Combining blog & shareware ???

[brooksr]

Its funny, I was about 80% done in publishing my first shareware program when I stumbled upon this website. It's definitely motivated me to start a blog.

I now have to force myself to finish the shareware program before starting the blog. The shareware has been a life long goal and even though it might not be successful, I believe I should finish it from a confidence and follow through basis.

In the future, I will probably do some more shareware.

(Yes, I know Steve left shareware to start this blog.)

I have wondered whether I should continue to sell it as planned or maybe give it away to attract traffic to a site ... (the program is a tool for stock market traders)

Also, whether to keep the shareware site separate from my future blog site or somehow combine the two ...

Would a small area of a blog for downloading the author's shareware be 'bad'?

Should everything on the blog site (from me) be free? As Steve does with his writings, podcasts and newsletter? (I'm thinking 'yes')

Thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Brooks