Top Ten Tips for spotting "temporary Freeware"

[Susan Bugher]

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
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[Saxman]

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.

 

[Steve H]

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,

 

[Anonymous]

1. Buy now?

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.

 

[Susan Bugher]

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_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[Saxman]

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".

 

[miskairal]

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

10. Free to download

 

[Susan Bugher]

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_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[Susan Bugher]

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
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[SeaMaiden]

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.

 

[SeaMaiden]

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.

18. Nag screens that pop up from time to time to tell you that there are
more features in the registered, pro, or deluxe version and ask if you'd
like to upgrade.
19. Nag screens that pop up when you click on an option that is not
available in the free version (X-Cleaner Free, xplorer2 Lite) and ask if
you'd like to upgrade to the registered, pro or deluxe version.

 

[Susan Bugher]

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.

Authors write Freeware programs for a number of reasons. Some want the
apps to contribute to their bottom line - either as "loss leaders" or by
their eventual transformation into Shareware apps. Nothing in the world
wrong with that.

OTOH I'm looking at this from the Freeware *user's* perspective.

ACF participant's interest is in finding good free programs. It's
discouraging to discover that an app you'd like to try (now that you
have a need for it) has become Shareware. If you'd known that was
likely to happen you might have downloaded it while it was still free -
or perhaps you did download the app and like it but when you look for an
update you discover it's now Shareware and you don't have the last
freeware version. I think it makes sense to look for the signs that tell
us to get it *NOW* while it's still free.

also. . .

Some apps make the transition from Freeware to Shareware rather rapidly.
Some authors clearly have a plan. . . I'd like to avoid cluttering up
the ACF program info list with programs that look "promising" if they
are going to become Shareware as soon as they're truly usable. . .

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[Susan Bugher]

Top 100 tips is fine too.

*NOT* Freeware to begin with: "Freeware: Legally obtainable software
that you may use at no cost, monetary or otherwise, for as long as you
wish."

"This version is free for a limited time" is rather MORE than an
indicator - temporary for sure - no need for us to guess if the author
spells it out. (ISTM statements like that are almost always included in
ACF posts.)

I have to disagree with this one - lots of "long term" freeware is only
free for personal use.

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[Steven Burn]

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.

Err I'm confused by this one ..... would people prefer we *not* ask what
they would like to see added? (if thats the case then #18 may aswell be "Has
a feedback/suggestions/bug report menu option to allow sending the author
feedback on the program")

--
Regards

Steven Burn
Ur I.T. Mate Group
www.it-mate.co.uk

Keeping it FREE!

 

[Vegard Krog Petersen]

9. ...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.)

Good term, we should perhaps use that as a new term to describe some
fringe 'freeware' programs.

regards from

--
Vegard Krog Petersen - Norway

http://vegard2.no -
Solitaire MahJongg guide, Sarah Michelle Gellar Solitaire,
Freeware Logo & symbol, Halma & Chinese Checkers,
Pachisi & Ludo, Freeware Solitaire, My fishy site (fishing
games), a.c.f.g information, Fredrikshald Havfiskeklubb
18+ sites: Firefoxy, Adult Solitaire, Fishy Pictures,
Sexy Chess, Sexy Librarians, Sexy Football
---------------------------------------------------------

 

[Susan Bugher]

Err I'm confused by this one ..... would people prefer we *not* ask what
they would like to see added? (if thats the case then #18 may aswell be "Has
a feedback/suggestions/bug report menu option to allow sending the author
feedback on the program")

If anything, I'd say 17 is a contra-indicator. Apps with no version
info, no feedback mechanism, nothing but a page with a blurb and a
download button - IMO those are more likely to be the apps that change
quickly to Shareware.

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[Susan Bugher]

If anything, I'd say 17 is a contra-indicator. Apps with no version
info, no feedback mechanism, nothing but a page with a blurb and a
download button - IMO those are more likely to be the apps that change
quickly to Shareware.

for example:
http://www.scosoft.com/

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[Susan Bugher]

Good term, we should perhaps use that as a new term to describe some
fringe 'freeware' programs.

I've been struggling with a way to say that in as few words as possible.
.. . one example of what I've started putting in ware descriptions:

Ware: (Donationware) (Registerware: time limited/renewable) (free)

Has anybody got a better suggestion?

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[Susan Bugher]

for example:
http://www.scosoft.com/

Another example of a site that where I think the free apps will go $ware
in the not too distant future:
http://www.ice-graphics.com/

What say the rest of you? Agree/disagree?

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[SeaMaiden]

ACF participant's interest is in finding good free programs. It's
discouraging to discover that an app you'd like to try (now that you have
a need for it) has become Shareware. If you'd known that was likely to
happen you might have downloaded it while it was still free - or perhaps
you did download the app and like it but when you look for an update you
discover it's now Shareware and you don't have the last freeware version.
I think it makes sense to look for the signs that tell us to get it *NOW*
while it's still free.

Susan

I agree.