"The Origin of Shareware" by Jim Knopf is at http://www.freewarehof.org/sstory.html, hosted by the Freeware Hall of Fame.

JimKnopf is credited with creating the idea of ShareWare in 1982, according to the FAQ at the Association of Shareware Professionals, see http://www.asp-shareware.org/users/faq.asp
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"Shareware is a marketing method, not a type of software or even strictly just a distribution method. When software is marketed through normal retail channels, you are forced to pay for the product before you've even seen it. The shareware marketing method lets you try a program before you buy it ... by paying you may then be entitled to additional functions, removal of time limiting or limits on use, removal of so-called "nag" screens, and other things".