Free download?
Roger Johansson
That is a mistake, because in modern english that usually means that it
is payware, and you can freely download a trial version or a demo
version.
The text in the opera web page should read:
Freeware. Download.
--
Roger J.
Mark V
Sharp. And a good point that ought to be corrected IMHO.
Brian Redmond
wrote:
Apologies for a nitpick, but I don't think that Opera is freeware. One of
its conditions of installation is that you may only run it on a PC (oh,
and no running of nuclear power plants with it, either!).
Regards,
Brian..
Lee Harvey
Roger Johansson wrote:
> The web page says "free download".
Yep. I didn't have to pay anything to download it. Did you?
> That is a mistake,
Not to me.
> because in modern english
The 80's band? Good stuff! ;)
> that usually means that it is payware,
That's an implication/assumption. Likewise, I've never seen the phrase
'usually means' define anything.
> and you can freely download a trial version or a demo
> version.
I didn't see the words 'trial' or 'demo' mentioned anywhere on the download
pages...so I wouldn't fret.
> The text in the opera web page should read:
>
> Freeware. Download.
It could, but that's a few more characters (and two incomplete sentences) to
squeeze onto a silly green download button.
Recall: not all of Opera's products are free...
http://www.opera.com/buy/index.dml
...and unfortunately, the word 'Freeware' has a negative connotation to
some. Perhaps Opera is trying to differentiate itself from the largest
freeware offering on the planet...Firefox.
Just some uncollected thoughts. Cheers.
Derek Parnell
> The web page says "free download".
>
> That is a mistake, because in modern english that usually means that it
> is payware, and you can freely download a trial version or a demo
> version.
I just used common English rather than "modern english" and I understood it
to mean that I could download the software and use it with out Opera
Software taking any of my money. And guess what, apparently that's what has
happened ;-)
> The text in the opera web page should read:
>
> Freeware. Download.
Don't know ... too ambiguous still.
How about a button that reads ...
"Click here to down load the software installer. And by the way, do you
know that Opera Software will not charge you anything to use it either?"
--
Derek
(skype: derek.j.parnell)
Melbourne, Australia
"Down with mediocrity!"
22/06/2006 11:59:18 AM
Roger Johansson
Lee Harvey wrote:
> > The web page says "free download".
> Yep. I didn't have to pay anything to download it. Did you?
Just as you say, "free download" means that you are allowed to download
it without paying first.
That expression is often used for payware when the web site wants to
encourage inexperienced people to download a trial version.
Experienced people think that this cannot be freeware, because then it
would have said freeware, it must be payware, because that's what it
usually looks like on the download page for payware.
> > that usually means that it is payware,
> That's an implication/assumption.
It is the common assumption of experienced internet users.
If it says "free download" it is usually not freeware, so the visitor
does not download it.
I have done that choice a thousand times myself, because in my
experience it means that it is payware. If it is freeware it says so.
> > Freeware. Download.
> It could, but that's a few more characters (and two incomplete sentences) to
> squeeze onto a silly green download button.
Put the word Freeware above the button which says Download.
> Recall: not all of Opera's products are free...
But this is.
> ...and unfortunately, the word 'Freeware' has a negative connotation to
> some.
I have never heard of any such people, except in the open source
fanatics group and they will not like Opera anyway.
I tried to change the entry on Opera in wikipedia from Proprietary to
Freeware once. A bunch of open source guys stopped all such attempts,
because they want to sabotage all software which is not open source.
And "Proprietary" sounds both like payware and is a difficult word to
understand for most people.
But the OSS advocates are just a small bunch of people, there is no
need to take into consideration what they are thinking.
To most people there are two main types of software, freeware and
payware.
If you want to tell people that Opera is freeware you ought to say
that.
>Perhaps Opera is trying to differentiate itself from the largest
> freeware offering on the planet...Firefox.
I don't understand this thinking. Both Opera and Firefox are freeware
web browsers, just like a bunch of other browsers.
Nobody bothers to consider a browser that isn't freeware, because there
are so many freeware alternatives.
Make sure that people understand that Opera is freeware.
Saying that it is a "free download" will give a lot of people the
impression that it is not freeware.
And by the way.
The expression "Internet suite" which somebody suggested somewhere, is
not a modern expression and only confuses people.
Say what it is instead, a freeware web browser with mail and other
stuff included.
Learn to speak modern english. Simple and international english.
--
Roger J.
Gene Goldenfeld
> On 21 Jun 2006 15:13:19 -0700, Roger Johansson wrote:
>
> > The web page says "free download".
> >
> > That is a mistake, because in modern english that usually means
> > that it is payware, and you can freely download a trial version or
> > a demo version.
>
> I just used common English rather than "modern english" and I
> understood it to mean that I could download the software and use it
> with out Opera Software taking any of my money. And guess what,
> apparently that's what has happened ;-)
>
> > The text in the opera web page should read:
> >
> > Freeware. Download.
>
> Don't know ... too ambiguous still.
>
> How about a button that reads ...
>
> "Click here to down load the software installer. And by the way, do
> you know that Opera Software will not charge you anything to use it
> either?"
When you search application types on the web, some will actually be as
you describe and some will really be free, from download to usage. I
don't know if one is more frequent than the other, but Opera has been
thoroughly the latter since they dropped the pay version a year or so
ago(?).
Gene
Evo2Me
wrote:
>It is the common assumption of experienced internet users.
>If it says "free download" it is usually not freeware, so the visitor
>does not download it.
>I have done that choice a thousand times myself, because in my
>experience it means that it is payware. If it is freeware it says so.
1. The "experienced internet [sic] user" does know Opera for Windows,
Mac, Linux are free.
2. An assumption is an assumption: "free download" does not
necessarily entail "download it free, pay for the install". If it
would the following would also be true: "Download it for free, and you
pay a mortgage on the moon as a result."
Apart from this being a rather pointless discussion, I agree with you
that some folks may be confused and turned away, therefore OS should
think about rewording.
Matthew Winn
> On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 23:13:19 +0100, Roger Johansson <roge...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > The web page says "free download".
> >
> > That is a mistake, because in modern english that usually means that it
> > is payware, and you can freely download a trial version or a demo
> > version.
I can't remember ever seeing payware that didn't have something like
"trial" or "free for {period}" right next to the download. Some of
them conceal the cost until you go to the "buy now" page, but all make
it clear that some sort of payment is required for long-term use.
> (oh, and no running of nuclear power plants with it, either!).
Hey what? Damn! Why don't they tell you things like this before you
download it? I suppose you're going to tell me I can't use it for
governing my legions of terror from my mountain-top fortress of evil
as well.
--
Matthew Winn
[If replying by email remove the "r" from "urk"]
NM Public
>> How about a button that reads ...
>>
>> "Click here to down load the software installer. And by the
>> way, do you know that Opera Software will not charge you
>> anything to use it either?"
>
> When you search application types on the web, some will
> actually be as you describe and some will really be free, from
> download to usage. I don't know if one is more frequent than
> the other, but Opera has been thoroughly the latter since they
> dropped the pay version a year or so ago(?).
They dropped the licensing fee 9 months ago -- here's the press
release:
<http://opera.com/pressreleases/en/2005/09/20/>
I agree that the wording is confusing, especially because "free"
sometimes means "free/gratis" and sometimes means "free/libre".
Maybe they should say something like:
Opera 9 is free of charge
Just a thought,
Nancy
--
Nancy McGough
Infinite Ink: <http://www.ii.com/>
Bookmarks & Blog: <http://deflexion.com/>
Evo2Me
<ago...@nm.deflexion.com> wrote:
> Opera 9 is free of charge
You mean, I won't get shocked when touching it?
Matthew Winn
I'm sure you won't. In fact, I'm positive.
Richard Grevers
wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 13:17:19 +0200, Evo2Me <Evo...@GMX.net> wrote:
>> On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 09:46:43 +0100, NM Public
>> <ago...@nm.deflexion.com> wrote:
>>
>> > Opera 9 is free of charge
>>
>> You mean, I won't get shocked when touching it?
>
> I'm sure you won't. In fact, I'm positive.
>
Ah, maybe this explains the free radicals pictured in the installer :-)
--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/
Mark V
> On Fri, 23 Jun 2006 00:18:44 +1200, Matthew Winn
> <o*@matthewwinn.me.urk> wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 13:17:19 +0200, Evo2Me <Evo...@GMX.net>
>> wrote:
>>> On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 09:46:43 +0100, NM Public
>>> <ago...@nm.deflexion.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> > Opera 9 is free of charge
>>>
>>> You mean, I won't get shocked when touching it?
>>
>> I'm sure you won't. In fact, I'm positive.
>>
> Ah, maybe this explains the free radicals pictured in the
> installer :-)
LOL I found them a, "disturbing". <G>
(presuming they are OS staff cameos...)