who pays for shareware?
- Thread starter octane
- Start date
ElDiabloConCaca
U.S.D.A. Prime
I pay for shareware typically. The only times I don't is when I feel it is extremely overpriced, but then again, it's those utilities that are overpriced that I can live without.
To date, the only shareware I use and have paid for is ABFR (A Better Finder Rename) -- that's an amazing utility that doesn't get the credit it deserves. For someone like me in the prepress industry who needs to batch rename PDF files for a jillion different markets, it's indispensable.
I find myself trying out the "cool" shareware every once in a while (like system enhancers: stuff that's "cool" but doesn't really fall into the category of "productive")... stuff like ShapeShifter -- but I usually don't end up paying for it because I usually don't end up using it.
To date, the only shareware I use and have paid for is ABFR (A Better Finder Rename) -- that's an amazing utility that doesn't get the credit it deserves. For someone like me in the prepress industry who needs to batch rename PDF files for a jillion different markets, it's indispensable.
I find myself trying out the "cool" shareware every once in a while (like system enhancers: stuff that's "cool" but doesn't really fall into the category of "productive")... stuff like ShapeShifter -- but I usually don't end up paying for it because I usually don't end up using it.
speedfreak
Registered
I do if I use it for more than 30 days. Its only fair to pay people for the cool stuff they work hard on.
uoba
Re: member
Yep, have bought a decent amount over the last few years. Funnily, since installing Panther, I haven't needed as much (just realised).
xScope is proving to be super-useful. Transmit for me is the definitive OS X FTP app. CSSEdit is great, but gets a bit slow with a long CSS file (but is very good). Got a few PDF shareware apps, which, with Panther means I don't need Acrobat Pro.
Seem to be buying more Windows shareware as well (for HTML editors, check out NoteTab Pro and Matrix (Matrix is free, but I donated because it's fantastic, particularly for a one-man-band)).
xScope is proving to be super-useful. Transmit for me is the definitive OS X FTP app. CSSEdit is great, but gets a bit slow with a long CSS file (but is very good). Got a few PDF shareware apps, which, with Panther means I don't need Acrobat Pro.
Seem to be buying more Windows shareware as well (for HTML editors, check out NoteTab Pro and Matrix (Matrix is free, but I donated because it's fantastic, particularly for a one-man-band)).
octane
I have issues, OK!
uoba said:
I've got a license for Transmit and Unison. But I have to say, I've played around with xScope and I just don't like it at all.
I also buy games, like EV Nova, Deimos Rising.
I see it this way, pay these guys for the good stuff they knock out, they make even more good stuff...
carnold1836
Registered
If i end up using it on a day to day basis I pay for it. My most current "purchase" is Konfabulator. I absolutely love this little piece of heaven. Everyone with a PB or iB should look into it just for the compact battery meter and compact airport meter widgets not tomention all the other cool widgets.
I think shareware is the best concept for commercial software I have seen so far. It gives you the ability to check out the _full_ feature set of the software before buying it. I often try out shareware and pay for the ones that I actually use. There's software that is heavily overpriced, though. I usually replace those with freeware/open source alternatives. If the price seems right, I pay the shareware fee.
Best shareware I've ever bought:
1.) OmniWeb 4. I'll quite probably buy an update to version 5 when it's finished.
2.) Graphics Converter. It's been a great product since System 7 was new or something.
3.) SpamStopper. I wish it was shareware. I'd love to pay 5$. But it's free. ;-)
[Well, I could've coded the 3rd one with AppleScript or Perl myself, so I guess 'free' is okay, too. But the nice interface alone makes it worth 5 bucks.]
Best shareware I've ever bought:
1.) OmniWeb 4. I'll quite probably buy an update to version 5 when it's finished.
2.) Graphics Converter. It's been a great product since System 7 was new or something.
3.) SpamStopper. I wish it was shareware. I'd love to pay 5$. But it's free. ;-)
[Well, I could've coded the 3rd one with AppleScript or Perl myself, so I guess 'free' is okay, too. But the nice interface alone makes it worth 5 bucks.]
Arden
Where mah "any" keys at?
Yes, if they are easy to understand. Like what the hell does "For some of the applications I use (1 sw to 50 of all sw %)" mean (this is what I voted for because there's no "rarely" option)?
Anywho, I think I've paid for one shareware title in my entire life: Ares. Other than that, if a program is basically unlimited, I'll use it with the annoyances; if it's crippled, or it times out, I usually stop using it. Some programs, like Path Finder, will tell me I have so long left, but that time doesn't change... it's kind of weird (I have had 21 out of 21 days left to test Path Finder since I installed it), though it doesn't exactly motivate me to buy it.
The main reason I don't buy shareware is because I can't afford just to buy everything. Before I got a job, I barely had any money at all, and I had to either talk my parents into buying it, or giving them my money to buy something, or whatever. Now, I can plop down my ATM card whenever I want, but I have to limit my spending so I can afford essential stuff like insurance. Once that goes away (yeah, I know, it never really does), I'll probably buy a lot more shareware.
Anywho, I think I've paid for one shareware title in my entire life: Ares. Other than that, if a program is basically unlimited, I'll use it with the annoyances; if it's crippled, or it times out, I usually stop using it. Some programs, like Path Finder, will tell me I have so long left, but that time doesn't change... it's kind of weird (I have had 21 out of 21 days left to test Path Finder since I installed it), though it doesn't exactly motivate me to buy it.
The main reason I don't buy shareware is because I can't afford just to buy everything. Before I got a job, I barely had any money at all, and I had to either talk my parents into buying it, or giving them my money to buy something, or whatever. Now, I can plop down my ATM card whenever I want, but I have to limit my spending so I can afford essential stuff like insurance. Once that goes away (yeah, I know, it never really does), I'll probably buy a lot more shareware.
Satcomer
In Geostationary Orbit
I buy shareware if I like it. If I don't like it, it goes to trash. The shareware system is tops in my book!
Some titles I have are : Watson, Graphic Converter, XRay, Unison, MPEG Works, Pacifist, Amadeus II, Audio Hijack Pro and other programs over my OS X years.
Some titles I have are : Watson, Graphic Converter, XRay, Unison, MPEG Works, Pacifist, Amadeus II, Audio Hijack Pro and other programs over my OS X years.
I pretty much pay for my shareware. I can't think of any I curently run that isn't paid for. Where I do make exceptions is for multiple machines. I will only pay for shareare once. I've got several machines, all basically duplicates of each other (work, home, laptop, file server, plus business partner machines). I'm not paying for seven copies of some shareware app.
Which I guess clues you in to how many licenses I buy for other apps. One. I'm not proud of it. It is was what it is, as the pope would say. Or would he say It is what it was? It was what it has been...something like that.
I'll throw in my list of must have ShareWare:
iKey--there is no reason why anybody should ever have to use a mouse to launch their apps or navigate to their favorite places. My favorite is Control+D for instant access to my documents folder. Endlessly useful.
BatchMod--for those annoying pesky files that won't cooperate and if you don't know Unix or don't want to use the command line, like me.
CockTail (and other similar ones)--even though I think it's idiotic that we even have to use such things, plus my pure skepticism on their actual value in terms of maintenance (I have yet to benefit from the so-called maintenence routines), nonetheless I've got the damn thing.
Alternate media players (VLC, Full Screen Movie Player, MPlayer, etc.)--For the odd time I need to play some weird file or play QTs in slide show format.
A Better Finder Renamer--indispensable for what it does. Ever try to manually change 312 TXT files to RTF files? Or change an entire website full of media files with spaces to underscores? Have fun without this.
Fetch--or your preferred FTP app. Gotta have one.
Addressix--Does one thing and one thing well. It prints envelopes and is tied to your Address Book. Perfect come billing time.
Iconographer or Icon Machine--fun for making custom icons.
iWatch-- Nice stopwatch and other timing utility. I use it a lot for timing voiceover scripts to commercials.
PDFCompress--Best option for quick-and-dirty batch recompression of PDFs. They don't look so hot, but they compress quickly and are tiny. Lots easier and faster than Acrobat's new recompressor. Just drag a bunch of PDFs onto it and you're done.
Snapz Pro 2--I guess it's technically shareware, though the price is commercial and the quality is commercial. This app is the &$%#-ing %#@^% for what it does.
ResizeX--Great for batch resizing of files for thumbnail creation. Faster and better than using Photoshop due to its conditional resizing options.
GraphicConverter--in a pinch I'll bust this out.
Audio HiJack-- Saved my ass on one project.
In the end there's only one app on the list that I must have---iKey. Completely changes how I work. The other apps are just icing or very niche. iKey is day in day out all the time useful.
Which I guess clues you in to how many licenses I buy for other apps. One. I'm not proud of it. It is was what it is, as the pope would say. Or would he say It is what it was? It was what it has been...something like that.
I'll throw in my list of must have ShareWare:
iKey--there is no reason why anybody should ever have to use a mouse to launch their apps or navigate to their favorite places. My favorite is Control+D for instant access to my documents folder. Endlessly useful.
BatchMod--for those annoying pesky files that won't cooperate and if you don't know Unix or don't want to use the command line, like me.
CockTail (and other similar ones)--even though I think it's idiotic that we even have to use such things, plus my pure skepticism on their actual value in terms of maintenance (I have yet to benefit from the so-called maintenence routines), nonetheless I've got the damn thing.
Alternate media players (VLC, Full Screen Movie Player, MPlayer, etc.)--For the odd time I need to play some weird file or play QTs in slide show format.
A Better Finder Renamer--indispensable for what it does. Ever try to manually change 312 TXT files to RTF files? Or change an entire website full of media files with spaces to underscores? Have fun without this.
Fetch--or your preferred FTP app. Gotta have one.
Addressix--Does one thing and one thing well. It prints envelopes and is tied to your Address Book. Perfect come billing time.
Iconographer or Icon Machine--fun for making custom icons.
iWatch-- Nice stopwatch and other timing utility. I use it a lot for timing voiceover scripts to commercials.
PDFCompress--Best option for quick-and-dirty batch recompression of PDFs. They don't look so hot, but they compress quickly and are tiny. Lots easier and faster than Acrobat's new recompressor. Just drag a bunch of PDFs onto it and you're done.
Snapz Pro 2--I guess it's technically shareware, though the price is commercial and the quality is commercial. This app is the &$%#-ing %#@^% for what it does.
ResizeX--Great for batch resizing of files for thumbnail creation. Faster and better than using Photoshop due to its conditional resizing options.
GraphicConverter--in a pinch I'll bust this out.
Audio HiJack-- Saved my ass on one project.
In the end there's only one app on the list that I must have---iKey. Completely changes how I work. The other apps are just icing or very niche. iKey is day in day out all the time useful.
Randman
HA! HA! HA!
Randman
HA! HA! HA!
I had some problems when trying out Synergy with Jaguar and left it out when I went to Panther. I was pretty dang close to buying it but read about kernel panics with it. Has that been fixed?
I tried ikey just now and it didn't feel too comfortable. Maybe I'm just happy with my setup. I'll mess around a little with it again.
Let's see. Mac shareware?
Speed Download 2
Eyeballs
Cocktail
Voice Box
Cookie Muncher
ShapeShifter
PodManager
Mac VCD, and probably some others that I can't think of right off the top of my head.
I tried ikey just now and it didn't feel too comfortable. Maybe I'm just happy with my setup. I'll mess around a little with it again.
Let's see. Mac shareware?
Speed Download 2
Eyeballs
Cocktail
Voice Box
Cookie Muncher
ShapeShifter
PodManager
Mac VCD, and probably some others that I can't think of right off the top of my head.
pds
Registered
I use more freeware than shareware, since paying is such a pia. RR Browser Lite is nice as is TacoEdit. I bought the multi-user license for Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor - I just love that thing. I used to use the freebie of Nisus, but bought the OSX version. Most recent purchase is Proteus.
Lots of times I need a program just once. The shareware does the job and then I don't need it again, then I don't buy (Pacifist comes to mind)
Lots of times I need a program just once. The shareware does the job and then I don't need it again, then I don't buy (Pacifist comes to mind)