Website Builders.com

  • Home
  • Builder Reviews
        • Our team have carefully reviewed a selection of premium website building platform, making it easier for you to choose the right one.

          While most website builders are compatible for generic  website building, including online stores, blogs and generic websites, some are better than others depending on what your website type.

        • Website Builder Reviews

          GoDaddy

          IM Creator

          Jimdo

          Squarespace

          Voog

          Weebly

          Wix

          WordPress

        • Store Builder Reviews

          BigCommerce

          GoDaddy Store

          Shopify

          Weebly

          Wix

          Yola

        • Comparisons

          Wix vs. Weebly

          Shopify vs. BigCommerce

  • Start A Blog
  • How To Guides
        • With over 500 pages of detailed tutorials and guides, our guides cover a large chunk of online topics.

          Learn crafty tips and tricks to make your time online smooth. Our directory is useful for internet newbies, as well as aspiring website builders.

          Check out the full directory.

        • Building a Website

          How To Build a Website

          Name Your Website – Domain

          Picking a Web Hosting Service

          Content and User Experience

          More

        • Searching and Research

          Searching the Web

          Doing Research Online

          The World of Wiki

          Finding Videos Online

          More

        • E-mails – Basics and Advanced

          Getting Started

          Sending an E-mail Message

          Opening Attachments

          Sending Attachments

          More

        • Social Media & Communication

          Instant Messaging

          Online Networking

          Facebook

          LinkedIn

          More

        • Files, Downloads, Software & Installs

          File Formats and Extensions

          Install Plug-Ins

          How to Download Files

          Downloading Software

          More

        • Making Money Online

          Making Money with Facebook

          Affiliate Marketing

          Virtual Assistant

          Writing Articles

          More

        • Online Shopping

          10 Tips for Smart and Safe Shopping

          Smart Shopping

          Protecting Personal Information

          Looking for Discounts

          More

  • Website Builder Tools Your Business Can’t Do Without (+ Links To Useful Resources)
    • HTML Character Codes
    • Advertiser Tracking Cookies: There ARE Ways To Opt Out – Here’s How
    • Website Glossary
  • Our Blog
        • Recent Posts

          When you have awesome writers, it is easy to spread wisdom. Take a look at some of our recent posts on various internet and website related topics.

          Have any suggestions on topics? Don’t hold back, send us your ideas:

          [email protected]

        • 12 Simple Rules on How to Use E-mail Politely

          Live Chat Software: Is it Worth It? Facebook Says Yes.

          Algorithmic Warfare: Is it the Beginning or the End?

          How to Promote Your Pet Business Online

          DIY Marketing: 7 Steps for any Business Owner

        • 20 Ideas to Generate Your First Online Sale

          Complete Guide to Content Marketing

          8 Best Free Photo Editors for Product Photosraphy

          Press Kits: DIY to Free Media Hype

          Why Backlinks are Essential for SEO – How To Build Them

  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • FAQ
    • How Did You Make This Site?
    • How the Website Is Funded
    • Our Team
You are here: Home / The Complete List Of How-To Tutorials For Internet Dummies / The Interactive Glossary: Defining the Net / Shareware Definition | The Interactive Glossary

Shareware Definition | The Interactive Glossary

Disclosure: Your support helps keep the site running! We earn a referral fee for some of the services we recommend on this page. Learn more

Contents

  • 1 Shareware
  • 2 Frequently Asked Questions
    • 2.1 Where does the term “shareware” come from?
    • 2.2 Is shareware popular?
    • 2.3 Is shareware safe to install?
    • 2.4 Do I have to pay for shareware?
  • 3 Glossary Index

Shareware

Shareware is the term used to describe applications which are available for free during a trial use period, but request or require payment after the expiration of the trial use period.

Many times you will see applications advertised as being “free to try” for a limited time. If you download the application you will typically receive complete access to the software for a trial use period, often 30, 60, or 90 days long. After the trial period has ended a few different things may happen. In some cases, the application will continue to work as usual, but a reminder will appear on a periodic basis requesting a payment or donation. In other cases, the application may continue working with reduced functionality, or it may stop working entirely until a license is purchased.

See also: WinZip

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the term “shareware” come from?

The term “shareware” was initially attributed to Bob Wallace, who used the term to describe a word processor he developed in the 1980s called PC-Write. However, a few years later Wallace claimed to have first seen the term in InfoWorld magazine in the 1970s.

Is shareware popular?

There are many shareware titles that are quite popular in categories such as antivirus software, hard disk cleaning utilities, games, text editors, and much more. Some of the most popular include Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, Avast Antivirus, Panda Antivirus, Advanced SystemCare Ultimate, WinRAR, and WinZip.

Is shareware safe to install?

Some shareware is perfectly safe, while other shareware may be malware in disguise. There are three key steps to take to avoid bad shareware:

  • First, only download shareware you actually plan to use. Don’t download shareware just to try it out if you don’t intend to use it over time.
  • Second, look for user reviews on multiple websites before downloading and installing a piece of shareware.
  • Third, download shareware from a reputable source – preferably directly from the developer. Third-party shareware distributors often package addons with shareware downloads, combining a useful program with fishy addons that are seldom clearly disclosed, and often intrusive if not downright malicious.

Do I have to pay for shareware?

Many shareware applications will allow you to continue using the application indefinitely even if you never pay. From time to time a reminder will appear asking you to purchase a license, but other than that, no other loss of functionality occurs. WinZip, one of the most popular and successful shareware titles of all time, is something of a legend in this regard. In these cases, many users simply choose to ignore the reminders and continue using the application indefinetly for free.

In a case such as the one described above, no, you will probably never be forced to pay for the application. However, doing so is in poor taste, and if no users pay for the software it is likely that development will eventually cease. Therefore, if you truly appreciate being able to use an application, pay for it and encourage others to do the same.


Glossary Index

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Latest Posts

Hosting

Black Friday 2023: Website Builder & Web Hosting Deals For Webmasters [Updated]

Uncategorized

Why WebsiteBuilders.com Got Hacked (Yes, You Can Blame Social Warfare)

E-mail Internet

E-Mail Etiquette: 12 Basic Rules For Politely Using E-Mail

Marketing social networking

Live Chat Software: Should You Invest In It? (It’s Easier Than You Think)

Computer Science

Never Heard Of Algorithmic Warfare? Then You’d Better Read This

Marketing

How To Successfully Promote Your Pet Business Online With Minimum Effort

Most Popular Reviews

  • Website Builder Reviews
  • Wix
  • Weebly
  • Squarespace
  • GoDaddy Website Builder
  • Shopify

Recent Posts

  • Black Friday 2023: Website Builder & Web Hosting Deals For Webmasters [Updated] November 5, 2019
  • Why WebsiteBuilders.com Got Hacked (Yes, You Can Blame Social Warfare) March 23, 2019
  • E-Mail Etiquette: 12 Basic Rules For Politely Using E-Mail November 15, 2017

About WebsiteBuilders.com

Everything you need to know about the WebsiteBuilders.com team.

About Us

Our Team

How The Website Is Funded

Privacy Policy

© 2017-2022 Website Builders.com | Sitemap