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Common questions asked are "Why is the software free?" and "If the software is really free, what guarantees do I get?" The software is free because it was originally written just for use in our own small shop, and then we offered it to other retailers to let them share in the benefits, without any immediate thought of profit. For this, the program had to be slowly upgraded to a more professional standard with such extras as full help files, installation routines, etc. Distribution led to the need for a web site. The costs involved have meant creating a business around the product, making a profit from the sale of hardware. We hope that you will purchase the hardware from us so that we can continue to provide the service, but it is not required that you purchase anything to use the program. The guarantees provided with commercial software are strictly limited. All software licenses attempt to take away the right to a refund in any circumstances and accept no liability for consequential damage. New enhanced versions are normally charged for at the full, or a substantial upgrade cost. Most, but not all, firms will offer installation support for a limited period. After that, all support is charged for, normally on an annual basis. If for any reason a firm stops trading, or sometimes if it just drops the product line, any support will normally cease. The guarantee supplied with free software under the GPL license makes no additional promises, but at least you are assured of your money back if it is not suitable! The license also provides for access to the source code. This can mean that support can continue, even if the supplier ceases to provide it, provided that others take up the programming challenge. This has happened with other software products released under the same license, and I strongly hope that it will eventually happen with ProffittCenter. Upgrades, whether small bug fixes or substantially enhanced versions will always be free to download. This in turn means that support only has to be tailored to the latest download. We do provide free e-mail support at dave@proffittcenter.org for all users of the program. This has been a helpful form of feedback for us and has led to many improvements being made to the program. Coping with the flow of e-mails has not been a problem to date. In fact, the numbers of e-mails has decreased, as initial problems have been ironed out. We can also provide telephone support on 01795 581467, seven days a week. Your calls are always welcome. We now have a web based discussion group, at www.proffittcenter.org , (just click on Forums) so post your questions there or browse the answers to other people's questions. Subsequently you can all lend a hand in helping newcomers overcome their initial hurdles. [Previous] [Main] [Next] |
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