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| Thread ID: 47609 | 2004-07-31 07:06:00 | Supporting/Paying for Freeware | Winston001 (3612) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 256929 | 2004-07-31 07:06:00 | My conscience has been troubling me recently . I have installed Adaware, Spybot, AVG, and Zonealarm on friends machines or pointed them in the right direction . These are extremely useful programs - but they are free . So are a lot of other great pieces of software . Someone - in fact lots of people, do a lot of work for the general good and rely on donations . So I have upgraded or made a donation in each of the above cases . My question is - does anyone else pay to support freeware? Should we? Cheers Winston01 |
Winston001 (3612) | ||
| 256930 | 2004-07-31 07:29:00 | You mean you've been free-loading until now Winnie :O, for shame. I guess you were only being true to type though and have made amends although, belatedly, or is that politicians and their relationship with society that I'm thinking of? If you do a search of PF1 using the P word you'll find some very hot debate on the topic ;\. Cheers Murray ;P |
Murray P (44) | ||
| 256931 | 2004-07-31 13:24:00 | I too would like to make a donation, but what is stopping me, if I went off to the back to get a bank order (what ever) I feel most of the donation would be hogged up in bank fees, that's my excuse and I am sticking to it, I have donated to "MailWasher" only because I could drop $20 in the post without going through the bank . It is a pity there is not some "NZ agent" you could sent in the odd $10 and they take all the donations in one hit to the bank, so the back fees would be the same spread over a lot of donation, but the person overseas would get more of your money . Now if NZ PC world (for example) world would take up a collection to act as a "NZ agent" and maybe sent 10% of all donation off to say NZ cancer society I would be happy to post money, This is how it would work, on the magazine CDROM lets say you like GIMP and would like to send GIMP $10, You post in $11 and say it was for GIMP, they might get say $500 all together $490 from other readers, they take off NZ PC world administration fees & bank fees, take off 10% for the cancer people, and post the rest of the money to GIMP . org Of course if would not have to be NZ PC world that acts as "NZ agent", but I feel if some "other" people did it, you might see them on TV1 fairgo program at a later date, and the GIMP program does not get all that better . |
Earnie Moore (5918) | ||
| 256932 | 2004-07-31 16:05:00 | What we really need in the electronic age is a 'credit card' for those of us on small incomes. Perhaps one with a small, or even 0 credit limit. Buying on the internet is often the cheapest way, but it is closed to the people who can benefit most from it. Vince | Vince (406) | ||
| 256933 | 2004-07-31 20:44:00 | Yes, it is the means of payment thing that has usually stops me. I quite often pay/donate if there is an easy way to do it, but frequently there is no way apart from sending cash or a cheque, which as Earnie More says is a hassle and often more expensive in fees than the value of the payment. As someone who made their living from writing programs for many years, I believe quite strongly that free/shareware should be supported financially. However the authors have to realize that there is a wide world outside (usually) the USA and make things easier for non Americans. Off-topic, but while I am ranting about insular Americans, one thing that really makes me see red is when software /websites insist on dates in mm/dd/yy format rather than using the local settings. It is not a difficult thing to do, but happens all the time, and not only with free/cheap software. Once again, the insularity of some Americans continually amazes me. X-( [/rant] Tony Bacon |
tbacon_nz (865) | ||
| 256934 | 2004-07-31 23:03:00 | Ask the Freeware group if they use 'PayPal' and th\\ere at is no problem in passing on cash then. | Johnzz (5257) | ||
| 256935 | 2004-08-01 04:51:00 | I'm a meanie, I go on the basis that freeware is freeware . Sometimes freeware program writers ask for a post card, most are really pleased to receive feedback, especially when a program is being developed . I've had one or two freebie shareware programs from reporting bugs and doing a bit of platform testing . Most freeware writers do it for the interest of program writing, others use the 'pro' version to pay for the freebie version which they use as a loss-leader . I can't see any reason to feel guilty about using freeware . I'm happy to pay for shareware when it's good, like System Mechanic, Diskeeper, Cookie Crusher, Acoustica, Registry First aid, EasyScreen, and heaps more,some that date back to dos days and are no longer used . |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 256936 | 2004-08-01 04:56:00 | In my view its up to the developer to choose a business model that works for them,if they choose to give it away then so be it,if they choose to charge for it then its time to look for an alternative or pay up the green. | metla (154) | ||
| 256937 | 2004-08-01 05:02:00 | and i think MS should be ordered to pay the people Behind such programs as spybot,adaware,CWShredder,AVG,Stinger,Zonealarm,Hi jackthis at least 20 million each. | metla (154) | ||
| 256938 | 2004-08-01 05:21:00 | That is a very good point Metla, after all it's those freeware programs that are keeping Windows running. Without them MS would be in the real poo :D | Terry Porritt (14) | ||
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