Hunting for good shareware
By SCOTT A. MAY
Comment by SEBASTIAN ZAKLADA
Finding a good source for shareware on the Web is a lot like hunting for morel mushrooms. It can be feast or famine, but once you find the mother lode, all that work really pays off. Unlike morels, however, there’s no need to keep your Web source a secret.
The best shareware sites give you several methods to browse their files: newest, most popular, by release date, by category and so on. If there’s no search function on the site, don’t waste your time.
Look for a site that includes links to each shareware publisher’s Web site. This is a great way to get additional information about a product and learn something about its author. Chances are, the publisher might offer other products of interest.
Steer clear of any shareware site that requires you to register or provide personal information in order to download a file. Even having to supply your e-mail address can be suspect. Don’t do it unless you like spam.
Flashy page designs can’t hide lack of content or poor navigational tools. Giant corporate download sites, such as CNet.com, aren’t necessarily better than so-called mom-and-pop operations. Big sites might have more Web presence and advertisers, but often the homegrown sites are more attuned to the needs of the average user.
Overall, look for shareware sites that are well-organized, updated daily, easy to navigate and don’t hammer you with pop-up advertising.
Also, if any site charges a fee for downloading shareware, they are ripping you off. Keep on surfing.
Tucows.com is a bona-fide old-timer on the shareware scene, notable for being one of the few shareware sites that supports nearly all major operating systems, including Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Unix, BeOS, OS/2 and many PDA devices.
Tucows not only lets you choose your operating system but also the nearest download server. Then it’s just a matter of selecting a software category to browse, each branching into subtopics.
I like how Tucows gives users a choice between list view and a verbose account about each shareware package, including system requirements and links to the publisher’s home page.
This site will never win an award for visual pizzazz, and novice users might find navigation a bit challenging, but if you’re looking for the widest-ranging collection of shareware in all major categories, Tucows fits the bill.
Jumbo.com is another old-school shareware depository that at one time did a decent job of keeping up with trends. There used to be a lot more content here, but the original owners sold out to a larger company whose main concern isn’t quality shareware or end-user education, but e-commerce.
Jumbo supports PC, Mac and Linux operating systems and sorts shareware by genre and date added.
Like Tucows, Jumbo won’t exactly blow you away with its dynamic design; it’s a great example of an aging site on its last legs.
There are literally hundreds of other shareware download sites. Some specialize in certain types of software, while others attempt to offer everything to everyone.
It’s surprising to find a number of shareware sites that look different but promote the exact same content. Sometimes even the category index and product descriptions are identical, word for word. This usually means the site is merely a facade - one of many run by the same operators.
SZ: It is surprising, that the author is not aware of the implications of using PAD XML file standard for creating reusable descriptions of the software applications. An example of the simple yet powerfull shareware website that utilizes PAD files is Software Submit.NET Downloads Catalog.
Here’s a good shareware tip: Instead of downloading software from a shareware site, follow the link to the publisher’s site, where you’ll often find newer versions, add-ons and upgrades to your selected software. Not all shareware sites are as diligent about updating their links.
As for that mother lode, follow this link to a goldmine of shareware links: www.aspshareware.org, the official site of the Association of Shareware Professionals. An excellent source on its own, the vein grows richer the deeper you dig. Click the link to Search for Shareware and then choose Shareware Search Sites to browse a list of hundreds.
Scott A. May is a local freelance writer who has been published in Home Office Computing magazine and other computer publications. He is technical support manager for Hi-Tech Software. Send e-mail to scottmay4@mchsi.com.
/Columbia Tribune/
Comment by SEBASTIAN ZAKLADA
Finding a good source for shareware on the Web is a lot like hunting for morel mushrooms. It can be feast or famine, but once you find the mother lode, all that work really pays off. Unlike morels, however, there’s no need to keep your Web source a secret.
The best shareware sites give you several methods to browse their files: newest, most popular, by release date, by category and so on. If there’s no search function on the site, don’t waste your time.
Look for a site that includes links to each shareware publisher’s Web site. This is a great way to get additional information about a product and learn something about its author. Chances are, the publisher might offer other products of interest.
Steer clear of any shareware site that requires you to register or provide personal information in order to download a file. Even having to supply your e-mail address can be suspect. Don’t do it unless you like spam.
Flashy page designs can’t hide lack of content or poor navigational tools. Giant corporate download sites, such as CNet.com, aren’t necessarily better than so-called mom-and-pop operations. Big sites might have more Web presence and advertisers, but often the homegrown sites are more attuned to the needs of the average user.
Overall, look for shareware sites that are well-organized, updated daily, easy to navigate and don’t hammer you with pop-up advertising.
Also, if any site charges a fee for downloading shareware, they are ripping you off. Keep on surfing.
Tucows.com is a bona-fide old-timer on the shareware scene, notable for being one of the few shareware sites that supports nearly all major operating systems, including Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Unix, BeOS, OS/2 and many PDA devices.
Tucows not only lets you choose your operating system but also the nearest download server. Then it’s just a matter of selecting a software category to browse, each branching into subtopics.
I like how Tucows gives users a choice between list view and a verbose account about each shareware package, including system requirements and links to the publisher’s home page.
This site will never win an award for visual pizzazz, and novice users might find navigation a bit challenging, but if you’re looking for the widest-ranging collection of shareware in all major categories, Tucows fits the bill.
Jumbo.com is another old-school shareware depository that at one time did a decent job of keeping up with trends. There used to be a lot more content here, but the original owners sold out to a larger company whose main concern isn’t quality shareware or end-user education, but e-commerce.
Jumbo supports PC, Mac and Linux operating systems and sorts shareware by genre and date added.
Like Tucows, Jumbo won’t exactly blow you away with its dynamic design; it’s a great example of an aging site on its last legs.
There are literally hundreds of other shareware download sites. Some specialize in certain types of software, while others attempt to offer everything to everyone.
It’s surprising to find a number of shareware sites that look different but promote the exact same content. Sometimes even the category index and product descriptions are identical, word for word. This usually means the site is merely a facade - one of many run by the same operators.
SZ: It is surprising, that the author is not aware of the implications of using PAD XML file standard for creating reusable descriptions of the software applications. An example of the simple yet powerfull shareware website that utilizes PAD files is Software Submit.NET Downloads Catalog.
Here’s a good shareware tip: Instead of downloading software from a shareware site, follow the link to the publisher’s site, where you’ll often find newer versions, add-ons and upgrades to your selected software. Not all shareware sites are as diligent about updating their links.
As for that mother lode, follow this link to a goldmine of shareware links: www.aspshareware.org, the official site of the Association of Shareware Professionals. An excellent source on its own, the vein grows richer the deeper you dig. Click the link to Search for Shareware and then choose Shareware Search Sites to browse a list of hundreds.
Scott A. May is a local freelance writer who has been published in Home Office Computing magazine and other computer publications. He is technical support manager for Hi-Tech Software. Send e-mail to scottmay4@mchsi.com.
/Columbia Tribune/
