Alcohol Software, publishers of the popular Alcohol 120% Windows application that makes it easy to create backups of DVDs and CDs, has launched Serial Dealers, a new web site that lets home computer users buy popular software titles at deeply discounted prices. Serial Dealers purchases high quality software in large quantities directly from developers. All programs are full versions, and are not trial versions, light versions, or software that is limited in any way.

    Unlike software clubs that have been attempted by unknown software publishers in the past, Alcohol Software is using its visibility and prestige in the software development community to make best-of-class software titles available to members of its new Serial Dealers service. Serial Dealers has negotiated attractive prices with each of the software developers who have enrolled in the program.

    While details vary, a typical $30 application can be purchased on the Serial Dealers web site at an 90 percent discount. Most software is available to home users for personal use; commercial use of these applications is not being offered at this time. Basic membership in the Serial Dealers service is free, and requires the purchase of five Serial Dealers credits for five Euros - enough to purchase two or three software programs. Gold members receive 15 credits for their 25 Euro fee, and have early-bird opportunities to purchase licenses that are available through Serial Dealers.

    "Serial Dealers' new approach to marketing software will be a major step in the elimination of software piracy," Quinton commented. "Today, some people look for software cracks on the Internet as a way to evade the payment of software licensing fees of $30 or more for a typical Windows utility that they may only use a few times. By making these programs available for only a few dollars, most consumers will avoid the huge security and privacy risks associated with loading software cracks onto their computers."

    "Software developers have always been willing to offer multi-user and site discounts to large institutions," says Quinton Mawhinney, founder of Serial Dealers, "because these large sales are easier to manage, and because the developers' support burden is much less. Serial Dealers offers software developers a fully-automated way to provide these same corporate discounts to individual buyers." Most software purchased through Serial Dealers comes with email support, but doesn't include telephone support.