PCMag Utilities

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LB

Have followed the rather long discussion about an ftp "mirror site" for
these programs which were totally free at one time.

I have to admit to being a little confused since just about everyone in
here bought a computer and is paying for internet access and one can get
access to the whole shebang for $19.97 (for 140+ programs). That may
not be free but it is damn close to free and some of those programs are
pretty good.
Further, as Susan has pointed out, any redistributed versions are
illegal.
I realize this is a "freeware" group, but does that exclude common
sense?

LB
 
I realize this is a "freeware" group, but does that exclude common
sense?
Click to expand...

Ooooh, LB! Common Sense? A commodity in very short supply once people
take a fixed position on usenet :)
KeithS
 
I have to admit to being a little confused since just about
everyone in here bought a computer and is paying for internet
access and one can get access to the whole shebang for $19.97 (for
140+ programs). That may not be free but it is damn close to free
and some of those programs are pretty good.
Further, as Susan has pointed out, any redistributed versions are
illegal.
Click to expand...

Whatever Ziff-Davis now claims, it's not clear that all the old PCMag
apps are illegal to distribute. In 1994, PC Magazine attempted to
clear up any confusion on the matter:

Posting the PC Magazine utilities on the Internet is welcome. PC
Magazine utilities can be copied, but are copyrighted. You are
free to make copies and distribute the utilities to others
provided no charge is involved. Making copies or using any
portion for commercial purposes is prohibited.

<http://groups.google.ru/groups?hl=en&[email protected]>

IANAL, but ISTM that kind of blanket permission is difficult to
retract. Info on the way Ziff-Davis has handled things WRT the Garbo
archive is at said:
I realize this is a "freeware" group, but does that exclude common
sense?
Click to expand...

No. But it's hard to argue that commercial software is pretty much
the same as freeware, no matter how low the price.
 
Have followed the rather long discussion about an ftp "mirror site" for
these programs which were totally free at one time.

I have to admit to being a little confused since just about everyone in
here bought a computer and is paying for internet access and one can get
access to the whole shebang for $19.97 (for 140+ programs). That may
not be free but it is damn close to free and some of those programs are
pretty good.
Further, as Susan has pointed out, any redistributed versions are
illegal.
I realize this is a "freeware" group, but does that exclude common
sense?

LB
Click to expand...
I pay for access but it is some time since I actually bought a
computer. People must feel sorry for me as I keep inheriting their
cast-offs. I just got 4 SCSI drives along with other assorted
hardware.

I like freeware precisely because it doesn't cost me any money out of
my pension and I also prefer to keep as legal as possible.
 
Have followed the rather long discussion about an ftp "mirror site" for
these programs which were totally free at one time.

I have to admit to being a little confused since just about everyone in
here bought a computer and is paying for internet access
Click to expand...

That's an extremely old argument and one that's been beat to death in
this group. Doesn't hold water. You're trying to say that there's no
such thing as freeware because of these two expenditures. If that's the
case, then everybody should stop reading this group and give up on the
concept.

Don't be ridiculous.
and one can get
access to the whole shebang for $19.97 (for 140+ programs). That may
not be free but it is damn close to free
Click to expand...

No it's not. Not even remotely.
and some of those programs are pretty good.
Click to expand...

Admittedly, but there are usually alternatives that work just as well.
Further, as Susan has pointed out, any redistributed versions are
illegal.
Click to expand...

I agree.
I realize this is a "freeware" group, but does that exclude common
sense?
Click to expand...

Depends on the person who wrote the post.
 
On 08 May 2005, wrote
Have followed the rather long discussion about an ftp "mirror
site" for these programs which were totally free at one time.

I have to admit to being a little confused since just about
everyone in here bought a computer and is paying for internet
access and one can get access to the whole shebang for $19.97 (for
140+ programs). That may not be free but it is damn close to free
and some of those programs are pretty good.
Click to expand...

That's a valid point, and each person who doesn't treat it as a
religion will inevitably include/exclude stuff that others
would/wouldn't include as "freeware".

But equating "good value for the money" with "free" doesn't work for
me; my common-sense test me relates to "additional incurred cost":
that is, do I have to lay out money for this program which I would not
otherwise be spending?

$19.95 to obtain something counts as "payware" in my books, whereas
using my flat-rate Internet connection to download doesn't.

(FWIW, I'd include as "freeware as far as I'm concerned", any program I
got off a cover disc from a magazine which I'd have bought in any
event....many people here disagree with that, but there ya' go....)
 
Harvey said:
On 08 May 2005, wrote


That's a valid point, and each person who doesn't treat it as a
religion will inevitably include/exclude stuff that others
would/wouldn't include as "freeware".

But equating "good value for the money" with "free" doesn't work for
me; my common-sense test me relates to "additional incurred cost":
that is, do I have to lay out money for this program which I would not
otherwise be spending?

$19.95 to obtain something counts as "payware" in my books, whereas
using my flat-rate Internet connection to download doesn't.

(FWIW, I'd include as "freeware as far as I'm concerned", any program I
got off a cover disc from a magazine which I'd have bought in any
event....many people here disagree with that, but there ya' go....)
Click to expand...

FWIW They claim 140+ pgms are available so $19.95 / 140 = 0.1425 per
program. Even if one only takes ten programs thats under $2.00 each. And
you have latest , legal versions.

LB
 
On Mon, 09 May 2005 18:02:02 -0400, (e-mail address removed) wrote:

[PCMag Download]
FWIW They claim 140+ pgms are available so $19.95 / 140 = 0.1425 per
program. Even if one only takes ten programs thats under $2.00 each. And
you have latest , legal versions.
Click to expand...

Or if you just need one of the programs it is $19,95 each. Which levels
some good Shareware programs. And (because you can't test them, anymore,
in advance) - if you find out that you in fact need none of them - it is
$19,95/0 each. Which is about the same price-performance-ratio you can
invest into the most expensive commercial software.

That's what you're trying to tell us, isn't it? ;-)

BeAr
 
(FWIW, I'd include as "freeware as far as I'm concerned", any program I
got off a cover disc from a magazine which I'd have bought in any
event....many people here disagree with that, but there ya' go....)
Click to expand...

Many people would also _agree_ with that; which is why such references
are topical IMO. It's not uncommon for someone to already have the CD
and not be fully aware of what's on it.
 
Vic said:
Many people would also _agree_ with that; which is why such references
are topical IMO. It's not uncommon for someone to already have the CD
and not be fully aware of what's on it.
Click to expand...

Heh heh. Vic, you're incorrigible.
 
Vic said:
On Mon, 09 May 2005 20:59:58 GMT, in alt.comp.freeware RE: Re: PCMag


Many people would also _agree_ with that; which is why such references
are topical IMO. It's not uncommon for someone to already have the CD
and not be fully aware of what's on it.
Click to expand...

Hi Vic,

Putting words in peoples' mouths again? FYI - the last opinion poll
indicated that *most* people regarded CDware as off-topic:

http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/acf/Posting.php

That may have changed - not enough ballots in yet to tell. I haven't
seen your ballot in the opinion poll - a thread where you and "many
people" are asked to speak for yourselves. Why not express your opinions
there.

Susan
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