Multi-Edit Lite 2008 - Free MAY 19th

[pilgrim]

Not sure if this is any use to anyone but I thought I'd mention it:

http://giveaway.glarysoft.com/multi-editlite200811.04.00-232/

[flamerz]

is this being updated? looks like one year license, but.. 2008? 

[pilgrim]

That's the first giveaway that I can recall from them since they started doing giveaways last November that has a restricted license.

Sorry about that but there is no indication that it is limited until you run the installer. 

[wraith808]

Even worse than normal for giveaway of the day- in the readme.txt

"Multi-Edit Lite 2008 1-Year Evaluation Code"

Multi-Edit is a cool program.  But their practices on sales drove me away from them.

[40hz]

Considering how the selection of a text editor is usually the start of a long-term relationship (since most people pick one and get really good at using it rather than try out each new editor as it comes out) it's important IMO to trust and respect the publisher.

When software publishers start playing games like this, I rapidly lose any interest in them or the products they offer - no matter how good or "better" they may be.

Truth is, a text editor is a text editor. It's a mature enough family of apps that virtually any "professional editor" will likely do the job just as well as another. The rest of what they do is more in the "nice to have" feature category.

With that in mind, I'd definitely steer clear of publishers that play licensing and word games with their terms and terminology. Even if it's a giveaway. Possibly even more so because it's (supposedly) a giveaway.

[attach]

[pilgrim]

I don't know if anybody actually got as far as installing this but in the text file were two codes that you needed to enter.
I ran this inside a sandbox and installed to a RamDisk so as not to create anything that actually needed uninstalling.
I also block internet access for Glarysoft Giveaways because it is not usually necessary.

Going back to the two codes, if you block internet access another small window opens showing the code(s) and giving you the option to copy them.
In all the other giveaways I have had from Glarysoft the information in the pop-up was identical to that in the text file, in this case the second code was different, so effectively the codes in the text file would not by themselves activate the program.

I keep an eye on what is being given away most days on several sites and it is thankfully still rare that you find a developer who makes things so complicated, needless to say I do not use their software, even as giveaways.

[IainB]

I suspect that the probability that these GOTD or other "giveaway" special offers ever really gave anything away which didn't seem to be obsolete, twisted or sans hooks would be very small.
Once bitten twice shy...

[pilgrim]

I suspect that the probability that these GOTD or other "giveaway" special offers ever really gave anything away which didn't seem to be obsolete, twisted or sans hooks would be very small.

GOTD was the first such site I found and I cannot remember the last time I looked at it.

In general I disagree with your comment but having said that there is a lot of rubbish out there and a lot of dubious giveaways.

The answer is to be selective. Is the software something you would actually use? If it is an older version is it still worth having? Is the license full and permanent?
If the answer to those three questions is yes you move on if not you leave it.

What information, if any, are you asked to supply? Many giveaways do not require any. Some just ask for an email address to send the license details to.
Even then, if the software is really worth having there is still no need to give your 'real' details. The only time I ever do that is if I am buying something.

The final question, is there a freeware version that is as good or better? I have found a lot of good software by asking that about a giveaway and following it up.

[IainB]

In general I disagree with your comment...

Eh? You disagree that I suspect that the probability that these GOTD or other "giveaway" special offers ever really gave anything away which didn't seem to be obsolete, twisted or sans hooks would be very small?
No really, that is what I suspect.   

[pilgrim]

Sounds suspicious to me.  

Too early in the day for pedantics. (Or any other type of antics come to that.)

[wraith808]

Too early in the day for pedantics. (Or any other type of antics come to that.)

That gave me a morning laugh.  Thanks!