CHAPTER 8 Communicating: Word Processing, Desktop Publishing, Electronic Publishing, and Presenting

The Software Subscription Service During the first couple of decades of computing, most software was free, provided by the vendor with the cost of the computer. Today, software is a major cost of computing. The manner in which we pay for software, however, is changing. Software subscriptions have become a popular alternative for some applications, specifically gaming. With a subscription service a customer can pay a flat fee and have access to a large variety of programs. This alternative is enticing to gamers who regularly shell out $40 per game. With a subscription service they have access to hundreds of games for a monthly fee, a fraction of the cost of a single game. For example, Comcast already offers its $9.95-a-month PlayNow service, which provides access to more than 100 programs. This type of service is cumbersome unless you have high-speed Internet access, as software must be downloaded as it is needed. However, as broadband access continues to proliferate, look for software subscription services to increase in numbers.