From Michael Lerch

An Open Letter to Shareware Authors

        It seems a controversy exists over whether a program that
"witholds" certain features or accessories for registered users is
really shareware.  Programs of this nature, some say, shouldn't be
distributed under the Shareware banner.  What about this, though: 
Shareware is not a kind of software, but rather an alternative form
of software *marketing*.  This is what I have understood
"shareware" to be since ordering my first disk from a vendor, which
was before I even got my own PC.

        The thing is, "Shareware" is being crowded with a bunch of
name-dropping; "CrippleWare", "Nagware", "AnnoyWare", what is this
stuff?  Is it letting me try before I buy?  That's what shareware
is, right?  If a program is SEVERELY crippled, I'm not going to buy
it on the promise of what the rest of its features will do; I'm
going to buy it if the features that are *intact* work well.  If I
find a competing program with all of its features intact and
working well, I'm probably going to be impressed with THAT program
instead of the crippled one.  On the EXACT SAME POINT, if a program
is fully featured but offers "accessories" or "enhancements" (or a
set of Ginsu knives), I'm not going to register on the promise of
these "bonus items".  I'm going to register the program if what I
have in my hand (or in my drive, anyway) works well and if I'm
going to use it.  If a competing program works better or has MORE
features "out of the box", I am probably going to go with what I
can see in my drive, er, hand.

        The point is, though, that that is how *I* am.  There are
Other People who won't CONSIDER registering a piece of software
unless it is lacking some feature or offering some accessory.  The
point is that the AUTHOR should decide what is best for him or her,
and DO it.  Let the AUTHOR see what happens and go with that.  I
think that when restrictions are put on an author as to what niche
within the Shareware marketing system that he or she wants to rest
in, that author POSSIBLY could be missing out on registrations.  I
think that an author who has the freedom to arrive at that
cofortable niche is going to make some more dough, which in turn
means that they will probably write some better stuff, and that's
what I like.  My checkbook will be in hand, with their software on
my drive.

From Dennis Puckett

I think the time is right to launch a national campaign to enlighten
the general public as to the truth about shareware.

As a personal computer consultant specializing in novice users and
small businesses, I hear a lot of mis-information about shareware. 
A large part of my business consists of evaluating software, both
commercial and shareware, so I can make the best recommendation to
my clients.  Bearing that in mind, I'd like to make a quick
comparison of commercial software and shareware. Hopefully, this
will clarify some of the mis-information.

Let's look at the quality of programming first.  It's been my
experience that the quality of programming runs all the way from
very excellent to very poor in both shareware and commercial
programs.

How about technical support?  The same values apply here. 
Technical support runs all the way from excellent to non-existent
in both formats.  I have to give the commercial camp a couple of
extra points because there are so many publishers who have toll
free phone numbers for technical support.  I have to give the
shareware camp a couple of extra points too because so many of the
authors are available on public access message networks such as
FIDO, RIME, U'NInet or whatever in addition to CompuServ or GEni.

So, what about bug fixes and updates?  Generally speaking, both
camps provide updates and bug fixes in a timely manner.  Of course,
there are some programs that have no support in both camps too. 
Shareware gets a couple of extra points because they seem to be a
little quicker to acknowledge and fix bugs and they are honest
enough to call them bug fixes, as apposed to the commercial
software industry's practice of calling them "maintenance
releases".

Let's take a look at the biggest difference:  Distribution. 
Figuring out which program is best suited to your individual needs
can be a stressful experience.  Generally speaking, when you buy a
commercial program, you can't take it back if it doesn't fit your
needs. In all fairness, I have to say that some commercial software
publishers are beginning to offering a 30 day money back
guarantee.  This is a good start. Finding the best price isn't easy
either. If you're not sure what you want, you have to put your
trust in a person who's livelihood depends on sales. On the plus
side, you're assured of getting the latest version of the program
you want.

With shareware, you can get programs off electronic bulletin boards
(BBS') or from shareware distributors. The good news is that you can
get programs from friends (legally) or BBS' free or a very low fee
from distributors.  There's no pressure to make up your mind which
program you want. You get to try the program out on your own
machine using your data before you pay for it.  The bad news is
they aren't *always* the most current version.  Then, when you
register your program, the author will usually send you the most
current version.  If they're not what you're looking for, you're
only out a couple of bucks if that much.

So what about value?  Which offers the most value for your hard
earned dollars?  All else being equal, shareware gets the gold
medal.  With shareware, you don't have to pay for fancy packaging,
transportation, overhead on warehousing facilities or resales
stores, large numbers of employees, advertising, or any of the
other things you can't use.  However, it wouldn't be fair to say
that shareware can provide a program to fill every need.  There are
commercial programs that just don't have a counterpart in the
shareware market.  Likewise, there are shareware programs that have
no peer in the commercial market.

Over the past 25 years or so, we have learned that discrimination
against women, blacks, hispanics, gays, people with AIDS and a
whole list of other groups of people deprives the business world of
some of the best minds available.  I think anyone who gives
shareware anything less than a fair chance is depriving themselves
of access to the some of the best programs available.

From Bob Ostrander 

The shareware distribution channel is large and spread out. 90% of
software gets into the hands of an author's potential customers via
hand-to-hand, local BBS, or small user group. There are literally
tens of thousands of these distribution points in North America
alone.
 
                 | | |     <- *
                | | | |
               | | | | |   <- **
              | | | | | |
             ||||||||||||| <- ***
 
*   Major distribution points like CIS, Exec PC, Major disk vendors.

**  Tons of small disk vendors, real enthusiasts, major user groups,
    large (regional) BBSs.

*** The mass of distribution points. 30,000 local BBSs. The "resident 
    experts" at just about every office. MIS departments. Small user 
    groups.
 
The real "trick" to distribution is to cover as much of this lower
level as possible. Realizing that it just isn't possible to send
copies to each, authors must rely on the first 2 levels to pass
down software. That's why it "takes a year to get established" by
the popular mythos.
 
That's also why crippled software doesn't work. Unless the people in
the second group above like the software they won't pass it around
and it won't filter down. Let me cite a few examples:
 
1) Blatently crippled works - they get the DEL *.* obviously at the
higher levels.

2) A word processor that holds back a spelling checker - if it's
good, it will trickle down but the fact that a spelling checker is
available never gets mentioned and users who want a spelling
checker never look at the shareware version.
 
Realize also that even though BBSs will normally post anything
uploaded, people only upload software that they like. Therefor
crippleware is generally an evolutionary dead-end.