Is Shareware dead?

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Socoder -> Question of the Day -> Is Shareware dead?
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 09:26
Jayenkai	Every decent game used to be a Shareware one! From the classic Amiga greats, all the way up to Doom, and even a few more after that, Shareware used to be the tried and true method for Indie developers. Nowadays, not so much. Whilst crappy little sites seem to have a great deal of success ripping off your family members by selling them Bejeweled 18,000 times, actual gamers seem to stick to freeware instead. So, what happened? And how do any of us lot make any money from our games?! And... are there any good Shareware games left? ... Other than Warblade?! -=-=- ''Load, Next List!''
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 12:17
Mog	-=-=- I am Busy Mongoose - My Website Dev PC: AMD 8150-FX, 16gb Ram, GeForce GTX 680 2gb Current Project: Pyroxene
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 13:30
Scherererer	I think the shareware market is alive, just in smaller devices, such as phones, etc. PC Magazine features different shareware games on their cover disk every week, so the stuff's around. -=-=- YouTube Twitter Computer Science Series: Logic (pt1) (part 2) (part 3) 2's Complement Mathematics: Basic Differential Calculus
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 14:14
blanko1324	I never really understood the difference between shareware and freeware, to be honest. -=-=- My Twitter
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 16:17
Forklift_Fred	Shareware is intended to give the user a look at the game/software before buying it and is usually incomplete in some way, either with disabled features or limited functionality, some video software will add a greatbig watermark to the saved result, until you pay for if and get a license key. Freeware is completely free and fully functional, no restrictions, no charge. Then there's the likes of nagware that is free and complete but pops up annoying messages either when you start it or while you are using it. Again, make a payment to get the messages removed. And guiltware (I think I've heard of called something else as well) that will tell you politely but unintrusively that you can make a donation if you like it but it is otherwise freeware. -=-=- Come rain or shine...
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 16:29
blanko1324	So in that case, whats the difference between shareware and a demo? ...I don't think shareware exists, maybe someone just gave it that name so it had a -ware at the end, like everything else. In any case, I like freeware, with possible donation. -=-=- My Twitter
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 16:33
HoboBen	I think that's basically it, except a demo isn't always necessarily shareware if they prevent you from sharing it - which would be quite a bad marketing decision, really! -=-=- blog \| work \| code \| more code
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 16:37
Forklift_Fred	It could be argued that a demo is released before the product is finished... but that would be splitting hairs. Shareware = Demo. Which came first? Yes it probably was demo. Oh and there's Adware of course that is complete but covered in adverts, especial now that they can update via the internet and generate revenue whenever you use it. -=-=- Come rain or shine...
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 17:39
steve_ancell	blanko1324 I never really understood the difference between shareware and freeware, to be honest. Shareware is a software product released where you get the first few levels free of a full or limited feature commercial game. Almost similar to a demo of a full commercial game. Where the shareware game is showing off the full version game. Or possibly you get the full version game but in chapters, and/or levels. Freeware, is just that. A full functioning..even with bugs and glitches...game. And that its free. I got this information, from a very brotherly source .
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 18:19
Stealth	As far as I heard, shareware you could distribute to people you knew legally once you bought the full version. I'm not sure how true that is. -=-=- Quit posting and try Google.
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 18:22
Jayenkai	It all depends on the license.. Life would be so much better if we went back to the Amiga's good old "Public Domain" rule. If you stick it on Aminet, it's fair game! (or something along those lines!) -=-=- ''Load, Next List!''
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 19:34
Orion Pax	To me a demo is a scaled down playable version. Like the demo of ut2004. It came with a couple of maps and was able to play online but only on the demo servers. Fully playable but limited in size.
Tue, 17 Jun 2008, 21:04
Scherererer	It also seems like shareware games will often put a time restriction on the full version of the software, whereas demos will allow you to use a very limited version for an unlimited period of time. -=-=- YouTube Twitter Computer Science Series: Logic (pt1) (part 2) (part 3) 2's Complement Mathematics: Basic Differential Calculus
Wed, 18 Jun 2008, 07:58
9572AD	Ah, "crippleware".
Wed, 18 Jun 2008, 15:21
mindstorm8191	From my perspective, shareware and demo are pretty much the same, but it seems like having a demo of a game sounds better than calling something a shareware version verses registered version. I think top companies decided to start calling them demo versions, just to sound better, and a demo is more intuitive at what it is verses shareware. I don't know, but that's my take on the difference. -=-=- Vesuvius web game
Thu, 19 Jun 2008, 03:16
spinal	From what I remember, shareware was just a copy of the software that the author was happy about people copying. Usually this software was either a preview demo, or crippled in some way. It was usually forbidden by the author, to users to charge money for making copies, except for the cost of materials (disc's or whatever), this notice was usually in the form of a nag screen, nothing as bad as what you get now, just something before the program starts forbidding people from charging to making copies. As for payment, it was suggested that a payment (usually around $5) be made to the author, this was only suggested mind, not demanded, so if you didn't pay, then the only problem you would have is having to click OK or press a key one extra time when the program started. There was non of this time/usage limited ware we get now. Also you were only asked to pay it you actually liked the software, if you didn't like it, why should you buy it? -=-=- Check out my excellent homepage!
Thu, 19 Jun 2008, 07:04
steve_ancell	That's quite on the button spinal
Thu, 19 Jun 2008, 15:14
JL235	For me the difference is that with shareware you are getting a complete section of a game where as with a demo you are receiving a small sample. However I'd say that shareware isn't dead, it's just changed.