ppd491@leah.Albany.Edu (Peter P. Donohue) (09/21/89)
I have been considering purchasing shareware and public domain software from one of the software houses, such as those found in ads from the "Computer Shopper." Does anyone have any experience with any of these companies (good or bad)? Do these companies guarantee against viruses? Are there better/safer/cheaper places to get PD and Shareware? Recommendations? thanks, Pete -- Peter P. Donohue ppd491@albny1vx.bitnet . "Education is a journey, ppd491@leah.albany.edu . not a destination..."
harper@rigel.uucp (David Harper) (09/22/89)
In article <2038@leah.Albany.Edu> ppd491@leah.Albany.Edu (Peter P. Donohue) writes: > > I have been considering purchasing shareware and public domain >software from one of the software houses, such as those found in ads >from the "Computer Shopper." > Does anyone have any experience with any of these companies (good or bad)? > Do these companies guarantee against viruses? > Are there better/safer/cheaper places to get PD and Shareware? > Recommendations? I have used National Software Labs for several years and have been quite happy with them. They say that the all of the programs are pretested and screened for viruses. For the most part when you buy software like this you are buying 'blind' and take what you get, however, it has been my experience that about a third of the programs I get are real gems - as good or better as any you could by commercially. NSL puts out a nice catalog that you can get by calling (213) 827-7889. A subset of this catalog usually appears in the latest Computer Shopper. The only way to get software cheaper than this is to have a modem and a good local supply of bulletin boards. Dave Harper - Convex Computer Corp. E-mail address: 3000 Waterview Pky. Richardson, TX 75081 harper@convex.COM (214) 497-4525 (W) (214) 727-4206 (H)
RR.MAX@forsythe.stanford.edu (09/25/89)
In article <1851@convex.UUCP>, harper@rigel.uucp (David Harper) writes: >> I have been considering purchasing shareware and public domain >>software from one of the software houses, such as those found in ads >>from the "Computer Shopper." >> Does anyone have any experience with any of these companies (good or bad)? >> Do these companies guarantee against viruses? >> Are there better/safer/cheaper places to get PD and Shareware? >> Recommendations? Based on excellent experience, I recommend Public (Software) Library at (800) 242-4775. They publish an informative monthly newletter/catalog, test all the programs they sell, and are knowledgeable about the shareware world. Tony Roder TONY@SLACVM
derek@philmds.UUCP (derek) (10/06/89)
In article <2038@leah.Albany.Edu> ppd491@leah.Albany.Edu (Peter P. Donohue) writes: > I have been considering purchasing shareware and public domain >software from one of the software houses, such as those found in ads >from the "Computer Shopper." > Does anyone have any experience with any of these companies (good or bad)? > Do these companies guarantee against viruses? > Are there better/safer/cheaper places to get PD and Shareware? > Recommendations? Many of these programs are available in the SIMTEL20 archives. *lots* has been said about them in this group, so I won't waste bandwidth. Regards, Derek.
cs4g6ag@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Stephen M. Dunn) (10/26/89)
In article <1851@convex.UUCP> harper@rigel.UUCP (David Harper) writes:
$[...] For the most part when you buy software like this
$you are buying 'blind' and take what you get, however, it has been my
$experience that about a third of the programs I get are real gems - as good
$or better as any you could by commercially. [...]
There are a couple of problems with buying from shareware/PD distri-
bution places:
1. The two-thirds of the programs that seem to have been written by
morons tend to get discouraging (of course, if you don't like the
program, stop using it and don't register it!)
2. Many people who receive a shareware program from one of these
places figure that they've already paid for it and don't bother
registering it. PLEASE, PEOPLE, remember that any money you
send to the distribution company goes to them and them alone.
The author gets none of it! So please send your registrations
along. If you don't, do you really expect shareware authors
to continue devoting hundreds of hours to writing programs for
which they receive a grand total of $47 in contributions?
(Sorry if it sounds like I'm preaching, but I have two such programs
out there, and they are amongst the higher-quality programs, and for
one of them I have received $20 Canadian, and for the other $20 U.S.,
which doesn't do much more than covering the cost of mailing the
things out!)
Other than the above, I really do recommend these places. As David
said, from time to time you _do_ find a real gem (and of those that
aren't fantastic, there are still many very solid, quality programs
that glow rather than shining). Just remember that to buy one of the
gems if it was distributed as a non-shareware program, you would likely
pay something in the $100 and up range ... so when you contribute
$20 or $40 or whatever, you're really saving money.
--
Stephen M. Dunn cs4g6ag@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca
<std_disclaimer.h> = "\nI'm only an undergraduate!!!\n";
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... but I'm too full to swallow my pride ...