Counterfoil

Nominate proprietary software, best or worst

Most of the software people depend on is owned by someone else: sold, rented, or given away in exchange for something. Some of it is excellent and stays out of the way. Some of it changes under you, holds your work hostage, or stops working when a company loses interest.

Which proprietary programs, apps, or services have served you well without taking anything away? Which have done the opposite? Tell us about one of each, or just one.

You don’t need to be technical. The form asks whether the software does its job, then six plain questions about what it costs you to use it. Answer what you can: “Not sure” is a good answer.

We read every nomination, and the most useful ones become catalogue records. We may quote what you write, without your name. Your name and email are optional and used only to follow up (see Privacy). The thinking behind the questions is in How we evaluate tools. All open surveys.

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Thank you for your response. ✨

Are you nominating a best program or a worst one?(required)
Does it do the job it promises?(required)
Is it heavy? Does it slow your device, fill your storage, or need newer hardware than the job should?(required)
Does it lock you in? If you stopped using it, would you lose your files, your history, or your contacts?(required)
Does it need an expert? Can an ordinary person set it up and fix it, or does everyday use need a specialist or paid support?(required)
Does someone else hold the controls? Think upsells and nags, tracking, required accounts, or features that stop working if a company’s servers go away.(required)
Does it keep forcing change? Updates that break things, features taken away, or pressure to upgrade before you are ready.(required)
Does it cost you more than it gives back? Think of the time, attention, money, or upkeep it takes, against what it does for you.(required)