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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GMG offers professional shareware RapidCheck GO!... www.printerslounge.com/en/node/50177
PrintersLounge (PrintersLounge) Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:30:31 -0000
GMG offers professional shareware RapidCheck GO!... www.printerslounge.com/en/node/50177
Enemy able to intercept U.S. drone video with shareware. GREAT JOB GUYS http://bit.ly/dohdrone
substitute (The American Caliban) Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:20:29 -0000
Enemy able to intercept U.S. drone video with shareware. GREAT JOB GUYS http://bit.ly/dohdrone
Cabell's Blog: My Thoughts on Shareware: For those of you who are not familiar, there are several.. http://bit.ly/5fq9Hl
dylancourville (Dylan Courville) Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:05:11 -0000
Cabell's Blog: My Thoughts on Shareware: For those of you who are not familiar, there are several.. http://bit.ly/5fq9Hl
Des drones Americains piratés avec un simple shareware ! http://bit.ly/6j3P6x
Pattonnou (Pattonnou) Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:04:24 -0000
Des drones Americains piratés avec un simple shareware ! http://bit.ly/6j3P6x
RT @devilok: Gizmodo - "Iraqi Militants Hack $4.5m Predator Drones With Windows Shareware - Skygrabber" http://j.mp/6jtHKU [*facepalm*]
hal_pomeranz (Hal Pomeranz) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:42:53 -0000
RT @devilok: Gizmodo - "Iraqi Militants Hack $4.5m Predator Drones With Windows Shareware - Skygrabber" http://j.mp/6jtHKU [*facepalm*]
RT @frases_idiotas: Namorada é a versão Shareware da esposa.
sergiomarmota (Sérgio Leonardo) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:40:04 -0000
RT @frases_idiotas: Namorada é a versão Shareware da esposa.

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