Share Net International Ltd Club Membership Info Share Net International Limited Club Membership Information "Welcome to a World of Business, Education & Games" 1. What is Share Net International? Share Net International Ltd (referred to as SNI), is an International Computer Club that specialize in business, education, games, and utilities. Traditionally, software authors have had two options to move their software into the market place: retail it, or distribute it as shareware. Retailing is not open to most shareware authors as it requires acceptance by major software vendors. Shareware distribution usually results in high market penetration, but a very low level of registrations, and hence an unfair and inadequate level of income to the author. For most software authors there has been no alternative until now! SNI are pioneering a new approach to marketing software. We use a method similar to shareware distribution, called Sharenetting. Software that is sold through Sharenetting is called Payware. Payware is different to shareware in two very significant ways: 1. If you register the Payware that you use, you will be licensed to distribute it as a vendor. Simply spread the Payware as you would shareware and get paid a commission by encouraging others to register the copies that you supply. 2. SNI guarantee to pay a ten percent royalty to the author on all sales of the Authors own Payware registered with SNI (net of tax). Currently, a computer games addict has only the challenge of the game. The vision of SNI is to create an international "computer club", with world rankings and international tournaments for their most challenging and popular games. Play the game, get a high score, then place yourself on the world hi-score table for that game! SNI intend to provide a total entertainment service, from which you can earn an income. We would like to hear from: Users of software, Software authors, Software houses, Small businesses, Schools, Parents, Teachers and PTA's, Students, Bulletin Boards, Software Libraries. Share Net International Ltd Club Membership Info 2. Commission Payments to Club Members SNI distribute fifty percent of the total income from registrations of each Payware product as a commission payment to their club members. In return, we expect our club members to share the Payware with their friends, and encourage their friends to register it. SNI will only pay commission to club members who have: 1. filled in and signed an application form, agreeing to the conditions of club membership, and returned it to SNI; 2. registered their copy of the Payware (the more Payware you buy, the more you will be licensed to distribute and hence earn commission from). The monthly commission entitlement of each club member will be calculated and paid on a per-product basis, in two parts: Group commission; Sponsorship commission. You will be paid group commission on all Payware registrations that can be traced back through you. As an example, a person's relative can be traced back through their family tree. As each descendent is born, grows up and is married, so their family tree grows in width and depth. Your group works on the same principle: all software registered originating from your SNI membership number will be traced back to you and you will be paid accordingly. You will have a different group for each Payware product. You can therefore choose to spend time distributing the Payware that your friends like best. Sponsorship commission works on exactly the same basis as group commission, except that it only applies to those club members to which you have personally supplied a copy of the Payware. These payments are not one-off. Your commission entitlement will be re-calculated and paid to you monthly. SNI have a minimum commission payment (currently œ10). This minimum payment will vary occasionally, to keep in line with the costs involved in making the payment. Your income level from a Payware product may go down as that product gets older, out of date and less popular (i.e. a larger slice of a smaller cake). 3. Help our Charities The board of directors of SNI intend to pay an annual donation to charity. We intend to support children's charities, nature and environmental charities, and medical research into diseases such as MS, AIDS, etc. Share Net International Ltd Club Membership Info 4. Joining the SNI Computer Club You may join SNI through other SNI club members such as friends, computer clubs, schools, companies, and Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs), Software Libraries, and magazines. If you do not know of any existing SNI club members, then apply directly to SNI. There is no charge for joining as an SNI club member. The only requirement is that you register one or more SNI Payware products with your application form. Cheques must always be made payable to Share Net International Ltd. Under no circumstances should you be asked to make payment to another club member for SNI products. You do not need promotional literature, working stock, training, or any other such overheads. You simply register each SNI Payware product that you use, and are then free to supply as many copies as you like to your friends, relatives, local schools, etc. Our club members are not employees of SNI, but they are seen in the eyes of the law to be running an independent business: our club members earn an income from sharing our software, and growing our club. Because of this, we may only accept club members over the age of 18. SNI realises that many of its potential club members will be under the age of 18. SNI will therefore allow dependants of club members to take part in all club competitions, tournaments, and other SNI sponsored activities. To take part in these club activities, dependants of club members are to be named on their parent(s) or guardian(s) application form as junior club members. You must declare any income from SNI in your tax returns. Junior club members are not running a business, but they are to abide by the conditions of club membership. They may take part in club activities but their parent(s) or guardian(s) must supply all copies of SNI software to friends, schools, etc. For legal reasons, SNI may only pay commission to full club members. 5. Conduct and Ethics To ensure that we all grow as one very successful International Club, we must all maintain the highest standards of conduct and ethics. Any club member found to be bringing the name of SNI, its club members, or its authors into disrepute may, at the discretion of SNI, lose their SNI membership and its benefits. To protect our existing club members and authors, SNI will almost certainly terminate the membership of any club member found to be maliciously spreading one or more software viruses and report them to the appropriate authorities. Although SNI and their Payware authors endeavour to ensure top quality products, neither SNI nor their Payware authors can accept liability for problems encountered in the use of SNI Payware products. All SNI Payware products are used at the sole risk of the user. Share Net International Ltd Club Membership Info 6. Summary What does SNI offer? * Register SNI Club "Software" And Make Money, * International Club Membership, * Help UK. & International Charities, * 50% Of SNI's Net Turnover Paid To Its Club Members, * Royalties To Software Authors, * Lots of Fun! More Software Authors Urgently Required For further Information, please contact:- Share Net International Ltd. Peterswell Lake, Roadwater, Watchet, Somerset, TA23 0LE, England. Telephone Washford (0984) 40348 Fax Washford (0984) 41171