Question { 3415 }

What is ESD?

Answer

Short for Electronic Software Distribution, a system for
selling software over a network. ESD systems provide secure
communications that customers use to download and pay for
software. These systems can operate over the Internet or on
a direct modem -to-modem connection. ESD systems can also
allow users to use software for a trial period before
purchasing.

Electronic Software Distribution (ESD, also known as Digital
distribution or Electronic Software Delivery) refers to the
practice of allowing users to download software products
electronically (and primarily over the Internet) as opposed
to receiving physical media. Although not all software
vendors discount the prices of electronically distributed
software from the price of the physically distributed
versions, such a discount is common, as electronic
distribution can typically be much less costly for the
vendors than its conventional counterpart.