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Would be interesting though to repeat this analysis today because the rise of AppStores considerably simplified the shareware model for those who use them (whi

Would be interesting though to repeat this analysis today because the rise of AppStores considerably simplified the shareware model for those who use them (while they have huge drawbacks too). 1. Land on the site by searching 2. Click on the preferred/compatible AppStore link 3. Optional step for tech savy users : Read commitments and review to check if something is dubious 4. Use the app for X weeks of trying period or until a fremium limitation is reached 5. Pay in one click when you choose or when a popup remind you that you must pay to lift some limitations That 4/5 steps instead of the 17 described by the OP, and that's probably the true value of AppStores for Developers. (Are margins fair? that's up for debate! But it's unfair to ignore the added value)

Dalewyn 2y ago
I actually find myself actively avoiding getting anything from application stores without prior outside knowledge. Why? Because given no other context I cannot tell apart the decent from the bullshit, let alone the good. There are no differentiators because the storefront obviously accepts everything including the bull-est of shits, being paid-for or free-beer is hardly a useful measure these days (and $5 is nothing), and basically everything outside of a very small handful comes from no-name developers and publishers (bonus points if Suspicious Chinese(tm) names). Back in ye olde days: I could count on stores since if they put something on their shelves they clearly sold enough volume. I could/can count on word-of-mouth websites with EXE and ZIP downloads. I could/can count on digital storefronts because their userbase could be trusted (eg: Steam, GOG). Application stores? It's all just 300% noise.
- blitzar 2y ago
  > I could/can count on word-of-mouth websites with EXE and ZIP downloads If you did this - your computer was 100% compromised.
  - Dalewyn 2y ago
    In theory? Sure. In practice? No. It's been the latter enough times that I honestly think this theory is actually fearmongering.
- graemep 2y ago
  Which is why I usually installed software I have heard about already. There are app stores that are curated. F-droid and Linux repositories.

Dalewyn 2y ago

I actually find myself actively avoiding getting anything from application stores without prior outside knowledge. Why? Because given no other context I cannot tell apart the decent from the bullshit, let alone the good. There are no differentiators because the storefront obviously accepts everything including the bull-est of shits, being paid-for or free-beer is hardly a useful measure these days (and $5 is nothing), and basically everything outside of a very small handful comes from no-name developers and publishers (bonus points if Suspicious Chinese(tm) names). Back in ye olde days: I could count on stores since if they put something on their shelves they clearly sold enough volume. I could/can count on word-of-mouth websites with EXE and ZIP downloads. I could/can count on digital storefronts because their userbase could be trusted (eg: Steam, GOG). Application stores? It's all just 300% noise.

blitzar 2y ago
> I could/can count on word-of-mouth websites with EXE and ZIP downloads If you did this - your computer was 100% compromised.
- Dalewyn 2y ago
  In theory? Sure. In practice? No. It's been the latter enough times that I honestly think this theory is actually fearmongering.
graemep 2y ago
Which is why I usually installed software I have heard about already. There are app stores that are curated. F-droid and Linux repositories.