Postcardware, also called just cardware, is a style of software distribution similar to shareware, distributed by the author on the condition that users send the author a postcard.

This is similar to beerware. A variation, Emailware, uses the same approach but requires the user to send the author an email.

Postcardware, like other "novelty" software distribution terms, is often not strictly enforced.

[edit] Software

The concept was first used by Aaron Giles, author of JPEGView.^[1] Another well-known piece of postcardware is the roguelike game Ancient Domains of Mystery, whose author collects postcards from around the world. Orbitron is distributed as postcardware. Exifer is a popular application among digital photographers that is postcardware. Caledos Automatic Wallpaper Changer is a "still alive" project cardware. "Empathy" is a postcardware for password-protected executables. Dual Module Player and Linux were also postcardware for a long time as well.^[2]

[edit] References

1. ^ Giles, Aaron. "Aaron's Computing History". http://aarongiles.com/history/index.html. Retrieved 2006-08-07. 
2. ^ Torvalds, Linus. Just for Fun. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0-06-662072-4. 

v • d • e Forms of software distribution Abandonware · Adware · Beerware · Careware · Commercial · Crippleware · Demoware · Donationware · Foistware · Freely redistributable software · Free software · Freeware · Greenware · Malware · Nagware · Open source · Otherware · Postcardware · Proprietary · Registerware · Shareware · Spyware