Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!caip!seismo!rochester!ritcv!cci632!rb From: rb@cci632.UUCP (Rex Ballard) Newsgroups: net.micro Subject: Re: Profiteering from Shareware/Freeware? Message-ID: <154@cci632.UUCP> Date: Mon, 30-Jun-86 19:06:38 EDT Article-I.D.: cci632.154 Posted: Mon Jun 30 19:06:38 1986 Date-Received: Wed, 2-Jul-86 04:22:20 EDT References: <1247@brl-smoke.ARPA> <3005@utcsri.UUCP> Reply-To: rb@ccird1.UUCP (Rex Ballard) Organization: CCI, Rochester Development, Rochester, NY Lines: 89 Summary: A new market? In article <3005@utcsri.UUCP> petera@utcsri.UUCP (Smith) writes: >> I bring the community's attention to the advertisement in the lower left-hand >> corner of page 372 of the June issue of "PC World" magazine, in which a >> company calling itself Soft/Plus Research (operating out of a P.O. box in >> California) is selling (?) for $6 *each* such popular shareware/freeware as > > I too have noticed these companies here in Canada. It is a bit anoying >to see companies 'selling' software that is supposed to be free or shareware >especially shareware because you do not have the choice of not paying if you >do not like the program or do not use it much. Hopefully what will happen >is that most users will know the software is free and that it can be >obtained without cost from some local BBS that will put these leeches out >of buisness. I doubt however if we as authors of this software have a legal >leg to stand on but I'm not a laywer. > Sounds like there are three separate issues here. 1. Who would buy something they can get for "free". Unfortunately there are a few folks who don't realize the value of a good modem. They will, out of ignorance or convenience buy software at $6 each simply because they don't have to look for it. This is especially attractive to dealers, some of which will also sell you shareware at very reasonable cost. There is something to be said for the "Impulse" buying habits. I doubt that many individuals would mail or phone order only one or two copies, but dealers may indeed want a small supply of originals that they can legally copy. 2. What protection do the authors have? If they have not included a copyright notice on software submitted to a BBS, NONE. If they have stated in the software or source that the software is Public Domain, NONE. If they have included a copyright notice as specified by the copyright act of 1978 (USA), quite a bit. 3. Why would authors who are protected allow a company to sell their shareware programs? Because it IS SHAREWARE. If someone wants to plop down 6 bucks for a "near freebie" that's OK. But when they see that they can get an enhanced version, printed documentation, and even SOURCE, if they like the program, they are happy to pay a little extra, to the author. The author gets national advertizing for a program he can barely afford to support via BBS. Some other possibilities: Software distribution and marketing has gotten to be much more difficult and expensive to market in traditional ways. Many companies figure that as much as 50% of the retail price is advertising, marketing, and distribution expense. So what seems to be happening now, is that more and more software authors are looking to non-traditional marketing methods, including BBS "samplers", and very low priced "samplers". Some companies are even distributing software via the "boards" and selling hard-cover or paperback documentation over the counter. A quick look at some of the Apple software products is revealing. Their most recent upgrades are available through commercial bulletin boards only. MacIntosh Basic, never "formally released" has been available via the "nets" for quite some time. A book of documentation, provided by the author is available at most larger bookstores. The industry is learning that software for micros must be sold to individuals, not necessarily to corporations. Furthermore, some of the braver companies are actually learning that by selling products at reasonable prices (often as low as $10 for a word processor - see some of the Atari ST products), and putting documentation in well bound books, they have less of a problem with piracy. Some publishers are even getting into the "subscription" technique. You buy their product, if you have questions or problems, you dial their BBS and fill out a bug report (or send it to a commercial BBS) and they tell you which of their subsequent releases will contain the fix. If you want the fix, you buy a brand new copy of the software. Think about it. If one copy of ALL the software titles written for the "PC and compatibles" market were put in one store, it would be about the size of a good sized book or record store. You could also find several titles in the $5-$10 range. Unfortunately, dealers haven't caught on. In many smaller towns and cities, the dealers don't want to carry more than a few copies of the "top 10" programs for each of their respective machines. Even video cassette dealers have more respect for their suppliers than do computer software dealers. The industry is finally "growing up"! The days of $600 "percieved value" pricing will soon go the way of the "personalised railroad car". It will probably be replaced with a market that buys upgrades (at retail yet) on a monthy or bi-monthly basis, and seldom tries to "talk to the author" at 3:00 AM on a saturday morning. Except via E-mail maybe.