Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!pfratar
From: pfratar@watserv1.waterloo.edu (Paul Frattaroli - DCS)
Subject: Re: Cracking games
Message-ID: <1991Mar19.171846.17869@watserv1.waterloo.edu>
Organization: University of Waterloo
References: <27442@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU> <31600014@hpcvra.cv.hp.com.> <1991Mar18.223533.646@welch.jhu.edu> <9010@plains.NoDak.edu>
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1991 17:18:46 GMT
Lines: 52

In article <9010@plains.NoDak.edu> bakke@plains.NoDak.edu (Jeffrey P. Bakke) writes:
>In article <31600014@hpcvra.cv.hp.com.> everett@hpcvra.cv.hp.com. (Everett Kaser) writes:
>>
[ stuff deleted ]
>
>Not to be demeaning to the shareware products out there (and there are some
>really good ones, and yes I do register the ones I really use and enjoy),
>but it amazes me how much shareware "crap" there is out there.  I mean, 
>I've got no qualms about paying $50 or more for an excellent editor or other 
>impressive product but when you see shareware products like a directory lister
>with color that want $10-$25, you've got to be kidding.  

Exactly!!!!  If you had to pay that much for each of the native DOS
commands, you would have to pay about $400 to $1000 for DOS.  I don't
agree with an author asking $25 for one piddly little sh*t utility
that does very little more than the native DOS command.  If on the
other hand the author wrote a set of utilities (like Norton for
example) I would not be so annoyed.  I might be rather pleased and
willing to part with some cash. :-)

>It seems to me that many people use shareware to say 'hey, I've written a
>neat program that I use, maybe people will pay me money for it.'  I'm not

True.  Maybe some authors (and I'm not saying everyone is like this)
should get off their EGO trip.  What I mean is that, perhaps before
you ask $25 for a single utility you should think about it's relative
worth.  Yes, I know that many programs offer free upgrade to the next
version and/or printed docs and/or notification by mail of updates if
you register.  These alone can easily cost the author $20 to maintain.

>talking about dBIII clones or word processors, but mainly those little annoying
>'utilities' that really don't do that much.  If I've got to be paying $50
>to use a directory browser, I may just as well purchase Norton Commander or
>whatever and pay a few extra bucks for manuals, support, warantee, and
>usually a bit more robust program.
>
>-- 
>Jeffrey P. Bakke       bakke@plains.NoDak.edu
>(...other idiot methods...)               
>  UUCP : ...!uunet!plains!bakke    BITNET : bakke@plains.bitnet  

I guess what I am really trying to say is that not all shareware is
worth the price the author is asking for it.  So tell me something I
didn't know, right? :-)

....Paul

-- 
         Paul "vi joe" Frattaroli - Department of Computing Services                      University of Waterloo  Waterloo, Ontario Canada  N2L-3G1
  < pfratar@watshine.UWaterloo.CA >       < pfratar@watserv1.UWaterloo.CA >
          [129.97.128.171]                         [129.97.129.140]
          NeXT Mail: < pfratar@magpie.UWaterloo.CA > [129.97.32.42]