An oddball word processor, for example, might never be supported by such helpful tools as spelling checkers, indexing programs, footnote utilities,...

Is buyware evil ? Absolutely not. People put money, skills and effort in developing software. They have the right to get compensation for that. That's how the world works. The hippie-era is behind us. And buyware also puts the freeware in a different perspective, if there was no buyware, freeware programmers would probably be slaughtered together with Bill G. for mistakes we call minor annoying bugs now.

Come hallow the goblet with something more true / Than words we forget in a minute.

This isn't a Canon/Nikon debate, or a DSLR (digital singlelens reflex)/compact camera debate.