Difference between revisions of "Nagware"

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'''Nagware''' is a software distribution model where distributed program is free and has all its features available, but the user will be asked to give the developers money. Some nagware is pretty unobtrusive, like merely adding a donate button to the user interface, but some is very obnoxious, popping up messages with long delays asking the user to pay in order to eliminate them. This is very similar to adware, only, the ad is for the program itself.
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'''Nagware''' is a [[software distribution model]] where a program is advertised as [[freeware|free]], and has all its features available (unlike [[crippleware]]), but the user will be asked to give the developers money. This can be done in very unobtrusive ways, like by merely adding a donate or purchase button to a menu or dialog, by more obtrusive ways, like popping a dialog asking for money when the user launches the program, or in extremely obtrusive ways, like popping dialogs at regular intervals, often requiring a delay before you can close them. Nagware is similar to [[adware]], only, the advertisement is for the program itself.  
  
I don't have an ethical problem with nagware in any form. You're being allowed to use a product for free which took someone a lot of effort to make, so an annoying message begging for money is hardly an issue. I'm completely fine with nagware when it's unobtrusive, like in a menu or about dialog. When the nag becomes more obtrusive, like the delay used in early versions of [[WinZip]], it usually causes me to find a different free product, which led me to [[7-Zip]].
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Like with crippleware, the ethical problem I have with nagware is when it is advertised as free, but is still monetized. I still use a fair amount of nagware with unobtrusive nagging, like those with donate buttons, but, as the nags become more obnoxious, I actively seek out replacements. For example, early versions of [[WinZip]] had annoying nag messages every time you opened it, which eventually led me to switch to the totally free [[7-Zip]].
  
 
==Software==
 
==Software==
* [[:Category:Nagware Software|Software]]
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* [[:Category:Software Distribution Model - Nagware|All Nagware Software]]
* [[:Category:Nagware Games|Video Games]]
 
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==

Revision as of 14:17, 13 November 2019

Nagware is a software distribution model where a program is advertised as free, and has all its features available (unlike crippleware), but the user will be asked to give the developers money. This can be done in very unobtrusive ways, like by merely adding a donate or purchase button to a menu or dialog, by more obtrusive ways, like popping a dialog asking for money when the user launches the program, or in extremely obtrusive ways, like popping dialogs at regular intervals, often requiring a delay before you can close them. Nagware is similar to adware, only, the advertisement is for the program itself.

Like with crippleware, the ethical problem I have with nagware is when it is advertised as free, but is still monetized. I still use a fair amount of nagware with unobtrusive nagging, like those with donate buttons, but, as the nags become more obnoxious, I actively seek out replacements. For example, early versions of WinZip had annoying nag messages every time you opened it, which eventually led me to switch to the totally free 7-Zip.

Software

Links

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