Walk into any software dealer these days and you will find what appears to be row after row of programs for sale. Probably enticing purchases, however, you may encounter a few problems with purchasing programs off the shelf. Off-the shelf programs - otherwise known as "commercial programs" - may be more costly, incompatible and out of date when compared to what is available over the Internet.
Happily, there's an alternative to commercial programs, and although it is not new, it's one of the most under-utilized opportunities in the software business. We're thinking of shareware - programs that you are able to try before buying. And you can receive it over the Internet, similar to accessing online PC support.
Shareware has a long history and had been rather popular during the time where BBSes - bulletin board systems - ruled over the online computer industry. It has not gone anywhere, but the competition withcommercial software is tough - so tough that it appears to get moved to the sidelines among new computer users. This is sad, because shareware has quite a few plusses over commercial programs.
One of the plusses is its price. On average, shareware is generally much less expensive than commercial programs. But don't misunderstand the cost. With shareware, cheap does not mean poor-quality, and there are plenty of examples that show shareware often outshines the quality of commercial programs many times. How much economy are we looking at? You can purchase an excellent word processing, spreadsheet or database program, or a system maintenance program anywhere from only $20 to just under a hundred. This is almost unimaginable in stores like Best Buy, Circuit City or compUSA, but the programs available in this price range compete with even MS Office.
One other plus that shareware has in comparison with commercial programs is its compatibility. We are not implying that shareware is compatible with all OSes. What we are saying is that because we can try out shareware before you buy it, we are able to determine first whether the software is completely suitable for our computers. In other words, we can discover whether the program works like we want it to, and should anyone attempt to do the same with commercial programs, they will experience a huge disappointment. Commercial software policy doesn't even allow for returns, let alone using a friend's programs to experiment with them.
The final plus which shareware possesses in comparison with commercial programs (but certainly not the least) is its being up-to-date. Plain and simple, shareware comes out far ahead when you want to keep up-to-date with the most recent release of a certain program. Certainly, computer stores do their best to maintain their inventory up-to-date, but when you are able to download the latest edition 5.7062 of a shareware program as opposed to buying a commercial 3.0 version from a nearby computer shop, there's simply no comparison.
This us to our next topic. Just where does one get shareware? Shareware can be found just about everywhere on the Web and it is really difficult not to locate it. The most popular places to find shareware is at thousands of download libraries, however, the businesses (and even independent programmers) behind shareware are increasingly offering shareware from their proprietary websites. A simple search on Google or Bing for a given kind of software will give all sorts of answers that direct you to items that you can try out before you buy.
Keep in mind, however, that since shareware is not commercial software, you might not experience a full features of the program in the manner you could if you had bought the software in a store. Shareware may or may not be limited - meaning that some functions might not be accessible to you unless the program is purchased. These limits are often small and don't interfere with how its paid-for version operates. They're really incorporated simply as a way to prompt payment. Keep in mind that shareware is not free. You must not attempt to use shareware like a commercial software package without purchasing it.
About the only point that is comparable between shareware and commercial software is the manner in which they can be purchased. With a credit card, you can be the next licensee of a new program in just a few minutes. Even without a credit card, you may actually receive online PC support, yes, over the WWW!
Yours truly,
Bob Hosken
"Dr. Bob the CompuNerd"
Dr. Robert Hosken, the author, has accumulated over 30 years of career experience with computers. Beginning in his teens he has set up and headed many companies and charitable entities. You can get his free e-Book "How To Maintain Your Computer" and learn the most effective methods to utilize your PC at online PC support, see his homepage, or write him at Robert@CompuNerds.Net - see you there!
