Bob Wallace - father of shareware

PPC laments the passing of Bob Wallace - father of shareware

You've probably come across the idea of shareware - it's software distributed and sold on a 'try before you buy' basis. If you like the software then you can register it in exchange for a small fee. If left unregistered then most shareware either stops functioning or nags you until you register. If it's not for you then you can just remove it. Indeed, all of the software in our download libraries is either shareware or even freeware which, as its name suggests, is completely free.

One of the early shareware pioneers was Bob Wallace who died recently at the age of 53 in California. Although employee number 9 to join Bill and co at Microsoft, he's often known as the 'Father of Shareware' and designed and marketed PC-Write.

For those who've not come across it, PC-Write was a well-known shareware word processor. Despite, or perhaps because of, its low price, it generated $2m to $3m a year through the late '80s. Bob is quoted as saying that 'I'm out to make a living, not a killing.'

In the early days, shareware (before Wallace coined the term, it was called 'freeware') was distributed on diskettes. Wallace thought users were the best salesmen - a sort of viral marketing. He sold the diskettes for $10 but for $75 you'd get the full manual as well.

Since those early days, shareware has blossomed, providing a quick, low cost entry route to the market for software authors. Today, some excellent software is available as shareware. Here's a quick roundup of some favourite shareware and freeware titles that you can download from our Top Downloads library.

Some top shareware

Winzip: Compression rules OK

One of the best examples of shareware is WinZip. Computer files can be quite large and take ages to download so many software authors use a compression program to create a .zip formatted file. The question is how do you recreate the original program? The answer is to download WinZip. You can also use WinZip to create compressed files. Zipping files in this way helps you email large images and other files to others as it reduces physical size of what you send and hence the time to time to email them. Click here to read our review.

Smartboard XP: Copy and paste on steroids

I often want to copy text from one application to another. Windows supports this with the Control-C and Control-V commands known as copy and paste. Better still is to use a clipboard manager which stores a history of recent copies. You can then select items to paste. Best of the bunch is SmartBoard XP. Click here to read our review.

Thumbs Plus: Top graphics software

If you have galleries of images to manipulate - and this will apply to anyone with a scanner or digital camera, then Thumbs Plus shareware is almost essential for displaying and manipulating image files. Click here to get your own trial copy.

And here's some of the best freeware.

AVG: Antivirus

Most computer users are aware of the need to have a competent anti-virus tool. With dozens of new viruses being created every day it's so easy to pick up a virus from an email attachment, software download or floppy disk. AVG 6.0 from Grisoft, Inc. has all the features you'd expect from an antivirus tool. It's comprehensive, has regular downloadable updates, and is absolutely free for home and small office users. It also regularly wins awards for killing lots of viruses! Click here to get your own free copy of AVG 6.0. Don't forget to check regularly for the free updates!

Zone Alarm: Firewall

It's theoretically possible for a malevolent hacker to scan IP addresses and gain access to your PC while you are logged on. Practical PC's advice is to use a personal firewall as well as an antivirus tool. Simple to download and install, and also free of charge, is the excellent ZoneAlarm. Click here to get your own copy of ZoneAlarm.

 

David Dorn