I agree with almost everything that has been said here so far. I first learned about BIAB when somebody gave me an illegal copy... and I'm glad he did, because I liked it and bought it. I am very busy, and the usual 30 day demo period is not enough time for me to experiment. Usually once I install the demo, I get one brief period of exploration, then I don't make it back before the demo expires. And I have noticed that PG stands alone in their decision NOT to protect the software... they COULD, yet they don't. Personally, I think this accounts for a great deal of the good will enjoyed by the company.

Somebody mentioned the social aspect and the online support. If the forum had levels of authorization, allowing unregistered (supposedly non-owners and seekers) to get enough access to ask questions that would help them decide whether or not to buy, while simultaneously allowing registered users more access, I think that would add value to the owners without making life difficult for everyone by having to deal with protection schemes.

I agree that many who pirate software are not potential customers. Iknow a lot of teens who pirate software routinely... but they have no budget for it. However, they are building proficiency with THAT software, not other software, and when they reach a point in life where they will buy, it will probably be the software they already know. The shareware principle is alive and well.

More in another post

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ey71h8ep047758h/AAC12jNM0Hz9Q8zsh5iDeqNHa?dl=0