Evolution of a Net community
Software junkies have long traded tips, tricks, and even entire programs without fees. But in the 1980s, when the commercial software industry boomed with the advent of the personal computer, large...

Source: CNET
Software junkies have long traded tips, tricks, and even entire programs without fees. But in the 1980s, when the commercial software industry boomed with the advent of the personal computer, large, organized projects also sprang up to give dedicated developers a no-cost or low-cost alternative.