Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!munnari.oz.au!bruce!labtam!foster!mjm
From: mjm@foster.avid.oz (Mike McBain)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.d
Subject: Re: Paying for Shareware
Summary: Manuals added value
Keywords: shareware freeware morals ethics knowledge
Message-ID: <633@foster.avid.oz>
Date: 13 Jan 90 04:39:27 GMT
References: <137@sneezy.tcom.stc.co.uk> <15398@well.UUCP> <1134@utoday.UUCP> <2719@netxcom.DHL.COM>
Organization: Avid Systems Pty Ltd, Australia
Lines: 52

In article <2719@netxcom.DHL.COM>, ewiles@netxdev.DHL.COM (Edwin Wiles) writes:
> [much deleted]
> 
> FOR THE AUTHORS....
> 
> You have a problem getting people to pay for the software you write.
> 
> If you're SURE the software is well written, easy to use, and USEFUL, then
> you can make it "irritating" in some minor fashion.  
> [suggestions of intentional minor dysfunctionality deleted]
> 
> If you're not so sure of the quality of your work, then don't make it even
> more irritating to use, offer updates!  Or better yet, if the product is
> large enough to justify it, offer a professionally printed manual!  (In
> addition to the update.)
> 
> Yes, this will probably raise the price, and you may incur some costs,
> but you have to offer the user some REASON to pay for the software, beyond
> the software itself!  You won't get much money otherwise, since there are
> far too many people who have "exceptionally flexible" morals.
> 

I think there are some flaws in the `shareware ethos', in that goods are
proffered, then the provider complains when so few pay. But I think Edwin
is on to something worthwhile here. 

The company I work for consults with a number of small companies. Some of them
have obtained pirated (commercial) software. Management's attitude here 
is that our staff will not work with or use any software which is known 
to be pirated.  The usual way we find out that the software is not 
legitimate is by asking the magic question `What does the manual say?' 
If they say `We haven't got one', we start to ask why. Our company president 
is even more vociferous than this; he'd like us not to work on any system 
that we know has pirate software on it.

I think the reality, as opposed to the desired result, is that an enormous
number of people use shareware without paying for it. It makes good sense
to pay registration fees if there is a material benefit. The most
obvious one is a good, instructive manual. Perhaps it is the fact that so few
shareware authors seem to bother looking for that `added value' option
which results in the angst we're currently seeing. I have seen some good
shareware, but almost never with decent documentation. I've seen some 
god-awful stuff too, also without manuals. Perhaps it is just
that shareware authors don't see documentation as important. But they will
continue to pay the price for those beliefs.
 

-- 
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Mike McBain,	   	    ACSnet: mjm@foster.avid.oz
Avid Systems Pty Ltd,	    Tel: +61 3 534 2293         FAX: +61 3 534 0153
St Kilda, Australia 3182    UUCP: {hplabs,uunet}!munnari!foster.avid.oz!mjm
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