If you're still game to try some shareware, be prepared to do a little legwork, since shareware developers rarely market their programs. You'll have to sort through programs that can vary widely in quality. But doing some reading can help. Most computer magazines review popular shareware programs right along with leading mainstream products. If you're not connected to the Net, you can usually order shareware directly from a developer, but you may pay a premium for the disk and shipping.
Some shareware is also available on CD-ROMs packaged by software distributors.
For an extra measure of confidence, try some of the larger shareware Web sites, such as the ZDNet Software Library, which guarantee their shareware to be virus-free. Sometimes you can get more than you pay for.