Shareware is a marketing method for commercial software, whereby a trial version is distributed in advance and without payment, as is common for proprietary software. Shareware software is typically obtained free of charge, either by downloading from the Internet or on magazine cover-disks. A user tries out the program, and thus shareware has also been known as "try before you buy", demoware, trialware and by many other names. A shareware program is accompanied by a request for payment, and the software's distribution license often requires such a payment. Payment is often required once a set period of time has elapsed after installation. The term shareware was coined by Bob Wallace to describe his word processor PC-Write in the mid-1980s.

History

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Wallace came up with the name that stuck, but many consider the "fathers" of the shareware marketing model to be Jim Button and Andrew Fluegelman. Their coordinated offerings of PC-File (database) and PC-Talk (telecommunications) programs, respectively, pre-dated PC-Write by several months. Button referred to his distribution method as "user supported software," and Fluegelman called his "freeware." Among the three of them, they clearly established shareware as a viable software marketing method. Via the shareware model, PC-File and PC-Talk made Button and Fluegelman millionaires.

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Digital TV for PC 2009.12.1 | Free software: Type: Shareware Cost: $29.95 Size: 1.91 MB Release date: 28 Dec 2009 P... http://bit.ly/8otWIc
DigitalTV4PC (Digital TV for PC) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:22:48 -0000
Digital TV for PC 2009.12.1 | Free software: Type: Shareware Cost: $29.95 Size: 1.91 MB Release date: 28 Dec 2009 P... http://bit.ly/8otWIc
Software Auto Music Organizer Software 4.49: Type: Shareware Cost: $39.95 Size: 7.29 MB Release date: 12 M.. http://tinyurl.com/ybp8hcg
gidoctor (windows7downloads) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:59:19 -0000
Software Auto Music Organizer Software 4.49: Type: Shareware Cost: $39.95 Size: 7.29 MB Release date: 12 M.. http://tinyurl.com/ybp8hcg
Any DWG and DXF to Image Converter 2010 3.7.6: Type: Shareware Cost: $69 Size: 4.14 MB Release date: 05 Ja.. http://tinyurl.com/y9bmg6p
gidoctor (windows7downloads) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:59:17 -0000
Any DWG and DXF to Image Converter 2010 3.7.6: Type: Shareware Cost: $69 Size: 4.14 MB Release date: 05 Ja.. http://tinyurl.com/y9bmg6p
Program PC Music Organizer Software 4.46: Type: Shareware Cost: $39.95 Size: 8.32 MB Release date: 12 Mar .. http://tinyurl.com/yenvnjb
gidoctor (windows7downloads) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:59:08 -0000
Program PC Music Organizer Software 4.46: Type: Shareware Cost: $39.95 Size: 8.32 MB Release date: 12 Mar .. http://tinyurl.com/yenvnjb
Whoa what is Raines Cohen doing now. DUDE WAS TALKING #OPENSOURCE shareware in the Neanderthal Era! #geek #mac http://bit.ly/5XLS1P
FOSSwiki (FOSSwiki) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:38:30 -0000
Whoa what is Raines Cohen doing now. DUDE WAS TALKING #OPENSOURCE shareware in the Neanderthal Era! #geek #mac http://bit.ly/5XLS1P
CD/DVD Diagnostic 3.0.0 build 89: Interrogates the validity of your CD-ROM, CD-R and CD-RW. [License: Shareware $69... http://bit.ly/7Gkjmu
grappo69 (grappo) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:38:00 -0000
CD/DVD Diagnostic 3.0.0 build 89: Interrogates the validity of your CD-ROM, CD-R and CD-RW. [License: Shareware $69... http://bit.ly/7Gkjmu

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