Subject: alt.comp.shareware.programmer FAQ
Date: 1 Feb 1996 04:11:08 -0800

This is an automated bi-weekly posting.

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              The alt.comp.shareware.programmer FAQ List
               (Answers to Frequently Asked Questions)

                           Revision 1.06
                          January 6, 1996

                   This FAQ is available in HTML at:
            <http://www.ionet.net/~hgarison/acsp-faq.shtml>
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This document contains answers to a number of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the alt.comp.shareware.programmer newsgroup.  This FAQ is maintained by Cary Farrier, cary@laserpoint.com.  Please send comments, suggestions, etc. to him, or post them to the newsgroup.

This FAQ is maintained in HTML format by Hal Garrison,
<mailto:hgarison@ionet.net>.  Please report HTML errors to Hal.

To find a specific topic quickly, search on the topic below (including the ## symbols).  Topics covered in this FAQ:

## What is shareware?
## What is the charter of alt.comp.shareware.programmer?
## Are the articles in this newsgroup archived?
## Where can I find a program that does...?
## How can I announce/provide my latest program?
## Where are some good BBSs to upload my software?
## What is the ASP (Association of Shareware Professionals)?
## How can I copyright my software?
## Who are some publishers or distributors for shareware?
## How can I take credit card orders or e-cash?
## Who contributed to this FAQ?

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Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

## What is shareware?

   Shareware is a distribution strategy/channel for computer software.
   When software is distributed as Shareware, it is so that users may
   evaluate the software before deciding whether or not to pay the 
   stated registration fee.  This is often also called
   "try-before-you-buy".  The "evaluation" copy of the software can be
   either a full or limited version, but should allow enough access to
   permit a proper evaluation.

   The conditions of use of any piece of shareware may be stipulated by
   the author in a help file or accompanying text file, and may place
   limits on the evaluation period and/or give permission to distribute
   the evaluation copy to others.

   The premise of Shareware distribution is that once users have the
   opportunity to try the software, they will want to acquire the fully
   registered version.  Registration means that the user will pay the
   author the stated amount for the right to use the software.(Note that
   the use of the word "registration" in the context of shareware means
   buying the program; this is different from the use of the word in
   the context of commercial packages which may invite you to register
   after you have bought it.)

   Of course if the program doesn't meet your needs, then you simply
   discard it or, better, give it to a friend who might find it useful.

   Other possible benefits of registration may be advertised in the
   evaluation copy.   These should certainly include removal of any
   limitations of use but may also include features such as printed
   documentation, enhanced program functionality, technical support,
   or complimentary upgrades as they become available.

   The registered version of the program will usually not be freely
   distributable but rather have some form of accompoanying licence
   - often for use on one computer only.

   Thus Shareware works largely on the "honesty box" principle.  It
   gives authors a way of distributing widely at little cost, and 
   therefore keeps prices down, benefitting users and authors alike.

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## What is the charter of alt.comp.shareware.programmer?

This newsgroup was created as a forum for shareware authors to discuss issues relevant to shareware programs, FROM THE PROGRAMMER'S POINT OF VIEW.  It is intended to be an area where shareware authors can discuss programming, marketing, distribution, and generally exchange information related to creating shareware software.

The discussion is not limited to programming topics per se.  As a matter of fact, you will probably find a better technical discussion in one of the programming language or operating system newsgroups, but your questions are always welcome here.

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## Are the articles in this newsgroup archived?

The articles in alt.comp.shareware.programmer are archived and
stored in both Macintosh (StuffIt) and PC (zip) formats at:

   ftp.laserpoint.com, /acsp directory
   <http://www.laserpoint.com>, in the Developer Center

----------------------------------------------------------------------
## Where can I find a program that does...?

There are several, dedicated newsgroups suitable for the purpose of locating shareware programs.

Most commonly, if your question concerns MS-DOS shareware, try
posting your question to comp.binaries.ibm.pc.wanted where all the questions should go about "where do I find such and such shareware or PD MS-DOS program".

Other useful newsgroups, depending on your target platform, include:

   comp.os.os2.misc
   comp.os.ms-windows.apps.misc
   comp.os.ms-windows.win95.misc
   comp.sys.mac.wanted
   comp.unix.questions
   comp.sys.amiga.misc
   comp.sys.cbm
   comp.sys.sinclair
   comp.sources.wanted
   rec.games.misc

The full list of Usenet newsgroups can be obtained as ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/doc-net/newsgrps.zip

By posting to the most appropriate newsgroup you have the best chance of eliciting useful responses.

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## How can I announce/provide my latest program?

DO NOT POST ACTUAL SHAREWARE PROGRAMS themselves either here or on alt.comp.shareware.  Binary files may be posted to groups in the ALT.BINARIES.... tree,  but an ftp site may be a better choice.

General product announcements are not welcome on acsp.  If you have
a product that may be of interest to shareware authors, however,
feel free to post a reasonable announcment.  For products that are
not relevant to shareware development, please use the alt.comp.shareware newsgroup.

If you would like to make your program available for FTP, the three
largest sites on the internet are:

   ftp.cica.indiana.edu
   garbo.uwasa.fi
   ftp.coast.net (a SimTel mirror site)
      <ftp://ftp.coast.net/SimTel>
      <http://www.coast.net/SimTel>
        
To receive a list of SimTel mirror sites send e-mail to
        listserv@SimTel.Coast.NET with this command in the body of
        your message:  get simtel-download.info

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## Where are some good BBSs to upload my software?

Digital Sound Power, England
   Data1: +44 1734 615 379
   Data2: +44 1734 614 636
   FTP:   <ftp://ftp.ibmpcug.co.uk/incoming/dsp>

   *************************************************************
   The Digital Sound Power BBS maintains a compilation of
   files of special interest to alt.comp.shareware.programmer
   readers, including programs written by authors here and
   the acsp digests.
   
   For more information contact Sean Rima,
   sean_rima@readdigit.win-uk.net
   *************************************************************

The Consultant BBS, New York
   Data1: 718-837-3236

The Break RBBS <East>, Virginia
   Data1: 703-680-9269
   Data2: 703-551-0000

The Twilight Zone, Wisconsin
   Data1: 715-652-2758

The DataExchange BBS, Louisiana
   Data1: 318-239-2122

Attention to Details BBS, California
   Data1: 909-681-6221

Space BBS, California
   Data1: 415-323-4398 (ASP Files)
   Data2: 415-323-4193 (Other Files)

Knightec BBS, Canada
   Data1: 519-940-0007

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## What is the ASP (Association of Shareware Professionals)?

The ASP is an organization of Authors, Publishers, BBSes, Vendors,
User Groups and others who are interested in promoting the
shareware marketing method as an alternative to conventional
retail software.

All ASP Members must agree to meet minimum standards as they apply
to their individual category of membership.  Simply put, these 
standards require ethical treatment of customers, guarantees of
support, discussing and disclosing shareware information in a
proper manner, and an agreement to work with the ASP Ombudsman
should a customer contact the Ombudsman with a complaint.

Applications for membership are reviewed to ensure that the applicant
meets the ASP's requirements prior to allowing them to display the
ASP logo for their customers.

The ASP CD-ROM project is included with each members' dues, and is
used by Author and Publisher Members to send their shareware
products to the ASP's BBS, Vendor, Press and User Group Members.  It
is also mounted on the ASP's ftp site for direct Internet access.

For more information about the ASP, visit the ASP Web site at:

   http://www.asp-shareware.org/

or contact the ASP directly:

   rgharper@mail.msen.com     ASP President Richard G. Harper
   72050.1433@compuserve.com  ASP Executive Director Jan Abbott

   Association of Shareware Professionals
   545 Grover Road
   Muskegon  MI  49442

   Voice (616) 788-5131       (Executive Director)
         (616) 832-3328       (ASP President)
   Fax   (616) 788-2765       (Executive Director)
         (616) 832-1068       (ASP President)

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## How can I copyright my software?
.
You can copyright your software simply by placing the following notice on it:

   <Program Title>, Copyright <Year> <Your Name>.
   All Rights Reserved.

The "All Rights Reserved" section is important for other countries, as many countries assume you are giving away all rights that you are not expressly keeping.  Some lawyers have said that the following statement should also be included with the above statement:

   All rights not expressly licensed to the user are reserved to the
   developer.

If you would like to officially register your copyright with the Library of Congress (in the United States), it is easy and cheap (only $20), so I highly recommend it.  All you have to do is call the LOC Copyright Hotline at 202-707-9100 and request the appropriate copyright forms (form TX for literary works and form PA for audio-visual works).  The appropriate form is beyond the scope of a FAQ, but fill it out and return it to the LOC with your fee of $20.

A good source of information in this area, and many areas related to the legal implications of software development, is:

   _The Software Developer's and Marketer's Legal Companion_, by Gene
   K. Landy.  ISBN 0-201-62276-9, published by Addison-Wesley.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
## Who are some publishers or distributors for shareware?

The following publishers and distributors may be of interest to you.  They are listed in alphabetical order, with no preference implied by order.  I say this because I run one of them (Laser Point), and I don't want anyone to think that this FAQ is biased towards my company.

If you would like your company listed here, please send email to cary@laserpoint.com.  Please use the same format as the other companies, and keep your message ("A word from the company") to a single, short paragraph.

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
Name:        Compuserve Shareware Registration Forum (SWREG)
Type:        Order processing service
Email:       from Compuserve, GO SWREG

   When on CompuServe "GO SWREG" for the Shareware Registration
   Forum. Full details of how to submit shareware to the system
   are there.

   How does it work? Basically, SWREG is a database of information
   about shareware programs. A CompuServe user can search the
   database to find a program of interest. If they decide to
   register it, they select a "Register This Software" option from
   the menu, and the registration fee gets deducted directly from
   their CompuServe account.

   The system then sends the author of the program a "Shareware
   Registration Notification" mail message containing the name
   and address of the person who's registered the program, and
   the author sends the person the software.

   At the end of each month, CompuServe sends the author a cheque
   for all the registrations of the previous month, taking a 15%
   commission charge.

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
Name:        Grace Sylvan
Type:        Children's Shareware Pages
Email:       tigger@satyr.sylvan.com
Web:         http://www.sylvan.com/

   I've got 50 of the best mac kids programs described with download
   buttons, plan on having the same for  the PC within a month. I've got 
   links to web sites (mac and lots of pc) for individual companies 
   (full descriptions and screen shots), etc. I've got reviews of 
   commercial software and links to demos.

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
Name:      IFDC FileGate Project [sm]
Type:      World-wide distribution via the internet, EXEC-PC BBS as well
           as other intern'l BBS Systems, Planet Connect and PageSat 
           Satellite Systems and FidoNet at no charge to authors.
Email:     jkracht@thepoint.net (Janis Kracht)
Postal:    1512 Grandin Woods Court, Louisville KY 40299
Telephone: 502-245-4353 (10AM-7PM EST)
Fax:       502-245-8117
BBS:       502-245-8117 (VEverything), 502-245-1146 (HST/V32B)

   The IFDC FileGate Project [sm] provides international distribution to
   IFDC FileGate links for authors at no cost to the authors.  Current 
   links exist in the USA, Canada, South America, Africa, Europe (UK 
   site and Mainland Europe, repectively], Australia, and Asia, as well 
   as PageSat and Planet Connect Satellite Systems.  An anonymous ftp 
   site is being setup and CDROM and Packet Radio distribution is 
   planned as well.  Prospective submissions may be ShareWare, FreeWare, 
   or Public Domain and may be of any category.  This file distribution 
   is a collaborative effort of volunteer file distribution coordinators 
   in the FidoNet Network, authors world-wide and U.S.Robotics.  Direct 
   pickup of software is available by U.S.Robotics for some authors, 
   files may be uuencoded and sent to jkracht@thepoint.net, or authors 
   may send details for location of files to the email address above.

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
Name:        Laser Point
Type:        Software Publisher and Distributor
Email:       cary@laserpoint.com (Cary Farrier)
Postal:      P.O. Box 2378
             Watsonville, CA 95077
Telephone:   408-722-6894
Fax:         408-722-6895
Web:         http://www.laserpoint.com
FTP:         ftp.laserpoint.com

   Laser Point is a software publisher that specializes in shareware
   software.  We don't just distribute software, we actively market
   our developer's software.  If you would like more information,
   please check out our web pages or contact us for a free developer
   information guide.

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
Name:        Public Software Library (PSL)
Type:        Order taking service
Postal:      P.O.Box 35705
             Houston, TX 77235-5705
Telephone:   800-2424-PSL, 713-524-6394
Fax:         713-524-6398

   PsL offers a shareware registration order taking service
   primarily for the benefit of shareware authors who are
   unable to get a credit card merchant account. They change
   about $5 per transaction.

   PsL can take orders via 800#, non-800#, CIS#, and FAX#.

   For a free sample issue of our monthly magazine, PsL News,
   please call or fax.

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
Name:        SDN
Type:        Software distribution service
BBS:         203-634-0370
FTP:         ftp:/sdn.com/users/sdn

   The SDN Project provides a distribution service for authors.
   You can get information via FTP from their FTP site, listed
   above.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
## How can I take credit card orders or e-cash?

If you are interested in setting up the ability to take credit card
orders:

   from tigers@rahul.net (Robert L Mathews) Thu, 27 Oct 1994:

   You probably won't have much luck with a bank, as they tend to only
   want to serve "storefront" operations. They're leery of any type of
   mail order business, including (especially?) shareware.

   Companies other than banks now offer card processing services,
   though, and they may be more willing to give you shot. I found a
   company that accepted me (after I was turned down by two banks), and
   I've been using them for over a year. CardService International,
   (800) 456-5989. They give you a terminal box just like the kind
   found in stores.

   They'll do a credit check on you personally, assuming you don't have
   a business already set up. Your credit just needs to be clean; you
   don't have to be rich.

   Monthly charges run about $25 plus 2.5% of the amount you charge.

   from ebohlman@netcom.com (Eric Bohlman) Mon, 13 Mar 1995:

   I use Teleflora; they take about 3% plus $.25/transaction.  My
   startup costs (signup fee and cost for transaction/processing
   software) was around $500, but I think they change terms on that
   regularly.  You can also rent a terminal/printer from them, but I 
   doubt that that's cost-effective.

   Now keep in mind that all Teleflora is doing is processing the 
   transactions I send to them; if you want a service that will actually 
   take orders for you, rather than just processing the charges, they'll 
   naturally want a bigger cut.

If you are interested in setting up an "e-cash" payment system:

   What is First Virtual?

      First Virtual (a.k.a. First Virtual Holdings Incorporated, a.k.a. 
      FV) is a method of buying and selling information over the 
      internet that is both secure and easy to use.

      The easiest way to think of FV is that it is like a virtual credit 
      card.  If a customer wishes to buy your product they simple give 
      you their FV account number.  You can check this number for 
      validity and make a sale with it.  The customer is then contacted 
      by email by FV to confirm the sale and FV passes this information 
      on to you.  The money is charged to the customers credit card and 
      deposited into your checking account.

      The customers credit card information never passes over the 
      internet.  The customer gives his credit card number to FV over 
      the phone and FV keeps this information on file.  No special 
      software is required for FV transactions.

   How much does it cost?

      Activating an FV account costs US $2 for buying and US $10 for 
      selling.

      Buying information via FV carries no transaction charges.

      Selling information via FV carries a transaction charge of US
      $0.29 plus 2% of the transaction total.

   Shareware is a product not information, can I sell it using FV?

      According to the FV FAQ, information includes the following:

      * articles and books, stories, poems, academic research,
        compiled data, and anything else that can be expressed in
        words or numbers
      * pictures, photos, drawings, maps, plans, blueprints, and
        anything else that can be put into a two-dimensional graphic
        image
      * video and audio clips, music, TV programming, sound
        recordings, animation, news footage, and anything else that
        can be recorded on magnetic media
      * computer software, GIF and other graphics files, and anything
        else that can be enclosed in a binary file

   I don't live in the United States, can I buy/sell information via FV?

      You can buy information via FV since you are really using your 
      credit card.  Credit cards are an international form of currency.

      Selling information requires a US checking account.  If you wish 
      to sell information via FV and do not live in the US, FV can give 
      you names of financial institutions that will give US checking 
      accounts to foreign vendors.  Send email to humanhelp@fv.com for a 
      listing.

   How can I get more information on FV?

      FV maintains several FAQ, that go into much greater detail than I 
      have here.  You can get these FAQ's several ways:

      email: info@fv.com
      ftp:   ftp://ftp.fv.com/pub/docs/*
      http:  http://www.fv.com/faq/index.html

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## Who contributed to this FAQ?

General FAQ content and organization:

   Cary Farrier
   Laser Point Software Publishing and Distribution
   cary@laserpoint.com
   ftp.laserpoint.com
   http://www.laserpoint.com
   408-722-6894
   fax: 408-722-6895

Content from a previous alt.comp.shareware FAQ:      

   Alan Keister
   Technology and Operations
   America Online, Inc.
   8619 Westwood Center Drive
   Vienna, VA  22182-2285  USA
   Email: alank@aol.net

What is shareware:

   mitchr@omni.voicenet.com [Mitch Rosenberg]
   Dave Webber, dave@musical.demon.co.uk

Information on "where can I find...":

   Prof. Timo Salmi
   Co-moderator of news:comp.archives.msdos.announce
   Moderating at ftp:// & http://garbo.uwasa.fi archives
   193.166.120.5
   Department of Accounting and Business Finance
   University of Vaasa
   FIN-65101, Finland
   ts@uwasa.fi http://uwasa.fi/~ts
   BBS 961-3170972 (Finland Only)

BBS listings:

   Sean Rima, sean_rima@readdigit.win-uk.net
   <http://www.ibmpcug.co.uk/~dsp>

Information on the Association of Shareware Professionals:

   Robert Lindsay Wells <ASP>
   WellsCom@aol.com
   CIS: 102507,3113
   BRIDGE - PCDESK - PLOTTER - READ
   ftp://users.aol.com/wellscom

Information on posting binaries:

   Dave Webber
   dave@musical.demon.co.uk
   Author of MOZART, the Windows 3.1 shareware Music Processor
   For details see http://www.execpc.com/~mozart
   Member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP)

Compuserve Shareware Registration Forum:

   chris@chrism.demon.co.uk (Chris Marriott)

How can I take credit card orders:

   tigers@rahul.net (Robert L Mathews)
   ebohlman@netcom.com (Eric Bohlman)

Information on First Virtual Holdings:

   Jim Goddard <ewl@best.com>

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cary Farrier            Laser Point Software Publishing & Distribution
cary@laserpoint.com                                      P.O. Box 2378
408-722-6894                                     Watsonville, CA 95077
fax: 408-722-6895                            http://www.laserpoint.com
 ** Laser Point publishes shareware - call, write, or web for info **
