User‐Supported Software for the IBM PC
| Date | 01 February 1985 |
| Published date | 01 February 1985 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb047600 |
| Pages | 97-106 |
| Author | Fredrick Michels,Neil Harrison,Douglas Smith |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
User-Supported Software for the IBM PC
Fredrick Michels, Neil Harrison and Douglas Smith
User-supported software is
copywrited and supported by the
developer(s) of the software.
Users
are encouraged to copy
and
share
the software. In return
for a "suggested contribution"
payable to the software developer,
detailed documentation and user support
are available. Many quality programs,
of this type, exist. Four programs
for the IBM PC are evaluated.
"User-supported software" is software that allows
the user to determine the value of a particular micro-
computer program. User-supported software is
referred to by various terms. Perhaps the most
common of these, "Freeware," is the personal trade-
mark of Andrew Fluegelman. Fluegelman's "PC-
TALK" (now "PC-TALK III") was the first software
package to make use of this concept.
The following excerpt from the documentation
of one user-supported software package illustrates
the concept of user-supported software1 (Button,
1983):
User-Supported Software
If you are using this program and find it to be
of value, your contribution will be appreciated.
Regardless of whether you make a contribution,
you are encouraged to copy and share this pro-
gram.
User-supported software is an experiment in
distributing computer programs, based on these
beliefs:
1.
That the value and utility of software is
best assessed by the user on his/her own
system.
2.
That the creation of personal computer
software can and should be supported
by the computing community.
3.
That copying of programs should be
Michels is Library Director, Lake Superior State
College, Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Harrison, author of the
PC-Write review, is Coordinator of Academic Com-
puting, Lake Superior State College. Smith, con-
tributor of the PC-Talk review, is a professional
programmer and a student in Electronic Engineering
Technology at Lake Superior State College.
ISSUE 10 97
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