home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Shareware Explorer Series 2
/
Shareware Explorer Series - MS-DOS Collection (New Frontiers) (Volume 2).ISO
/
info
/
shreware.txt
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1993-07-31
|
7KB
|
117 lines
What Is Shareware?
You've probably heard the terms "public domain", "freeware",
"shareware", and others like them. Your favorite board probably has
many programs described by one or more of these words. There's a lot
of confusion about and between these terms, but they actually have
specific meanings and implications. Once you understand them you
will have a much easier time navigating the maze of programs
available to you, and understanding what your obligations are, or
aren't, with each type of program.
Let's start with some basic definitions.
"Public domain" has a very specific legal meaning. It means that the
creator of a work (in this case, a piece of software) who had legal
ownership of that work, has given up ownership and dedicated the work
"to the public domain". Once something is in the public domain,
anyone can use it in any way they choose, and the author has no
control over the use and cannot demand payment for it.
If you find a program which the author has explicitly put into the
public domain you are free to use it however you see fit, without
paying for the right to use it. But use care -- due to the confusion
over the meaning of the words, programs are often described by others
as being "public domain" when in fact they are shareware or free,
copyrighted software. To be sure a program is public domain you
should look for an explicit statement from the author to that effect.
"Copyrighted" is the opposite of public domain. A copyrighted
program is one where the author has asserted his or her legal right
to control the program's use and distribution by placing the legally
required copyright notices in the program and documentation. The law
gives copyright owners broad rights to restrict how their work is
distributed, and provides for penalties for those who violate these
restrictions.
When you find a program which is copyrighted you must use it in
accordance with the copyright owner's restrictions on distribution
and payment. Usually these are clearly stated in the program
documentation.
Maintaining a copyright does not necessarily imply charging a fee, so
it is perfectly possible and legal to have copyrighted programs which
are distributed free of charge. Such programs are sometimes termed
"freeware", though this term was in fact trademarked by the late
Andrew Flugelman and the legality of its use by others could be
questioned. In any case, the fact that a program is free does not
mean that it is in the public domain -- though this is a common
confusion.
"Shareware" is copyrighted software which is distributed by authors
through bulletin boards, on-line services, disk vendors, and copies
passed among friends. It is commercial software which you are
allowed to try out before you pay for it.
Shareware authors use a variety of licensing restrictions on their
copyrighted works, but most authors who support their software
require you to pay a "registration fee" -- the purchase price of the
software -- if you continue to use the product after a trial period.
Some authors indicate a specific trial period after which you must
pay this fee; others leave the time period open and rely on you to
judge when you have decided to use the program, and therefore should
pay for it. Occasionally a shareware author requires registration
but does not require payment -- this is so-called "$0 shareware".
The shareware system and the continued availability of quality
shareware products depend on your willingness to register and pay for
the shareware you use. The registration fees you pay allow authors
to support and continue to develop their products.
As a software user you benefit from this system because you get to
try the software and determine whether it meets your needs before you
pay for it. Authors also benefit because we are able to get our
products into your hands with little or no expense for advertising
and promotion. As a result it is not unusual to find shareware
products which rival retail software that costs several times the
amount of the shareware registration fee.
ASP members' shareware meets additional quality standards beyond
ordinary shareware. Our members' programs must be fully functional
(not crippled, demonstration, or out of date versions); program
documentation must be complete and must clearly state the
registration fee and the benefits received when registering; members
must provide free mail or telephone support for a minimum of three
months after registration; and members must meet other guidelines
which help to insure that you as a user receive good value for your
money and are dealt with professionally. We also provide an
Ombudsman program to assist in resolving disputes between authors and
users. For more information on the ASP or to contact the ASP
Ombudsman, write to ASP, 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442. You
can also contact the Ombudsman on CompuServe via an EasyPlex
(electronic mail) message to 70007,3536.
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ║
║ Shareware authors are constantly revising and improving their ║
║ offerings. When evaluating the programs contained on this CD ║
║ please bear in mind that a newer version may exist which meets ║
║ more of your needs. Check with your shareware vendor or with the ║
║ individual author for details. ║
║ ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
The Newest versions of the programs found on this CD-ROM can be obtained
via modem on HH Info-Net BBS, New Hartford, CT. by calling our modem
lines at (203) 738-0342 or (203) 738-1046 - 24 hours a day...
HH Info-NET is an ASP approved BBS. Support Shareware!
CD-ROM Shareware Explorer Collection