On Mon, May 11, 2009 at 7:50 AM, Chris Dunford <seed...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm not familiar with GraphicConverter, and I don't see a copy of the > shareware license on the GC site, but my *hunch* is that this "nonpaid mode" > is actually a violation of the license agreement after a certain allowable > trial period. Shareware licenses almost always allow you to use the software > free for a trial period, but then you must either pay for it or stop using > it. One does not have to cease using Graphic Converter after the "trial" period. If a user who has not paid the fee can deal with the built-in time lag before the program opens, the application can continue to be used. Graphic Converter in not the only shareware application to employ this means of trying to convince a user to pay an optional fee. > I'm not making any judgments, and I certainly could be wrong about this > specific product, and, yes, I did see that at least one of you has paid the > license fee, BUT, having said all that, it is a very common misconception > that paying for shareware is optional. Usually it's not. Usually this is true, but I have run across a number of shareware apps over time that are actually fully functional and completely unrestricted in any way even if a fee is not paid. I think this approach to shareware is waning these days, but earlier on it was not all that uncommon, at least in the Mac world which is where my experience is along these lines. Steve ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
