Visit any computer store today and you\u2019ll find what seems like miles and miles of software on sale. Certainly enticing buys, there are a few problems with buying software off the shelves. On the shelf, software \u2013 otherwise known as \u201ccommercial software\u201d \u2013 can be expensive, and incompatible, and outdated when compared to what\u2019s available online. Fortunately, there\u2019s an alternative to commercial software and although it isn\u2019t new, it\u2019s one of the most under-exploited opportunities in the computer industry. <\/p>\n

We\u2019re talking about shareware \u2013 software that you can try before buying. <\/p>\n

Shareware has a long history and was rather popular in the days where BBS (bulletin board systems) reigned the online industry. It hasn\u2019t gone anywhere, but its competition with commercial software is fierce \u2013 so fierce that it tends to fall on the back burner among new computer users. This is unfortunate because shareware has so many advantages over commercial software.<\/p>\n

One of those advantages is its cost. On the whole, shareware is generally cheaper than commercial software. But don\u2019t misinterpret the cost. With shareware, cheap does not equal low-quality and there are plenty of examples that prove shareware often outperforms the quality of commercial software time and time again. How much savings are we talking about? You could purchase a quality word processor, spreadsheet, database program, or system utility anywhere from a mere $15 to under a hundred. This is almost unheard of in stores like Best Buy, Circuit City, or Egghead, yet the shareware programs offered within this price range rival even Microsoft\u2019s Office suite.<\/p>\n

Another advantage that shareware has over commercial software is its compatibility. We\u2019re not saying that shareware is compatible with all operating systems. What we\u2019re saying is that since we can try shareware before paying for it, we can determine if the software is completely compatible with our systems first. In other words, we can discover whether the software performs the way we want them to and should anyone try to do the same with commercial software, they\u2019ll be in for a big disappointment.<\/p>\n

Commercial software policy doesn\u2019t even allow for returns, let alone \u201cborrowing\u201d them to try them.<\/p>\n

The last advantage that shareware has over commercial software (but certainly not the least) is its applicability. Plain and simple, shareware is the best bet when you want to keep on top of the latest release of a particular program. Sure, computer stores do their best to keep their inventory up to date, but when you can download version 5.6042 of a shareware program as opposed to buying a commercial 3.0 version from the local computer shop, there\u2019s just no comparison.<\/p>\n

Which brings up our next point. Just where does one get shareware? Shareware is all over the Internet and it\u2019s really hard not to bump into it. The most popular places to find shareware is within thousands of download libraries, however the companies (and even independent programmers behind shareware) are increasingly offering shareware from their own websites. A simple Google or Yahoo search for a particular type of program will yield all sorts of results that point you toward items that you can try before you buy.<\/p>\n

Be aware however, that because shareware is not commercial software, you may not experience a full program the way you would if you bought the software out of a box. Shareware may or may not be limited \u2013 meaning that some functions may not be available to you until the program is paid for. These limitations are often small and don\u2019t interfere with the way its full version operations. They\u2019re really just implemented as a way to prompt payment. Remember that shareware is not freeware. You shouldn\u2019t try to use shareware as commercial software without paying for it.<\/p>\n

About the only thing that\u2019s similar between shareware and commercial software is the way in which they may be bought. With a credit card, you can be the new owner of your own software within minutes. <\/p>\n