ISTM that after you've looked at a lot of web sites you realize some
things are pretty good indicators that an app won't stay free for long.

What are the *best* ways to spot "temporary Freeware" apps?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Susan
--
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On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 01:00:17 -0500, Susan Bugher wrote:

> ISTM that after you've looked at a lot of web sites you realize some
> things are pretty good indicators that an app won't stay free for long.
>
> What are the *best* ways to spot "temporary Freeware" apps?
>
> 1.
> 2.
> 3.
> 4.
> 5.
> 6.
> 7.
> 8.
> 9.
> 10.
>
> Susan

1. Buy now?
2. Registration Screen on 'Start-Up'.
3. No 'Help' files.

On Wed, 8 Feb 2006 09:55:26 +0000 (UTC), Saxman
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 01:00:17 -0500, Susan Bugher wrote:
>
>> ISTM that after you've looked at a lot of web sites you realize some
>> things are pretty good indicators that an app won't stay free for long.
>>
>> What are the *best* ways to spot "temporary Freeware" apps?
>>
>> 1.
>> 2.
>> 3.
>> 4.
>> 5.
>> 6.
>> 7.
>> 8.
>> 9.
>> 10.
>>
>> Susan
>
>1. Buy now?
>2. Registration Screen on 'Start-Up'.
>3. No 'Help' files.

4. It's a beta version, and all other apps on the site are shareware.
5. The Paypal banner takes up half the header on the page.

Regards,


--
Steve ( out in the sticks )
Email: anyoldname(*AT*)gmx(*dot*)co(*dot*)uk

>> 1. Buy now?
>> 2. Registration Screen on 'Start-Up'.
>> 3. No 'Help' files.
>
> 4. It's a beta version, and all other apps on the site are shareware.
> 5. The Paypal banner takes up half the header on the page.

6. Favored freeware that does one thing very well and then quickly
evolves WAY beyond the scope of its original design.



Let me explain in a hypothetical scenario (that is really not quite so
hypothetical...):

A software author writes several small utilities that perform unique
and individual tasks very well. The author posts each utility as
freeware and people start downloading and using all of them. The users
favor one of the products well enough to talk about it, recommend it,
and write about it on newsgroups. The favored product starts appearing
on review-sites and on other Freeware Download sites as well. The
author focuses all attention on that one program. The author solicits
suggestions from the users even if those suggestions go WAY beyond the
original scope of the freeware utility. Those suggestions are written
into the program very quickly, as if the author has nothing else to do
all day but write user's suggestions into the freeware and debug code.
The other freeware utilities are either ignored by the author,
disappear without warning or become incorporated into the program that
the users are favoring.

Version 1.0 of this favored program will be for sale by the
Entrepreneur who has been using investor's money to pay the rent and
buy food during this "development" phase of a product that people will
want to buy because it does everything that the users want it to do.

The first publicly overt clue of this scenario is the favored freeware
that does one thing very well and then quickly evolves WAY beyond the
scope of its original design.

Steve H wrote:

> On Wed, 8 Feb 2006 09:55:26 +0000 (UTC), Saxman
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>>On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 01:00:17 -0500, Susan Bugher wrote:
>>
>>
>>>ISTM that after you've looked at a lot of web sites you realize some
>>>things are pretty good indicators that an app won't stay free for long.
>>>
>>>What are the *best* ways to spot "temporary Freeware" apps?

>>1. Buy now?
>>2. Registration Screen on 'Start-Up'.
>>3. No 'Help' files.

> 4. It's a beta version, and all other apps on the site are shareware.
> 5. The Paypal banner takes up half the header on the page.

6. (copied from another post) Favored freeware that does one thing very
well and then quickly evolves WAY beyond the scope of its original design.

7. It's a professional looking site. There's only one app on the web
site. let's call it app "XYZ". The author is "XYZ Software". The web
site is www.XYZ.com

8. It's a professional looking site but there's no information about the
company/author(s).

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group....comp.freeware
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Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 13:27:53 -0500, Susan Bugher wrote:


> 6. (copied from another post) Favored freeware that does one thing very
> well and then quickly evolves WAY beyond the scope of its original design.
>
> 7. It's a professional looking site. There's only one app on the web
> site. let's call it app "XYZ". The author is "XYZ Software". The web
> site is www.XYZ.com
>
> 8. It's a professional looking site but there's no information about the
> company/author(s).

9. The splash screen says "You have 30 free days remaining before you need
to upgrade the software".

Saxman wrote:
> On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 13:27:53 -0500, Susan Bugher wrote:
>
>
>
>>6. (copied from another post) Favored freeware that does one thing very
>>well and then quickly evolves WAY beyond the scope of its original design.
>>
>>7. It's a professional looking site. There's only one app on the web
>>site. let's call it app "XYZ". The author is "XYZ Software". The web
>>site is www.XYZ.com
>>
>>8. It's a professional looking site but there's no information about the
>>company/author(s).
>
>
> 9. The splash screen says "You have 30 free days remaining before you need
> to upgrade the software".

10. Free to download

Saxman wrote:

> On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 13:27:53 -0500, Susan Bugher wrote:

> 9. The splash screen says "You have 30 free days remaining before you need
> to upgrade the software".

Isn't that Trialware? Instead, how about:

9. The app is keyed registerware => total control of distribution => no
*usable* last freeware versions can be downloaded once the switch is
made. . . I think that a *really* good indicator.

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group....comp.freeware
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Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

miskairal wrote:

> 10. Free to download

Yup. That's an indicator - especially if using that phrase means they
won't have to change the web page when the app goes Shareware.

Susan
--
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Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

"Susan Bugher" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> ISTM that after you've looked at a lot of web sites you realize some
> things are pretty good indicators that an app won't stay free for long.
>
> What are the *best* ways to spot "temporary Freeware" apps?
>
> Susan

You can decide which of these should be in the top 10.

1. Buy now?
2. Registration Screen on 'Start-Up'.
3. No 'Help' files.
4. It's a beta version, and all other apps on the site are shareware.
5. The PayPal banner takes up half the header on the page.
6. Favored freeware that does one thing very well and then quickly evolves
WAY beyond the scope of its original design.
7. It's a professional-looking site. There's only one app on the web site.
Let's call it app "XYZ". The author is "XYZ Software". The web site is
www.XYZ.com.
8. It's a professional looking site, but there's no information about the
company/author(s).
9. The splash screen says "You have 30 free days remaining before you need
to upgrade the software" or "this version expires on mm/dd/yy". (RegCool and
Microsoft Antispyware are both freeware, but their versions expire after a
time, so you have to download new ones. They are not shareware or trialware,
just freeware that expires, or expireware.)
10. The app is keyed registerware => total control of distribution => no
*usable* last freeware versions can be downloaded once the switch is made. .
.. I think that a *really* good indicator.
11. The web site says "This version is free for a limited time". It may be
expireware, or if no expiration is built-into the program, the author may
only be making it available as freeware for, say, 1 month. Then he will
start charging for it, and you won't be able to download it again unless you
buy the program or pay for a premium membership.
12. Free to download.
13. Free to try.
14. Free for personal or noncommercial use.
15. Addons, Upgrades, and/or Technical Support are only available to
registered users.
16. Each new free version has fewer and fewer features, and one day they
decide to do away with the free version completely (Everest Home Edition).
17. The web site clearly states "What new features would you like to see in
the next version of XYZ program?", and there is a link underneath to a web
page or email address where you can submit your comments.