From: nelson@crynwr.com (Russell Nelson)
Date: Thu, 5 Jan 95 16:27:39 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Remailer postage
In-Reply-To: <199501052148.NAA07203@netcom5.netcom.com>
Message-ID: <m0rQ2ax-0008ZFC@crynwr.crynwr.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


   From: tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)
   Date: Thu, 5 Jan 1995 13:48:34 -0800 (PST)

   (I understand that Russ Nelson has experience in the shareware
   business, so he may know how many people send in their voluntary
   contributions. My understanding is that it's a tiny fraction, and that
   few shareware authors ever make much money. I've talked to some of
   them, and they consider shareware a failed experiment, except for new
   products trying to break into crowded markets, where the "shareware"
   label is just a facade for essentially giving it away in exchange for
   fame and eventual fortune if the product goes commercial.)

Shareware is essentially begging, yes.  Far better to just give the
software away to create a need for your services.  Then people are
actually getting something for their money.

Selling services is profitable, particularly if you can sell the same
service to multiple people at the same time.  If you're very good at
selling, you can even sell a service as an insurance plan.

-- 
-russ <nelson@crynwr.com>    http://www.crynwr.com/crynwr/nelson.html
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