What is “Demo Software”?
“Demo” programs are usually meant to give you a small taste of a large program. They usually contain only selected parts of the program while giving you ample functionality, allowing you to decide if its fully functional version (usually provided as a separate download that can be accessed after purchasing the software) will suit your needs.
Demo software is a trial version of a software program which allows people to use it for free while they decide whether or not to buy it. Not all companies offer demo software, but those introducing new or competing software products almost always do. As a general rule, demo software can be downloaded directly from the manufacturer’s website, or through a central downloading site which offers a range of products for download. A number of formats can be used for demo software. One of the most common ways to offer demo software is to allow customers to download a complete version which will expire in a set period of time, such as two weeks. If the customer decides to purchase the software, he or she can purchase an activation code which will prevent the software from expiring. Most companies offer customers a number of payment options, including registering the software over the phone, on the company website, or through the demo software itself. Trial software may also take the form of a
Demo software can be installed and used for a fixed period of time (say, 30 days). After that, you have to buy a license from the author and enter a registration key in order to run the program. Although you can download demo software for free, it’s not really “free” software since you have to pay for it eventually. A good example of demo software is WinZip, the zip file utility.
