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133 lines
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133 lines
5.0 KiB
Plaintext
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(word processor parameters LM=8, RM=75, TM=2, BM=2)
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Taken from KeelyNet BBS (214) 324-3501
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Sponsored by Vangard Sciences
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PO BOX 1031
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Mesquite, TX 75150
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April 4, 1991
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SPUD.ASC
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This article is from ComputerWorld - April 1, 1991
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Pay-up time for Shareware
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by Patrician Keefe
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Guilt over unregistered shareware use was the impetus behind SPUD
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March 17 was SPUD day, in case you didn't know, and we're not
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talking about the butter-laced carbs St. Patrick's Day partiers wash
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down with green beer.
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Early reports indicated that SPUD, or Shareware Pay-Up Day, was
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probably not as popular as was the wearing of the green. But it may
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pack some punch in the long run if the Association of Shareware
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Professionals (ASP) decides to put some effort into publicizing it
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as an annual event.
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SPUD is the fruit of the fertile mind of shareware user Paul Pease,
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a high-technology writer and planner based in Palo Alto, Calif. The
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idea, he said, was to spur guilt-ridden, unregistered shareware
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users into writing some long overdue checks.
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Pease is not talking big bucks per individual user. Shareware
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ranges from $10 to $200 for a full-fledged package. Some purveyors
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don't even charge. "There's one guy who has 'smileware.' Payment
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consists of smiling at someone. Another guy has 'beerware.' He
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only asks that you have a beer and send him a postcard saying so."
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Pease chuckled.
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Money adds up
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If enough satisfied users register after trying out their software
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for 30 days, it can add up to significant income for individual
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shareware authors.
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ASP President Paul Mayer, who also heads up Zpay Payroll Systems,
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Inc. in St. Petersburg, Florida, said he has made enough money from
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shareware to quit his onetime "day job," buy a spacious house in
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Florida and, on some days, sit poolside answering support questions.
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Data Storm Technologies, Inc., with its ProComm product, and
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ButtonWare, Inc., each had more than $3.5 million in revenue last
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year. Mayer added.
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Successes like these come despite the fact that ASP members
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estimated that a paltry 1% to 10% of users of their packages ever
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bother to register. Users of business programs are the most likely
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to pay.
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Page 1
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Until now, the ASP never thought to designate a SPUD of its own. In
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fact, the group has specific rules against what Mayer calls
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"nagware." One such example of nagware is having a screen pop up
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every five minutes demanding payment.
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"Mostly what we worry about are those who do register. We want to
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give them the best service possible," he said. Because most
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shareware providers do not advertise, except through bulletin boards
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and the occasional shareware catalog, Mayer figures that a better
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product means more registrations. He will even service
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nonregistered users who call in with questions, reasoning that they
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will either register on the spot or tell their friends, some of whom
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might ante up.
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"There's no pressure. We just hope people will respect our quality
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and effort and provide some reimbursement," Mayer explained.
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However, SPUD has Mayer thinking.
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"It was a great idea; it just needs more publicity," he said, adding
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that the ASP is thinking about making it an annual event.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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If you have comments or other information relating to such topics
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as this paper covers, please upload to KeelyNet or send to the
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Vangard Sciences address as listed on the first page.
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Thank you for your consideration, interest and support.
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Jerry W. Decker.........Ron Barker...........Chuck Henderson
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Vangard Sciences/KeelyNet
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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If we can be of service, you may contact
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Jerry at (214) 324-8741 or Ron at (214) 242-9346
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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Page 2
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