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Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!mit-eddie!ll-xn!ames!necntc!ima!johnl
From: johnl@ima.ISC.COM (John R. Levine)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: A Solution to the Shareware Dilemma?
Message-ID: <889@ima.ISC.COM>
Date: 20 Feb 88 22:35:52 GMT
References: <8502@sunybcs.UUCP> <6973@oberon.USC.EDU> <120@hodge.UUCP>
Reply-To: johnl@ima.UUCP (John R. Levine)
Organization: Not enough to make any difference
Lines: 23
Summary: order taking services already exist

In article <120@hodge.UUCP> rusty@hodge.UUCP (Rusty Hodge) writes:
>In article <6973@oberon.USC.EDU>, mlinar@eve.usc.edu (Mitch Mlinar) writes:
>> >... Shareware developers need ...
>> >a co-op of some sort that would maintain the toll-free
>> >line, MC and Visa accounts, so that users could just pick up their
>> >phone, blurt out their account number and ease their consciences ...
>> So, although I like your idea, you would be hard pressed to find anyone to
>> do this.  ...

There exist companies with 800 numbers, operators standing by, computer
terminals at the ready, all prepared to take your name, address, order, and
credit card number. They keep lists of common questions that the operators can
answer, and can refer more technical calls elsewhere. Many of them will even
electronically deposit the bank charges in your account. It seems to me that
shareware authors would be smart to make an arrangement with such a company.
Their charges are not bad, typically only a few dollars per order.

One whom I have talked to although not done business with is the New England
800 Company in Rockland Maine.
-- 
John R. Levine, IECC, PO Box 349, Cambridge MA 02238-0349, +1 617 492 3869
{ ihnp4 | decvax | cbosgd | harvard | yale }!ima!johnl, Levine@YALE.something
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