sharware, trials, and demo limitations

Category: the Rant Board

Post 1 by audioadict (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Sunday, 19-Aug-2007 18:55:22

Hi all.
Do you know that when yu download software, especially games, it's most likely a very limited demo, a trial that expires in a matter of days? If only there were more freeware programs out there. Sometimes I get so sick and tired of a very limited demo of the software, or a trial lasting only a few days. Come on! Couldn't those who program the software allow a longer trial, and a demo with few limitations? It'sso annoying to find that everywhere you look software you download has this demo junk. I like free software, and that's the way it is. Any opinions?

Post 2 by nikos (English words from a Greek thinking brain) on Sunday, 19-Aug-2007 21:23:09

I disagree with you.
If programers don't get money about their product then how are they suppose to live? They would have to do another job meaning that they would spend less on the programing. Is this so difficult to understand? I don't think so. A program cannot be created in one day. It involves a lot of work. If you want free programs learn a programing language and create them yourself. Then you will see that it is not easy. What are you going to eat or how are you going to pay rent? You will need money from somewhere. And parents won't be alive always to help so you will have to work yourself.

Post 3 by audioadict (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Monday, 20-Aug-2007 0:33:24

Well, you are quite right. I haven't thought about this from a programmer's point of view.

Post 4 by audioadict (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Friday, 24-Aug-2007 11:53:02

A little advice I have about programs that are trials, enjoy the program while it's still good, or you'll never hbe able to use it, unless you buy it. I learned the lesson the hard way.

Post 5 by audioadict (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Wednesday, 05-Sep-2007 22:54:30

One thing good about trial programs is that when the trial is up, all you have to do is reinstall the program. I downloaded an audio game that was an eight day trial version. I don't agree with that and I think a trial version of a program should be more than eight days long.

Post 6 by nikos (English words from a Greek thinking brain) on Thursday, 06-Sep-2007 8:32:05

Ok download 87 we get your point. You don't want to pay for anything and you want everything to be free for you. But no matter how much you rant trials will always be trial. Either accept the fact or if you want that bad the ful product you know the way. If you refuce to pay let the others who do so to enjoy the thing and live with your trials.

Post 7 by audioadict (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Monday, 01-Oct-2007 23:20:36

Ok. I'll make do with the trials.

Post 8 by Voldemort (Account disabled) on Tuesday, 02-Oct-2007 10:24:21

Hey, Download, most and I stress _MOST shareware programs will allow you to just reinstall them. However, if the program is written by a good programmer, it will install itself in the registry andwon't let you reinstall. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I was going against your premace that al you have to do is uninstall and reinstal. Look at the AGC Calculator by ViewPlus forproof.

Post 9 by sparkie (the hilljack) on Wednesday, 03-Oct-2007 20:07:27

Well if you like the program well enough you'd buy it anyway.
Troy

Post 10 by Voldemort (Account disabled) on Wednesday, 03-Oct-2007 20:16:17

Not Download. She has no money.

Post 11 by Jesse (Hmm!) on Wednesday, 03-Oct-2007 23:20:17

Hmm. I bought a Mac where geeks are developing free software all the time. It's great! Buy a Mac, and you don't have to buy other software. Haha

Post 12 by Voldemort (Account disabled) on Wednesday, 03-Oct-2007 23:23:53

Actually, you still do have to by software. Windows has a bunch of freeware that can do everything the trial programs can, but if you want free, go to linux.

Post 13 by kl1964 (the Zone BBS remains forever my home page) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 0:06:10

Oftentimes I find with free software you get what you pay for.

Post 14 by audioadict (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 0:12:51

I've found free software that really works. Trials work, but limited unless you buy the program. Now, I know that most programs install themselves into the registry. I've got a friend who taught me how to edit the registry, so I can uninstall and reinstall.

Post 15 by nikos (English words from a Greek thinking brain) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 5:03:00

I don't think you should say that last beat about editing the registry. It is illegal to modify programs in anyway and this should include editing their registry information and the way they install.
If you read the terms of use and the lisence of each you will see that.

Post 16 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 9:29:37

Can one get arrested for doing that?

Post 17 by YankeeFanForLife! (Picapiedra: king of the boards!) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 10:33:57

But how the hell they are going to know?

Post 18 by Voldemort (Account disabled) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 10:41:08

They're going to know because an idiot by the name of download will tell them.
And, I've found software freeware programs to do everything I want them to. I go on www.majorgeeks.com, www.download.com, www.giveawayoftheday, sites like that.

Post 19 by audioadict (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 11:48:21

I don't think these software developers will know. I'm going to tell them? Heck no! I'd never do such a thing. I'll check out those sites you mentioned.

Post 20 by YankeeFanForLife! (Picapiedra: king of the boards!) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 12:06:05

You seem like the type of person that would do something like that.

Post 21 by nikos (English words from a Greek thinking brain) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 13:17:20

Maybe they won't find out but this boards are pubblick and people who are not logged in can read it. So saying something like that is not a good idea.

Post 22 by Harmony (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 16:28:15

I can understand downloading demonstration versions of programmes that are going to be of use to people, like jaws or whatever speech programme you're using,, because things like that are too expensive, but if you're kjust getting things that aren't much use, like music and things, it's quite pointless.

Post 23 by Voldemort (Account disabled) on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007 22:10:52

IO can't understand pirating programs such as JAWS either. It's true that those programs are expensive, but the people who put work into these programs need money. And, there is no competition between the screen readers as they're all different and have different features, and demand is low. So, price is high.

Post 24 by louiano (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 0:32:20

wait a minute then, according or agreeing to post 11 and the ones mentioning linux... why the hell is then there open source and free software and then software you pay for? i mean really now, most paid softwares do the job for you but sometimes you can do things manually. Plus, every paid version of a program has always or most of the times many free programs that will do the same things and sometimes even more. Programmers need to make money? Well, certainly with all the cracks out there on the internet and what not it is becoming more and more of a pain. Well and besides there is little control over the internet anyway. Picking between sticking to paid programs or free software is a really hard decision. Well, lets see: paid software as well as free software have their accessibility issues and performance issues. Both are meant to be helpful. Both can also sometimes be scams. Both also are subject to some disclaimer or lisence. Both perform differntly on different computers. you can do the job that most programs would do manually. Both are identically the same?? If not then let me know, but really, this is just like getting the best of both worlds (if you get what I mean). Giveawayoftheday.com is a good website but then there are many programs that are free and do most things. I guess most programmers would know about their programs being cracked. Why are then people not arrested? Its not like as far as i know someone has been put this many years into jail for getting a program illegally from a source. I guess that is because as i said before there is little control over the internet and file sharing. I have heard of cases in which you go to jail for breaking some sort of restriction on a district school or anythin that is concerned with the government or even storing pr0n in your computer. Regardless of all this I guess there is no centralized conclusion on which ones to choose. As for Dl, you might wanna expand your horizons and do a bit more rsearch on your free software alternatives. Plus, closed software (the programs you pay for) cannot be fixed right away and most companies abandon them after a while.

Post 25 by Voldemort (Account disabled) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 13:46:22

I agree with the last poster. You can do everything a program does manually. And, there is absolutely no restriction on internet filesharing and cracking software. People get sued if they get caught, but most often than not, they're not prosecuted. Free progrmas can do most things that paid programs can, but I will never switch Microsoft Office for a free alternative unless it was Microsoft Office.

Post 26 by audioadict (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 16:25:28

Thanks to the last poster, if a free program can do what the paid ones can, then that's excellent!

Post 27 by Voldemort (Account disabled) on Friday, 05-Oct-2007 20:01:53

They can, you just have to find them. And, if you can't find them, write your own.

Post 28 by audioadict (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Saturday, 13-Oct-2007 23:43:00

Well, from what I've heard, I'll never buy software, no matter what it is, if there's a free alternative. If the business that makes the software loses money because I didn't buy there program, too bad! They can make money off of someone else.

Post 29 by audioadict (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Friday, 14-Dec-2007 3:53:27

I downloaded an audio editor a few weeks ago. The site claimed it was free. Low and behold, It wasn't. It was a trial! I hate it when they do that! If something's a trial, the company should somehow tell you!

Post 30 by battle star queen (I just keep on posting!) on Friday, 21-Dec-2007 22:31:21

The way I see it some soft ware makers allow you to download a trail version of the game or whatever the program is so you can try it and then decide if you want to buy it.

Post 31 by audioadict (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Thursday, 07-Feb-2008 14:11:46

One time, I downloaded this program that lets you talk on skype without a microphone. You type in what you want to say, and the software reads it aloud so others can hear what your saying. I was so excited when I got the software! Little did I know, with a demo license, you could only say 5 things with the program! I was so mad! I told my friends I had skype, but thanks to the demo limitations, I let my friends down! Thankfully, I found an older version of that same program online, and I could say an unlimited number of things with it.

Post 32 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Friday, 08-Feb-2008 9:56:44

Just a quick question. You're able to speak, am I right? why do you need text to speech software to use with skype, when you can just as easily talk to people vocally?

Post 33 by audioadict (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Thursday, 14-Feb-2008 14:04:33

Yeh, I can talk. I use the tts software because I don't have a microphone.

Post 34 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Thursday, 14-Feb-2008 18:20:32

I said it in another post, but I'll say it again here. Just go and get a microphone. not difficult.

Post 35 by blindndangerous (the blind and dangerous one) on Saturday, 22-Mar-2008 0:38:24

either that, or get a par of headphones, plug them into your microphone jack, and speak into the earpiecces. Yes, your quality will be crap, but it does work. That's what I do if i'm using skype with my windows laptop. My mac has an internal Microphone.

Post 36 by battle star queen (I just keep on posting!) on Saturday, 22-Mar-2008 21:45:03

I've tried that and it didn't work but to be onist i'm not sure if i have a microphone jack on this computer.