Aspects of Using Family Tree Shareware: Positives and Negatives

What is Family tree shareware?

Are there any differences between it and other shareware that software companies offer?

Shareware

In order to stay competitive, many software companies had to adopt the shareware model, and the same is true of family tree shareware. As a result, there are many options available for you to test out for your family tree project. But does shareware have benefits and drawbacks for you as a user? After weighing both, we can decide whether using family tree shareware is worthwhile.

Advantages:

It is Free

The most obvious benefit is that you are receiving software for nothing at all, which is obviously a good deal. By the time you make a decision, it will be a fair one because you can download various types of family tree shareware for free and compare them to determine which is the best software to use.

You Can Test it Before Buying

You can test a range as well. Software companies must be willing to let you test their products before purchasing them if they want to compete in the family tree shareware market, as all of their rivals are doing. As a result, you can try out as much shareware as you like before making a more informed purchase that is based on your prior software usage.

You Could Complete a Whole Project Before the Trial Period Expires

Even if your project is not a large or complex one, you could actually finish creating a family tree using a manufacturer’s shareware before the trial period expires. The money you would have spent on software for a single small project will thus have been saved by you.

Disadvantages:

No Customer Support

Customer support for shareware is extremely rare. The company that makes family tree shareware is taking a risk by allowing you to use it for free during a trial period, so it doesn’t add much value to them to offer customer support unless it’s pertinent and could help them improve their product. Some businesses offer support, but these are uncommon.

No Updates

No matter how long your trial period is, you will not receive updates. The company is unlikely to offer you the update, so you miss out on the software’s most recent features. Let’s say you download some shareware that is free for 45 days, but 20 days into your trial, an update is released. Although it’s uncommon, some businesses may also provide updates to you without charge.

Seldom Comes with Full Features

Shareware for family trees hardly ever has all the features. In order to entice you to purchase the package, they withhold some of their best features while giving you access to some basic portions of the software that will help you create a family tree. This means that while your test will provide you with a basic tree, it lacks the best that could have been included had you purchased the software.

No Access when the trial Period Ends

When the trial period for some shareware software ends, you may no longer be able to use anything you’ve created with it, especially if you need to be connected to the company’s server in order to view it. This means that even if you use trial software to create a family tree, you won’t be able to access the servers where it is stored after the trial period is over and thus won’t be able to view the tree.

Be aware of both the positives and negatives so you can choose what is best for you.

Family tree shareware, all things considered, is fantastic if you keep in mind that it is free and that you can test out various options before purchasing one of them.

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