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Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!mailrus!ames!amdcad!sun!decwrl!pyramid!voder!kontron!optilink!cramer
From: cramer@optilink.UUCP (Clayton Cramer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga,comp.sys.misc,comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: enforcement of Sharewar
Message-ID: <1924@optilink.UUCP>
Date: 9 Feb 88 17:54:35 GMT
References: <8055@g.ms.uky.edu> <174@piring.cwi.nl> <39450@sun.uucp> <8255@g.ms.uky.edu> <1398@puff.cs.wisc.edu>
Organization: Optilink Corporation, Petaluma, CA
Lines: 25

> 
> I don't know, it looks like crippleware, and many authors are now resorting to
> that method for enforcing shareware.  I'd like to hear from anyone who has
> experienced unique methods of crippling software and I'll post a summary on the
> net.
> 
> Theodore Tang

My two cents about shareware:  I originally distributed my Epson MX-80
to PostScript translator (in a very early form) as shareware.  Total
amount received: $0.  Do I know that anyone used it?  Well, I got calls
from people asking when I was going to add graphics modes.  I got a 
question or two about it, and I found it was floating around various
bulletin boards.

So now, it's a commercial program, with nicely printed manuals, and
instead of asking $20, as I did when it was shareware, I sell it for
$50, and it brings in a bit of money.

Shareware will only work when people are willing to send in money.
I'm sure there are people who manage to make some money this way --
and I'm sure the people that send in contributions are about 1% of
the total regular users.

Clayton E. Cramer