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.
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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Crazy Eights Deluxe - Offers a Crazy Eights software download.
Meta Description: [ Crazy Eights Deluxe is the classic
card game for the whole family. Players are dealt 7 cards each, the
first player to get rid of their cards wins. Downlaod a free copy of
the shareware version today and play against a computer opponent. ]
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Freeverse 3D Crazy Eights - Contains screen shots and information about this game for Macintosh. Offers play with up to computer or online players
Meta Description: [ Freeverse Software ]
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