Hi Dave.
This is a reaction to your post of 4 Jan. My reaction is late because I have just got round to revisiting the forum, and that is because the posts are all doom and gloom about the future of HB, and have been so for a number of years now. In your post you talk of having the sincere hope that 2021 will be better for HB, and of course I echo that wish.
However, what I am about to write, is not intended to be offensive; it is rather a reflection of the way I see the situation.
You have developed a first class product, which is unique in its versatility (I have often searched in vain for a substitute), but you are hopeless at marketing it.
Over the years many people have offered you suggestions for improving sales and revenues, but I cannot see that you have made any moves to implement any of these ideas. Wishing and hoping are not enough. Until you take steps to do something about marketing HB more effectively, things will only stagnate, and then deteriorate. Marketing is a bit like software, it needs constant attention and updating to meet new situations. Since it is obviously not your ‘thing’ you need to find someone who can do this for you, maybe on a commission basis.
Perhaps among the one million downloaders of HB there are people who would be willing and able to help you in this. You could try mailing the licence holders to see if there are any people who would/could help, or even to see what people think about other ways of financing the program. After all, if you charged everyone 1 dollar a year you would be a millionaire, every year over.
Best wishes
Michael