Club Amiga de Montreal - CAM/CAM_CD_1.iso/files/227.lha/ReadMe.doc

Text File | 1989-04-08 | 3.8 KB | 76 lines

           "Why You Should Send Hard-Earned Money to a Stranger"
                            By Robert A. Casper

WHAT IS SHAREWARE?

     Shareware is "user-supported" or "try before you buy" software
available from electronic information systems, public domain sources, user
groups, and bulletin boards.  It costs less than commercial software and
allows you to examine it on your computer before you decide to buy it.
     If you actually use the software, you are obligated to send the
purchase price to the author.  Whether or not you buy it, you are encouraged
to give the software to others who may have a use for it.
     Some authors distribute their product with a few key features missing
so you can try it out, but can't do anything with it.  I DON'T do this
because you can't fully test the program on your computer without using
every feature.  The fact that you can try the software is an important part
of the shareware concept.
     Shareware authors don't have the overhead costs inherent in a
commercial business, so the price is less.  You are directly supporting the
person who created the software.  On the down side, these authors can't
support their customers as well as a corporation.  However, some companies
don't have great support departments, and they often aren't as knowledgeable
about the product as the person who actually constructed it.
     It is important to note that paying for a disk with shareware on it and
paying for the shareware are two different transactions.  When you buy a
public domain disk, you are paying for the cost of the disk, the handling,
and an administrative fee.  When you download a program from an electronic
information service such as Compuserve or GEnie, you are paying for the use
of their computer system.  In both of these cases you must first pay for the
medium necessary to receive the software before you can try it out and
decide whether or not you wish to buy it.
     When you remit the purchase price, the author will be receiving a clear
signal that he is doing a good job, and he will be motivated to produce more
and better software.


THE GAME OF JEOPARD

     Jeopard is the largest programming project I've ever attempted, and I
think it turned out very well.  I am proud of Jeopard.  It is the product of
weeks of applied effort.  I took an idea and developed, designed, outlined,
coded, and debugged it.  Approximately 200 hours of my life are stored on
your disk.

     The reason why regular users of Jeopard should pay me is that I exerted
the effort necessary to produce this software and make it available to you.

     If you are very young and don't have enough money to buy software,
please ask your parents to buy it for you.  If you programmers out there are
saying, "I could do something like this, why should I pay for something I
could write myself?"  My answer to this is to please go ahead.  If you can
write another Jeopard and you have the time to spend on it, be my guest.  If
you use the version that I have labored over, you must pay me.

     Computers do not spontaneously generate software.


THE DEAL

     You have my permission to play four (4) complete games of Jeopard at
no cost.  This is the trial period that the Shareware concept lets you
enjoy.  By using it a fifth time, you have become a regular user and are
obligated to purchase Jeopard.  The price is $15.

     Remember that time is NOT money.  Time is an irreplaceable portion of
your life.  You will never get the chance to re-live any of your life.
My life is very valuable to me.  I could have done thousands of different
things last summer, but I chose to spend my time on this software.  I want
you to think and honestly decide if that time was worth fifteen dollars.

          Robert A. Casper              GEnie address: RACASPER
          915 Sacandaga Road
          Scotia, NY   12302            [phone]