Re: Automatic world building

From: "silveroak" <silveroak@feist.com>

Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Dave Allen wrote in message <38C4509E.E3135EE1@senteinc.com>...
>I wrote:
>
>> >Here is an example of the results Nation Builder produces:
>> >http://www.best.com/~jendave/builder/nation/history_1.html
>> >
>> >Previously, the file-save feature of both tools was disabled
>> >unless you registered the software.  Many people have complained
>> >to me that this make the tools "crippleware", and they have
>> >refused to even try them out.
>
>David Alex Lamb (dalamb@qucis.queensu.ca> replied:
>
>> Yeah, people complain about 'crippled' shareware, but then don't
generally
>> bother registering anyway.  I've heard from several shareware authors
that the
>> only way they were able to get noticeable numbers of registrations (not
even
>> 'significant', just 'noticeable') was to provide a usable version, then
send
>> out "add-ons" with registration.  E.g. a game with one map, with more
maps
>> after registration.
>
>Thanks for the info.  Previously, I would say the number of registrations
>I received was "noticeable" and the number of complaints I got was
"significant".
>Since I was not getting rich from the registration income, I decided I was
>more interested in feedback and getting wide usage.  Of course, I do
>appreciate my existing registered customers, and I will try to come up
>with some registration benefits as you suggest.
>

The easiest and  most obvious is to let your shareware be an untested
version, take the complaints and suggestions into a patch, which is then
distributed to registered customers. Of course you better let them know that
this is what you are doing, so they don't think the bugs are simply poor
programming!
    BTW, I seem to have trouble accessing your download site, I keep getting
an 'error 500, transfer limit exceeded for this customer'

References

Automatic world building
Dave Allen <davea-l@senteinc.com>
Mon, 06 Mar 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Automatic world building
dalamb@qucis.queensu.ca (David Alex Lamb)
Mon, 06 Mar 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Automatic world building
Dave Allen <davea-l@senteinc.com>
Tue, 07 Mar 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

Automatic world building
Dave Allen <davea-l@senteinc.com>
Mon, 06 Mar 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Automatic world building
dalamb@qucis.queensu.ca (David Alex Lamb)
Mon, 06 Mar 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Automatic world building
Dave Allen <davea-l@senteinc.com>
Tue, 07 Mar 2000 00:00:00 +0000