and I've been "scouring" for free software for years), I'd likely have been one who picked it up, without thanking the author (even in verbal form), for one of the 3 reasons listed in a previous post.
I have serious reservations that all of the thousands in "we" feel exactly as you -- and now I -- do. It appears to me that the original poster did not demonstrate this -- "our infinite appreciation" -- in his/her introductory comment, nor in the overall presentation of this useful software.
It is not my intention to prosecute, it is my intention to educate. That is what I do. I believe that the error should be seen (as it infringes upon the rights of others) and from here-on-out corrected, but not covered up. I make errors, too (obviously).