Shareware, Freeware and Firmware

[Lyte]

All three of the following are considered software but have some unique qualities compared to software you might buy off the shelf.

Freeware, is a piece of software/program that is FREE and is released to the general public.

Shareware, is not free but you are given the opportunity to try it before you buy it! If you like it then you send your payment directly (usually) to the author of the software.

Firmware is the software that is embedded within a piece of hardware. This firmware is what directs the hardware in its daily tasks. This is not a piece of software that you every have to mess with but from time to time the manufacture of the hardware may release a firmware upgrade to address bugs or improve the hardware's performance.

[Dexter]

This section is cool. Can anyone post under here?

Dex

[Lyte]

Absolutely! Feel free to post a response to anything of the threads in this section... OR, start a thread of your own!

Lyte

[dgridley]

Abandonware: Abandonware is computer software which is no longer being sold or supported by its copyright holder. Alternativeely, the term is also used for software which is still available, but on which further support and development has been deliberately discontinued. Sometimes, it is used as a blanket category for any software over a certain age, usually five years.

Vaporware: A term used to describe a piece of software that doesn't exist, is suspected not to exist, or is incapable of performing as promised. It is not uncommon for a software corporation to make fantastic promises as to the functionality of an upcoming software release that ultimately prove to be undeliverable. In the software industry, there is often something of a yin/yang relationship between marketing efforts and technical capabilities. ...

[Lyte]

Originally Posted by dgridley

Abandonware: Vaporware:

Excellent additions! I had not heard of these two!

Thanks!

Lyte

[dr911]

Hey All,

Ed.....or Lyte,

How about starting a "New Deal of Day" part of the forum ?? We can list "links" from some favorite free ware and describe the free-ware.....plus links to them. Please....no P2P or hacker's software.

Sound like an ideal ????

:rolleyes:

[Lyte]

Hey Doc,

That's not a bad idea! There are a lot of free services (software, marketing, etc.) out there on the web an I'm sure such info would prove helpful!

Thanks!

Lyte

[Dexter]

You guys forgot malware. :mad:

Malware (a portmanteau of "malicious software") is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system, without the owner's consent. The term describes the intent of the creator, rather than any particular features. Malware is commonly taken to include computer viruses, Trojan horses, and spyware. In law, malware is sometimes known as a computer contaminant, for instance in the legal codes of California, Virginia, and several other U.S. states. [1] Malware should not be confused with defective software, that is, software which has a legitimate purpose but contains errors or bugs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware

Dex

[joey]

Spyware: Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else.

Adware: While not necessarily malware, adware is considered to go beyond the reasonable advertising that one might expect from freeware or shareware. Typically a separate program that is installed at the same time as a shareware or similar program, adware will usually continue to generate advertising even when the user is not running the origianlly desired program.

[dgridley]

Some nice additions...

Then there's:

WAREZ:

Pronounced wayrz or wayrss. Commercial software that has been pirated and made available to the public via an electronic Bulletin Board System (BBS) or the Internet. Typically, the pirate has figured out a way to de-activate the copy-protection or registration scheme used by the software. Note that the use and distribution of warez software is illegal. In contrast, shareware and freeware may be freely copied and distributed.

[Lyte]

Woo... this is turning into a great thread! All sorts of information!

I'd forgotten 'bout those other ones too... malware, spyware, adware... this list never ends! :eek:

Lyte