Collection of Education/collectionofeducationcarat1997.iso/COMPUSCI/CSCOP.ZIP/SHR_WARE.DOC

Text File | 1993-10-31 | 14KB | 301 lines

                                   _________                                     SHAREWARE

        (based on a document prepared by Bob Falk of Falk Data Systems)

  ____ ____________    Some Definitions:
  You've probably heard the terms "public domain", "freeware", "shareware",
  and others like them. Your favorite BBS or disk vendor probably has many
  programs described by one or more of these words. There's a lot of
  confusion about and between these terms, but they actually have specific
  meanings and implications. Once you understand them, you will have a much
  easier time navigating the maze of programs available to you, and
  understanding what your obligations are, or aren't, with each type of
  program.

  Let's start with some basic definitions.

  "Public domain" has a very specific legal meaning. It means that the
  creator of a work (in this case, software), who had legal ownership of that
  work, has given up ownership and dedicated the work "to the public domain".
  Once something is in the public domain, anyone can use it in any way they
  choose, and the author has no control over the use and cannot demand
  payment for it.

  If you find a program which the author has explicitly put into the public
  domain, you are free to use it however you see fit without paying for the
  right to use it. But use care--due to the confusion over the meaning of the
  words, programs are often described by authors as being "public domain"
  when, in fact, they are shareware or free, copyrighted software. To be sure
  a program is public domain, you should look for an explicit statement from
  the author to that effect.

  "Copyrighted" is the opposite of public domain. A copyrighted program is
  one where the author has asserted his or her legal right to control the
  program's use and distribution by placing the legally required copyright
  notices in the program and documentation. The law gives copyright owners
  broad rights to restrict how their work is distributed, and provides for
  penalties for those who violate these restrictions. When you find a program
  which is copyrighted, you must use it in accordance with the copyright
  owner's restrictions regarding distribution and payment. Usually, these are
  clearly stated in the program documentation.

  Maintaining a copyright does not necessarily imply charging a fee, so it is
  perfectly possible and legal to have copyrighted programs which are
  distributed free of charge. The fact that a program is free, however, does
  not mean it is in the public domain--though this is a common confusion.

  "Shareware" is copyrighted software which is distributed by authors through
  bulletin boards, on-line services, disk vendors, and copies passed among
  friends. It is commercial software which you are allowed to use and
  evaluate before paying for it. This makes shareware the ultimate in money


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                                  Shareware


  back guarantees.

  ___ _________ ________    The Shareware Concept:
  Most money back guarantees work like this: You pay for the product and then
  have some period of time to try it out and see whether or not you like it.
  If you don't like it or find that it doesn't do what you need, you return
  it (undamaged) and at some point--which might take months--you get your
  money back. Some software companies won't even let you try their product!
  In order to qualify for a refund, the diskette envelope must have an
  unbroken seal. With these "licensing" agreements, you only qualify for your
  money back if you haven't tried the product.

  Shareware is very different. With shareware you get to use it for a limited
  time, without spending a penny. You are able to use the software on your
  own system(s), in your own special work environment, with no sales people
  looking over your shoulder. If you decide not to continue using it, you
  throw it away and forget all about it. No paperwork, phone calls, or
  correspondence to waste your valuable time. If you do continue using it,
  then--and only then--do you pay for it.

  Shareware is a distribution method, NOT a type of software. Shareware is
  produced by accomplished programmers, just like retail software. There is
  good and bad shareware, just as there is good and bad retail software. The
  primary difference between shareware and retail software is that with
  shareware you know if it's good or bad BEFORE you pay for it.

  As a software user, you benefit because you get to use the software to
  determine whether it meets your needs before you pay for it, and authors
  benefit because they are able to get their products into your hands without
  the hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses it takes to launch a
  traditional retail software product. There are many programs on the market
  today which would never have become available without the shareware
  marketing method.

  The shareware system and the continued availability of quality shareware
  products depend on your willingness to register and pay for the shareware
  you use. It's the registration fees you pay which allow us to support and
  continue to develop our products.

  Please show your support for shareware by registering those programs you
  actually use and by passing them on to others.

  Shareware is kept alive by YOUR support!

  ___ _____ ________    The Virus Problem:
  We've all heard the horror stories about computer viruses. Unfortunately,
  we have also heard lots of conflicting statistics and opinions. When it
  comes to the virus problem there is a lot of confusion among users and even
  developers.



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                                  Shareware


  The sad truth is that some unscrupulous publishers of anti-virus products
  are using half-truths, overdramatizations, and outright fabrication to
  promote sales of their products. They delight in manipulating statistics to
  support their marketing efforts.

  To make matters worse, the media has frequently promoted the misinformation
  promulgated by these unscrupulous individuals rather than the straight
  facts. While the misinformation may be more interesting than the actual
  facts, the media is not doing the computer industry any favors by spreading
  inaccurate information. To be fair, many newspapers, magazines, and news
  networks are beginning to realize which "virus experts" are reliable and
  which "experts" say whatever is in their own best interest.

  A common myth is that BBSs (Bulletin Board Systems) and shareware programs
  are a major source of virus infections. Some corporations are now afraid of
  shareware and BBS activity because of this misinformation.

  Let's consider for a moment, the distribution differences between retail
  software and shareware software. Company XYZ releases a new version of its
  retail software product. At the same time company XYZ ships tens of
  thousands of copies to its retail distribution channels, it also ships
  30,000 updates to loyal users. Most of those loyal users will receive the
  update within a few days of each other. This can be a big problem if the
  update happened to be infected with a virus.

  "But it makes sense that programs which are passed around have a greater
  chance of virus infections, doesn't it?" Think about it. Who has the most
  to lose if viruses were spread by BBSs and shareware programs? The BBS
  operators, shareware disk vendors and the shareware authors, of course.
  Because of this, reputable BBS operators, disk vendors and shareware
  authors are very careful with the programs they handle.

  Hundreds (even thousands) of BBS operators and disk vendors are carefully
  examining the programs they receive and distribute. Their business depends
  on it. This means that any given shareware program can go through hundreds
  (even thousands) of checkpoints where the program is