On beste-freeware.de we use this term in the broadest of all meanings, the meaning that is applied by most of the people: it is software which you can obtain without paying for it. When Joe Average says freeware, he expects a piece of software, that...

• Is fully functional
• for an unlimited time
• doesn’t cost anything
• meets high quality standards
• he can give away to his friends

The average user cannot be concerned with reading licence agreements, which in many cases will provide surprising information – even when travelling under the freeware flag.

So while many users do know that freeware may be restricted to

• personal
• even individual
• non-profit
• non-commercial
• academic
• also commercial

usage or any thinkable combination thereof, they will with astonishment learn, that in most cases they are not allowed to distribute the freeware, i.e. to give it to their friends without the consent of the software author.

Freeware also must not be confused with ‘Free Software’. Most ‘Free Software’ qualifies as freeware, but almost none of the freeware qualifies as ‘Free Software’. The modern ‘Free Software’ definition states:

You are allowed to...

• run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0)
• study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs (freedom 1)
• redistribute copies so you can help your neighbour (freedom 2)
• improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3)

It is important to note, that ‘Free Software’ in contrast to freeware may come at a price. It is not necessarily free of cost, but at any rate free of restrictions.

A comparison often made to illustrate the difference is the difference of free in ‘free beer’ and ‘free speech’. The former referring to freeware, the latter to ‘Free Software’. Variants of Freeware

There are some creative variants of Freeware. They were quite common in the past and still linger on in certain fields and require some sort of action as acknowledgement from the user of the software.

Otherware

Also called Requestware, is a form of software that is almost freeware, with the sole distinction that it requests you to act in some way. Usually these requests are not strictly monitored, some are mere hoaxes, and it will depend on your personal commitment to oblige. Here they are in alphabetical order:

Abondonware

Software owner and copyright are unclear, you cannot buy the software anymore and it is no longer supported

Beerware

Well, you have to buy the software author one beer.

Cardware

Also called Postcardware, it is not completely without cost and some purist will not attribute it the label freeware for that reason. As a condition for using the software you are asked to send the author a postcard. A later variant of this will do with an email only.

Careware

You have to take part in some sort of charity

Catware

You got a cat? Or more? Then you’re allowed to use the software...

Donationware

In order to use the software you must donate to a charitable cause

Greenware

Get engaged in an environmental project

Sisterware

You must introduce your sister to the software author

Some of these requirements do come with considerable practical difficulties.

Two sorts of ‘freeware’ need mentioning here, although we do not recommend using them:

Nagware

Every now and then you’re asked to buy the software. This is done by repeating pop-up dialogs that really can get into your way. If you want to get rid of these pop-ups, you need to buy the software...

Crippleware

This sort is nothing much more than a demo version. The functionality is heavily restricted, merely showing you what you could do if you bought the software. It is nothing but a continuous nuisance...

History of Freeware

The term Freeware was originally coined by Andrew Fluegelman who actually is responsible for quite a different business model for distributing and marketing software: shareware. When the IBM PC, the first ‘real’ PC hit our desks and homes, he developed a program called PC-Talk, a communications software, which he marketed successfully introducing a new system under the name of ‘Freeware’ - in his view “an experiment in economics rather than in altruism.” Freeware back then merely asked the user to pay voluntarily, and also, he was allowed to redistribute the software under the condition the license was included and not altered.

Quality of Freeware

The quality of freeware has since its introduction in the eighties vastly improved. Freeware long had a reputation as experimental and second-rate software, but an ever evolving global community of developers and creative new business models contribute to the highest standard of quality now. Many professional developers and software companies will release their product on a no-cost basis, as freeware, free software, or open source, and generate income by providing implementation, adaptation and support. So this issue is definitely closed: freeware is State-of-the Art-Software.

Users of Freeware

It is surely no surprise, that many users of freeware are private users. Often enough the usage of freeware is restricted to those, and they use it in every field. As a matter of fact, it is no problem at all to run a home PC (and an office PC) solely with freeware. As usually the OS system is preinstalled on your PC when you purchase it, you may use freeware to surf the internet using browsers such as Firefox and Opera, do your emails with Thunderbird, m2, or Evolution, your word processor may be JARTE or AbiWord, a spreadsheet of choice is Gnumeric, or you get a completely free office suite like OpenOfficeOrg 3, which also includes a database and a presentations program. There’s a wealth of freeware tools alleviating the task of managing your PC, filemanager, backup programs, desktop searches – you name it. A shortage may be perceived b y serious gamers, but they’re acomin...

Corporate Use of Freeware

Corporate use of Freeware is quite another matter as freeware often restricts the usage to private individuals. But many a license includes non-profit or non-commercial use, some explicitly allow commercial use, and so the question remains: is freeware suitable for the corporate desktop? Is freeware ready for commercial use?

Acceptance of Freeware

Many corporate users will use freeware nowadays as quality standards are easily met. Licenses like the open source or free software license allow doing so, and the most attractive benefits of freeware are...

Well, yes, the price

It is free, no cost, it doesn’t lean on your budget, and if you don’t like it, no hassle with the vendor, no 30-days trial period. Nothing lost but a little time.

Ease and simplicity of obtaining the software

Getting freeware is as easy as it can get. You simply download it. Once in a while you have to leave an email, very rarely – but it does happen – registration is required and even as cumbersome as with commercial software. But in general acquiring freeware means a skilled search and a download. Finished.

Udates

Generally updates to freeware are just as free, and only once in a while, a freeware will turn commercial. Sometimes companies introduce a product to the market, and the software is freeware during the development phase. Once completed the company may decide to sell the software.

Downside of Freeware

As appealing and attractive freeware may seem, there are downsides to it. The trouble with freeware can be found in three prominent areas.

Warranty

The license agreement usually exempts the freeware author from any liability, warranty or guarantee. The software is sold ‘as-is’, with no promise toward a certain purpose, functionality or any functionality at all. A corporate user may see a deal breaker here.

Support

The freeware comes without any cost, so the software author does not gain any revenue from selling his application. Thus it is not surprising to find only a very, very few willing to support their software. Supporting software that’s downloading in millions also cannot be done by a single person. So usually – if at all – support is found in forums, which is quite a different matter. This form of support takes some time of getting used to, but usually the freeware community will help, as the forums are visited by knowledgeable co users, with concrete experience with the freeware in question. Some developers offer paid support, or ‘premium’ support involving some financial investment after all.

Documentation

Freeware is fine and great, its documentation usually not worth mentioning. This fact is well known and quite commonly finds a cunning experienced user – or the developer himself – to write a book. This book then is sold; the price found by supply and demand.

Why does Freeware exist?

Why is in a time like hours such a thing as freeware? Why do skilled, highly qualified software developers put their energy, time and more often than not their money also in a freeware project? These questions aren’t easily answered, or at least not fully.

One source of freeware is the student who as a proof of his skills and capabilities, sometimes as a form of thesis, writes a piece of software. Once he’s finished with it, he publishes it under a freeware license, thus proving worthy for a job.

Another is a developer with a brilliant idea surrounding that freeware, be it merchandise, support or documentation. Sometimes you find a basic, good version of a program, and can buy a more feature rich ‘pro’ version. Or the freeware is free only for personal use and the corporate user has to buy affordable licenses.

A none too small faction of freeware originates in a defiance of software monopolies. The Free Software Movement and the Open Source Community organize a global team of developers opposing restrictions imposed on the user by proprietary software. The results of these developer communities are well known as the free Operating System Linux and the free office suite OpenOfficeOrg 3.