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| Originally, just having to pay the
absurd costs of software off the shelf in that fancy
shrink-wrap was deterrent enough, but when you become a
junkie you find ways to get your hands on that next fix.
I found that one of the easiest ways to get really good
commercial software was to start writing software reviews
for Bits of Blue, our users group newsletter.
I’ll never forget the rush I got from that first
major software package I reviewed, (Lotus for Windows).
And the fact that it was free made the high even greater.
But there are just so many vendors that are willing to
feed my addiction, at least with enough good software so
that I wouldn’t be looking for more software before
the next newsletter was published. After all, I would
never consider reviewing someone else’s software.
I’m not that low! Then I discovered Shareware. WOW! That’s like shopping with a credit card you never have to pay, or at least not as often as with store-bought software. I mean, I could get my fix, decide I didn’t like, and not have to pay for it. Although I will admit that quite a few packages have caught my eye and I did the right thing and registered the Shareware. I mean, I’m not a low-life software junkie. Give me some credit! But even the Shareware buzz couldn’t always satisfy me. The highest high I can experience is finding good FREEWARE. Think about it! Great software utilities that you can actually use but you don’t have to pay for, ever! Obviously, the hardest thing about Freeware is finding it. Right? Wrong! My friends at PC World Magazine have just published their 3rd annual "Best Free Stuff Online" issue for April 1998. The magazine is loaded with great Freeware/Shareware reviews and worldwide web addresses so you can download these treasures immediately. Along with the software they also give you tips for smart downloading and explain exactly how to "try before you buy" Shareware. There really is good software out there that you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for, written by people, like you and me, who don’t have the major dollars to market their products. The Shareware concept exists to help these people inform the world about their software. Support these people every chance you get so that this form of marketing remains a viable resource for them and us. Enough commentary. . . . back to the FREE stuff. This year PC World Magazine offers:
An example of some of the Free stuff listed is a program called Screen Loupe, which allows you to get a close-up view of any part of your screen you choose. You can also save that portion of the screen you’ve magnified to the clipboard to print out later, etc. Speaking about clipboard, there is also a program called Yankee Clipper that adds a very useful feature to Windows that should have been included. It saves up to 50 Clipboard text-only images, like boilerplate text that you continually retype, such as your return address, for later retrieval. One of the most popular e-mail programs is listed, Eudora Light, that has many of the features of the big boys, such as strong message filtering, a find function, and encryption to keep those messages private. If you’re into building web sites, it lists a web site called MetaBuilder that has a whole bunch of free tools and utilities that you can use to ‘spiff-up’ that new web site of yours. Another interesting site listed is called "Nonags", which lists an impressive library of Shareware and Freeware software where none of the packages are hindered with reminders to register, disabled features, time bombs that shut down the software after a certain time, or any other tricks that limit the trial software. I’ve only touched on a very few of the many, many free things that are referenced in April’s issue of PC World. If you don’t subscribe, you should. But, have no fear. There is another way to get all this free stuff. Go to http://www.pcworld.com and follow the links. But please be for-warned or you’ll end up like me, hooked! This is an addictive site with addictive software. The kind people of PC World Online will even assist you in becoming a software junkie like me. If you will go to http://www.tipworld.com and fill out the form, they will send you an e-mail everyday with their choice of Shareware files of the day. How can a junkie ever hope to kick the habit when it’s crammed down your throat, or rather your modem, for free?! If I have opened any of your eyes enough to admit that you too may be a software junkie, maybe we could get together and form a SIG for software-aholics and share our sources. Just a thought! u |
