Buying try-before-you-buy software

Programs that are distributed with a free trial period, sometimes know as 'shareware' or 'trialware', come with an evaluation license to use it for a limited period of time. Before the temporary license expires, you must either permanently un-install it or buy a full license. OSoLiS is an agent which specialises in collecting payments and issuing licenses on behalf of software authors.

System for Issuing and Verifying Licenses

OSoLiS employs a system known as 'SIVL' (sounds like 'civil'; abbreviates 'System for Issuing and Verifying Licenses') that has been tailor-built for handling the registration of try-before-you-buy software. Programs that adhere to SIVL are known as 'SIVL-compliant' and are purchased/registered here.

The purchase/registration process

Rather than sending you a registration code to type in, we e-mail you a small file to save on your computer. Every SIVL-compliant program installed on your computer can then check whether or not it is licensed.

A few points to note:

• You do not need to have access to the Internet from your own computer. You can buy/register your software at any Internet-connected computer (e.g. your workplace or a public access terminal) so long as you are able to copy your Personal License Register to your own computer (e.g. via a floppy disk). You will however need to supply a valid e-mail address. If you do not have a personal e-mail address, see here.
• You can re-install or update a licensed program and it will still recognize that it is licensed (no need to dig out an old registration code).
• If you lose your Personal License Register, you need only log in and download a new copy.
• Our system will automatically recognize if you are eligible for a quantity or upgrade discount because it remembers what you've previously bought.

The steps involved in buying/registering a program are detailed here, and illustrated here.