FAQs

Are you hiring?

Not at this time. However, you are welcome to check out our franchise options. While not employment with us, it can allow you to get exposure, or experience to have listed on resumes for other places.

How long does it take to get products once ordered?

Any software purchased for downloads (controls may be an exception) are available for download as soon as your payment is received. If paying with paypal, it should be immediate. If paying by money order, it will be available to you as soon as the money order's received.

All downloads are provided through your account at our store. If you've purchased the program through another site (ex: download.com) instructions will be provided in the e-mail.

For any items that require being mailed, please allow between 7-21 days for delivery.

Why do some programs have "Standard" & a "Standard+" version that costs?

The standard+ (Std+) edition is mainly for users that want to help support the development of the free Standard edition. But it also has a few extra features added so it's not like you're only supporting the product.

When there is a Std+ edition, there's normally a longer-delayed splash screen in the standard edition (although only by 3-5 seconds longer -- less time then it takes to read this!). And it has a link on it that tells you about the other editions.

Now you might think we're just trying to get you to buy the more expensive item (Std+ Items are only $2.50, not that expensive!), but we aren't. In fact, after all the charges that we pay for the transaction, we see very little of the money, and what we do see ends up going to pay for the hosting to provide the free programs! (which amounts to 2-5GB/month [or about 1000-3000 downloads a month] on average).

Our free programs don't ever require money to use them, and your right to use them doesn't expire.

Why are some of your "free" programs listed as "shareware" places?

A few places don't seem to understand the concept of product versions, and assume that if there's two versions of a program, one that does some things, the other that doesn't do them. And the one makes a reference to the other program, it's shareware. especially if the one version is free... Unfortunetely, with some places, this includes having any references in the help files, support, or website!

We call it useful and keeps support questions down. If the information exists in program that tells you why something doesn't exist, or "how to get" a certain feature, it saves both you and us time. Afterall, if it wasn't in program, you'd have to go to our website, and then there'd be the information. Or you would send an e-mail, or contact us in the forum, trying to find the answer - then have to wait for a reply.

And it also brings up the question of "can we provide support links" in the freeware prograns, since those links would take you to a page, that tells you of the other paid versions...

The only real way to make it seem that there are absolutely "shareware" qualities in the free programs would be (one of):
1) Get rid of all freeware, and charge for it all
2) Develop a new website, company name, product line, etc, so there's no linking the two.
3) Let the listing companies list it however they want, and put up a FAQ listing.

We've choosen to do the latter.

Why are some of your prices (or sale prices) so cheap?

For the most part, we don't really care about getting that much money from the stuff we have. However, we also have costs that we have to pay! So we try to price things that'll make someone buy them and not feel too bad about doing so.
Sale prices are just limited offers, but if you really think it's too low, we'll be more than willing to let you pay full price if it'd make you feel better. Basically, they're just offers to get our software to more people (colleges, students, workplaces) to help their expenses.

Why should we buy a control, when we can create it ourselves?

Well, for the most part, we're just selling a control at our costs for developing it. Whenever you look at a control's price, think to yourself "how much is 5 hours worth to me" while some controls don't take too long to develop in a simple stage, the more you add, the longer it takes.
For businesses, that's about $25/hr for a control being made to hire an employee.
For others, it's all about whether or not you want to save hours writing out code, or searching online for stuff to copy!

Why do you use paypal for the ordering processing?

While the actual answer is complex... the simple version is it allows us to charge about 1/4 the price that we'd have to if we didn't use paypal!

You can also purchase our programs (some of them) through outside places:
download.com
duck computing

Why are the system requirements so few, or vague?

Generally, most of our programs don't require any state of the art systems. In fact, given that you can run the operating system (which means you're reading this online, if on the computer in question), and have any other 3rd party items (normally Microsoft) listed by the software, that's all that's needed.

Keep in mind that those are the MINIMUM requirements. The quicker your processor, the more memory you have, the quicker hard drive, etc, and the program will run quicker.

Can we buy/download the inprogress software?

We have a section on our website that you can apply to be a beta tester, however not all programs are listed there, and and none of our released "in-stock" items are either.

Generally, no. In progress software can be in a pre-beta (alpha), or beta stage. If a program is in high demand - meaning that we receive numerous inquiries about it's completion or pricing, Beta or Release Candidates (RC) may be available for download. However any releases may be a demo beta, or demo release candidate. And will have a license agreement different than the standard one.

If we live near the company, do we still have to pay for priority mail?

For shipping through the mail, yes. Most to all software shipments are sent with tracking to make sure that you get it. However, other arrangements may be made. Please visit the Contact page to contact us.
We are also looking into 4th class mailing - however, it may only be available for a specified distance from the company.