147 lines
7.0 KiB
Plaintext
147 lines
7.0 KiB
Plaintext
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This file contains a statement issued by the ASP Ombudsman,
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and is enclosed with the NAG-BUSTER package to illustrate why
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the shareware concept isn't quite working as it is used today.
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The statement does not imply that I'm a member of ASP. I'm NOT.
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In particular, take a look at the comparison between the
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shareware concept and test driving a car! Hasn't the
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ASP Ombudsman missed something vital here??
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Erik Famm
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_______
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____|__ | (R)
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--| | |-------------------
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| ____|__ | Association of
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| | |_| Shareware
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|__| o | Professionals
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-----| | |---------------------
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|___|___| MEMBER
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========================
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ASP Ombudsman Statement:
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========================
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This program is produced by a member of the Association of
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Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that
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the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to
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resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by
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contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The
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ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with
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an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for
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members' products.
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Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at
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545 Grover Road
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Muskegon, MI 49442
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or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP
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Ombudsman 70007,3536."
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+---------------------------------------+
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| W H A T I S S H A R E W A R E ? |
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+---------------------------------------+
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If you are familiar with the idea behind Shareware, then
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you know that Shareware is the ultimate in money back
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guarantees.
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Most money back guarantees work like this: You pay for the
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product and then have some period of time to try it out and
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see whether or not you like it. If you don't like it or
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find that it doesn't do what you need, you return it
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(undamaged) and at some point - which might take months -
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you get your money back. Some software companies won't
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even let you try their product! In order to qualify for a
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refund, the diskette envelope must have an unbroken seal.
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With these "licensing" agreements, you only qualify for
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your money back if you haven't tried the product. How
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absurd!
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Shareware is very different. With Shareware you get to try
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it for a limited time, without spending a penny. If you
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decide not to continue using it, you throw it away and
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forget all about it. No paperwork, phone calls, or
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correspondence to waste your valuable time.
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Software authors who use the Shareware method of
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distribution feel that Shareware is the best way to try a
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product. You are able to try it on your own system(s), in
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your own special work environment, with no sales people
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looking over your shoulder. Have you ever purchased a car
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and realized that if you could have test driven it for 30
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days your purchase decision might have been different?
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With Shareware these problems can be avoided - you DO have
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a 30 day test-drive!
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After trying a Shareware product and deciding to continue
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to use it, then - and only then - do you pay for it. Not
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only that, but Shareware is traditionally MUCH less
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expensive simply because you are paying for the software,
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not the advertising and marketing that comprises the
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majority of the cost of most software (a one page ad in PC
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Magazine, one time, can cost upwards of $20,000). If the
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try-before-you-buy concept sounds like an ideal way to make
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your purchase decisions, you're right!
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Some companies burden their products with annoying copy
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protection schemes because they don't trust their users.
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Shareware developers not only don't use copy protection,
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they freely distribute their products because they DO trust
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their users.
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Someone once said that you should never trust software which
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doesn't trust you. This makes a lot of sense - no wonder
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Shareware is becoming so popular among users and developers.
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Shareware is a distribution method, NOT a type of software.
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Shareware is produced by accomplished programmers, just like
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retail software. There is good and bad Shareware, just as
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there is good and bad retail software. The primary
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difference between Shareware and retail software is that
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with Shareware you know if it's good or bad BEFORE you pay
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for it. Registration of Shareware products, in addition to
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being required, is also an incentive for programmers to
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continue to produce quality software for the Shareware
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market.
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There is another significant advantage to Shareware - it
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allows small companies (like Just Excellent Software) to
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make software available without the hundreds of thousands
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of dollars in expenses that it takes to launch a
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traditional retail software product. There are many
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programs on the market today which would never have become
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available without the Shareware marketing method. Please
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show your support for Shareware by registering those
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programs you actually use and by passing them on to others.
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Thank you for your support!
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=======================
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Author Address Changes:
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=======================
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People move. Forwarding orders expire. What can you do?
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"I got a copy of a Shareware program written by an ASP
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Member. I sent in the registration fee and the post
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office returned my letter saying that it was
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undeliverable. Now what do I do?"
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If the author has moved then chances are very good that you
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have an old version of the program. This is another
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situation that the ASP can help you to resolve. ASP
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Members are required to keep the ASP informed of address
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changes. If you need to obtain the current address for a
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member, simply write to the following address:
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ASP Executive Director
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545 Grover Road
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Muskegon MI 49442-9427
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U.S.A.
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or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe MAIL to ASP
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Executive Director 71327,2051.
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