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From: 2fmlcalls@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: avoid IM DA 2.0 (Pity the authors :))
Message-ID: <28731.27c43a2a@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>
Date: 22 Feb 91 03:22:49 GMT
References: <0101000D.6so0z4@nan.co.uk>
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services
Lines: 34

In article <0101000D.6so0z4@nan.co.uk>, sw@nan.co.uk (Sak Wathanasin) writes:
> >On 29 September 1990, I sent Bernard Gallet $20 as shareware fee for 
>> >version 2 of InsideMac DA. On 16 November, after receiving no reply, I 
>> >sent a second letter calling this to his attention. To date, I have heard 
>> >and received nothing. Copies of this (one-sided) correspondence are 
>> >available on request. On UseNet, others have registered similar 
>> >complaints. It seems that if you send him money, it enters a black hole.
> 
> Well, I can only speak from my experience, which is that I sent in my $25,
> and got a disk with IM 2.0 as a result. It did take a while though. Perhaps
> someone living nearer can find out.
> 
> ---
> Sak Wathanasin
> Network Analysis Limited

I certainly would never condone a shareware author who takes in checks without
following up on a promise, but I think some people who send in shareware
payments do so with the wrong attitude.  A shareware author releases their
software without any gaurantees that those who use her/his software will reward
the author for their effort.  There is as well that classic rift between the
software authors and the entepreneurs - the dichotomy suggests that good
programmers make poor business-people and vise versa.
I write shareware - I don't have a secretary - letters can easily get lost in
the mess of paper, printouts, source code and bills I have lying around.  I
understand that the odds of losing three correspondances from the same person
is slim, but it's difficult for me to get angry at the shareware author in
question.  He's surely not out to cheat anyone - we have virus authors for
that.  More than likely he's being cheated daily by the hundreds (thousands?)
of people who use his program without even sending him a 'Thanks'.  And when I
send in a shareware fee for a program I use, I tend to send the check off with
about the same attitude I do when I send out a program - I expect the worst.

john calhoun