A Guide to Shareware and Freeware

The types of shareware and freeware programs available are extensive. Games are very popular as are utilities for editing, disk compression, communication, virus protection, and customizing your desktop. Clip media containing graphic, sound, animation and video files are widely available. Tutorials on all subjects for all levels of users can be found as well. These are just a few of the many offerings that can be found.

Often software is supplied in a compressed form. If you obtain the software from an organization that charges per disk then the compression program is supplied along with a setup file to get you started. If you download programs from a bulletin board, the Internet, or other network, you will need to download the decompression program as well.

One problem with shareware acquisition is that you often need to make a decision to purchase a disk or download a file based on a brief description of the product.

Sometimes you find that when you try the product it isn't as good as you had hoped. Note, too, that downloading software is usually a time-consuming process. It is not unusual for products to take an hour or more to download. The slower your modem, the longer it takes.

This list contains sources that were current at the time of this writing. Because the computing field is so dynamic, sources such as these are apt to change over time.

1. PC World has programs on a bulletin board that you can access for the cost of a call to San Francisco at 415-974-7303. Set your communications software to 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit. Access the Software for Next to Nothing menu.

2. You can call Computer Bug at 800-365-7638. They will mail you a catalog; they charge $3 per disk.

3. CompuServe forums for freeware and shareware are:
   PWOForum
   WinShare
   MSWord
   IBMNet
   MSWin
   Wugnet

4. At America Online, you can access PC Worlds own forum (keyword: pc world) or Computing and Software (keyword: computing).

5. Books:
   Free $tuff From America Online by Luanne OLoughlin
   Free $tuff on the Internet by Patrick Vincent
   Both books are available from Coriollus Group Books (800-410-0192)

6. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) sites that provide extensive information about
   shareware include:
   ftp://mac.archive.umich.edu
   ftp://wuarchive.wustl.edu
   ftp://sunsite.unc.edu
   ftp://oak.oakland.edu
   ftp://ftp.rahul.net
   ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi
   ftp://ftp.apple.com

7. Newsgroups on the Internet that provide information on shareware and freeware are:
   alt.sources.*
   bit.listserv.* (there are numerous listserv groups)
   comp.software-eng
   comp.sources.*

8. The Internet Gopher site for shareware and freeware is merlot.welch.jhu.edu

9. There are numerous WWW sites on the Internet intended especially for downloading clip media. The following are some major sites:
   
   Document Title: Jumbo
   Document URL: http://www.jumbo.com
   Jumbo claims to have access to 17,000 Windows, Mac, Unix and DOS shareware applications. The applications are organized by subjects such as business, games and utilities. There is also a search engine.
   
   Document Title: Virtual Shareware Library
   Document URL: http://gnn.com/gnn/wic/comput.53.html
   This database contains references to over 100,000 files in more than 20 archives containing software for Unix, Mac, Windows, DOS and OS/2.
   
   Document Title: CSUSM Windows Shareware Archive
   Document URL: http://gnn.com/gnn/wic/comput.55.html
   This is an FTP server of the Web.

10. Public Software Library - 800-242-4775

11. Software Labs sells shareware programs for several dollars each - 800-569-7900

12. Each month Windows Magazine list superior shareware products. You can obtain information on these products through CompuServe (GO WINMAG), through America Online (keyword: WinMag) or through the World Wide Web (http://techweb.cmp.com/win/current/)

13. Computer Stores sell bundled shareware and freeware programs typically on CD-ROM.

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