State-of-the-Art Contractor: Shareware: Try Before You Buy

User-supported software, or "shareware" as it is popularly called, is an alternative to the software in the flashy boxes with the corresponding high prices. The concept is simple: You try the program out on your computer, and if you like it, you "register" your copy by sending a check directly to the author. The cost of registering shareware is usually less than $25 and rarely more than $100. If you don't like or need the program, you either delete it or pass it on to a friend who may find it useful. Shareware is a cottage industry, and literally thousands of programs are available. Some shareware is written to "fix" problems in commercially-produced programs, but the vast majority is inspired