Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!dciem!nrcaer!cognos!roberts From: roberts@cognos.uucp (Robert Stanley) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: Shareware (was Red Ryder) Message-ID: <1728@cognos.UUCP> Date: Mon, 9-Nov-87 10:42:32 EST Article-I.D.: cognos.1728 Posted: Mon Nov 9 10:42:32 1987 Date-Received: Thu, 12-Nov-87 00:56:24 EST References: <377UD069225@NDSUVM1> <172@ut-emx.UUCP> <6606@apple.UUCP> Reply-To: roberts@cognos.UUCP (Robert Stanley) Organization: Cognos Inc., Ottawa, Canada Lines: 63 Summary: Personal definitions of useful In article <6606@apple.UUCP> rmh@apple.UUCP (Rick Holzgrafe) writes: > I'm a shareware author ("Scarab of RA", a graphics adventure game > I think I did a pretty good job (if I do say so myself. :-) > I asked what I thought was a good bargain price, ten dollars, and released > it in February 1987. To date, I've had slightly over fifty sales. > So why doesn't it sell? I dunno - could be > a) poor distribution ... > or b) it's not as hot as I think it is :-( > or c) people are playing it in droves, but not paying up, > or d) it just takes time to get noticed... I am one of the many people who acquired Scarab of Ra when it appeared on usenet in comp.binaries.mac. I was immediately impressed by the unusual professionalism of the product, which includes well-executed graphics, and a very carefully thought out and constructed user interface. The on-line help feature which Rick also mentions is both effective and comprehensive. I truly believe that anyone familiar with the Mac could be comfortable playing this game in a very short while, and the richness and variety of its features make it quite a lot of fun. I particularly enjoyed the humour that pervades much of the text. But I am also one of the people who hasn't paid my $10 to Rick! One reason is indeed the laziness factor. I can't write Rick a cheque and mail it, because I don't keep a bank-account in US funds; I have to physically visit a bank during *its* business hours and get a US money order. This is a real hassle, because our offices are out on the edge of town. [When, oh when, will ATM's provide more than the basic services? :-( ] The other reason is that, after mastering the controls of the game, you quickly discover that any one game is random in terms of where various objects have been placed in the pyramid. So what? Well, there is no guarantee that the game is soluble, and it is more than just irritating to die from hunger simply because there literally was no food within reach. As far as I was concerned, the game was extremely pretty to look at, but no fun to play, and it is no longer present on my system. I know I have a copy somewhere, because I am a compulsive hoarder, but I sure haven't seen it in months. Had I been a little less lazy about the bank, I might have sent Rick money in that first week, but after that it wasn't worth it. Rick - tell me I'm wrong, and I'll dig the game out and send you $$ - promise. Value for money is in the eye of the beholder, and I suspect that most shareware users who don't pay either figure it isn't worth it (but may well go on using the thing occasionally, anyway), or let payment slide so long that it simply drops off the things-to-be-done stack. So, what's the answer, since most of us appreciate the enormous effort that goes into creating a quality product? Perhaps an irritating inclusion which counts the number of usages and quietly says NO (or something) when the limit has been exceeded. Payment/registration would yield the magic word to unlock the program. I know, easy to get around, but the *fact* that you have to get around it will a) remind you that you haven't paid, or b) stop you using it when you haven't paid. Robert_S -- Robert Stanley Cognos Incorporated S-mail: P.O. Box 9707 Voice: (613) 738-1440 (Research: there are 2!) 3755 Riverside Drive FAX: (613) 738-0002 Compuserve: 76174,3024 Ottawa, Ontario uucp: decvax!utzoo!dciem!nrcaer!cognos!roberts CANADA K1G 3Z4