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From: ressler@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu (Mike "IR" Ressler)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject: Re: Any tips/tricks?  [Re: Shareware Distribution]
Message-ID: <12584@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>
Date: 21 Apr 91 09:52:04 GMT
References: <1991Apr17.134253.8931@bhpmrl.oz.au> <1991Apr18.174809.27389@sun1.ruf.uni-freiburg.de> <3880@ssc-bee.ssc-vax.UUCP> <1991Apr20.090140.9406@csusac.csus.edu>
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In article <1991Apr20.090140.9406@csusac.csus.edu> chenh@athena.ecs.csus.edu (h philip chen) writes:
>
>Hi, while we're on the subject of shareware programs, can some of you
>authors post/email and let us/me know if you have any secret(s) to make
>the users register.  I can understand that a postal address may not be
>enough to get the users to send you their checks.  What other method/trick
>did you use?  Self-destruct programs, eg. destroys itself after X number 
>of executions/runs, etc?  ... or nagware (heh-heh) that prompts the user 
>to pay-up each time the user selects a certain function, etc?  Any other 
>method or none at all?  Please write and tell how did the users respond
>to the method (if any).  Maybe we can all learn something before we send 
>any shareware out the door...

This is not to be construed in any way to be a personal flame, but why do
you (writers of shareware) start with the assumption that your potential
users are out to screw you over. I'm not naive enough to think that
everyone will mail you the check, but I think there are enough people like
me who will play by the rules that you don't really want to alienate us.
I've dumped shareware programs which were incomplete distributions ("mail
us $30 and we'll send you the real version") or went overboard with the
"nagware". Why? Because I want to make sure the complete package does what
I need before I part with my increasing scarce dollars and because I don't
like having my integrity impugned unfairly. I pay for what I use and use
only what I pay for. Surely I'm not the only person who adheres to this
belief.

Mike Ressler

P. S. The shareware programs I respect most (and would then be most likely
to use) have a page which asks you to register and gives the pertinent info
when you start up (or when you quit), then behave completely normally and
unirritatingly, with all features operational, for the rest of the session.
--
  Mike Ressler - Infrared Photon Jockey     ressler@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu

  If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger sledgehammer.