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What is Shareware?
Shareware is copyrighted software which is distributed by authors through various means including shareware disk vendors, bulletin boards and the Internet. It is commercial software which you are allowed to try out before deciding whether you wish to pay for it.
Shareware authors use a variety of licensing restrictions on their copyright works, but most authors who support their software require you to pay a 'registration fee' if you continue to use the software. This registration fee is the actual purchase price for the software. Due to their lower marketing costs shareware registration fees are usually significantly lower than their equivalent commercial counterparts. However unlike commercial programs, the money goes directly to the author of the program, the person who most deserves the money, and not to large marketing conglomerations, or the printing of expensive colour advertisements hoping to produce sales. With Shareware you decide whether the software deserves the fee the author requests.
The Shareware system and the continued availability of quality shareware products depend on your willingness to register and pay for the shareware you use. The registration fees you pay allow authors to support and continue to develop their products.
As a software user you benefit from this system because you get to try the software and determine whether it meets your needs before you pay for it. Authors also benefit because they are able to get products to the user without spending many thousands of dollars to advertise their products. As a result it is not unusual to find shareware products which rival retail software that costs several times the amount of the shareware registration fee.
The Association of Shareware Professionals is an organisation based in the USA which is helping to spread the word on Shareware. ASP author members must meet strict quality standards with regards the functionality and support for their programs. Many shareware authors have become members of the association, and we strongly urge all shareware authors to become involved with this organisation.
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