BUYING SOFTWARE

BUYING SOFTWARE

Select your software carefully. One easy way to do that is to

purchase SHAREWARE and FREEWARE before investing the big

bucks. WordPerfect software for instance retails for around $300,

but you can purchase PC Write, a shareware word processing

software for $5 from S Software (800) 243-1515.

There are some disadvantages when purchasing shareware and

freeware though.

Some of them are really good while some of them are really lousy.

That's why it's important to rely on a good shareware distributor (a

company that only deals with selling shareware) that is very selective

in the programs they include in their catalog. One such company is

The American Shareware Network, 250 Arlington St, Marshfield MA

02050, phone (617) 834-9208.

The American Shareware Network carefully installs and operates the

software program before it is listed in their catalog for sell. They only

choose top-of-the-line programs that are popular and worth the

money. They also are honest in making sure the diskettes they send

the programs on are full. Some rip-off shareware distributors will

take a program that will fit on 1 or 2 disks and split them up into 4 or

5 different one. Then they'll charge you 99c per disk and make you

think you are getting a bargain. But in actuality you would have been

better off purchasing from the shareware distributor that advertises

at a price of $3.49 per disk.

Also, don't make the mistake of going crazy ordering lots of

shareware.

You don't want to have 100 different software programs on your

computer that do 100 different things. This would make life too

confusing and you'd have to learn them all. You'd never know any of

them well enough just a little bit about each one. The whole idea

here is to try out several different shareware programs in the

particular software category you need before you invest money into

the commercial software programs.

You should streamline your needs and the functions you want your

computer to perform. Most of us will be buying a computer for our

home- based business.

Therefore, you need to find a good software program that will do the

job you need for your particular situation. If you're going to be a

typesetter, try out a variety of desktop publishing software until you

find the one that does everything you want it to do and more. One

fantastic look-alike of the popular PageMaker software (retails:

$549) is a program called PagePlus. In 1993, the price is only $60 _

a 90% savings over its counterpart. (Purchase from Serif, Inc, PO

Box 803, Nashua NH 03061 (800) 869-8909.)

In addition, if you will be selling mailing lists, concentrate on a good

database software. If you will be writing and selling reports,

concentrate on finding a good word processing software. If you plan

to draw and create art, find a good CAD or drawing software

program.

After locating the right software for your particular business, go

through the same procedure in finding a good business accounting

software you feel comfortable with so you can keep accurate

records of your daily business transactions.

Do your best to narrow the different software programs on your

computer down to as few as possible. This way, you can really learn

each one of them and become an expert much quicker than trying to

learn a whole bunch at once - thus, creating confusion rather than

knowledge.