What's Shareware ?
Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software.
Shareware is produced by accomplished programmers, just like retail software. There is good and bad shareware, just as there is good and bad retail software. The primary difference between shareware and retail software is that with shareware you know if it's good or bad before you pay for it.
As a software user, you benefit because you get to use the software to determine whether it meets your needs before you pay for it, and authors benefit because they are able to get their products into your hands without the hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses it takes to launch a traditional retail software product. There are many programs on the market today which would never have become available without the shareware marketing method.
The shareware system and the continued availability of quality shareware products depend on your willingness to register and pay for the shareware you use. It's the registration fee you pay which allows us to support and continue to develop our products
What's Freeware ?
Freeware is a software that can be used for free .....
Usually, Freeware is one of these 2:
- A pre-mature version of a 'yet-to-come' commercial version.
- A software given out for free by the programmer.
In both cases, the software will often be accompanied with an "agreement" and/or a "disclaimer" :
"This software is owned by XYZ Incorporated. The XYZ company grants to the user a nonexclusive license to use this software solely for its internal business purposes. The user may not commercially distribute, sublicense, resell, or otherwise transfer for any consideration, or reproduce for any such purposes, the software or any modification or derivation thereof, either alone or in conjunction with any other product or program. Further, the user may not modify the software, other than for its own internal business use."
"THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED TO THE USER ''AS IS.'' THE COMPANY MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THIS SOFTWARE AND/OR ASSOCIATED MATERIALS PROVIDED TO THE USER ........."
The above information was "googled" and copy/pasted from: http://www.why-not.com/software/ware.html
https://www.stardock.com/products/windowblinds/wb5 More information about WindowBlinds...
Hope that helps 