or perhaps..

"Free software with every shirt!"

:o) The Writing Entity @ corz.org

shirtware - a new kind of software license

After coming up with the concept of Shirtware, I have to admit, I've been a bit bamboozled by how I might actually make it work. Simply telling folk that some piece of groovy software is Shirtware, and asking could they please buy a shirt, wasn't going to cut it. People are lazy, as you know, and strangely not motivated to spend money if they don't have to, regardless of the impact on independent software developers like yours-truly.

It was a conundrum; you see I want let people use the software for free, as in zero cost, but also, I'd like to get paid. I also wanted something that was easy to implement inside the shirtware applications themselves - complex code encryption and online registration schemes are too painful for all involved, I feel. If someone is too broke to pay for some cool software, and wants to use for free, they will find a way. Good luck to them, I say!

Anyhoo, this blog is to let interested parties know that I finally got a Shirtware system that I'm happy with, and I've implemented it in checksum rc1; it goes like this..

Just like Shareware, checksum will pop up a dialog in 30 days. Unlike Shareware, it will continue to function just fine, whether or not you decide to buy a shirt at that time. However, this dialog will keep bugging you whenever you launch checksum, until you take a look at the shirts. A quick glance is just fine.

Once you do this, you won't see a dialog for another month, and so on, until you get a shirt. With all the time checksum is saving you, and the extra peace of mind; you can manage this. Or else just get a shirt. ;o)

In other words, everyone can use checksum for free and either a) take a look at my shop, once a month, or b) go buy a shirt right now.

This way everyone wins; you get to use the software for free, and I have a shot at actually making a living, and really, it costs you nothing, because you need clothes anyway!

Get something you want, buying something you need.. Shirtware

Also, you want one of my T-Shirts, because they are Good.

for now..

:o) The Writing Entity @ corz.org

Get a Frakkin Move On!

Just because I don't watch TV, doesn't mean I don't watch TV programmes. I only watch the best of the best, though, the net working like a filter, you see, top stuff folk make time to re-encode, and offer up to the rest of the world, bittorrent style. After I've had a few recommendations for something, I check the torrents..

And that's how I can to watch Battlestar Galactica, which has stormed into my "Best Sci-Fi series of all-time" list squarely at number one. Even better than Firefly! I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's true. Firefly was a great series (and who knows, may be again), but Galactica romps ahead, and blows away everything that's come before.

There is no weak link, no dodgy effects, no shiny unreality; Galactica is dark, gritty, wise, political, everything that good sci-fi should be and then some; and all the while, non-stop blow your mind action. it's got heart, it's got soul; I even know girls that like it! that's right, Sci-Fi! Forget your preconceptions.

I know it's damn good, because as I sit here, working away, really I am sitting waiting. it's like I'm a kid again! Tonight is the night! And at some point, some ripper is gonna drop that wee torrent file into mininova, and the ride can begin again. I literally cannot wait, and I'm thinking about how I might code up a quick rss reader that will play some Really Loud Alarm, when the torrent appears.. scans for "S04e01", or something like that.

If you've been living on another planet and missed the first three seasons, they are all available out there. Get caught up! Season Four begins TONIGHT! I may have mentioned this. There's also a scifi.com clip entitled "What the Frak is Going On", which will enable you to catch up in around eight minutes, if you're in a hurry.

Final season. Four of Four. it's gonna be HUGE. Enormous! And because it's the final season, I guess all the loose ends get tied up, too. Real completion! Like a big long movie that would take a fortnight to watch straight out. Sounds like a plan for some future holiday.

<checks rss feed..>

Notyetdammit.
Ho hum..

:o) The Writing Entity @ corz.org