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archive:programming:guide1991
                            PROGRAMMER'S GUIDE
             Copyright 1985, 1989, 1990, 1991 by Nelson Ford
                             January 1, 1985
                        Major Update: January 1989
                         Continual Updating Since
                        Public (software) Library
                              P.O.Box 35705
                          Houston, TX 77235-5705
                              (713) 524-6394
                                    -
                           CompuServe 71355,470
                          Additional Material By
                          George Abbott  For The
               Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP)
               Copyright 1992-1993 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
        A limited license is granted to reprint short extracts from
        this guide as long as credit is given and a copy is sent to
        the address above.  Individuals may copy this guide for each
        other as long as no fee is charged.  Others including disk
        vendors, BBSs and User Groups may distribute copies of the
        unmodified self-extract GUIDE.EXE file as long as the file or
        its contents are NOT renamed, modified or made part of some
        larger work without the written permission of Nelson Ford.  A
        BBS May rearchive the unmodified GUIDE.DOC file that is
        contained within GUIDE.EXE as long as the resulting archive
        name is GUIDE.ZIP, GUIDE.LZH, GUIDE.ARC, GUIDE.???
        NOTICE:   ALL INFORMATION, TIPS AND ADVICE IN THIS GUIDE ARE
        PRESENTED TO "GUIDE" YOU INTO AREAS FOR YOU TO RESEARCH AND
        STUDY IN MORE DETAIL ON YOUR OWN.  IN NO CASE WILL NELSON
        FORD, THE ASP OR OTHER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS BE LIABLE FOR
        DAMAGES RESULTING FROM YOUR ACTING UPON INFORMATION THAT IS
        CONTAINED HEREIN. IN PARTICULAR, AN ATTORNEY SHOULD BE
        CONSULTED ON ANY QUESTIONS OF LAW BEFORE FOLLOWING ADVICE
        CONTAINED HEREIN.
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
                            Table Of Contents
   1.   Forward  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    3
        1.1  Does Shareware Work?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    3
   2.   Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    4
        2.1  Going All Out Via Retail-Only . . . . . . . . . . . .    7
        2.3  Taking it Easy Via Shareware  . . . . . . . . . . . .    7
        2.4  Letting Someone Else Do It  . . . . . . . . . . . . .    8
   3.   Marketing Shareware  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    9
        3.1  Getting Publicity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    9
        3.2  Sending Out Your Program  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   11
        3.3  Sending Out Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   12
        3.4  Check For Viruses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   13
        3.5  Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   14
        3.6  Direct Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   14
        3.7  A "Pure" Shareware Marketing Strategy . . . . . . . .   15
        3.8  Shareware vs Retail-Only Software . . . . . . . . . .   15
        3.9  The User's Point of View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   16
        3.10 The Author's Point of View  . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
        3.11 Do Users Pay? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   19
        3.12 Non-Shareware Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   22
        3.13 PD/Shareware Distributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   25
        3.14 Other Protective Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   28
             COPYRIGHTS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   28
             PATENTING SOFTWARE  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   28
             TRADEMARKS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   29
             WARRANTIES  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31
        3.15 Selling Registered Versions Through Shareware
             Distributors  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31
        3.16 Selling Registered Versions Through "Retail"
             Distributors/Dealers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32
        3.17 Setting Prices  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32
             Underpricing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32
             Overpricing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33
             The Cost of Alternatives  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33
             Value To The User . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   34
             Charge for Value to the User, Not for Your Time . . .   34
             Case Studies  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   35
        3.18 Changing Prices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   36
        3.19 Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   36
                                    1
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
                      Table Of Contents (Continued)
   4.   Making Your Program User-Friendly  . . . . . . . . . . . .   37
        4.1  Installation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   37
        4.2  On-Screen Help  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   37
        4.3  Supply defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   38
        4.4  Trap errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   38
        4.5  Rules For Basic Programmers . . . . . . . . . . . . .   39
        4.6  Make The Program And Keys Work Naturally  . . . . . .   39
        4.7  Let The User Customize  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   40
        4.8  Keeping Your Files Together . . . . . . . . . . . . .   41
        4.9  Do NOT Use 1.2m Drives To Make 360k Disks . . . . . .   42
   5.   Writing The Documentation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   43
        5.1  Multiple Documentation Files  . . . . . . . . . . . .   43
        5.2  Formatting and Printing The Documentation . . . . . .   43
        5.3  Contents of the Documentation File  . . . . . . . . .   44
   6.   The Association of Shareware Professionals ("ASP") . . . .   45
   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services . . . . . . . . . . . .   47
        7.1  Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   47
        7.2  Smart Answering Machines  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   47
        7.3  Fax Machines  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   49
             7.4  Disk Labels  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   49
        7.5  Disk Sleeves  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   50
        7.7  Blank Disks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   51
        7.8  Disk Duplication  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   51
        7.9  Diskette Mailers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   52
        7.10 Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   55
        7.11 Bar Coding  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   55
        7.12 Credit Card Merchant Accounts . . . . . . . . . . . .   55
             MasterCard & Visa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   55
             American Express & Discover . . . . . . . . . . . . .   56
        7.13 A Banker's Perspective  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   56
        7.14 Printers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   64
        7.15 Printer Control Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   64
        7.16 Manual Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   65
        7.16 Manual Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   66
        7.17 Shrink-Wrap Machines  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   67
   8.   Compression Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   68
   Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   69
                                    2
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   1.   Forward
        The purpose of this guide is to provide tips on marketing and
        writing programs that look and work like top-notch
        professional software. Another purpose is to get programmers
        to share their ideas with each other.
        This guide is also going to new program authors, so some of
        the points may seem obvious or elementary to experienced
        authors.
        The information and opinions in this guide are drawn from
        several areas of the Nelson Ford's experience:  as author of a
        shareware program, Diskcat, which has been in distribution
        since September 1983 (and many other shareware programs
        since); as head of the Public (Software) Library since 1982,
        during which time he has reviewed many thousands of
        pd/shareware programs; as author of the column "The Public
        Library" for the late SOFTALK magazine; and as software
        reviewer for other publications.  Information has also been
        solicited from shareware authors and users via correspondence
        and surveys.
        Some information has also been gleaned from the Forum of the
        Association of Shareware Professionals on CompuServe (GO
        SHAREWARE) where this file resides.
        This file has been put together and freely distributed in the
        spirit of sharing. Neither Nelson or the ASP make money from
        it. All input, new information and corrections are gratefully
        accepted.
        1.1  Does Shareware Work?
             Andrew Fluegelman started the formal shareware concept
             (he trademarked the name Freeware for it).  Andy did not
             say that everyone who spent an afternoon writing a
             program, uploaded it to a couple of BBSs and sat back and
             waited would get rich.  He said that the shareware
             approach provides a way to let the users decide (rather
             than the people who control the advertising prices) which
             programs should succeed, based solely on the quality and
             usefulness of the program.  Shareware is not some magic
             way to get rich from trivial or substandard, amateurish
             products of limited appeal or usefulness.
             Some shareware programmers who have failed prefer to
             blame the shareware approach rather than themselves. 
             They think that millions of people are using their
             programs without paying and that the shareware concept
             just doesn't work.
                                    3
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   1.   Forward (Continued)
        1.1  Does Shareware Work? (Continued)
             To these people we always reply: If shareware doesn't
             work, how are Button (PC-File), Wallace (PC-Write), and
             others making over a million dollars a year at it? "These
             are exceptions!" they reply. Sure they are exceptions.
             Anyone making a million dollars a year at anything is an
             exception. Many others are making lesser, but
             respectable, incomes. Not bad for a business that anyone
             can get into at virtually no up-front cost.
             Yes, shareware definitely works.  Like anything else, how
             well it works for you depends on hard work, ability, and
             even a little bit of luck.  And even luck often boils
             down to being prepared to take advantage of opportunities
             when they coming knocking.  We hope this guide will help
             you get prepared.
   2.   Introduction
        You wrote a program to fill a particular need that you had or
        maybe just for the fun of it. Now you are thinking about
        selling it, but you are not sure of how to go about it. Well,
        what you do next depends on how seriously you want to pursue
        the marketing of your program. If you are very serious, you
        may find out that your work has just begun, and that the
        programming was the easy part.
                            A Few Definitions
        Author Bob Ostrander has the following definitions for
        Shareware, Public Domain and Bannerware software.
        There are four main types of software distribution. Each
        marketing method has strong points and weak points and may not
        be right for all software.
        The only thing that shareware, public domain software, and
        bannerware have in common is that the free distribution of all
        three is encouraged. We will concentrate on shareware in this
        document since the questions most asked deal with increasing
        the income received from an author's work.
                                    4
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   2.   Introduction (Continued)
        Retail software
        Good for most high-end software like Lotus 1-2-3, dBase IV,
        etc. The big bucks are undoubtedly in this mainline software
        if the product is a hit. The equally big drawback to this
        distribution method is the large cash outlay necessary for
        advertising. Advertising budgets of over $500,000 are common
        for major packages. $100,000 is more common for games and
        small utilities. An advertisement in PC Magazine is about
        $9,000. Your hundred grand gets you 6 months in just that one
        magazine.
        For most people, commercial marketing is feasible only with
        venture capital support or by selling your program to a major
        house such as Borland, Selective Software, Accolade, or
        Broderbund. Either way, you lose control and the majority of
        profits will go into other pockets.
        Shareware
        Equally as successful as commercial software, but requires no
        large start-up capital. The main drawback is the slow ramp-up
        of income due to the very unstructured nature of the market.
        Not all software is suitable for shareware distribution. Small
        utilities, for instance, are sometimes not particularly
        successful. Business oriented programs are rather more so
        since the corporate community is very scrupulous about paying
        for software including registration fees for software used.
        Many times, a program also must actually be better than the
        commercially marketed counterparts in order to provide a
        living for the author.  This is due to the user's fears of
        lack of support by the author. The old saying "Nobody ever got
        fired for buying IBM" is very true.  It is a risk for a
        corporate PC coordinator to recommend shareware to the company
        since the author might not be in business in a year.  The same
        is true of commercial software, but the poor systems analyst
        can always blame the magazines for misleading reviews.
        Public Domain software
        The copyright and all control over the use of the software is
        given up when software is placed in the public domain.  This
        is suitable for many products that will not provide income due
        to the nature of the software or the nature of the potential
        audience.  If you are programming for a hobby or to spread
        your code around to troll for job offers, this might well be
        suitable.
                                    5
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   2.   Introduction (Continued)
        Public Domain is also the way to go for small projects that
        you don't want to provide continuing support for.
        In order to donate your software to the public domain you must
        specifically state such in the documentation or on the screen.
        Bannerware
        This is a word that we (Public Software Library) coined to
        describe software that is used primarily to advertise another
        product.  A number of major works fall into this category like
        the Ford driving simulator, Business Week's Business
        Advantage, KnowledgePro's Hypertext, and many others.
        The author keeps the copyright to bannerware and just allows
        free distribution and use of this software without requiring a
        registration fee.
        By the way, Freeware is a trademarked term and should not be
        used interchangeably with Bannerware - but often is.
        When you should consider using shareware distribution
  1. You don't have a bundle to sink into advertising.
  1. You are holding down a full-time job and are looking for

extra income. You might be surprised and be forced to go

        full-time with your shareware as some authors already have.
  1. You have already written a program for your own use and want

to get some money for it. This is especially attractive for

        small businesses that have written their own systems or have
        contracted systems written for their use.
  1. You are writing a system for a client that might have a

wider audience. Be sure to retain the marketing rights in the

        contract with your client.
  1. You have an excellent small utility, game, or other program

that wouldn't be suitable for commercial distribution.

                                    6
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   2.   Introduction (Continued)
        2.1  Going All Out Via Retail-Only
             Some programmers quit their old jobs, hire people to
             write their manuals, have the manuals and disk labels
             professionally printed, send copies of their program to
             hundreds of user groups and shareware distributors, get
             an 800 number and credit card accounts, hire staff to
             take and fill orders and provide customer support, go to
             trade shows such as Comdex, go on speaking tours to user
             groups, advertise and publish product newsletters.  They
             arrange deals with distributors and dealers in the U.S.
             and overseas.
             Some programmers, not ready to go all out, keep their
             "day job", but still get manuals and labels printed, send
             out copies of their programs to lot of groups and upload
             to bbs's. If demand grows, they may hire an answering
             service to take orders.  Some just have an answering
             machine.  Others only take mail orders and don't publish
             a phone number at all.
        2.3  Taking it Easy Via Shareware
             The least successful, or at least slowest to succeed,
             method is to upload your program to a few bbs's with a
             request for payment from satisfied users.  You don't send
             out printed manuals, take phone orders, or hire any kind
             of staff. This is how Fluegelman first envisioned
             shareware working.  When it does work, it works slowly.
             Take Vernon Buerg's LIST program, for example.  Buerg
             originally released it in 1983, at first asking for
             nothing, later asking for a voluntary payment of $15.  He
             relied completely on word of mouth, not trying to push it
             at all.  As LIST slowly gained in popularity beyond the
             circle of hackers, magazines started recommending it in
             articles.  Today, Buerg gets a healthy income from LIST. 
             This is indeed a 1 in 10,000 story, however, and it paid
             off only because Buerg was willing to continuing
             supporting users and working on the program for years
             before getting substantial payback for it.
                                    7
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   2.   Introduction (Continued)
        2.4  Letting Someone Else Do It
             Some programmers have formed partnerships in which the
             partner handles all the marketing. That may be a viable
             alternative if you don't mind splitting the earnings and
             have someone whose ability, dedication and integrity you
             trust.
             You might also be able to find an established wholesale
             or retail distributor to market your program, rather than
             using the normal shareware approach.  If you do, you will
             probably find that the returns are very low.  If a
             program is good, it will sell whether you sell it or a
             distributor does, but if an established distributor sells
             it, you may end up getting 10 cents on the dollar, or
             even less, and you may lose the rights to your program.
                                    8
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware
        3.1  Getting Publicity
             In 1982 and 1983, the relatively few shareware programs
             available were able to get exposure in the press simply
             because of their uniqueness.  In 1984, there was a column
             on public domain ("pd") and shareware software in Softalk
             magazine, but the magazine folded at the end of 1984. 
             After that, reviews of shareware in the computing press
             were scarce for a couple of years.
             Recently there has been increased coverage of shareware
             in the press, but also saw an even larger increase in the
             total number of shareware programs available. (At the
             PsL, we screen over 500 programs a month.)
             Sending your programs directly to a magazine will
             probably do no good. PC Magazine and its ilk cannot
             possibly assimilate even a small fraction of those 500
             programs a month.  Even the few who get mentioned (in
             fact, even some who have been named Editor's Choice in
             comparative reviews in PC Magazine) report a short burst
             of activity that doesn't have that much impact in the
             long run. (Look back at 1982-1985 PC Magazines and see
             how many Editor's Choices are no longer around.)
             Sending press releases to non-computer magazines might
             get you more attention because the computer angle is more
             unique to them and their readers.  For example, if you
             have a wonderful video tape cataloging program, send PR's
             about it to all the video magazines. 
             Opposing View: Some authors swear by the sending of press
             releases to magazines and the good that magazine reviews
             do. If you have the money and if you have already taken
             care of what should be your #1 priority - sending your
             program out to shareware vendors and BBS's - it certainly
             can't *hurt* to go after the magazines.
             Dan Veaner (author of SUPER-MAINT) offers his opinion and
             advice about press releases:
                  As someone who just finished stuffing, labeling, and
                  stamping 700 copies of a press release I can tell
                  you I think it's a good idea.  In my opinion press
                  releases do have impact.  Even if no one prints the
                  information there are now 700 influential people who
                  are beginning to have name recognition of my company
                  and products.  The current release is for version 2
                  of Programmer's SUPER-MAINT.
                                    9
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.1  Getting Publicity (Continued)
             Dan Veaner Advice (Continued)
                  When I sent a release of version 1.2, it was picked
                  up directly by three journals: InfoWorld,
                  Programmer's Insight, and Tech Specialist. I also
                  got calls from two smaller journals who had seen the
                  article in Infoworld, asking for a copy of the
                  release.
                  As for buying a list of press people, you can have
                  one for free as an ASP member.  Look for the great
                  list Paul Mayer put together in Lib 10 
                  (PRESS.ZIP)."  [This file is updated by the ASP's
                  Executive Director as changes are reported.]
                  Writing a good press release is the hardest part.  I
                  spent almost a month working on my current one (it's
                  not easy to make a Make program sound
                  interesting!!).  If you feel you are terrible at
                  this sort of thing you should get help.  Here's
                  basically what you should do:"
                  Format: At the top type "Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE
                  RELEASE" centered on the page. On the next few lines
                  type contact information:
                       From:  EmmaSoft
                       Contact:  Daniel Veaner (607) 533-4685
                       Date:  June 6, 1991
                  Next type your "headline," centered.
                  Now type the body of your release, double spaced.
                  Try to keep the whole thing down to two pages or
                  less.  If there are more than one page type "(more)"
                  right-justified at the bottom of each page but the
                  last page, on its own line.  At the top of each page
                  (after page one) type part of the headline with
                  "continued" in parens. Ex: "(Shareware Make Utility!
                  Continued)" At the very end of the release, also on
                  its own line, type "# # #" which means "the end of
                  the release."
                  The first paragraph is the most important.  Make it
                  the most interesting, and assume that most people
                  will read the first paragraph, then toss the whole
                  thing.  If you can get them in the first paragraph
                  you've got 'em.
                                    10
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.1  Getting Publicity (Continued)
             Dan Veaner Advice (Continued)
                  I use mailing labels because I'm a one man office,
                  but it's better to print the address right on the
                  envelope if you can.One thing I did was to look at
                  short newspaper articles and magazines with "new
                  product" blurbs.  Write your release as if it were
                  an article.  Put in interesting little facts (for
                  example, in my current release I mentioned
                  SUPER-MAINT was used in its own development).  Keep
                  it as simple for the lay reader as possible, and if
                  there is something technical explain it briefly.
                  Finally, when you mail press releases make the
                  mailing as personal as possible.  Spend the extra
                  money to put a first class stamp on the envelope. 
        3.2  Sending Out Your Program
             Rather than waste time and money sending your program to
             magazines where it will probably be ignored or at best,
             generate a short-term benefit, spend the time and money
             sending your disk to distributors and user groups and
             uploading to major BBS's, such as CompuServe.
             Make sure your program is stable for a while before doing
             all this, because you don't want to have to suffer the
             expense (and embarrassment) of having to send them all
             out again in a few weeks to fix a bug. You can often get
             a lot of good user feedback by distributing the early
             versions of your program to just a few places. After the
             feedback has resulted in an improved, bug-free, stable
             program, then start sending out to as many places as you
             can afford.
             You can get the names and addresses of user groups and
             numbers of bbs's from some magazines such as Computer
             Shopper.  You can get names of distributors from ads and
             articles in magazines, but if you see an ad that pretends
             to be actually selling the software and doesn't explain
             what shareware is, you should give consideration to
             whether you want them misrepresenting your program to the
             public in that way.
             The Association of Shareware Professionals now screens
             and licenses shareware distributors.  The ASP makes these
             lists freely available.
                                    11
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.2  Sending Out Your Program (Continued)
             ASP offers a service to ASP members that can make it
             cheaper and easier to get your program out to vendors and
             BBS's.
             Should you send to user groups?  Several years ago one
             shareware author said:
                  "For a considerable period of time I tracked
                  registrations to their source and User Groups fell
                  into the very lowest registration rate category
                  (virtually none!).  They frequently ignore
                  distribution restrictions and hardly ever indicate
                  the true nature of Shareware.  We have heard from
                  several other authors who have found the same
                  thing."
             The User Groups have changed considerably over the years
             since the above was said.  Other authors such as Jim
             Button, Marshall Magee, Bob Wallace and Bob Ostrander
             think that User Groups are very influential and very good
             places to send your shareware.  The ASP even has a User
             Group category of membership and feel that through
             education, many User Groups have become a vital part of
             the shareware distribution channel.
        3.3  Sending Out Updates
             After your first major, widespread release, you should
             probably aim for a major update about every six months to
             a year.  Any more than that and people will get fed up
             with having to update their software.  Any less than
             that, and some other program may out-feature you and
             steal your business.
             Despite the above advice, if you DO find a serious bug
             after sending out updates to everyone, do not hesitate to
             send out corrections. You are not "bothering" the
             vendors/BBS's as much as their customers will bother them
             if your software won't run.
                                    12
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.4  Check For Viruses
             For 9 years, we never saw a virus at PsL. In our tenth
             year, we were sent disks with viruses four times. Don't
             ruin your reputation; get a virus-checking program and
             check for viruses before making disk copies to send out.
             You may never find a virus.  They actually aren't as
             common as the press would have you believe.  Second to
             retail software are the computer repair shops at
             spreading virus attacks.  They rarely, if ever, check a
             disk brought in by a customer that wishes to try out a
             new computer on the floor.  They don't check computers
             that they bring in for repair.  The customer's hard disk
             could be infected and the repair person can easily infect
             the test disk used to diagnose the computer.  Every
             computer checked by that test disk thereafter will be
             infected.  Many retail computer stores re-shrinkwrap
             returned software and place it back on the shelf without
             checking it.  Scary, isn't it?
                             SCAN EVERY DISK!
             Integrity Master is an excellent easy to use, up-to-date,
             anti-virus, data integrity, change management, and
             security program.  It provides a single comprehensive
             solution to assure that all your programs and data are
             safe.  In addition to scanning for known viruses, it
             detects unknown viruses and unlike other products will
             detect files which have been damaged but not infected by
             a virus.  Integrity Master protects you against all
             threats to your data and programs not just viruses!  To
             order with Master or Visa card, call 800-788-0787 or 314-
             256-3130.  You can subscribe to several upgrade packages.
             Virx - A so called "free" demo of the of Datawatch's
             retail Virex-PC.  The latest Virx version can be obtained
             from the VIRUSFORUM on CompuServe, many BBSs and disk
             vendors as VIRX.ZIP.  It is only the scanner and will
             detect over a thousand viri.  If a virus is detected, you
             are warned so you can send back or destroy the disk being
             scanned.  However, if you want to remove the virus, you
             buy a copy of Datawatch's Virex-PC which can be purchased
             through computer software stores and mail order houses or
             by calling Datawatch at 919-490-1277.
                                    13
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.5  Advertising
             In general, advertising shareware does not pay for itself
             in direct sales.  Even the little low-cost classified ads
             in the backs of magazines generally do not pay off.  And
             yes, that even includes ads in PsL NEWS!  Such
             advertising is mainly good for increasing long-term
             public awareness of your product(s).
             Shareware programmers also report dismal results with
             those card decks which many people throw away without
             opening.  Marshall Magee (Automenu) says: "I have done
             two card decks, PC Softdeck and another one.  I don't
             think it was worth the money."
             The best form of advertising for your program should be
             the shareware version of it.  If that won't sell your
             program, an ad surely won't.  Spend your time and money
             getting your shareware disk out to users or to people who
             will distribute it to users.
             Shareware distributors can afford to advertise because it
             should generate repeat business for them that should pay
             off in the long run.  Few shareware authors expect or get
             repeat business from the average customer, with the
             exception of occasional, small update fees.  Let the
             distributors advertise your program for you by listing it
             in their ads and catalogs.  Why should YOU pay for the
             advertising?
             Update: For a while there was discussion about a vendor
             who sold spots in his advertising to shareware authors. 
             We haven't heard of this vendor for some time, so we
             assume the idea did not pay off for him or the authors.
             Again - the best use of your time and money is getting
             your program out into people's hands by sending it to
             distributors and uploading to BBS's, and ASP can make
             that a lot less painful.
        3.6  Direct Mail
             If you are interested in trying direct mail advertising,
             you may be able to buy lists from other programmers and
             vendors.  The ASP makes free lists available to it's
             members of all that stopped by the ASP's booth at the New
             York and Chicago PC-EXPO and Las Vegas Fall COMDEX shows
             Also, get a free subscription to Target Marketing
             Magazine, P.O. Box 12827, Philadelphia, PA 19108-9988.
                                    14
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.7  A "Pure" Shareware Marketing Strategy
             Some programmers get so paranoid about stopping people
             from using their software without paying for it that they
             forget that these people are their distributors too.  By
             cutting them off, you cut of your lines of distribution.
             Here is a "pure" shareware marketing strategy:  Make your
             goal the first year to get as many people using your
             program as possible without worrying about who is paying
             and who isn't.  That first year, you should either be
             working on polishing the program or on pushing the
             program all the time.  If you can hit "critical mass", in
             terms of number of people really using your program, then
             the money should take care of itself.  If your program
             becomes a clear standard then your leverage in getting
             people to pay becomes much greater.
        3.8  Shareware vs Retail-Only Software
             In general, a program that will not succeed as shareware
             will not make any money in the retail-only market either. 
             In fact, it may lose money.  Conversely, a program that
             sells well in one market would probably sell well in the
             other too.
             Games and niche products with a limited user base are
             difficult to sell in either market.  Programs that can be
             used by businesses on a daily basis are the top
             money-makers in both markets.  Site license agreements
             with the government and large corporations are the
             biggest and easiest sources of $$.
             There are some differences, though, from both the user's
             and the programmer's points of view.  As a programmer,
             you need to be aware of these difference so that you can
             plan around them.
                                    15
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.9  The User's Point of View
  • TRY-BEFORE-BUYING: The theoretical advantage of

shareware to users is being able to fully try a program

             before paying for it.  However, this shareware advantage
             is starting to be negated by retailers who allow users to
             return retail software within a 30-day trial period.
  • RESPONSIVENESS: Shareware authors are generally more

responsive in terms of making changes. An author of

             retail software who wishes to change his program may have
             to get back the old version from distributors and have
             new labels, brochures and documentation printed. A
             shareware author just puts out a new disk.
             A major problem with shareware is that programmers move,
             but old versions of their programs continue to circulate
             with the old address.  If possible, get a P.O. box and
             keep it after you move.  I still get a couple of Diskcat
             registrations a week at a P.O. box that I haven't
             officially used since early 1986.  Another solution is to
             join ASP (discussed later) so that users can locate you
             through that organization.
  • COSTS: The argument used to be that shareware could be

cheaper than retail software because you didn't have to

             pay for printed manuals that sit on the shelf and fancy
             packaging that gets thrown away. Ironically, today
             virtually all major shareware programs includes those
             trappings. It's felt that users have to feel that they
             are getting something for registering beyond fulfilling a
             theoretical legal obligation.
             Another alleged cost saving was eliminating the middle
             man - the distributor.  Now many of the top shareware
             authors are selling through distributors too.  These old,
             specious arguments ignored the fact that these "extra
             costs" also generated "extra income" that more than
             offset the costs for a successful product.
             In addition, Borland Software led the way in driving down
             retail software prices while registration fees for some
             shareware have increased dramatically.  For example
             PC-File, which cost $25 in 1983 cost about $125 when it
             reached Version 5 in 1990.  Of course, at the same time,
             the functionality of PC-File has increased
             correspondingly, but the point remains that shareware is
             no longer just "cheapware".
                                    16
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.9  The User's Point of View (Continued)
  • PROGRAM COMPLEXITY: Shareware programmers normally work

alone while retail software companies can employ dozens

             of programs for large, complex projects.  As a result,
             some types of shareware programs cannot match all the
             features of retail programs of the same type.
             For example, a graphics related shareware program may
             only support a couple of printers while a similar retail
             program may support dozens.
  • PROGRAM QUALITY: Many times, retail products contain

serious bugs and there is little or nothing the user can

             do about it.  The retail company may NEVER fix them. (We
             used to give an example here, but everyone probably has
             their own experiences with non-responsive retail-only
             companies that we'll save the space.)
             In contrast, if a shareware program has serious bugs,
             people just don't pay for it.  In fact, some people
             probably use the existence of any bugs, no matter how
             insignificant, as an excuse not to pay.  Therefore,
             shareware has to be in better shape than does retail
             software to succeed.
        3.10 The Author's Point of View
  • COSTS: Advertising is horribly expensive. You can go

broke quickly trying to break in a new program. The

             shareware approach offers a low- or no-cost alternative. 
             Not only can you get into shareware marketing for
             virtually nothing, you can afford to take whatever time
             is required to establish your program since maintaining a
             presence in shareware can cost you nothing.
             Even so, if you want to have printed manuals and labels,
             to send out disks to user groups, to join and participate
             in the ASP, figure on spending at least a couple of
             thousand dollars, and be happy if you break even the
             first year. 
  • TIMELINESS: A single magazine ad may make more

potential users aware of your program in one month than

             shareware distribution will reach in a year or more, if
             ever.  If you have a program that will be worthless a
             year from now and no follow-up versions are likely, you
             are almost certain to make nothing in shareware, and it
             will be difficult, at best, even in the retail market.  
                                    17
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.10 The Author's Point of View (Continued)
             The shareware authors who are now making over $1 million
             a year report that they got very few registrations for
             the first six months to a year.  In shareware, patience
             is not just a virtue, it is essential.
             By the way, while a single ad may make a lot of people
             aware of your product, that doesn't mean that you will
             sell enough to break even on the cost of the ad.  "Being
             aware" does not directly equal sales.
  • COMPETITION: In 1984, we said that the retail market is

more crowded and the competition fiercer. Now the

             reverse is true.  There are more and more amateur
             programmers each year with better and better programming
             tools.  Skyrocketing advertising costs force most of
             these people into the shareware market rather than the
             retail market.
             While improving on someone else's idea is a time-honored
             way to make money, people keep cranking out more and more
             of the same programs.  When there are dozens of the same
             type of program available, it becomes more difficult for
             any one programmer to make money.  Do yourself a favor
             and check on what is already available before programming
             your brains out.  The PsL's "PD & Shareware Reviews
             Disks" and the 700-page "Source Book of Free and Low-Cost
             Software" contains write-ups of thousands of programs,
             all arranged by subject matter.  Look there before you
             leap.  You can also contact the ASP and ask for the ASP's
             Catalog disk of shareware by the ASP author members.
  • IMPULSE SALES: The shareware author gets no money from

impulse sales nor a user's mistake in buying a program

             that he doesn't need.  Everybody with more than six
             pieces of retail software probably has one that he bought
             and has never used because his needs changed or he didn't
             like the program.  The author doesn't care that much if
             you use the program or not - he has his money.
                                    18
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.11 Do Users Pay?
             Commercial software houses' wildest claims wouldn't put
             the percent of people who haven't paid for their programs
             out of total users at over 50%, yet most shareware
             authors estimate that from 80% to 99% of people using
             their program have not paid. Are these estimates valid,
             or are they just sour grapes from people with bad
             programs?  Nobody knows for sure.  Certainly there a lot
             of people using software of all kinds, shareware AND
             retail, without paying for it.  Retail software houses
             tried to get these people with copy protection, and it
             did not work.  Shareware authors have tried crippling
             (limiting) their programs, and it has not worked either. 
             In both cases, the crooked user is going to find a way to
             get his "free" software, so all the programmer has done
             is create ill will with the honest users.
             Here are traps programmers fall into which only serve to
             insure their failure: 
             1. Lack of patience.  Remember that it usually takes six
             months to a year for a program to begin to reach a broad
             enough range of people to begin bringing in significant
             returns.  During that time, if you want to succeed and
             really believe in your program, you have to keep pushing
             it and improving it just as if you were making a million
             dollars.
             2. Overestimating the program.  Some programs are just
             not that good.  It is easier for programmers to believe
             that ten thousand people are using their program and not
             paying for it than to believe that the program just isn't
             that good and to continue working to improve it.  And a
             sad fact of life is that sometimes outstanding isn't good
             enough.  Many authors have sent us press clippings saying
             how great their programs are and complaining that they
             have gotten few or no registrations.  They blame
             shareware, ignoring the fact that many outstanding retail
             programs, highly acclaimed by the press, have also gone
             under.  Homebase, now a shareware program owned by Brown
             Bag, was once a PC Magazine's "Editors Choice" as a
             retail-only program originally owned by Amber Software.
             3. Overestimating the number of users.  A commonly heard
             complaint is "200 people downloaded my program from
             CompuServe and I only got 2 registrations.  I know more
             people than that are using it."
                                    19
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.11 Do Users Pay? (Continued)
             Many people who download programs or buy disks from
             distributors do so out of curiosity or to get programs
             for their own bbs's or libraries.  It takes TIME for
             these people to get your program out to the masses, and
             more time for the masses to use the program enough to
             want to pay.
             4. Trying to sell trivial software.  People are generally
             not going to pay for a trivial program, especially since
             there usually are a lot of free versions of the same
             thing around if a program is trivial.
             5. Not working at marketing.  It takes a lot of work to
             get your program out to people, to get it reviewed by
             magazines, user groups and shareware distributors, and to
             continue to improve it in response to users.  Most people
             getting into shareware have no concept of having to
             market their programs.  Marshall Magee, author of
             Automenu, has defied the odds by making big bucks selling
             a shareware program in a very crowded field - DOS menu
             programs.  He does it by pushing his product to anyone
             who will listen.
             6. Not continuing to improve.  I have heard many
             programmers say that they were not going to invest any
             more time adding features or fixing bugs until they got
             some registrations.  This brings certain failure.  Most
             people originally write shareware for their own use or
             for the fun of programming.  For the first year, your
             best bet is to not even think about registrations:
             continue to work on the program for your own use or
             enjoyment and don't worry about who might be using it. 
             Remember, people who work at something just for the money
             seldom get pleasure out of what they are doing, and those
             work at something because they love the work usually find
             that the rewards come without worrying about them.  When
             programmers fail because of the preceding points, they
             usually start resorting to desperate measure such as the
             following:
             CRIPPLED DEMOS  Crippled demos are what retail software
             houses sometimes provide potential customers.  By
             disabling some critical function, such as the ability of
             a word processing program to save a file to disk, they
             allow the user to try out all the other functions of the
             program to see if they like it without taking the risk of
             sending out the complete program.
                                    20
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.11 Do Users Pay? (Continued)
             You may wonder why shareware authors don't just send out
             crippled demos instead of fully functioning programs for
             which some users don't bother to send payment.  The
             theory is that the more copies of your program being
             used, the more money you will get in the long run as your
             program becomes the standard.
             This is what happened with PC-Write and PC-File, both of
             which have reportedly made seven-figure earnings for
             their authors.  But PC-File's Jim Button estimated in
             1985 that fewer than one person in 20 using the program
             is paying for it.  (We question the validity of that
             figure, which is surely pulled from a hat, but that's
             beside the point.)  You would have to be an iron man to
             stoically accept the fact that, no matter how much money
             you've received which you might not have otherwise
             gotten, there are thousands of people around who are
             using your program without paying.
             So some shareware authors try the crippling technique. 
             The most common tactic is to omit parts of the
             documentation that explain more advanced program
             features.  When the user makes payment, he gets a printed
             manual with the missing sections which may not be copied
             for others.  This tactic may only work for programs with
             large amounts of documentation and with advanced
             features.  Other authors offer less powerful versions of
             a program as shareware that may be freely copied and more
             powerful versions that may not be legally copied.
             Remember that while these tactics may ensure a higher
             ratio of paid users, they also cut down on the number of
             total users.  Since you are relying on word-of-mouth
             instead of paid advertising, you may get fewer "cheaters"
             but you may also actually get fewer paid users.  Another
             reason that people don't pay may be because of shareware
             distributors who mislead the people into thinking they
             are buying the software when they pay the distributor's
             disk fees.
                                    21
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.11 Do Users Pay? (Continued)
             To sum it up, crippling just does NOT work.  It makes too
             many users angry.  It does not put your best foot forward
             and "demand" a registration with the overall quality of
             your system.  Remember that shareware has become very
             popular and that you will certainly have shareware
             competition in your niche.  Users will obtain copies of
             all of the shareware they can for the application they
             are evaluating.  Crippling OF ANY KIND (program or
             documentation) will cause a DEL *.* and they will
             evaluate your competitor's product.  You will not only
             loose the sale, but your disk will NOT be passed on to
             others.
             Several years ago, the ASP authors overwhelmingly voted
             in no-crippling rules as a membership requirement as they
             were and are convinced that crippling does not work.
        3.12 Non-Shareware Version
             Game author and owner of MVP Software, Dave Snyder, asks
             the question "Why A Non-Shareware Version (NSV)?"
             Some shareware authors have found that creating a
             non-shareware version (NSV) is an effective way to
             increase revenues generated by the product.  The ASP has
             instituted policies governing how NSVs may be implemented
             to insure that they do not become just a creative
             technique for crippling a product.  The use of NSVs has
             not been widespread until recently among shareware
             authors.  But some of us have been using them for a few
             years, and we have learned that there are right ways and
             wrong ways to structure a shareware product with an NSV.
             Below I'll list some benefits of having an NSV.  But
             first here are some examples.
             (1) Apogee games.  Most Apogee games are released as
             trilogies.  All three volumes are necessary to complete a
             game's storyline, but each volume stands on its own as a
             full-functional, playable game.  Users rarely register
             volume one; instead they buy all three.  Since the
             complete package is not available as shareware, an Apogee
             trilogy is an NSV.  Wolfenstein 3D, created by Id but
             marketed by Apogee, is an example of an NSV.  In this
             case there are six volumes total; volume 1 is shareware,
             the rest are not.
                                    22
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.12 Non-Shareware Version (Continued)
             (2) MVP Software's MVP Paint.  In a crowded field,
             releasing a crippled shareware product is probably not a
             good idea.  After all, the first thing your shareware
             version must do is attract a user base.  To do this many
             users must be convinced to switch from a current
             competitive product to yours.  If users perceive your new
             product to be under-powered or crippled, they likely
             won't switch.  The result is few registrations.
             MVP Paint tackles this problem by offering users two
             registration options.  A $35 registration fee buys a
             registered version identical to the shareware version,
             plus tech support.  For $49.95, however, users get MVP
             Paint Professional, which includes additional utilities
             that provide advanced features not found in the shareware
             version.  Not all users will need these features, and
             leaving them out of the shareware version does not
             cripple the product.  However, if MVP Paint rubbed users'
             noses in the fact that the features aren't in the
             shareware version -- by using stubbed out menu options,
             for example -- the product could appear to be crippled. 
             It's very important that your NSV is perceived as
             offering additional desirable features, but your
             shareware version cannot appear crippled.
             (3) Eric Isaacson's Zipkey.  A data-intensive
             application, Zipkey uses a variation of the "olderware"
             approach.  The shareware version cannot access the
             current dataset.  The registered version, of course, can. 
             So registration not only gets you the current dataset, it
             also gets you a version of the software that can handle
             that dataset.  No program features are left out of the
             shareware version.
             (4) Ted Gruber Software's Fastgraph.  The premiere game
             programmer's library, Fastgraph Lite (the shareware
             version) requires the use of a 54K TSR.  It is obviously
             unnacceptable for a game distributed as a retail or
             shareware product to be restricted by this TSR.  Anyone
             serious about using the product will want to buy the NSV,
             which does not require the TSR.  Again, no program
             features are left out, but the incentive to register is
             powerful.
                                    23
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.12 Non-Shareware Version (Continued)
             (5) MVP Software's Gamebuilder.  Software for creating
             graphical adventure games without programming,
             Gamebuilder Lite (the shareware version) includes almost
             everything found in Gamebuilder Pro (the NSV) except a
             run-time module. Users can play games they create from
             within Gamebuilder Lite, but the games won't run on their
             own.  The run-time modules comes with Gamebuilder Pro
             only.
             From these examples we can reach several conclusions. 
             First, the shareware version of your product cannot be
             perceived as crippled.  Second, the NSV must offer
             additional functionality.  Third, the NSV should be
             priced about 30% higher than the basic registration fee
             for the shareware version.  This creates a perception of
             value.  (This doesn't apply to all products, but it's a
             good rule of thumb.) In many cases authors receive few
             true registrations; most users purchase the NSV.  This
             tempts some authors to eliminate the registration option
             altogether.  This is a mistake, I believe.  Not only does
             it run afoul of ASP rules, but it removes the perception
             of value created by the two-tier pricing format.
             Fourth, choose an appropriate product name.  MyProg Lite
             and MyProg Professional are popular choices, but you may
             wish to be a bit more creative. The names should show a
             clear "family resemblance" between your shareware version
             and NSV.  However, the names should also clearly
             distinguish between them as well as designate a "little
             brother/big brother" relationship.  Finally, here are
             some benefits of using an NSV: (1) more sales, (2) higher
             dollar amounts per sale, and (3) retail sales.
             Retail sales are an excellent way to increase your
             revenues.  I believe most authors should go after them. 
             Unfortunately, it can be difficult to get a shareware
             product into the retail channel.  At MVP Software, I tell
             retail distributors that my product is not shareware, but
             that we do have a fully-functional demo that has been
             released into the shareware channel.  I briefly describe
             the differences between the shareware version and the
             NSV. That approach has bever failed to work.  In fact, I
             release all MVP products in three ways: (1) shareware,
             (2) low-cost retail (under $10), for which I use the
             shareware version with all references to "shareware"
             removed, and (3) moderate-cost retail ($10-40), for which
             I use the NSV.
                                    24
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.13 PD/Shareware Distributors
             In the beginning, the idea of shareware was that users
             would give copies to each other and user groups would
             give free copies to members.  Everything was done for
             free.  However, as libraries and user groups grew,
             librarians started charging fees to cover their expenses. 
             Many libraries have over 1,000 disks and many groups have
             thousands of members to make copies for.  Also, today's
             groups are filled with novices who must be assisted in
             learning to use the public domain and shareware software
             and the library must be better organized to avoid
             confusing or overwhelming these novices.  Ideally,
             programs in a library must be tested for functionality,
             bugs and viruses; they must be organized by topic; and
             they must be kept up to date.  Gathering the people with
             the expertise to do all this is costly and time consuming
             and has long since been beyond the capacity of user
             groups to keep up with.  In addition, a substantial
             number of people do not have access to user groups
             anyway, so the job of distributing shareware has passed
             more to the full-time, professional shareware
             distributors.
                                    25
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.13 PD/Shareware Distributors (Continued)
             Unfortunately, there are distributors who are just
             looking for a quick buck and who do little or none of the
             work normally involved in testing, organizing and keeping
             things up to date.  These same quick-buckers usually
             misrepresent to the public that they are selling the
             programs without explaining what shareware is.
             For example, look at some of the shareware ads in PC or
             other magazines and see if the nature of shareware is
             being explained.  The Association of Shareware
             Professionals has passed Vendor Requirements whereby
             distributors can be approved by ASP.  Under these
             requirements, vendors would have to explain shareware in
             their ads that quote a price.  I strongly recommend that
             you state in your documentation that anyone charging any
             kind of fee for providing copies of your program must
             have your written authorization unless they are
             recognized by the ASP.  I do not require groups to whom I
             send the program to fill this out; it is intended to
             limit unsolicited requests for free disks to legitimate
             distributors.  The control number on the form (and on the
             registration form) lets you track where registrations are
             coming from.  This can be very important as you may have
             dozens or even hundreds of bbs's, disk distributors or
             user groups distributing your program and if you know who
             is generating the most registrations, you know to whom it
             is worth sending updates.
             The ASP has prepared a document similar to this one
             designed for shareware disk vendors.  It covers many of
             the same subjects, but from the vendor's viewpoint.  The
             Vendor Guide is available on request from the ASP by
             calling 616-788-5131, FAX: 616-788-2765 or writing to :
                  Association Of Shareware Professionals
                  545 Grover Road
                  Muskegon  MI  49442-9427  USA
             If you are interested in an Author, Vendor, BBS, User
             Group, Press or Friends of Shareware application kit,
             write, call or FAX and ask for the desired kit.
                                    26
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.13 PD/Shareware Distributors (Continued)
             Following is a form that is used for Diskcat:
                 DISKCAT DISTRIBUTION LICENSING AGREEMENT
        Anyone wishing to charge people a fee for giving them a copy
        of Diskcat must have the written authorization of the author,
        without which, the distributor is guilty of copyright
        violation.    To receive such authorization, send this
        completed application, along with a copy of your software
        library's order form to:   Nelson Ford,  P.O.Box 35705, 
        Houston  TX  77235.  Include $7 to cover the cost of
        processing the application and of sending you the latest
        version of Diskcat.   For distributors already recognized by
        the Association of Shareware Professionals, this application
        is not necessary.
        Name of Organization: ____________________________________
        Your Name: _______________________________________________
        Address:   _______________________________________________
                   _______________________________________________
           TERMS OF DISTRIBUTION OF DISKCAT:
   1.   The fee charged may not exceed $10, including postage, mailer
        and any other charges.
   2.   Your library's catalog or listing must state that this program
        is not free, but is copyrighted software that is provided to
        allow the user to evaluate it before paying.
   3.   The offering and sale of Diskcat will be stopped at any time
        the author so requests.
   4.   Copies must be made from the copy of Diskcat sent to you with
        this agreement. This is required for control purposes.
   5.   Problems or complaints about the program will be reported to
        the author for investigation.  In return for a license to
        charge a fee for the distribution of the program Diskcat, I
        agree to comply with the above terms of distribution.
        Signed, ____________________________________  ______________
                       your signature                        date
             __________________________   _________   ______________
                  Nelson Ford             control #         date
                                    27
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.14 Other Protective Measures
             COPYRIGHTS:  Your copyright notice should look something
             like this:
       DISKCAT COPYR. 1983,1984,1988 NELSON FORD ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
             The (C) is generally not acceptable (the C must be
             enclosed in a full circle), so spell out copyright or
             abbreviate it COPYR.  If you have revisions spanning
             multiple years, list them all.  The complete notice
             should be on one line.  FILE A FORM TX!  Speaking from
             experience garnered from someone ripping off the heart of
             this Guide as the basis for a book, I cannot advise you
             strongly enough to file a form TX. If someone rips you
             off, it makes going after them MUCH easier.  Filing the
             copyright forms is cheap and easy.  Start by calling
             202-707-9100 and tell the answering machine that you want
             5 copies of FORM TX and 1 copy each of Circular R61,
             Circular R1 and Circular 92.  Give your name and address. 
             Speak slowly and clearly.  They will send you the
             requested forms.  Additional recorded information
             available on 202-707-3000.
             You will end up filling out 1 copy of Form TX and sending
             it and $20 to the Register of Copyrights, Library Of
             Congress, Washington DC 20559.  You will need to include
             1 copy of your source code and 1 copy of your
             documentation.  Then, wait about 3 months to get it back. 
             The effective date is the day they receive it.  You might
             also want to get SE and GR/CP.
             PATENTING SOFTWARE:  Attorney Jon Wallace tells us:  Re
             patenting a program - it is possible, but extremely time
             consuming and costly.  The program must be novel and
             non-obvious (terms of art) and cannot merely solve an
             algorithm or incorporate a law of nature.  The process
             can take two years and cost thousands of dollars.  Is it
             worth it?  Well, if Software Arts had patented VisiCalc,
             Lotus 1-2-3  would never have made it to market.
                                    28
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.14 Other Protective Measures (Continued)
             TRADEMARKS:  Generally, if you start distributing your
             program without a (TM) notice by the name, you lose the
             trademark protection. So spend the extra four keystrokes
             and put it on.  Marshall Magee advises:  The trademark
             office requires that you send them copies of artwork
             currently being used to market your product with the TM
             indicated next to your word or phrase.  The patent &
             trademark office will then issue you a paper telling you
             that your word or phrase is now a Registered Trademark
             and then you have the right to use the circled R in place
             of TM.
             CompuServe has a service called IQuest (GO IQUEST) that
             will allow you to scan the Trademark Data Base for about
             $35 to $150 depending on how many ways you search.  The
             search cost depends entirely on the exact mark and goods
             involved, how many "hits" come up in the search, etc. 
             This may a quick way to check on whether or not someone
             else has already registered your words.  If you send in a
             name that is already registered, you will lose the $200
             fee, but that may cheaper than paying a lawyer to do a
             search.  However, the experienced lawyer may well find
             more information than the novice searcher and save you a
             lot of problems later.
             The Association of Shareware Professionals uses two
             lawyers.  William Baron was recommended by Jim Button and
             Bill handled setting up the ASP as a non-profit
             corporation and handled the trademark for the ASP's logo. 
             Lance Rose has handled the ASP's lobbying efforts in
             Washington D.C. and was instrumental in having a bill
             modified that otherwise would have virtually eliminated
             any copyright protection for shareware.
                  Lance Rose
                  87 Midland Avenue
                  Montclair  NJ  07042
                  201-509-1700
                  William Baron
                  Baron, Lieberworth & Warner
                  1500 Pacific Building
                  720 Third Avenue
                  Seattle  WA  98104
                  206-623-6212
                                    29
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.14 Other Protective Measures (Continued)
             TRADEMARKS (Continued)
             Lance Rose told us that "properly speaking it's not the
             words themselves that are registered, but the mark at
             issue for specific goods or services.  The whole question
             of registration, of course, does not exhaust the issues
             raised by the question of can I use the mark?  An
             unregistered trademark won't come up on an IQuest-style
             search, but the owner of the mark can sue someone who
             starts using it later.  In this case, neither the
             registration search, nor registration itself, will keep
             the second user from getting beaten by the first user."
             They will want a copy of your package and need to know
             the first sale of the product with the "trademark" used.
             It can pay to shop around for a lawyer. ASP members have
             reported paying $200, $700, and over $1000.  However, the
             $200 is impossible these days as the filing fee is now
             $200.
             For information about Trademarks call the Department of
             Commerce at 703-557-3158 and request a copy of Basic
             Facts About Trademarks.
                                    30
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.14 Other Protective Measures (Continued)
             WARRANTIES:  You should also put a disclaimer of warranty
             in your documentation. Place it at the front of the
             documentation where the reader cannot miss it. The
             following is a sample disclaimer that you can use:
                          DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY
             THIS SOFTWARE AND MANUAL ARE SOLD "AS IS" AND WITHOUT
             WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OF MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY
             OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.  BECAUSE
             OF THE VARIOUS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ENVIRONMENTS INTO
             WHICH THIS PROGRAM MAY BE PUT, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR
             A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED.  GOOD DATA PROCESSING
             PROCEDURE DICTATES THAT ANY PROGRAM BE THOROUGHLY TESTED
             WITH NON-CRITICAL DATA BEFORE RELYING ON IT.  THE USER
             MUST ASSUME THE ENTIRE RISK OF USING THE PROGRAM.  ANY
             LIABILITY OF THE SELLER WILL BE LIMITED EXCLUSIVELY TO
             PRODUCT REPLACEMENT OR REFUND OF PURCHASE PRICE.
             Do use all CAPS.  Before relying on the above
             information, be sure to ask around to make sure the
             information is still up-to-date.
        3.15 Selling Registered Versions Through Shareware
             Distributors
             Several shareware distributors have begun selling
             "registered versions" of shareware programs.  Practices
             for doing so vary widely.  Some may have you send them
             packages to sell on consignment, some may buy packages
             from you just like a regular dealer, others may sell the
             program but have you ship it.  The percentage that the
             distributor gets also varies widely, from less than 10%
             to as high as 60%.
             Before signing with a distributor who will keep 60%, keep
             in mind that if you allow such a distributor to sell your
             program, for you just to break even, he must generate
             more than two-and-a-half times more registrations from
             people who would not have registered otherwise.  If out
             of 25 registrations, 10 of those people would have
             registered with you directly anyway, you barely break
             even.  If half of the 25 would have registered with you
             anyway, you have lost money to the distributor.  From
             what we have seen, such distributors do little or nothing
             to promote the programs, so they are just skimming the
             cream of registrations you would have received anyway.
                                    31
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.15 Selling Registered Versions Through Shareware
             Distributors (Continued)
             We think more and more distributors will take to selling
             registered versions and in general, this will be
             beneficial to shareware.  The main drawback is that you
             must be careful in selecting those you let sell your
             program.  If they rip someone off, you may have to pay. 
             And you may also have to cope with rip-off artists who
             claim to be selling your program, but who give you none
             of the money.
             At PsL, we offer a non-profit registration taking service
             for authors. We charge a flat fee of $5 per transaction
             (no matter how many copies/programs are ordered) to cover
             the cost of taking the order and notifying the author to
             ship and the cost of doing the paperwork, etc., plus 4%
             of the total to cover the costs of the credit card. For
             more information, contact PsL.
        3.16 Selling Registered Versions Through "Retail"
             Distributors/Dealers
             Some of the top shareware authors also sell their
             programs through normal retail channels.  While there is
             nothing wrong with this from the shareware viewpoint,
             dealers and distributors often complain when they see
             "the same program" being listed in a shareware
             distributor's ad for a few bucks.
             Hopefully, in the long run, increased public awareness
             about the true nature of shareware and more truth in
             advertising by shareware distributors (both of which are
             major goals of ASP) will stop this from being such a
             problem. In fact, as more shareware distributors begin to
             sell both retail and registered shareware products, the
             distinction between the two may disappear, other than the
             advantage to users of being able to try shareware before
             buying.
        3.17 Setting Prices
             Now let's look at the problem of setting a price for your
             program.
             Underpricing:  If someone doesn't need a program, the
             fact that you may have grossly underpriced it is not
             going to induce them to register.
                                    32
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.17 Setting Prices (Continued)
             Overpricing:  Users don't care if you "really need the
             money" or if you spent 10,000 hours on the program. They
             care about THEIR needs and the costs and alternatives for
             filling those needs.  The two keys to pricing a program
             are the cost of alternatives and the value to the user.
             The Cost of Alternatives:  To do a sensible job of
             setting a price for your product, you need to know the
             shareware and retail markets for your product.  Find out
             what other programs are selling for and compare your
             program to them in terms of quality and features.  For
             retail products, don't look at list prices, look at
             mail-order discount ads. That is your main competition.
             For shareware products, the easiest way to compare is to
             look in the PsL's PD/Shareware Reviews. The license (or
             "registration") fees shown there include shipping and
             handling, in order to make comparisons valid.  If you
             have written a simple program and you see other programs
             like it that are free or $10 or less, that does not bode
             well for the odds of your getting rich from your version. 
             Even if you don't find any competition, if your program
             was easy to write and you overprice it, you can bet that
             others will write "improved" versions of your program and
             ask little or nothing for it.
             On the other hand, programs like TapCIS have made it big
             despite the availability of AutoSIG, an excellent (and
             FREE) alternative program (both are CompuServe
             communications programs).  "Alternatives" are not always
             other programs.
             If you had the world's only program for keeping track of,
             say, telephone messages, you still could not charge
             hundreds of dollars for it because people still have
             non-computing alternatives -- writing the messages down
             on paper.
                                    33
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.17 Setting Prices (Continued)
             Value To The User:  For a program to be a huge success,
             it must have a large target audience, it must have a
             value far in excess of its cost, and it must be appear to
             be better and/or cheaper than alternatives.  If the use
             of alternatives is already deeply ingrained in people's
             habits, then the program must be greatly superior to
             alternatives (not just cheaper) to get people to switch
             and to learn a new system.
             In effect, your target audience is made smaller when your
             program's niche is already dominated by a highly
             successful program.  Sometimes a programmer will price a
             program very low because he thinks that will get more
             people to pay for it.  This strategy is fine if it is
             based on a comparison of the program to alternatives, but
             it usually is based solely upon desperation and/or lack
             of confidence.  This strategy of trying to low-price a
             program is most often employed with low-value programs or
             programs with small target audiences.  It does NOT work.
             Large numbers of people are simply not going to pay for
             low value programs, no matter what the price.
             Likewise, pricing has virtually no effect on the size of
             your target audience. If you have a high value program,
             but a small target audience, you should keep your price
             up (still giving consideration to the cost of
             alternatives) and use the extra revenues to try to
             increase the size of your target audience (ie: get out
             and PUSH your program) or to develop other programs.
             Charge for Value to the User, Not for Your Time:  If you
             are fairly new to programming and it took you weeks or
             months to perfect your program, keep in mind that an
             experienced programmer with a collection of sophisticated
             programming tools might duplicate your effort in a day.
             Don't price your product based on the number of hours you
             spent (which we have seen some authors prattle on about
             in their documentation), but on the value of the program
             to the user.
                                    34
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.17 Setting Prices (Continued)
             Case Studies:  BASIC compilers used to sell for hundreds
             of dollars.  When Microsoft introduced QuickBASIC ("QB"),
             it had a street price of under $60, although its value to
             the customer was clearly very high and it had a large
             target audience.  The reason why was competition from
             Borland Software who was releasing Turbo BASIC about the
             same time and at about the same price.
             A company named MicroHelp sells add-on's for QB, usually
             at prices much higher than QB itself.  Even though the
             total time and money invested in these add-on's is
             undoubtedly many times less than in QB, and though the
             relative value of the add-on's is probably far less than
             QB itself, MicroHelp still enjoys very good success.  The
             reason why is because of two key elements: (1) the
             relative value of the add-on's compared to QB
             notwithstanding, the value of the add-on's to the user is
             still many times the price of the programs and (2) for
             most of these add-on's, there are no alternatives that
             are significantly cheaper.
             Rabinowitz's SWAP Programs:  In the shareware arena, Chip
             Rabinowitz has cleaned up with some add-on's for many
             popular pop-up programs (such as Sidekick) that reduce
             the DOS RAM used by these programs to about 9k.  Again,
             the price of these add-on's is much higher than the value
             of and time/money invested in the original programs, but
             that fact notwithstanding, the value of the SWAP programs
             is many times their price and the alternative (of not
             using the SWAP programs and continuing to waste precious
             DOS RAM) is not an attractive one.
                                    35
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   3.   Marketing Shareware (Continued)
        3.18 Changing Prices
             Eventually you may need to raise your registration price.
             After doing so, you will continue to receive
             registrations at the old price.  Most ASP authors agree
             that you should explain to the customer that the price
             has gone up; they disagree on whether or not the original
             payment should be accepted or returned.
             The following is a sample letter that favors acceptance
             of the partial payment:
             Thank you for your registration of _______________.  The
             version of the program that you registered is outdated
             and the price has since gone up due to the additional
             time invested in improving the program. Nevertheless, I
             have recorded you as a registered user and am sending you
             the latest version and manual.
             If you feel that the latest version is worth the
             increased registration fee, please return the enclosed
             invoice with the additional payment; otherwise, please
             just keep the new version with my appreciation for your
             support.
        3.19 Technical Support
             The best asset you may have is your ability to provide
             better technical support than any "commercial/retail"
             competition could ever do.  Even the business community
             is finding that they have more success in getting the
             features they need when they work with a shareware
             author.  The excellent communications between you and
             your customers will make your product grow and improve at
             a rate much faster than the traditional "retail"
             software.  Seriously consider providing pre as well as
             post-registration technical support.  It often will
             result in an order and will at least give you additional
             feature ideas or result in your writing clearer
             documentation.
             If you have a "day time" job, DO have an answering
             machine.  Have your message clearly identify your company
             name and offer to call back.  If necessary, ask for an
             evening or weekend number to return the call.  Don't even
             consider fooling with collect calls.  This will be viewed
             as VERY un-professional by many potential registrants. 
             Large companies won't even consider accepting collect
             calls and you may miss a big site license.
                                    36
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   4.   Making Your Program User-Friendly
        4.1  Installation
             Many authors assume that their users know as much about
             computers as the author.  This is just not the case. 
             Many shareware users can be novice computer users.  If
             they download your software from a BBS, you can assume
             that they will at least know recognize README text files
             and EXEcutable files.
             However, if they have purchased the shareware disk from a
             disk vendor or have been given the disk by a friend, you
             should have a README.DOC, READ.ME or README.1ST file. 
             Many disk vendors instruct their customers how to copy
             these type of files to their printers or how to TYPE them
             to the screen.
             The README file should be short and sweet.  If possible,
             limit it to one 24 line screen so that the TYPE command
             will not scroll the top of the file off the top of the
             screen.  It should tell them how to install your system
             on floppy or hard disks.  It will likely tell the user
             how to run your INSTALL.BAT or INSTALL.EXE file.
             MAKE IT EASY for the user to install, evaluate and make
             that all important "buy" decision before the span of
             attention lapses.
             One way to create an install program is to write and test
             an install BATch file.  Create the necessary sub-
             directory and copy and/or uncompress all of the necessary
             files.  If you have an install program, you can have a
             menu option that will print the on-disk documentation.
             The Wenham Software Company at 508-774-7036 makes a BATch
             file compiler named BATCOM to convert your BATch files
             into an EXE program file.  It does require that you
             already have Microsoft's LINKer.
        4.2  On-Screen Help
             The first thing most people will do when they get your
             program disk will not be to print out and study the
             documentation; it will be to try to run the program. So
             your program should have enough on-screen help to allow
             the user to run the program at least well enough to get
             interested in it.  One popular data base program has one
             place where instead of a self-explanatory menu, it shows
             a series of cryptic symbols and letters from which the
             user is supposed to select.
                                    37
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   4.   Making Your Program User-Friendly (Continued)
        4.2  On-Screen Help (Continued)
             Chances are, the occasional user will have to refer to
             the manual every time this part of the program is
             reached. (Since 1984 when the above was written, the data
             base program has been improved, to say the least.)
             The most desirable alternative is to have the program
             work in a natural enough manner and have enough
             information on the screen to allow the user to operate
             the program with no further help.
             The second best alternative is to have help screens that
             can be called up with a keystroke.
             The third best alternative is to have a well-written
             manual.
             The worst alternative is to have users calling you all
             hours of the day and night or even have them give up on
             your program.
        4.3  Supply defaults
             If the user has supplied the name of a file to load, make
             that name the default when you ask him for a name to save
             with.  While on the subject of files, if you ask for a
             filename, be prepared to let the user see the disk
             directory.  Some programs make the user exit the program
             and look at the directory in DOS if he cannot remember
             the filename.  A nice checkbook program in PsL lets you
             put a vendor's name and address on a check by entering
             the vendor's ID#, but it doesn't let you view a list of
             vendor ID numbers!
        4.4  Trap errors
             Nobody wants to have ten minutes of keyboard input dumped
             into the bit bucket because the program kicked out to DOS
             when it found a disk drive door open, or some other minor
             infraction.  One very fine shareware program has scared
             off potential users because it gives nothing more than
             error code numbers for simple things like having a
             write-protect tab on a disk.  In this case, the author
             would have been better off not trapping errors.  The
             program would have aborted, but at least DOS would have
             spelled out the error messages.
                                    38
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   4.   Making Your Program User-Friendly (Continued)
        4.5  Rules For Basic Programmers
             Here are two cardinal rules for BASIC programmers:
             1. Compile your program.  There are many, many users who
             have never run anything but 1-2-3 or Wordstar.  They do
             not understand the intricacies of getting in and out of
             the BASIC interpreter.  They expect to be able to run the
             program by typing in its name from DOS. Furthermore, your
             program will run faster.  Also, some PC-compatibles do
             not come with a BASIC interpreter.  MS-DOS 5 does NOT
             include the GWBASIC interpreter any more.  On these, the
             user cannot run your program at all!
             2. Avoid using the INPUT command.  It allows the user to
             wipe out the screen and provides very little control to
             the programmer. Instead, use an INKEY$ routine.  Almost
             all BASIC programmers are now following these rules, but
             they still bear repeating.  Not a cardinal rule but still
             a very good idea for BASIC programmers is to use
             assembler subroutines for doing screen writes.  Users are
             accustomed to instantaneous screen writes in professional
             programs.  An alternative is to use the paging
             capabilities of the graphics card but then users with
             monochrome monitors must still wait.
        4.6  Make The Program And Keys Work Naturally
             All programmers should allow full-screen editing.  This
             simply means that the user can move back to a prior
             prompt with the cursor keys to correct an error.
             Thoughtless (or lazy) programmers make the user go all
             the way through a series of prompts and then asks if
             there are any corrections.  The best time to correct an
             error is as soon as you notice it.  That way, you can get
             your mind off the error and back on your work.
             Similarly, the Esc key should always allow the user to
             get out of whatever he has gotten into.  Nobody likes to
             re-boot his computer just because he accidentally
             selected a wrong option and can't get out of it.  I have
             seen retail programs that use the Esc key to execute a
             command.  Make the program as flexible as possible.  What
             may seem to you like a natural, logical key to strike for
             a particular function may not seem so to the user. 
             That's why keyboard modification utilities are so
             popular.  For example, to page up, you could let the user
             press either Ctrl-P or PgUp or, better yet, select his
             own favorite key to use.
                                    39
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   4.   Making Your Program User-Friendly (Continued)
        4.7  Let The User Customize
             Send your program out with black and white screens but
             allow the user to change colors.  Some programmers use
             colors that are only visible on color monitors.  Remember
             that some people use amber or green monitors on color
             graphics cards.  Early versions of Diskcat tested for the
             presence of the color graphics card and, upon finding it,
             started using yellow (brown) for text.  Of course, it did
             not show up on amber monitors.
             Allow the user to customize the program for his printer. 
             Ideally, you should have the control codes for most
             printers in files on disk so that the user just selects
             his printer from a menu.  An easier (for the programmer)
             alternative is to allow the user to enter the control
             codes for his printer, although figuring these out from
             the printer manual often seems to be beyond the
             capabilities of novices.
             When your program does printing, allow pauses for each
             new page for people not using fanfold paper.  (This is
             not quite as critical anymore.  Most people now use
             fanfold paper on dot matrix printers or use lasers with
             paper trays.)  End each printout with a formfeed so that
             those who do use fanfold paper can chain printouts into a
             print buffer.
             Make sound effects optional.  Some heavily modified
             versions of PC-TALK sound like a calliope, there are so
             many warning beeps and tones built in.  These are not
             appreciated by others when you are working in an open
             office or late into the night at home.  Again, some
             PC-compatibles do not support sound (eg: Sanyo).
             PUT THINGS BACK WHERE YOU FOUND THEM:  One very useful
             utility in our library uses colors that do not show up on
             some monitors.  Worse yet, it does not put back your
             colors when it exits to DOS, so you have to reboot the
             system to be able to see the screen again.  Some other
             programs put you back in DOS with a 40-character display
             or in the graphics mode or with your printer set to print
             Sanskrit.
                                    40
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   4.   Making Your Program User-Friendly (Continued)
        4.8  Keeping Your Files Together
             If your files will not fill up a disk by themselves, they
             will probably be put on disks with other files.  Even if
             you don't expect this to happen, it is still a good idea
             to give your files names that will cause them to be
             grouped together when a sorted directory is done and that
             make it clear which files are in a set.  If you have
             files named READ.ME or AUTOEXEC.BAT, they probably will
             not survive being put on a disk with another program.
             Give them unique names.  For example, the PC-DIAL files
             are named PC-DIAL.COM, PC-DIAL.DOC, and PC-DIAL.PRO.
             Since the files total only 90k and are likely to be
             combined on a disk with other files, these names will
             keep the files together.  In contrast, see the names of a
             set of programs below:
                  Original Names      Alternatives
                  --------------      ------------                   
                  MDSECRET.COM        HIDE_MD.COM
                  CDSECRET.COM        HIDE_CD.COM
                  RDSECRET.COM        HIDE_RD.COM
             You should also put a lot of thought into the filename of
             your program if it is a short utility that will be mixed
             in with others.  For instance, the average user is never
             going to make the connection that GREP is a text-search
             utility.  A name such as FINDTEXT.EXE would have been
             better.  One nice utility came out with three files:
             DOWNLOAD.DOC, DL.COM and RESET.COM.  What typically
             happens is that these are put on a disk with 60 other
             files.  Someone looks at RESET.COM, can't find any
             documentation for it, so they delete it.  Same thing
             happens with DL.COM.
             The other problem is that someone skims through a listing
             of the disk, sees the name DOWNLOAD, and assumes that it
             has something to do with communications and ignores it. 
             Doesn't matter, since the COM files have been deleted
             anyway.  How much easier things would have been if the
             files had been named BKUP.DOC, BKUP.COM (this is a
             routine to backup a hard disk) and BKUP-SET.COM (sets the
             archive bit on a file so that it will be copied.)  
             Number Each Release:  Believe it or not, some people send
             out frequent updates to their programs and never put a
             date or release number on them. That makes it nearly
             impossible for you to control what versions of your
             program are in distribution and for users to know if you
             have released a new version.
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       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   4.   Making Your Program User-Friendly (Continued)
        4.9  Do NOT Use 1.2m Drives To Make 360k Disks
             If you own a computer with only a 1.2m 5 1/4" floppy
             drive and you use it for making 360k copies,  replace
             that 1.2m drive with a TRUE 360k drive!   Why?
             ALL disk vendors distribute either 360k 5 1/4" or 720k 3
             1/2" disks.  A few distribute collections on 1.44m 3.5"
             disks.  NO, not ONE, nada vendors sell 1.2m 5 1/2" disks. 
             Period!
             Don't let a computer store or mail order outfit tell you
             that you can make 360k copies on 1.2m high density
             drives.  Sure, sometimes you can.  Often a disk vendor or
             customer will NOT be able to read the disk.  The vendor
             will drop you from their catalog because you sent them an
             unreadable disk and you will get a LOT of calls from
             those to whom you have sent registered disks.  It will
             cause you loss of big bucks, lost sales and frustrated
             customers.  Sort of akin to the end of the world for a
             shareware author.
             Why?  The answer is fairly simple.  To get 1.2m on a
             5.25" disk, the disk drive "paints" a track that is 1/2
             as wide as the 360k drives so it can place 80 tracks on a
             disk rather than 40.  Sure, you can ask the DOS FORMAT
             program to tell your disk drive to lay down only 40
             tracks for a 360k format, but they are still THIN tracks. 
             If the disk was previously formatted, and often suppliers
             sell pre-formatted disks at no additional price, the
             vestiges of the 80 tracks are STILL there, even though
             your disk drive just wrote a 40 track 360k format onto
             the disk.  A true 360k drive has a WIDER head and will
             easily pick up portions of bits from the adjacent
             unerased thin track that was laid down previously.  The
             360k drive reads garbled data and DOS gives up.
             Even if you make 360k disks with disks that have NEVER
             been formatted before, the tracks are too thin to be read
             by many 360k drives.  A slightly out of adjustment 360k
             drive can read true 360k disks just fine, but will choke
             on one of those darned disks made on a high density
             drive.
             This problem does NOT exist with 1.44m 3 1/2" drives. 
             The track width on both the 720k and 1.44m formats is the
             SAME.  Eighty tracks are used for both 720k and 1.44m. 
             The 1.44m format just has twice as many sectors to the
             track.
                                    42
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   5.   Writing The Documentation
        The following book has been recommended by ASP member Morrie
        Wilson, author of Command Post:  How to Write a Computer
        Manual; By Jonathan Price; The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing
        Company; (800) 227-1936 (USA); (800) 982-6140 (CA). Price:
        $35. ISBN 0-8053-6870-1.
        5.1  Multiple Documentation Files
             As mentioned earlier, if you have a large documentation
             file, don't expect the user to print and read it right
             away. If there are some key points that the user will
             need to know to get through a first trial run, condense
             them into a shorter file and have a batch file print it
             out for novices.  Your terms of distribution and payment
             should also be in a separate, short file (named
             REGISTER.DOC, ORDER.TXT, etc.) where software librarians
             and users can find them.  Authors who bury their terms of
             distribution and invoice at the back of a 100k
             documentation file are just asking to have them ignored. 
             ASP recommends putting vendor info in VENDOR.DOC.
        5.2  Formatting and Printing The Documentation
             It is amazing how many authors put the documentation file
             on the disk with all of their word processor's formatting
             commands embedded in it.  If the user can't read the
             documentation, you've already got one strike against you. 
             Some people use file compression on the documentation
             file and the user must run a program to translate the
             file.  Putting the documentation in a format that cannot
             easily be read from DOS is not a good idea because it
             reduces the odds that the user will thoroughly read the
             documentation.  But if you must compress it, it is even
             more important to condense the key facts into a shorter
             file.  Even if the documentation is in straight ASCII, it
             is helpful if you add a program to print it out to the
             screen or printer.  This makes it easier for novices to
             get a printout while the file being in ASCII still allows
             experienced users to access the documentation in other
             ways.  The program should allow for pausing after every
             page to change paper, if the user needs to do so.
             Use a spelling checker.  We have talked about how a
             professional looking program will generate more revenues,
             and nothing looks more unprofessional than blatant
             misspellings.
                                    43
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   5.   Writing The Documentation (Continued)
        5.2  Formatting and Printing The Documentation (Continued)
             If your documentation is more than 5 or 10 pages, include
             a Table Of Contents.  You should also have an Index. 
             Modern word processors will create these for you.  Notice
             how this document is improved by both.
             Be sure that you "print" the finished document to a
             straight ASCII file that contains no control characters
             except a Form Feed (ASCII 12) after line 59 on each page. 
             Do not pad blank lines to make a full 66 lines per page. 
             The HP laser printers (and compatibles) can handle only
             59 or 60 lines before they eject the page.  If you have
             more than 59 lines between Form Feeds, the HP laser will
             perform premature ejection and the remainging lines will
             be printed at the top of the next page.  Dot matrix
             printers will also handle the Form Feed every 59 lines
             just fine.
        5.3  Contents of the Documentation File
             Right after your title page, disclaimer of warranty, and
             table of contents, there should be a listing of all files
             that are supposed to be on the disk, along with a short
             description of each.  If a file has dropped out in the
             distribution process, this will alert the user and save
             him some frustration.  This information should also be
             included in your condensed documentation file.
             Next, give a quick over-view of just what your software
             does.  This will help people reviewing your system and
             may cause a quicker positive "buy" decision.
             After you've recited all the dry facts in your
             documentation, try giving the user some illustrative
             examples.  This can make things a lot clearer to the user
             and save you the headache of having to clarify things
             over the phone.
             List all the changes made with each version that's
             released.  This lets potential users see that you are
             supporting the program by making enhancements and fixing
             bugs and allows users to know if you have fixed problems
             that they had with an earlier version.  Make sure that
             when you refer to a file, the file name on the disk has
             not changed.
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       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   6.   The Association of Shareware Professionals ("ASP")
        The file you are reading actually led to the formation of ASP. 
        This file originated in late 1984 and was distributed to
        shareware authors in early 1985 along with a survey asking
        about an interest in a programmers group.  After finally
        getting a good number of responses and compiling the
        information, I started work in early 1986 for a get-together
        of shareware authors for the primary purpose of forming a
        trade association.  The plans culminated with a Shareware
        Convention on February 27 1987 in Houston Texas, from which
        the ASP was born due to the enthusiastic participation of top
        shareware programmers such as Jim Button (PC-File), Bob
        Wallace (PC-Write) and Marshall Magee (Automenu).
        These people could have adopted the attitude that they were
        already successful enough without such an organization, but
        they did not.  They paid their own way to the Convention even
        though they were the featured speakers!  Button was elected
        the ASP's first (and second) Chairman of the Board of
        Directors.  Magee became the first President.  Tom Smith
        served as a director.  And none of these are "honorary"
        positions; they involve a great deal of time and effort.  Many
        others, such as Barry Simon, Bob Tolz, Joan Friedman, and
        others too numerous to mention have also done a tremendous
        amount of work for ASP as directors, officers, and committee
        members, but I suspect that had the top shareware programmers
        not taken such an active role, ASP would not have had much
        credibility and possibly would not still be around.
        The ASP also owes thanks to the sysops of IBMNET on
        CompuServe.  Sysops Conrad Kageyama and Don Watkins were at
        the Convention and arranged, on the spot, a place on IBMNET
        for the shareware authors to meet electronically and continue
        our plans.  We have been meeting there daily ever since in
        what must be a record for longest continuous business meeting.
        ASP also has an annual physical meeting at the Fall Comdex
        each year.  For more information about ASP, log onto
        CompuServe and type GO SHAREWARE.  You do not have to be a
        member of CompuServe to join ASP, but since much of the
        benefit of membership is related to the exchanges between
        members (and between members and users) on the Shareware
        Forum, anyone serious about shareware should make an effort to
        take part on the Forum.  To get a CompuServe account, call
        800-848-8199 (614-457-0802).
        To contact the ASP, write to Association of Shareware
        Professionals, 545 Grover Road, Muskegon MI 49442-9427,
        telephone 616-788-5131 or you can FAX to 616-788-2765.
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       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   6.   The Association of Shareware Professionals ("ASP")
        Many ASP members as well as non-ASP shareware authors,
        vendors, BBSs, User Group representatives and others also
        attend the annual 2 1/2 day Summer Shareware Seminar hosted by
        Public Brand Software in Indianapolis, Indiana each June,
        usually the weekend (starting on Friday) just before the NY-PC
        Expo.  Contact Bob Ostrander at 317-856-6052 for more
        information.  This annual event is an excellent opportunity to
        "rub elbows" with lots of other shareware folks.
        Here is a testimonial from ASP member Lou Miranda:
        "I am a starving graduate student making $12,000 a year with
        enormous time demands.  My girlfriend lives 30 miles away
        (checked the price of gas lately?); my apartment looks like a
        tornado swept through it.  I used to log on to this forum only
        once a week when I first joined ASP."
        "Then twice a week.  Now I'm up to four times a week (I simply
        *can't* afford the money or time to do more than  that...yet). 
        Why? Because the *volume* and *quality* of information on this
        forum is *phenomenal*!  You simply can't create that in a
        newsletter, no matter how often it is released."
        "[The above] was in a message posted on the ASP forum over a
        year ago (in 1991).  Since then, some things have changed: 
        I'm still a starving student, but now I'm working on finishing
        up my Ph.D.; and my girlfriend is now my fiancee.  And some
        things have stayed the same: I'm still very busy, my apartment
        still looks like a tornado swept through it, and I still log
        onto the ASP forum!  The forum has gone through some
        reorganization in the past year, to better meet the needs of
        the members.  You can get information from fellow members on
        such topics as: How to handle a purchase order; how to get a
        credit card account; what the best database managers are; how
        to handle a customer with an unreasonable gripe; how to handle
        a customer with a legitimate gripe; how to deal with price
        increases in your product; where to get your documentation
        printed; how to promote your newest release; and how much time
        to spend on programming vs. how much time to spend on
        promotion."
        "Remember--these are the best minds in the business, and
        they're all at your disposal at no charge!  That's an offer
        *I* can't refuse.  Can you?"
        Editor's Note - Lou is referring to the ASPFORUM (GO SHARE) on
        CompuServe.  Even if you are not an ASP member, stop by the
        forum with any questions you may have.  If you wish to join
        CompuServe call 800-848-8990, 614-457-8650, United Kingdom at
        0800 289 458, Germany at 0130-4643.
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       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services
        NOTE: The information in this section is subject to change at
        any time.  Check the date on this file.  If it is old, this
        info may no longer be valid; get a new copy of this disk from
        PsL (713-524-6394) or from Lib 4 of the ASPFORUM on
        CompuServe.
        7.1  Telephone
        AT&T has a low cost 800-line service called the Ready Line
        which is relatively inexpensive.  For about 23 cents a minute
        out of state, about 35 cents a minute in state (for Texas),
        you can have a fancy 800 number just like the big boys.  Most
        of the good acronyms are already gone, but you should still be
        able to come up with something.  At the PsL, our number is
        1-800-2424-PsL, which we think is easy to remember.  However,
        we were not able to get anything like 800-PsL-DISK or
        800-SHRWARE, which would have been better.  Another shareware
        distributor has the number 800-IBM-DISK, but IBM clamped down
        on them for trademark infringement and they no longer
        advertize the number that way, so we suggest that you not
        waste time trying to work "IBM" into your acronym.  The Ready
        Line 800 number is assigned to your regular telephone number,
        so you do not even have to get a second line, unless you just
        want to be able to know for sure if someone has dialed the 800
        number.
        An AT&T competitor, Sprint, has cheaper rates, although only
        time will tell if their service will match AT&T's.  Sprint's
        rates are as follows: $10/month Rates vary with distance and
        total number of hours: 0-5 hours: $.2125-$.23 5-25 hours:
        $.195-$.205 25-75 hours: $.1775-$.19 75-150 hours:
        $.1775-$.1875 Call 800-347-3300 to order service. (Rates above
        are as of 1990 and are subject to change.)
        7.2  Smart Answering Machines
             Programmer John Newlin reports:  I purchased a product
             called the Complete Answering Machine ("CAM") after
             reading about it in the July issue of Home Office
             Computing. It's an outstanding system that includes a
             plug-in card and all the necessary software.  It runs in
             the background so the machine it's running on is not
             completely dedicated.  The system allows you to do    
             all kinds of nifty telephone things like transferring
             calls, having the caller touch different numbers to get
             different messages, message forwarding, remote message
             retrieval, etc.  All messages, greetings, etc, are stored
             on disk in compressed digitized form.  For that reason, a
             hard disk is almost a necessity.
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       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.2  Smart Answering Machines (Continued)
             The quality of the recording is phenomenal.  CAM retails
             for $349 (several years ago), but I got it from 47th
             Street (800-221-7774) in New York for $214 plus shipping. 
             The name of the manufacturer is The Complete PC; 521
             Milpitas Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035. 408-434-0145, 800-
             229-1753.
             Here is another view by author Paul Mayer - I remembered
             seeing a review in PC Magazine on computerized answering
             machines and voice mail systems and it had one that stood
             out above the others and was the Editor's Choice.  I did
             a search on CompuServe in the ZIFNET files and found the
             information.  It was BigmOuth from Talking Technology,
             Inc., 1125 Atlantic Ave., Alameda, CA 94501,
             510-522-3800.
             The system does not run as a TSR as CAM did so I've
             dedicated an old computer to the task.  You can use
             multitasking software to run it in the background but
             having an unused machine laying around made this
             unnecessary.
             The system gives the appearance of the caller connecting
             to a big corporation with multiple departments.  Before
             going full time shareware, I'd have my computer call a
             pager number and beep me whenever anyone called and I
             wasn't in the office.  This is great as I could then call
             in and retrieve the messages it would take and get back
             to the customer right away.  This gives them the feeling
             that the customer lines were busy and you've returned
             their call immediately.  If you'd like a demo of
             BigmOuth, you can call the 510-522-3800 number and they
             will transfer you to a demo system using BigmOuth.  The
             price was around $300 at the time I bought my system and
             I've seen it advertised for less in mail order catalogs. 
             All in all, it's quite a value for what it can do.
             Answering Services can be expensive.  If you cannot be
             available during the day, your best bet is probably to
             get a computer voice synthesizing answering device such
             as Newlin described.  Many large companies are now using
             these to route calls, so there should be less of a
             small-timer stigma attached to them as there is to a
             simple answering machine.
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       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.3  Fax Machines
             All the experts are predicting that everyone will have a
             fax in a few years, but it seems a little premature for
             someone just starting off in shareware to get one right
             now. On the other hand, if you have to deal with
             magazines and other large companies, they are going to
             *assume* that you have a FAX and it could reflect on your
             professionalism if you do not.  At PsL, we have been
             using the Intel Connection Coprocessor.  A FAX card with
             its own CPU will let you receive and send messages in the
             background while you continue to use the computer for
             other things.  However, for about the same price, you can
             get a stand-alone FAX machine these days.  Good FAX
             machines can be purchased for less than $500.
             Richard Harper reports success in using a device called
             Fax/Phone Switch II by Electronic Speech Systems.  The
             cost is about $50.  It answers all calls with a pleasant
             voice that explains that if you stay on the line the FAX
             will answer.  If you say the word "telephone" at the
             tone, the call will be switched to the phone.  It is
             simple, elegant, low cost and it works.  You can have
             your regular telephone and answering machine on the voice
             port.  a dealer is TKP&F Computer Science, 5415 Endicott
             Street, Roanoke VA 24019, 703-362-7114.
             7.4  Disk Labels
             With font programs, you can make small quantities of
             laser labels at a low cost that look like they were
             custom printed.  Avery Label Pro is the best laser label
             program, in my opinion.  Paul Mayer recommends CompUSA
             for laser labels.  If there is not one near you, you can
             call them at 817-261-7702 or 800-342-7638.  They accept
             mail orders through this number by credit card.  Prices
             on 6/1/90 were:
                  8-1/2 x 11 sheets (100)     $17.99   Stock #853262
                  5-1/4" disk labels  (840)   $26.49   Stock #853901
                  3-1/2" disk labels  (630)   $26.49   Stock #853892
                                    49
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.4  Disk Labels (Continued)
             Avery will send you a sample pack of laser labels for the
             purpose of getting your software to work with them. 
             Write to them at 777 East Foothill Blvd., Azusa, CA
             91702-1358 or call 800-541-5507.
             The Computer Label Company, 800-332-4223 (619-322-3030)
             and MEI, 800-634-3478 (614-481-4417) have the best prices
             we can find on standard 3.5" by 1" labels.  You can also
             call United Ad Label at 800-423-4643 (714-990-2700) and
             ask for a free catalog and sample label kit.  They
             specialize in audio/video labels but they do have both
             pin-feed and laser sheet labels for 3.5" and 5.25" floppy
             disks.
             Another good source for labels is Lyben Computer Supplies
             313-268-8100.  They have the Avery labels.  They are also
             one of the few suppliers that carry the continuous
             fanfold label stock that can be used for 3.5" disks.  The
             labels are 2 3/4 by 1 15/16 inch and is Stock # 0300.
        7.5  Disk Sleeves
             PsL's sleeves are printed by Data Envelope (408-374-9720)
             at an average cost of about 5 cents each for two-color
             printing on both sides of tyvek sleeves, including a
             one-time charge for plates.  This was based on a volume
             of 50k, but even in volumes of 1000, you can get
             two-color sleeves for as little as 10 cents each.  The
             same company printed our labels, which you can get for as
             little as one cent each.
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       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.6  Art Work
             If you can get someone to design a logo you like for as
             little as $500, you have gotten a bargain.  Don't be
             surprised to pay $1000 or more.  Your best bet is to find
             someone who works for a design agency and moonlights. 
             Also check the person listed on page 66.
        7.7  Blank Disks
             Flip through the pages of Computer Shopper and take your
             pick.  It makes sense to us that if you are sending a
             copy to someone who should make a working copy from your
             disk and not use your disk much, the cheapest disk you
             can find should suffice, particularly if you are sending
             out a couple of hundred disks to distributors.  Be aware
             that some colored disks (red or orange, in particular)
             may not be readable on some disk drives.  We find that
             about half or more of our customers, when given a choice
             of disk sizes at the same price, choose 3.5". Some MUST
             have 3.5", so be prepared.  Also realize that the
             cheapest disk will not always hold the image for long.
             7.8  Disk Duplication
             In our opinion, disk duplication services are grossly
             over-priced.  However, others use these services and are
             happy with them.  If you are pushing out 1,000 or more
             disks a month, you might want to get a duplicator.  You
             can get a stand-alone, four-disk copier for around $1100
             these days, which is a real bargain; we have paid $2000
             for copiers that require a PC. (Call Micro-Technology
             Concepts, Inc., 718-456-9100.)
             A stand-alone hopper-fed copier will cost a minimum of
             about $3500, but it will be a LOT nicer to use for large
             copy jobs than feeding disks in one at a time.  You may
             be able to get a better price from Tony at Formats
             Unlimited, 121 Toledo St., East Farmingdale, NY, 11735
             (800) 645-8461 or (516) 249-9200.
             There are many public domain and shareware programs
             designed to make disk copying and formatting faster. 
             Before spending even $1100 on a duplicator, try some of
             these programs.  In the PsL, we have many of them on
             disks U1-1553 and 2673 Disk Copying Utilities.
                                    51
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
             7.8  Disk Duplication (Continued)
             ASP author, Randy MacLean has the shareware DUP program
             that stores an image of your shareware floppy disk master
             on your hard drive.  Through the program's menu, you
             select the particular image to create floppy disk copies. 
             Formatting is optional in case you have reliable pre-
             formatted disks.  PsL U1-2673 contains this program or
             you can contact Randy at 416-857-4141.  If you need a
             fancier version to drive the hopper type duplicator,
             Randy has the non-shareware ProCopy program.
        7.9  Diskette Mailers
             A good source of plain, inexpensive, flat diskette
             mailers for one or two disks is MailSafe 800-527-0754
             (798-872-6677). Mailers are less than $.14 in quantities
             of 1000.  If you opt for a return address printed on it,
             it doubles the price, but looks pretty cheap.  Instead,
             either print your return address labels or try the next
             company.
             If you want fancy mailers, try the Ames Safety Envelope
             Company, 312-279-9474, 188 Industrial Drive, Suite 431.
             Ask for Gary Traynor.  You do have to order quite a few,
             however. For 5,000, the price should be about $.65 each.
             For 10,000, about $.45 each.
             PsL used to use the fancy mailers, but we think that a
             better alternative is to have 6"x9" (or whatever size you
             need) envelopes printed with your logo.
             Calumet Carton Company 708-333-6521 has 6" x 6" mailers
             for $0.16 each, 6" x 8" for $0.18 and 7" x 9" for about
             $0.21 each.  These are Peal-Seal Stay-Flats with an easy-
             open tear strip.
             If you put a manual in with your disks, you probably
             don't need any more protection for the disk(s) than that. 
             At PsL, we put the disks inside a MailSafe mailer and put
             that inside the envelope.  This is still cheaper than the
             Ames mailers, and the customer gets a fresh mailer for
             his own use.  You should be able to get paper envelopes
             printed with your logo for about a dime or so. Tyvek
             envelopes will cost about 20 cents or more, but they are
             worth it. They are rip-proof and water-proof. Check with
             your local printer.
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       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.9  Diskette Mailers (Continued)
             Quill sells 5 1/4" foam-lined cardboard mailers for
             $5.66/10 or $16.47/30 (They also have 8" foam-lined
             cardboard mailers.) Bubble-lined 00 mailing envelopes,
             $29.88/250, $129.40/1250 Self-sealing bubble-lined 00
             mailing envelopes, $31.97/250, $139.80/1250 Recycled
             padding 00 mailing envelopes, $33.49/250, $144.80/12.50
             Cro-nel self-adhesive foam packaging, $53.97/250 feet
             (This stuff has foam on one side, paper on the other, and
             the foam is treated to stick to itself. You just tear off
             a hunk, fold it over your diskette, and address the
             outside -- instant mailer, sized to what you want to send
             in it).  Quill is at 714-988-3200 (Western states),
             708-634-4800 (Midwest, Midsouth, Northeast) or
             404-479-6100 (Southeastern states).  No shipping charge
             on orders over $45.
             Some authors purchase 6" x 9" envelopes from their
             printers that include their address and logo.  The words
             "FIRST CLASS" should be printed below the postage stamp
             area.  The Postal Service employees that do the initial
             sorting are usually new hires that think anything larger
             than a business size envelope is Third Class.  Unless you
             want a LOT of delays, have FIRST CLASS in large letters
             or purchase a stamp from your office supply store.  Also
             have "DO NOT BEND - MAGNETIC MEDIA" below your return
             address.
             You can also purchase cardboard cut to 8 1/2" x 5 1/2 "
             from your local printer.  Use this to sandwich your 5.25"
             disks.  Use 4 sheets of cardboard for overseas mailings
             to insure they get there undamaged.  You can also tape
             3.5" disks to the cardboard to prevent sliding in the
             envelope.  You can ship 3.5" disks in a regular business
             sized envelope.  You can either wrap it in several sheets
             of install or upgrade instructions or cut narrow
             cardboard stock to sandwich the disk(s).
                                    53
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.9  Diskette Mailers (Continued)
             Here is a summary of places that sell disk mailers:
             Calumet Carton            Sterling Disk Duplication
                Company                11495 N. Pennsylvania Ave,
             P.O. Box 405                       Ste 204
             16920 State Street        Carmel  IN  46032
             S. Holland IL 60473       317-575-3390
             708-333-6521              FAX: 317-575-3389
             FAX: 708-333-8540
             Pack & Wrap               Mailers
             466 Derby Avenue          40650 Forest View Road
             W. Haven  CT  06516       Mt. Zion  IL  60099
             800-541-9782              800-872-6670
             203-389-1983              708-872-4842
             FAX: 203-389-9416         FAX: 708-872-6677
             The Sirgo Company         Mail Safe
             P.O. Box 58               4340 W. 47th Street
             Schereville IN 46375      Chicago  IL  60632
             219-865-6092              708-872-6677
             FAX: 219-322-5194         800-527-0754
                                       FAX: 708-872-4842
             Quill Office              International Media & Supplies
               Products                3501 Coffee Road, Suite 9
             P.O. Box 94080            Modesto  CA 95355
             Palatine  IL              800-835-5515
                  60094-4080           FAX: 209-571-5757
             708-634-4800
             FAX: 708-634-5708
                                    54
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.10 Boxes
             If you are mailing manuals, you may need boxes. PsL gets
             boxes from Fidelity 800-328-3034 (612-536-6500) and
             Iroquois 800-453-3355 (312-436-4900).  Call and ask for a
             catalog.  We also get some boxes from local box stores,
             although they cost a bit more per box.  The companies
             mentioned also sell general office supplies, but if you
             have a office supply super-store in your area, you can
             probably do better there.
        7.11 Bar Coding
             If you hope to get into retail stores, you should be sure
             to put bar codes on your packaging. Start by calling the
             Uniform Code Council at 513-435-3870. At present, it
             costs $300 to get a number.  Rumor has it that the rate
             may go up later.  If you need an ISBN number, call 908-
             665-2849.
        7.12 Credit Card Merchant Accounts
             MasterCard & Visa - MC/Visa Merchant accounts can be very
             difficult for mail-order merchants to get, more so in
             some parts of the country than in others.  If you have
             had a business checking account for your business for
             several years, get to know your branch manager well.  Try
             them first.
             If that fails, your next step should be to check ALL your
             local banks.  It's possible that many of the local banks
             are processed by the same clearinghouse who sets the
             rules for member banks about acceptance of mail-order
             merchants.  I checked almost every bank in Houston before
             finding First Interstate, who is cleared by its parent
             bank in California and who gave us an account.
             I used to include in here the names and phone numbers of
             companies that might fix you up with a credit card
             account, but this information changes and it's important
             to get the very latest info.  You can do so by asking on
             the SHAREWARE forum on CompuServe.  If you cannot get an
             account, PsL offers a not-for-profit credit card ordering
             service. For a small fee, your customers can call PsL's
             800# (or FAX or CIS numbers) and place an order with any
             major credit card.  You can ship or have PsL ship.  If
             you have PsL ship, you may want to have PsL ship ALL your
             orders for you for an even smaller fee.  Contact PsL for
             more info.
                                    55
       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.12 Credit Card Merchant Accounts (Continued)
             If you become an ASP Author member, contact the ASP
             office for the name of a bank that has been very willing
             to work with shareware authors.
             American Express & Discover
             While MC/Visa are the big guns, American Express was
             willing to give us an account when we were still
             operating out of our home.  At the time, Discover was not
             willing to do the same.  However, we have recently
             (5/9/90) been told that Discover has set up a branch for
             mail-order businesses.  We do not know at this time if
             this includes in-the-home businesses.  We had no trouble
             getting a Discover account after we moved into regular
             offices.
        7.13 A Banker's Perspective
             Following is a document prepared by Eric Isaacson that
             may help you convince your bank that someone in the
             shareware business is worthy of consideration for a
             Merchant Account:
  1. ——————————————————

Shareware Marketing of Software: A Banker's Perspective

                             by Eric Isaacson
                      Copyright 1991 Eric Isaacson.
             All rights reserved.  Permission is hereby granted to
             shareware businesses and members of the banking industry
             to freely copy and distribute this unmodified work
             between and among themselves. 
             Your comments are welcome!  Send them to:
                  Eric Isaacson Software
                  416 E. University Ave.
                  Bloomington  IN  47401-4739
                  (812)339-1811
                                    56
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.13 A Banker's Perspective (Continued)
             The Purpose of This Booklet
             In the past ten years a new approach to marketing
             computer software has emerged: shareware.  Shareware is
             relatively small compared to the overall software market,
             and it is very different.  It has been poorly understood
             by bankers wishing to evaluate shareware businesses. 
             This booklet explains the shareware business from the
             banker's point of view.
             Why Software Is Different
             A computer has two components: the hardware and the
             software.  The physical machinery comprises the hardware:
             the main box, various disk drives and circuit boards
             mounted inside, and the keyboard and monitor connected
             via cables.  Computer programs comprise the software: the
             operating system, the word processor, the spreadsheet,
             the accounting package, the database manager, etc.
             The marketing of computer software poses unique problems. 
             The value of software is intellectual: it comes from the
             hundreds-to-thousands of hours spent preparing the
             program and making sure it works perfectly for all users. 
             The price of the floppy disks that carry the software is
             tiny compared to the intellectual value.  This makes the
             computer software industry similar to the video-movie
             industry: both have problems with unauthorized copying. 
             But the problems of computer software are worse: first,
             most computers have the built-in ability to duplicate
             software using just one machine. Duplication of movies
             requires two tape decks placed next to each other.
             Second, copies of software are perfect duplicates of the
             original.  With videotape, there is significant and
             annoying degradation when copying is attempted.
             To combat unauthorized copying, some software publishers
             attempted to make their software difficult to copy.  This
             "copy protection" was common in the early days of
             personal computing.  But publishers have never succeeded
             in devising a protection scheme that doesn't annoy the
             legitimate purchaser of the program.  
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.13 A Banker's Perspective (Continued)
             Today almost all computers have high-capacity ("hard")
             disk drives onto which all software is copied.  If a user
             can't copy the software to the hard drive, that user
             isn't likely to buy the software.  Copy-protected
             software has almost disappeared from the marketplace.
             Other software publishers have taken the completely
             opposite approach to the problem: they market their
             software as shareware. 
             What Is Shareware?
             Shareware is the opposite of copy-protection.  Rather
             than trying to prevent copying, the software publisher
             actually encourages the user to make copies and "share"
             the program with anyone interested.  Complete
             documentation is placed onto the floppy disk along with
             the program.  In the documentation there is an
             explanation of shareware.  Anyone who receives a copy of
             the program is encouraged to try out the program.  If
             they like it, they should send payment (usually called a
             "registration") for the program directly to the
             publisher. Thus the ability to make perfect copies of the
             program becomes a tool for marketing the program.
             Note that shareware authors retain a valid copyright to
             the program.  The author establishes the conditions under
             which the program may be copied.  The author may also
             establish a specific amount of time for evaluation of the
             program, beyond which the user is legally required to
             either pay the registration fee or stop using the
             program.  The validity of a shareware program's copyright
             has been tested and approved by the courts: a Missouri
             shareware author successfully sued a Texas distributor
             for violating his conditions for copying.  Also, a
             shareware author was invited to testify before a U.S.
             Congressional committee evaluating software copyright
             law, and the law was reworded to recognize explicitly the
             existence and validity of shareware.
             Shareware is still a small segment of the whole software
             industry, but it is growing rapidly.  Annual revenues
             connected with shareware are estimated to exceed $100
             million in 1991.
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.13 A Banker's Perspective (Continued)
             The Shareware Author's Business
             Most businesses publishing shareware consist of a single
             person: the author of the program.  Many authors develop
             programs on evenings and weekends, while retaining a full
             time job weekdays.  The author invests mostly time and
             not money: a good program takes many hours to prepare,
             but it takes at most only a few hundred dollars to
             market.
             Marketing a shareware product consists simply of placing
             it into the shareware distribution stream -- transmitting
             the program to free or low-cost dial-up computers called
             "bulletin-board systems", transmitting or sending it to
             nationwide services like Compuserve and Prodigy, and
             sending copies to companies that catalog and distribute
             shareware.  If the product is good, enthusiastic users
             will spread it themselves, so that an initial
             distribution of a few dozen copies will proliferate into
             many thousands of copies.  A significant number of those
             thousands result in registrations (money) sent to the
             author.
             What are the advantages and disadvantages of shareware
             marketing?  The disadvantages are that a program takes
             time to build up sales volume, and the volume will
             usually be much smaller.  Also, a program must be very
             good to succeed as shareware.  It might be possible, via
             skillful marketing and advertising, to fool the public
             into buying a mediocre program when it's shrink-wrapped
             on a store shelf.  But the user can try out a shareware
             program before buying it -- if it's mediocre, the user
             won't use it and hence won't register it.
             The advantages of shareware are low risk and low
             overhead.  Through traditional (non-shareware)
             distribution channels, it takes from $200,000 to $500,000
             to properly launch a software product.  Markups must be
             granted to both retail outlets and their supplying
             distributors, so that the publisher might get only 15% of
             the retail price, and the author even less.
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.13 A Banker's Perspective (Continued)
             Some shareware programs fail: they aren't good enough to
             generate registrations.  But the author doesn't thereby
             go bankrupt.  He or she simply loses the modest,
             out-of-pocket initial disk-and-postage investment.
             There are hundreds of shareware authors who make enough
             money from shareware to substantially supplement their
             regular job income.  About 50 authors are making a living
             from shareware receipts, and have gone full-time with
             their shareware business.  Many of them can make a
             handsome profit without even needing to hire anyone else
             to help out.
             Some shareware businesses grow into full-fledged
             companies, with dozens of employees and multi-million
             dollar annual sales.  To reach that level, the author
             typically supplements the shareware marketing with
             traditional advertising and dealer distribution.  But
             even for those companies, the risks are low because the
             author moves into traditional distribution only after the
             product is generating significant revenue through
             shareware marketing.  The expansion is financed via
             existing profits, rather than venture capital.
             Shareware Businesses and Banking
             Shareware marketing is completely unique -- the only
             other business with its try-before-you-buy philosophy is
             Public Television; but Public Broadcasting stations do
             not enjoy the low overhead that shareware authors do.
             The uniqueness of shareware makes it poorly understood in
             the banking industry, especially those handling
             credit-card merchant accounts.  Shareware has some of the
             characteristics bankers normally associate with poor
             risk: payments are made almost entirely by mail or
             telephone, and all but the largest shareware businesses
             are operated out of the author's home.
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.13 A Banker's Perspective (Continued)
             In reality, however, shareware authors are ideal
             credit-card merchants from the banker's point of view. 
             Unlike other mail-order businesses in which the customer
             doesn't see the product until it arrives, with shareware
             the customer already has the product.  If the customer
             isn't happy, he or she simply stops using the program,
             and never pays the author in the first place.  If the
             customer wishes to defraud the author, he or she simply
             uses the program and never contacts the author.  Thus,
             all of a shareware author's paying customers are both
             happy with the product and honest enough to pay for it. 
             The level of customer complaints and chargebacks is close
             to zero.  Credit-card fraud for shareware is
             non-existent.
             If a banker knows about shareware, he or she should
             welcome a shareware author's business.  How can a banker
             identify a bona fide shareware business?  To start, the
             banker can ask the author for a copy of the program.  If
             the banker doesn't feel "computer-literate" enough to
             verify that it's a genuine, non-trivial program, he or
             she can ask for references.  Many shareware authors are
             members of the Association of Shareware Professionals
             (ASP).  The ASP screens applications for membership, to
             ensure that only legitimate authors of non-trivial
             shareware are admitted as author-members.  The ASP would
             be happy to verify any claims of membership -- they can
             be reached at (616)788-5131, weekdays 8--5 eastern time. 
             Other prominent authors have chosen not to join the ASP,
             but their programs are listed in the catalogs of
             shareware distribution companies such as Public Brand
             Software, P. O. Box 51315, Indianapolis, IN 46251; or the
             Public (software) Library, P. O. Box 35705, Houston, TX
             77235.
             Shareware Distribution Companies
             Bankers should be aware of another major component of the
             shareware industry, distinct from the authors: the
             shareware distribution companies.  These companies take
             advantage of the fact that copying of shareware is
             allowed, by providing a cataloguing and distribution
             service of shareware disks.  Customers of distribution
             houses are sent lists of available programs, for which
             they can pay a copying fee of between $1 and $5 per disk.
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.13 A Banker's Perspective (Continued)
             There is no business arrangement between authors and
             distribution houses: authors neither receive any
             royalties for disks sold, nor do they pay anything for
             the publicity given them.  Customers understand that they
             are not paying for the software, but merely for the
             distribution service.  Most shareware authors allow
             distributors to handle their programs, because it spreads
             their programs even further.
             From a banker's point of view, the shareware distribution
             houses are closer to traditional mail-order businesses. 
             Their profit margins are much lower than authors',
             because their overhead relative to revenues is higher. 
             They must advertise in order to build business.  Some
             distribution companies haven't charged enough for disks
             to cover their overhead costs, and have thus gone
             bankrupt.  But others, such as Public Brand Software and
             the Public (software) Library, have built solid,
             profitable, multi-million-dollar companies from shareware
             distribution.
             A banker wishing to evaluate a shareware distribution
             company can use many of the usual criteria: length of
             time in business, size of business, profit sheets, etc. 
             There are a couple of pointers specific to shareware
             distribution that can enhance the evaluation: first,
             companies should be charging at least $3 per disk in
             order to be profitable.  There can exist "Mom and Pop"
             outfits, run out of homes, that make some money charging
             less; but if they try to expand into real businesses,
             their overhead almost always overwhelms them.  Second, a
             banker can check the distributor's integrity by asking
             for a catalog and for advertising copy, to make sure that
             they are adequately explaining to the customer that they
             are a shareware distribution service and are not selling
             the software itself.  If the customers understand what
             they are getting, the level of complaints and chargebacks
             will be much less than that of the average mail-order
             business; if they don't, it will be as much or greater.
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.13 A Banker's Perspective (Continued)
             For More Information
             The booklet "Shareware `Try Before You Buy' Software" by
             Rob Rosenberger describes shareware from the consumer's
             point of view.  You may purchase it by sending $4.95 plus
             $1.75 S+H to Paradise Publishing, 3111 S. Valley View
             Blvd. Suite B-105, Las Vegas, NV 89102; or calling
             (702)253-1940.  For free catalogs listing the best
             available shareware programs, you can write to Public
             Brand Software or the Public (software) Library at the
             addresses already given, or call them at their respective
             numbers: (800)426-3475 and (800)242-4775.
             -------------------------------------------------------
             End of Eric's article.
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.14 Printers
             Most shareware authors "typeset" their own manuals on a
             laser printer.  We have seen some "manuals" done with
             9-pin printers.  Don't bother; you will make a better
             impression by just having the manual on disk.  You can
             start with an HP IIP for about $800.  Add about $100 to
             brink memory up to 1.5m.  It is slow, but with a good
             word processor that handles various fonts, you can print
             a very credible camera ready master.
             Or you can go with the HP LJ IIIP for around $1600, and
             upgrade it with a PostScript cartridge and a 4meg Pacific
             Page add-on should you feel the need.  You can get
             off-brand and/or discontinued lasers for around
             $600-$700, but they may not be upgradeable, may not have
             100% HP LJ emulation, and may not even have a continuing
             source for toner and drums.
             For doing mailing labels, you can get laser labels for an
             HP LJ, but it is usually a lot easier to have a dot
             matrix printer if you are going to be doing a significant
             number.  We used Epson printers, but the labels got stuck
             in them all the time, so we switched to the Okidata 390,
             which has a bottom feed so that the labels go straight
             through the printer and the problems disappeared.  The
             Panasonic KPX-1124i is also an excellent 24 pin printer
             that allows feeding stock from the back, bottom or front.
        7.15 Printer Control Codes
             The following company sells reference books with list
             control codes for most brands of printers:
                  Cardinal Point Inc.  4999 West Woodland Drive   
                  Bloomington, IN  47404    812-876-7811
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.16 Manual Publishing
             Probably the best incentive to register is to be able to
             receive a printed manual.  This is particularly true if
             you have a large system with a large manual.  Registrants
             view the printed manual right up there with the excellent
             technical support given by most shareware authors as a
             good reason to send you money.
             If you are just starting, consider just having a
             professional looking manual on disk until the number of
             registrations is enough to convince you that you could
             use a thousand manuals in a year or so.  A cheap looking,
             poorly done manual is worse than no manual at all.  If
             you have a small manual (less than 100 pages), you should
             be able to get 1000 copies for about $1000.
             Check your local printers, but also check with Whitehall
             Press, who did PsL's Source Book. The number for their
             new plant and headquarters in Florida is 813-643-6464. 
             Since they opened the new plant, they have gotten back to
             a 4 to 5 week delivery schedule.  On July 1, 1993 I was
             quoted $1.22 each copy for 1000 copies of a 112 page 6"
             by 9" manual with 2 color laminated covers.
             Author Gary Elfring recommended Patterson Printing in
             Michigan 616-925-2177).  They may be slightly faster and
             can handle larger books.
             Many authors have used Camelot Book Factory, P.O. Box
             1357, Ormond Beach FL 32175-1357, phone 904-672-5672. 
             They will produce up to roughly 300 copies for those who
             want to start out printing less than 1000 copies.  They
             do black only on any color cover paper, non-laminated. 
             On July 12, 1993 I was quoted $2.35 each copy for 200
             copies of a 112 page manual and $2.85 each copy for 100
             copies of a 128 page manual.  Both quotes for 5-1/2" by
             8-1/2" manuals.
             For my Diskcat-5 manual several years ago, I just used a
             local printer to print a first run of 500 copies with a
             glossy, two-color cover. I also paid an artist about
             $1200 to do the art and color separations for the cover,
             the labels and ads.  Don't worry too much about your
             manual being rendered obsolete by program updates (short
             of major rewrites). Even big publishing houses have
             adopted the technique of putting the latest info in a
             READ-ME file on the disk.
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.16 Manual Publishing (Continued)
             Paul Mayer tells us "If you're going to 4 color process,
             don't degrade it by using printed screen shots.  Do like
             the magazines do, send your graphic captured image to a
             company that converts them into color slides.  The
             company that I use is:"
                  Galaxy Graphics, Inc.
                  P.O. Box 220538
                  Chantilly, VA 22022
                  Office: 703-802-1111
                  Fax: 703-263-111
                  Modem: 703-643-0329
             Some authors who really want to go first-class use a
             binding procedure that looks like perfect bound, but when
             you open the book, it lays flat and stays open. It's
             called Otabind. For more information, call Hart Graphics
             8000 Shoal Creek Blvd, PO Box 968, Austin TX 78767,
             telephone 512-454-4761.
             You should seriously consider getting professional help
             in laying out the cover of your printed manual,
             particularity if you plan to try the retail market. 
             Call the printer to see how wide the spine will be for
             the number of pages.  For example: a 96 page Perfect
             Bound manual will have a 3/16" spine.  Some retailers
             will place your package edge on so that the printing on
             the spine is the only thing the customer will see.  That
             is why many software packages are boxed for greater
             visibility.
             If you can't find professional help locally,  the
             following person has designed several catalog covers for
             the ASP and has done logo and cover work for many ASP
             authors.
                  Suzanne Bilodeau
                  5709 Pebble Beach
                  El Paso  TX  79912
                  915-581-9608
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   7.   Where To Get Supplies And Services (Continued)
        7.17 Shrink-Wrap Machines
             Almost everyone in the ASP who has a shrink-wrap machine
             has the AJM machine and is happy with it, including me.
             The system consists of a 15" sealer unit, an industrial
             14-amp heat gun, and a 10" by 2000' by 75-G roll of film
             all for about $430.  800-858-4131 "National" 800-722-2246
             "Inside California".
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       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
   8.   Compression Software
        If you have a large program and/or large documentation files,
        you may wish to use compression software to fit everything on
        1 (or maybe 2) 360k floppy disks.  You can often squeeze twice
        as much information on a disk.  The drawback is that you may
        cause confusion for the end user.
        There are two compression systems in wide use by shareware
        programmers today; PKZIP and LHARC.  PKZIP is produced by Phil
        Katz of PKWare and is widely used by Bulletin Board Systems to
        reduce download times by compressing the files.  LHARC is not
        as widespread on BBSs, but is used by many shareware authors
        due to no royalty requirement.
        The end user confusion is caused when it is necessary to run
        either PKUNZIP.EXE or LHA.EXE to uncompress the files.  It is
        necessary to insure that the user have these programs,
        preferably on your distribution disk.  Instructing the user
        how to extract your files can be difficult and can cause the
        user to give up or call you at midnight because they can't get
        your shareware installed.
        The solution is to use either PKZIP or LHARC to create self-
        extracting program files.  This method tacks a small
        extraction program onto the front of the compressed data. 
        When the user runs the program, it uses the portion of the EXE
        program after the front-end self-extract code as the data to
        uncompress.  This is a good arrangement as the extraction
        program can not be separated from the compressed file.  Both
        PKZIP and LHARC allow you to include multiple program and data
        files within the compressed EXE file.
        You will need to contact PKWare to obtain a royalty type
        license to use PKWare's self-extraction code on your
        distribution disks.  LHARC is free as long as the Copyright
        notice is displayed by the self-extract module and this is
        done automatically when an LHARC self-extracting program is
        run.  You should also mention the LHARC copyright in your
        documentation.
        Both the PKZIP and LHARC software can be obtained from most
        disk vendors and BBSs.  You can obtain both systems from the
        Public (software) Library at 713-524-6394.  LHARC is on disk
        U1 1862 and PKZIP is on disk U1-1705.  Both can be purchased
        on one 3.5" 1.44meg disk number U1-7059 which includes several
        other compression utilities.
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       Programmer's Guide - Copyright 1992 by Nelson Ford & the ASP
                                  Index
        1.2m Disk Problems  . . . . .  42  High Density Disk
        800 Numbers . . . . . . . . .  47            Problems  . . . . 42
        Address Considerations  . . .  16  Installation Procedures . . 37
        Advertizing . . . . . . . . .  14  Instruction Manuals . . . . 43
        American Express  . . . . . .  56  Integrity Master
        Answering Machines  . . . . .  47            Anti-Virus  . . . 13
        Archive Software  . . . . . .  68  ISBN Code Numbers . . . . . 55
        Art Work  . . . . . . . . . .  51  Label Stock . . . . . . . . 49
        ASCII Documentation . . . . .  44  Laser Printer Problems  . . 44
        ASP . . . . . . . . . . . . .  45  LHARC Compression . . . . . 68
        ASP Disk Vendors  . . . . . .  11  License Agreement . . . . . 27
        ASP Group Mailing . . . . . .  12  LIST.COM  . . . . . . . . .  7
        ASPFORUM - CompuServe . . . .   3  Logos . . . . . . . . . . . 51
        Bar Coding  . . . . . . . . .  55  Mailers - Disk  . . . . . . 52
        BASIC Program Rules . . . . .  39  Mailing Service - ASP . . . 12
        Batch File Compiler . . . . .  37  Manual Printing . . . . . . 65
        Blank Disks . . . . . . . . .  51  Manuals . . . . . . . . . . 43
        Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . .  54  Master Card . . . . . . . . 55
        Buerg, Vern - LIST.COM  . . .   7  Merchant Accounts . . . . . 55
        Changing Prices . . . . . . .  36  Non-Shareware Version . . . 22
        Color Seperations . . . . . .  66  Organization Of Files . . . 41
        Compiler For Batch Files  . .  37  Patenting Software  . . . . 28
        Compression Software  . . . .  68  PKWare Compression  . . . . 68
        CompuServe ASPFORUM . . . . .   3  PO Box  . . . . . . . . . . 16
        Control Codes-Printer . .  65, 67  Press Releases  . . . . . .  9
        Copying Disks . . . . . . . .  51  Price Changes . . . . . . . 36
        Copyrights  . . . . . . . . .  28  Pricing Shareware . . . . . 32
        Cover Artwork . . . . . . . .  66  Printer Control Codes . 65, 67
        Credit Cards  . . . . . .  32, 55  Printers  . . . . . . . . . 63
        Crippling . . . . . . . . . .  21  Printers-Manuals  . . . . . 65
        Customization By User . . . .  40  Printing Documentation  . . 43
        Defaults  . . . . . . . . . .  38  Printing Manuals  . . . . . 65
        Direct Mail . . . . . . . . .  14  Program Defaults  . . . . . 38
        Discover Card . . . . . . . .  56  Program Distribution  . . . 11
        Disk Duplication  . . . . . .  51  Publicity For Shareware . .  9
        Disk Labels . . . . . . . . .  49  Registrations . . . . . . . 31
        Disk Mailers  . . . . . . . .  52  Retail Distributors . . . . 32
        Disk Vendors  . . . . . . . .  25  Retail-Only . . . . . . . .  7
        Disks - Blank . . . . . . . .  51  Self-Extract Files  . . . . 68
        Distribution  . . . . . . . .  11  Setting Prices  . . . . . . 32
        Distributor Registrations . .  31  Software Patents  . . . . . 28
        Documentation . . . . . . . .  43  Trademarks  . . . . . . . . 29
        Documentation Formatting  . .  43  Universal Product Codes . . 55
        Error Trapping  . . . . . . .  38  User Groups . . . . . . . . 12
        FAX Machines  . . . . . . . .  49  Vendors . . . . . . . . . . 25
        File Organization . . . . . .  41  Viruses . . . . . . . . . . 13
        Fluegelman, Andrew  . . . . .   3  Virx/Virex-PC Scanners  . . 13
        Formatting Documentation  . .  43  Visa Card . . . . . . . . . 55
        Freeware  . . . . . . . . . .   3  Warranties  . . . . . . . . 31
        Help Screens  . . . . . . . .  37  WATS Lines  . . . . . . . . 47
                                    69



/data/webs/external/dokuwiki/data/pages/archive/programming/guide1991.txt · Last modified: 2002/06/19 03:57 by 127.0.0.1

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