Downloadable retail needed?

[Cainehill]

Gandalf Parker said:
Patches and demos have gotten large. They have a measureable cost now to distribute them. Many companies are beginning to charge for access. Or for "faster service access without a waiting line" which amounts to basically the same thing.

No they don't - not if a company is willing to see them put on bit-torrent.

Frankly, given the _major_ success of pkzip, list.exe, etc, on shareware (both Phil and Vernor made _millions_; also authors of Telix and at least a couple dozen more programs) I'm surprised that more niche publishers aren't willing to give it a try.