Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!agate!darkstar!ucscb.UCSC.EDU!unknown From: unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Subject: Auto-deleting shareware (was:Re: Shareware) Message-ID: <11014@darkstar.ucsc.edu> Date: 14 Jan 91 01:47:38 GMT References: <1991Jan13.153544.12059@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> Sender: usenet@darkstar.ucsc.edu Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz; Open Access Computing Lines: 38 In article <1991Jan13.153544.12059@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> dcw@lcs.mit.edu (David C. Whitney) writes: >Now, I tell people, you wanna make a couple of bucks? Write a neato >program and distribute it as shareware. You wanna make a living? Get a >real job. This is going to probably cause a very big discussion, as it is something that many many people will be against. I think that a good way to get people to pay for shareware programs is to make them only work a few times.. I know that this technique is already used sometimes, but I think it should be used a lot more.. Instead of making a crippled demo, release the actual program, but after a person runs it a few times, it DELETES itself.. And to make people less spazzed about it being a "virus," include a file called "READ.ME.BEFORE.YOU.RUN.THE.PROGRAM" (yeah I know it's too big but you get the idea), telling people very explicitly that this program is going to delete itself. If they do not want a program that will, without their explicit command, modify their disks, they won't run the program.. This will sort of cause an unending spiral, like copy protection does, but the code to REMOVE the auto-deletion feature should be VERY well hidden so it's not simple to just go in with a sector editor and remove it yourself. This presents the problem of telling the user how to remove the auto-deletion procedure, but this can somehow be gotten around.. (Note, this is basically saying "I've not thought about it well enough to give an answer".. heh heh) If more people get GREAT, VERY USEFUL shareware programs like this that delete themselves, they may be more likely to pay for them! And it would be nice if the file takes a hell of a long time to download, so that people don't just download a new copy every week or two! -- /Apple II(GS) Forever! unknown@ucscb.ucsc.edu MAIL ME FOR INFO ABOUT CHEAP CDs\ \WRITE TO ORIGIN ABOUT ULTIMA VI //e and IIGS! Mail me for addresses, & info. /