Shareware Software Definition

Shareware Software Definition 4,7/5 420 votes
With the advent of increased technology, you would find that there are software programs designed for almost every task that one would think of. Thankfully, they haven't yet come up with a program that can 'think' for you (yes, I am referring to AI), which would make us lazier than ever. Software, must certainly be used to make our jobs easier so that we can give more time to think about tasks, which require a lot of thought. The launch of the internet has made software substantially easier and almost all the utility programs that you need can be downloaded and bought online. One type of software that can be freely downloaded from the Internet or freely distributed through many other channels is the 'Shareware', which is often confused to be same as 'Freeware' (which it is not, by the way).
  1. Shareware Software Means
  2. Top 10 Shareware Programs
  3. Shareware Vs Freeware
All the kinds of software programs can be divided into three types primarily, which are freeware, paid programs, and shareware. Freeware programs can be downloaded and used for free, although they may be copyrighted or licensed in some cases. Example of freeware are the Mozilla web browser and torrent clients like BitTorrent. Example of paid or proprietary programs are Windows operating system versions like Windows 7 and Windows Vista.
You must buy these programs to be able to use them. The third category is shareware, which are paid programs in actuality, that are made available for free by the software developer, for a limited period of time, after which they need to be bought to continue usage. Such programs are marketed in a 'trial' version form, which can be downloaded for free and used for a short period of time, which could be 30 or 60 days. Let's just say that a program is a freeware for a limited period of time (although it may not have the full features), after which it must be purchased.
A shareware program is thus offered as a trial version of the original program with full or limited features provided. These 'Evaluation' versions of the program help the user to test drive the software before actually buying it. Most of these programs can be downloaded directly from websites on the Internet. Some are also provided for free with DVDs sold with magazines and other periodicals. This is one of the easiest ways of marketing a software to the end user.
There are literally millions of shareware programs on the Internet. Some of the prime examples are 'Winzip' and antivirus programs like 'Spyware Doctor with Antivirus'. Many other antivirus programs are marketed through free trial versions, which can be downloaded directly from their websites.
Here are some more popular examples that you could check out.
  • DVD-Cloner VI
  • Registry Mechanic
  • Blue-Cloner
  • Total Privacy
  • Easy Movie Splitter 2.5.3
  • UltraISO 7.6
  • Wondershare YouTube Downloader
  • Internet Download Accelerator 3.1
  • CloneDVD 4.3
  • PHP Debugger 2.1.3.3
  • BadCopy Pro 3.61
  • System Mechanic 8.0
  • IVOS - Intelligent Voice Operating System 1.02
  • WinAVI Video Converter 7.1
  • Xilisoft Video Converter Ultimate 5.1.26
  • SnapTouch
  • Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional

Freeware, although itself free of charge, may be intended to benefit its producer, e.g. By encouraging sales of a more capable version ('Freemium' or Shareware business model). The source code of freeware is typically not available, unlike free and open source software which are also often distributed free of charge. One type of software that can be freely downloaded from the Internet or freely distributed through many other channels is the 'Shareware', which is often confused to be. Shareware software copyrighted software that is free for a trial period, after the trial period is up, the user must send a payment to the developer to continue using the software; sometimes the trial version is scaled down.

Shareware Software Means

May 01, 2009  Shareware is software that is distributed free on a trial basis with the understanding that the user may need or want to pay for it later. Some software developers offer a shareware version of their program with a built-in expiration date (after 30 days, the user can no. Software distributed on the basis of an honor system. Most shareware is delivered free of charge, but the author usually requests that you pay a small fee if you like the program and use it regularly. By sending the small fee, you become registered with the producer so that you can receive service assistance and updates.

Shareware definition, software distributed without initial charge but for which the user is encouraged to pay a nominal fee to cover support for continued use. 1 Shareware is a type of software given to users with the understanding that if they like the program, they will send the author a nominal fee for continued use. The content will only be included in the shareware version of the program, and even then, the company will distribute a.

The best thing about shareware programs is the fact that you get to try them out, before buying them. In case you are unhappy with its performance during evaluation or trial phase, you can simply refuse to buy it. It is a clever software marketing tactic of hooking up people to the software during the trial period, after which they are bound to be ready to pay a price for using further. From the buyer's and seller's point of view, these programs create a win-win situation.

By Vangie Beal
Top free shareware downloads

Related Terms

(n.)Software distributed on the basis of an honor system. Most shareware is delivered free of charge, but the author usually requests that you pay a small fee if you like the program and use it regularly. By sending the small fee, you become registered with the producer so that you can receive service assistance and updates. You can copy shareware and pass it along to friends and colleagues, but they too are expected to pay a fee if they use the product.

Shareware is inexpensive because it is usually produced by a single programmer and is offered directly to customers. Thus, there are practically no packaging or advertising expenses.

Note that shareware differs from public-domain software in that shareware is copyrighted. This means that you cannot sell a shareware product as your own.




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