                           DEFINITION OF SHAREWARE

Shareware is not free software.  Like a commercial software product, a
shareware product is owned by the author or publisher and licensed to a 
user under specific terms of a software license agreement.  Unlike most
commercial software, however, you can obtain a copy of a Shareware program
and use it for a period of time before you pay for it.

Shareware distribution gives users a chance to evaluate a product before
buying it.  If you continue using a Shareware program, you are expected to
register it with the author or publisher and pay a license fee, which is
usually much less than a comparable commercial product.  With registration,
you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an
updated program with printed manual.  See the file README.1ST or the Ad Hoc
on-line Help system for the benefits of registering Ad Hoc.

Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the
copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated
below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial
authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases, there
are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in the method of
distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute
the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example,
some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may
copy their Shareware.

Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find
software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or
Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you
can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also.
Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee -- if you don't use the
product, you don't pay for it.
