Try-before-buying software--shareware--is ubiquitous. Some shareware fills niches for which retail software publishers can't afford to develop, while other shareware competes head-to-head with retail software. And of course, shareware offers some of the best games anywhere, such as DOOM! But the challenge lies in finding the gems among the tens of thousands of shareware products that have been released in the last 13 or so years--and that have lived ages beyond their useful life in massive, dusty on-line collections. This is the epitome of a needle in the haystack search. To shop smart, your best bet may be to begin by exploring the Web sites of the major shareware trade associations.
You also mustn't miss the Web home of the oldest and largest shareware trade group, the Association of Shareware Professionals. Like STAR, the ASP comprises developers, distributors, and other categories of members, including end users. Here, you learn about the ASP and access news and announcements for members and the public alike. You can request information about your favorite shareware developers--a feature not to be overlooked as shareware developers may move after releasing the evaluation versions you download, perhaps months or even years later. A common frustration among users is finding the perfect shareware product but being unable to "register" (pay for) it and receive the latest version because the product lists outdated contact information. But as the best-known and largest shareware organization, perhaps the greatest asset of this site is its links to URLs of its members. The ASP has by far the largest number of links to the sites of shareware's brightest and finest. Finally, links to additional helpful shareware Web sites are provided. The ASP Web page is a must-visit for shareware devotees.
The Educational Software Cooperative is the home of publishers, distributors, and users of educational software in shareware and other distribution channels. The contents of the site itself are modest--a history of the organization, information about how you can participate, and links to like-minded URLs--but if educational software is your interest, the ESC and its members are proven, top-notch resources.
No picks of top shareware Web sites would be complete without that of the Father of Shareware. Jim Knopf is better known to the world as Jim Button of former ButtonWare products such as PC-File, found in both shareware and retail channels. Button and Andrew Fluegelman simultaneously but independently began the shareware tradition in the early 1980s. At his site, Button provides his informed history of shareware and invites your e-mail feedback. His site also offers personal picks among the best of today's shareware, and makes available his own cost-free software for the asking. Check out this attractive site and you'll appreciate why it averages 1,000 calls per day.
Another great place to get started is the Shareware Creations Web BBS. Arguably one of the world's largest and best BBS shareware repositories, Software Creations, is also the first traditional BBS to establish its own Web counterpart with full in-bound Web access. This also is the official point of first product releases for some of the most popular shareware companies, including Apogee Software, id Software, and ImagiSOFT. Besides shareware, you'll find news and bulletins about shareware and the Web BBS. In an on-line store you can purchase shareware, retail software, CD-ROMs, SLIP/PPP access from Software Creations at attractive rates, and more. All in all, Software Creations Web BBS gets you started right as you surf the world of shareware.
The CSUSM Windows Shareware Archive has hundreds of Windows-specific programs and a new searchable index. Descriptions are brief, often no more than the program's name and version number, so this site is best if you know what you're looking for.
We also found a small, but nice selection of Internet-specific shareware , such as SoloTech's Internet Address Book 3.0 and the Internet Pearls Database. This site has a dozen or so freeware programs and listings and a comprehensive list of links to other shareware sites.
Netcenter's Shareware Center sounds impressive and is well organized, but very light on content. There's nothing here that you can't find a lot more of elsewhere.
by J.W. Olsen