Article:		Top 12 Ways to Degunk Your PC
Subject:		Whoa Nelly! Beware of tip 6!
Date:		2004-05-27 02:56:18
From:		Dan1
Response to: Whoa Nelly! Beware of tip 6!
The above author "docsavagemob" confuses shareware and donationware. He described the way donationware works. Shareware means a limited program version - not fully featured. It may have a splash window on start, time- or use- limits or some features disabled in unregistered version. I've downloaded RFA and run. Yes, it found many errors. About 300. And it fixes only 10-13 at a time. BUT THIS WORKS. I've spend about an hour to reduce the number of errors to 20. If you have a lot of time you can use this program not paying to the developer. But if you set much your time you will probably win paying $21 to keep your system clean and support future versions.

Showing messages 1 through 2 of 2.

• Whoa Nelly! Beware of tip 6!
  2004-05-27 08:16:59  docsavagemob [Reply | View]
  
  
  No. Heh. This is rapidly becoming pointless. "Donationware" usually implies a request by the author for the user to donate to a third party, frequently a charity, if they continue to use the program.
  
  The term "shareware" was first used in the early 80's and programs distributed as shareware were not crippled. You were encouraged by the author to "share" a program you liked with other users who would hopefully continue to pass it on, each user sending money to the author if they intended to keep using the software. It was, at the time, a very different way to distribute software.
  
  I downloaded RFA because of the article describing it and Rose City Software's "shareware" label. I was irritated to find that it wasn't shareware and that I couldn't fully evaluate it without paying them $21.
  
  So I removed it. I wouldn't have downloaded in the first place if I had known it was really crippleware.
  
  

• Whoa Nelly! Beware of tip 6!
  2004-05-27 08:06:28  Joli Ballew | [Reply | View]
  
  
  I downloaded and installed several trial and shareware versions of various Registry enhancement programs, and purchased several I thought were worthy, before settling on this one to add to the book.
  
  The shareware version of this program did what I fully expected it to do, inform me of errors, give me an opportunity to fix a few, and then tell me how and where to buy the full version to complete the deal.
  
  I had no intention of not paying for the one I decided I liked, and for $21, figured it was well worth the benefit I received.
  
  That seems to be the way the world works, and I am completely happy with, and still believe in, the application noted.
  
  Great software, and a good way to finalize the degunking process!