Shareware the Pirates?

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Hmmm. I think it's an interesting idea... but I agree that runs the risk of offending some paying customers. I'd go with something that doesn't mention where the user got the document from. i.e.

If you have enjoyed this product and wish to make a donation please pay at Blah. It will help ensure the continual supply of high quality products, etc.


You never know, some generous soul might decide the book is worth more than they paid for it and make an extra contribution?

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

I have paid for shareware before. I can't see this being too different. As an experiment, you might as well try it, just to see what happens.

 

[diaglo]

what's shareware?


give me hard copy.


diaglo "a luddite to the nth degree" Ooi

 

[Henry]

Like Curt and Thanee said, it could have the impact of being a "license to steal."

I'd try it just for the next release and see for a couple of months if ONE soul actually agrees. Make sure the wording is specific to that PDF, so that it can't be interpreted as "all future products" and leave the part about no legal prosecution in.

 

[Nifft]

Good idea.

-- N

 

[Iku Rex]

I could see myself sending money along in that manner.

Me too, although I have read some ugly things about paypal. (Never used it.)

Of course, this concept depends on making a high quality product. Piss people off with unoriginal drivel, "bad" rules, crappy editing and/or non-existent playtesting and you won't make a dime.

 

[Dingleberry]

I agree that it runs the risk of irritating paying customers. If you want to do the shareware model, go the distance: make it free for everyone with a request that if people feel it's worth it, they should make donations - state a recommended donation amount at the price you would've sold it.

 

[Abulia]

Basically, trying to work on the shareware concept a bit in an attempt to establish some revenue from a previously untapped source.

It won't work. It's just the nature of piracy.

Secondly, unless you're giving away the PDF to begin with and disable its functionality at some point unless you pay, you're not doing the shareware concept...this is more a variation of "Guilt ware." If there was a way to annoy them with the text every time they opened the file, you'd be doing "Nag ware."

In any event, there is no software parallel. You have to make your PDF free to everyone first, which it doesn't sound like you're doing.

 

[jgbrowning]

Are you sure it wouldn't hurt? Might people start feeling justified in pirating your PDFs, then making a small payment instead of paying your asking price? It seems you do have something to lose, but also something to gain. Interesting experiment. Good luck.

This is my main concern. I wonder how many of my full paying customers would feel hurt by my actions? I like to think I have a good relationship with them, but people have many different opinions on this matter and a stance like I thought of could be offensive to some and drive away some business. I'm torn either way and I do realize that it is a risk on several levels.

I'm far from certain about doing this, but wanted to feel out the general opinion here and at rpgnet about such an idea.

joe b.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Don't do it. Bad idea, because you are implicitly saying that stealing is OK.

Edit -- and also, you would end up training your formerly paying customers to just wait for a pirated copy to be available, and then pay you only if they feel like it (which they won't).