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ComputerTalk Magazine 3
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ART4
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1992-08-27
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89 lines
Software -- An Editorial
by Tony Curro
"You don't always get what you pay for," could apply to this
article. We see ads in magazines; we see programs in stores, and hear the
salespeople talk about them. Most times we buy them. They sound so
appealing, and will do so much. At times we are disappointed.
I am no different from anyone else. Sometimes, knowing about the
new software out there, I can be worse. I must admit I am an 'addict.' I am
hooked on both ends, software and hardware, of the computer spectrum. We do
have some help. It's the shareware market. This is a wonderful concept. It
is like going into a store, buying a program, and then returning it if
you're dissatisfied.
Shareware takes this one step further. You don't even go to
the store. Just call up your favorite BBS, and download whatever tickles
your fancy. If you do not like the program, you can just delete it. When
you find a program you like, you try it for FREE, after which you are
required to register it. Most programs allow you to use them for 30 days.
This should be ample time for most people to decide if the program is right
for them.
Shareware usually carries a smaller price tag than commercial
software, although those prices are also on the rise. If you are an
individual or a small business who cannot handle the price tag of say,
1-2-3 or MS Excel, there is a shareware product for you. It's called "AS
EASY AS." This is a 1-2-3-type clone, which at last look, went for around
$50. Much smaller than the $340-475 price tags for its commercial
counterparts.
There are shareware products for just about any use. Jim Button,
maker of PC File, was a shareware author for a long time. Recently Jim went
commercial with his product, which sells for about $90 through mail
order. Still a good buy. Procomm 2.4.2 was the first communications program
I used. It was shareware. When Procomm Plus was released, DataStorm took it
commercial. The latest to cross into the commercial field was QModem.
Mustang Software bought both QM and Silly Little Mail Reader, and
combined both these shareware products into one package. Today when you buy
QModem in a store or through mail order, you also get OLX (renamed, and
reworked version of SLMR), as part of QM.
You may have noticed that I do review shareware. I have been using
QModem since it very early days, and will not switch. I have tried
commercial packages, but were not satisfied. For logging on to a BBS I
think that the shareware communications packages, or those whose roots are
there, are the best around.
For this magazine, as for about 65% of what I type, I have used
QEdit. I have since switched to Boxer. Both are shareware products, and
both do a good job of text editing. Boxer has a few more features found in
word processors that QEdit does not have. PCWrite is another shareware
product that is actually a word processor. A few readers have mentioned
using it and finding as good as the high-end commercial products at a
fraction of the cost. Another fabulous program that I have found is a
program called EDC, EasyDosCommander. It is a program that will
copy/move/delete files. Delete FULL directories and ALL subdiretories
below them. It has a calendar, calculator, ability to edit text files, a
search utility, and more. All in a file of around 70K. Several people
whom I have told about this program were very happy with it. There are a
few things that it cannot do, which PC Tools might be able to do, but it
also takes a lot less disk space than Tools will.
This is not to be construed as a put down of commercial software.
There is quite a bit excellent commercial software out there. The example
above of spreadsheets is one case. AS EASY AS, while an alternative, can
not replace a high-end program, like 1-2-3 or MS Excel. On the same side of
the coin, MS Works, Lotus Works, and WordPeferct Works, are all integrated
products that have spreadsheet, database, and word processor. They also
will not replace the high-end WP, dBs, and SS, but is a good medium for
the small business, who again cannot afford the high price tags of several
of these high-end packages.
You have to be a frugal shopper. Think about what you need before
you go out to shop. Look around on the boards. You might find what you need
there. If not, then go to a store and look around.