To clarify:
An engine plugin uses the GS plugin sdk which allows you to call engine functions (like beep(), ent_create(), diag() etc, also user defined lite-c functions) and read/set engine variables (like fps_max, entity->x, ev->pd3ddev etc) inside the dll. Of course you can achieve the same with a normal dll and transfer those GS specific stuff from the dll side to a lite-c file, but this normally results in messy and uncomfortable code.

As i've written above, it was possible to use engine plugins with the free edition in A7.82 and even before with the atari lite-c version. I don't know and i don't care when exactly this was changed, they removed a (for me) essential feature.
Normal dll still works using PRAGMA_API, but maybe jcl just forgot to disable it in the last update?

Of course we do not "silently remove features" from the list. This would be even illegal. When you purchase software, you're entering a contract with the seller, and the feature list is a part of that contract.

It is true that engine plugins worked with 7.82 free, but this was not intentional. It was a bug. For obvious reasons, we don't list bugs of this kind in the bug list.

I can understand that someone is annoyed when he developed a plugin and suddenly can't use it anymore. I can not change the feature list because that's not my sole decision. But I can offer this: All people who owned the free version 7.82, and have written an engine plugin for it and can now not use it anymore, can contact the support. They will receive a complimentary Extra Edition.

Thats a great offer, jcl. Tough I've already convert the plugin to be working with the free edition.
http://www.opserver.de/ubb7/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=327497