Contact the developers
As a developer, I know that there is no perfect software. Every user wants to add some special features that could be useful. Our company even offers the users the option to answer optional questionnaires to tell us which features are useful and which are superfluous. This gives us fresh ideas for further releases and for improvements.

Most likely, after you've been using the new software for a week or two, you'll get an idea how to improve that program. You may also have some questions regarding the program's functioning. Thus, you may choose to contact the support team.

Unfortunately, most of us are familiar with the scenarios where we've sent dozen of urgent messages to the developer for support and have gotten no response in return. Most often, it happens if the author is an independent developer or an amateur whose job is anything but software development and support. They simply have no time to support and to update their software. Sadly, sometimes it also happens with very well-staffed companies who simply place too low a priority on customer support.

Contact the developer for support organization before you pay for the program. Send just a couple of test "how-to" questions to the developers. This will allow you to test the speed of response, the politeness, and the helpfulness of support. At the same time, you may ask if the upgrades are really free and what features will be in the nearest release.

Check the developer's Web site
While the developer's support team wrestles with your questions, examine the developer's Web site. It must have own domain name rather than free GeoCities or AOL homepage address. The information must be devoted primarily to the software. It should be clear and well organized without tones of affiliate pop-ups and banners, and without "my pussy cat" photos and stories. In short, it needs to be professional.

Pay your attention to the following sections:

• The news archive shows you the history of the product, the frequency of updates, the overall activity of the company -- if they alive or dead.

• The FAQ page should answer the real questions on software features and must contain useful hits and tricks.

• The product's description page must contain all essential information on program's features with screenshots and several short example use cases.

• The page with downloads usually consists of links to the freshest version of trial or demo copies. Make sure you have the latest version of software.

• The order page is one of the most important sections of the developer's Web site. Good developers usually post special offers and bundle licenses, which allow you to save several bucks. Qualified developers offer several ways to pay for software (via secured on-line web page, by phone, or by fax). It's also a good style to provide several shipment models, (e.g. instant download, mail on CD or just sending unlock codes by e-mail.) And certainly any fair developer must allow an unconditional refund within several days since order.