Main Area and Open Discussion > Living Room

Question to Everyone: Setting aside the technical meaning, does Donationware...

(1/4) > >>

Paul Keith:
...differ from Pay What You Want?

Just wondering if there's a psychological effect one word has over another or whether it's just me.

I personally feel that pay what you want is stronger because it's in my head more that it's free but at the same time, I feel like donationware makes me want to pay attention more to the actual merit of the software - almost as if micro-skimming it for something innovative in order to find a reason within me to donate.

I don't have enough money to throw around though to really test whether these emotions fall the same way once I actually have to view the billing form.

Renegade:
Good question. My initial thoughts are that "Pay What You Want" are more likely to motivate me to cough up.

mouser:
The starting point for answering this question is that there is no standardized definition of these terms, so any answer to your question is going to be just one person's opinion.

I think if one wanted to come up with a useful distinction from the terms, "pay what you want" implies that you MUST pay something.  Whereas donationware seems to entertain the possibility that users may choose to donate nothing.

worstje:
I think there is a difference.

Donationware: This program is free, but hey, if you feel like donating, that's great!
Pay what you want: This program costs money, but we'll let you decide how much.

My feeling for the terms is that the latter states in no uncertain terms that the maker is committed and depends on money to fund supporting and extending this application. Donationware has less incentive and promise to it: oh, hey, if I have spare money then sure, I'll give some. So in other words, one attaches money to a product. The other attaches money to a good feeling.

People like products more than they do feelings. Sad truth. :mad:

app103:
If Pay what you want includes the option to pay nothing, it's no different than most people's definition of donationware.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page