You are most likely seeing this because your shareware evaluation license has just expired. If you're unsure precisely what this means, then please read on. 

This Coeli product is not free software: it is what is known as Shareware, or 'try before you buy' software. Two things distinguish it from the Astronomy titles you pay for across the counter of your local software store: the method of distribution and the burden of trust we place on you the user. 

Shareware is founded on a relationship - between you at the 'sharp end' and us at the source. We trust you to purchase this program if you like it enough to use it as far as you have, that is, up to the limit allowed for a fair assessment of its capabilities. This limit is stated clearly in your license agreement, but broadly speaking is based on either a time or session limit, whichever comes sooner. You can find out which of the two came sooner by consulting the Usage window from the Help menu.

Shareware is symbiosis, and breaks down when commitment is absent.

This is a great relationship, because all those who buy our Coeli product already love it. There is none of that uncertainty which haunts the purchase of conventionally marketed software. The Shareware relationship fails most of the time due to lapses on the part of you our potential customer, but the small percentage who do the honest thing and register with us, are valued beyond price. We try to let you know it by a level of personal service and support unknown in other areas of the software industry. In this dedication to service, shareware is unique. You can become part of it.

Still, you may be wondering what's in store if you continue using Coeli from today without ordering, and the answer to your question is fairly simple: much as before, but with plenty of reminders of your legal and moral obligations. 

What the program now lacks principally is the *convenience* of menu and toolbar manipulation. 99% of functions are still accessible via our comprehensive array of keypress shortcuts. Just press [h] or [shift][F1] to see these listed. 

The sole primary - and you may think vital - facility missing is the Report window: it will disappear in about 5 minutes. We hope that getting it back on your screen will alone provide sufficient motivation for registering the Coeli product you have chosen, but as you will see there are plenty more benefits in store for you when you click the entry labelled Register in the Help menu.

I'm sure you will begin noting the various other limitations and inconveniences as you continue to run the shareware copy, but I think I have come clean with the most important of them. Coming clean is what the relationship is all about, after all. Isn't it your turn?

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Roger Hughes,
Swimming Elk Software.