Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!brl-adm!brl-smoke!floyd
From: floyd@brl-smoke.ARPA (Floyd C. Wofford)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Distribution of shareware for profit without permission
Message-ID: <7812@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Date: 2 May 88 17:10:19 GMT
References: <16428@cornell.UUCP> <697@csm9a.UUCP> <1594@looking.UUCP>
Reply-To: floyd@brl.arpa (Floyd C. Wofford)
Distribution: comp
Organization: Ballistic Research Laboratory
Lines: 57


      The discussion so far has intrigued me.  I am interested in
responses from the creators of shareware to the following questions.

Suppose I am a consultant to small businesses who wish to use small
computers in their businesses.  Now I want to make a profit from
this.  I also want to do these people an honest service.  The people
who come to me have no machine, usually, and really don't know where
to start.  I could tell them to pick up a Computer Shopper and spend
two weeks digesting it but these people are not the "computer
literates" who post endlessly to this newsgroup.

Instead I listen to them and try to suggest solutions to their
problems (at a profit to me).  Lets say their problems require a
spreadsheet.  There is Lotus 123.  This is excellent software at
~$200.00 a registered copy.  A very good deal, too.  If their problem
does not require the full power of 123 perhaps an alternative may
be useful.  Two shareware alternatives come to mind immediately.
Aseasyas and Analyticalc are two very nice shareware spreadsheets.
I believe the author of the former requests $35.00.  The latter is
probably comparably priced.  If I charge $5.00 (or even $8.00) for
the diskette and the client registers the copy of the software, his
cost is ~$150.00 less than 123 and he gets the solution to his problem.
I could tell him to purchase a modem with communication software
(perhaps Procomm or Kermit?) to download whatever he needs.  He can
purchase the magazines or waste a lot of time finding out how to
access the bulletin board which contains the software, he can find
a friend who has the software and will give him a copy or he can
obtain it from some other means.  He need not buy the copy from me.

Now my questions are:

	Why do you feel that it is immoral for me to charge a
	small fee to advertise your product?  If I do not change
	any of the code I am promoting the author's product with
	no assurance that I will be remunerated for my time by
	the author, assuming the program is registered, or that
	the program will be registered by the client, insuring
	that I will not be remunerated.  Why should I take the
	risk for nothing?

Many people who wish to use micro or personal computer do not read 
newsgroups like this, do not know where to begin (they say) looking for
the correct hard/software for their needs or more likely do not wish to
sort through all the chaff to find the wheat.  I have given copies of
shareware programs to friends with the hopes that they were helpful
to them.  I carefully explained the concept of shareware and that it
is an alternative marketing form.  If they liked and used the programs
they should register them.  If they did not they should pass them along.

Should I write a program which I can market through shareware I would
not mind someone making a little to get my product into the hands of
the consumer of my product.  If he makes more than I do, maybe I should
try a different marketing technique (or raise my price ((watch the
flames)) ).

floyd@brl.arpa