Free Software Downloads
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Free Software Downloads for Not Yet Techies
Now, of course, downloads of software free or not is much
more common than it used to be.

People are getting accustomed to going to Microsoft to
update their version of Windows (highly recommended, to
protect yourself against security holes), to buying and
downloading ebooks (free or paid), to buying software
online just by buying it etc.

It would be much harder now for anyone to create some
software that could create such a hot viral marketing
sensation that it could spread to millions of people
in 3 years just by word of mouth. And much harder now
to get bought out by AOL or any of the other big
giants.

You can get free software downloads from many places on
the Internet, such as Tucows and Shareware.com. As well
of course as programs from software companies and
individual programmers/businesspeople who want payment
first, and shareware.

With shareware the download is free but if you continue
to use the program, you are supposed to send some money
to the developer. That really worked years ago but now
most developers build in some kind of enforcement
mechanism.

The two most common ones are:

1. You give the downloaders a full version of the software
but after 30 days it stops functioning unless a special
code is put in, indicating the downloader paid for it.

(If you use this option you should also make sure that it
checks the hard drive for previous versions. Some people
will download these programs over and over again for free
unless you make sure it will work only once.)

2. You give the downloaders a special version of the
software that has some uses of it working but other
ones do not -- until a special code is put in, indicating
it's been paid for.

Both work. Which one is best for any given program
probably just depends. There's always a give and take.

With the first option, you run the risk that many people
want to use it for only a short time anyway. So once
they get what they want they won't be motivated to pay
extra after 30 days because they're done with it anyway.

With the second option you run the risk that the limited
version is so useless they're not attracted to the
program because they don't really appreciate its value.
- posted by RickStooker @ 8:35 AM (0) comments