ASP Advantage 1993/The Association of Shareware Professionals Advantage CD-ROM 1993.iso/files/a_s_iles/bbsapp/applic.txt

Text File | 1993-04-11 | 15KB | 323 lines

Dear SysOp,

Thank you for your interest in becoming a an Approved BBS of the Association
of Shareware Professionals (ASP).  We are a group of Shareware Authors, Disk
Vendors, BBSs, User Groups and others who are working to improve the image of
Shareware as high quality software.  We take the "ASP" mark as a symbol of
distinction, and work zealously to maintain the highest possible standards
for the benefit of all our members.

Because of that commitment to quality, your BBS will be subjected to
evaluation.  Admission to ASP is by no means automatic: you must demonstrate
that your BBS meets ASP standards; and you must guarantee that, if you are
accepted, it will maintain that high standard

Here is a brief explanation of the files you have just received, a look at
what ASP is all about, and how your application will be processed.

======================================
THE FILES FROM THE APPLICATION PACKAGE
======================================

The file that you are reading now (APPLIC.TXT), contains all of the
information you will need to become an ASP Approved BBS.

BBS-APP.FRM is an application form.  Detailed instructions for filling it out
and submitting it are here in APPLIC.TXT.

Although the instructions in this document are complete, you will need to
refer to the "BBS Standards".  BBS Standards are detailed in STANDARD.TXT.

SHAREW.TXT and BBS-BLTS.TXT are suggested texts for use in constructing the
required bulletins for your BBS. An online readable text file explaining the
ASP and Shareware is required for membership. We recommend that such file(s)
be posted on your "Bulletins" menu, and should be available to callers at ALL
security levels. A suggested title for the first (SHAREW.TXT) is "What is
Shareware", and the 2nd (BBS-BLTS.TXT) could be titled "ASP/Shareware". Or,
you can combine the two into a single bulletin, with a suggested title "What
is ASP & Shareware"

BBS-OMB.TXT is the entire ASP Ombudsman Policy, and contains specific
instructions for posting the required portion of the Ombudsman Policy as it
pertains to BBS members. Please follow these instructions carefully (beginning
at Section 8)

BYLAW6.TXT is the current bylaws of the ASP. It is highly recommended that all
applicants read this document.

BBSLOGO.TXT is a logo for your BBS. (To be used *ONLY* after your BBS had been
approved!)

================
WHAT IS THE ASP?
================

The ASP is an internationally recognized association for Shareware Authors,
Disk Vendors, BBSs, User Groups and others striving to produce and distribute
high quality shareware products.  Our goals are to educate the general public
on what shareware is and promote professionalism within the shareware
community.  We strive to set forth standards that guide shareware authors,
distributors, User Group and BBS operators into a more professional means of
distributing shareware software.  We promote the sharing of resources and
information among other members.


=============
THE MECHANICS
=============

How long will it take to become get approved?  That's the question we hear
most often.  The answer?  Well, it depends.  Three to six weeks is typical,
but if your system is difficult to get access to, if there are questions, or
if there are changes that need to be made to your system, it could take
longer. Keep in mind that the ASP is a "volunteer" organization, and all of
the work is performed by volunteers as time permits.

Your application must go through several steps.  Here's what happens:

The ASP Executive Director ("ED") receives your application and checks it for
completeness.  I know YOU wouldn't do this, but believe it or not, some folks
don't read the application directions carefully enough and fail to send in
what is required.  Funny, huh?  Some of them leave out their phone number.
Others forget the check.  When that happens, the ED has to send you a letter,
then you have to go back over all the instructions and apply again.

Once your application is complete, the ED sends sends your application to the
BBS Membership Committee Chairman ("BBSMC").

The BBSMC reviews your app to make sure there are no obvious problems. The
BBSMC at that point will either 1) call your BBS to perform the investigation,
or 2) assign your application to one of the other committee members for
investigation.

There are four common hang-ups at this point:

    1.  Your system has not been setup with the required logon account for
        the BBSMC to perform the evaluation. You SHOULD set this up while
        filling in your application.

    2.  During the review process commercial software (most notably games)
        or commercial software documentation (in violation of copyrights)
        are found on your system.

    3.  The required text files regarding Shareware and the ASP were not
        found/posted on your system for users to read.

    4.  There was no evidence of an effort to mark your existing file
        libraries with an "<ASP>" marker (or something similar). While we
        don't expect any sysop to go through their entire library of files,
        we do like to see that at least a minimal effort has already been
        done in this area.

If your application fails any of these requirements, you will be notified by
the BBSMC.  They will work with you to bring your BBS into compliance.  Once
it meets ASP standards, a full check out of your system will be performed
again to insure compliance with the standards setforth.

If you are approved, a message will be left on your BBS to that effect. At
that point, you are allowed to add the ASP Logo to your BBS screens. The BBSMC
will also post your BBS information in the in the membership and public
sections of the ASP Forum on CompuServe, as well as in various other message
networks dealing with Shareware and the ASP (i.e. FidoNet, RIME, etc). You
will receive a full membership package in the mail shortly thereafter.

If your BBS does not meet ASP standards, and you refuse to bring it in line
with the standards, your application for membership in the ASP will be
rejected. If you disagree with the action of the BBSMC, you may appeal
directly to the Board of Directors, by writing to the Executive Director
(address below).

When you start feeling frustrated about the delays (and if you're like most
SysOps, you probably will!), keep one thing in mind: with the exception of the
Executive Director", this entire process, beginning to end, is performed by
volunteers -- volunteer Shareware folks just like you, who have a myriad of
demands on their time. Please be patient.

======================
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
======================

When you apply, you will send in a check (or sign away your credit card) for
$40.  If a check is used, it must be in US dollars drawn on a USA bank.

That amount covers your dues for the remainder of the calendar year.  New
members will be considered "High Option" members for the remainder of that
calendar year, to see what those services are like.  The dues will cover the
period from the date of application until December 31 of that same year. Dues
renewal is ALWAYS on January 1 for EVERYONE. (NOTE: if you are accepted for
membership after October 27, the ASP President will waive your dues for the
following year).

After the first year, dues depend on the services you want:

STANDARD LEVEL: The dues for this level are based on basic services and set
the dues as low as possible while covering the cost attributable to that
member.  Annually dues are $25 ($35 for BBS outside the USA, Canada and Mexico
because of higher postage costs). Gives the member a subscription to ASPects,
access to the CIS ASPFORUM member sections, the right to use the ASP name as a
BBS member, and a listing in the ASP on disk and printed catalogs. They will
not receive the monthly catalog disk and will appear in the authors' Group
Mailing (*) reservation form as a separate category.

HIGH LEVEL: Provides more services, and is intended to be at a level where the
dues cover general ASP costs and services like the Executive Director's
Office, lobbying, etc. Dues are set at $75. These members are supporting the
ASP's activities and partake in additional services including catalog disks
mailed monthly and being offered as a separate option to authors on the Group
Mailing (*) service.  For each new service offered by the ASP, the ASP Board
of Directors will need to decide if it applies to all BBS members or to just
High Option members. The criteria used for this determination will normally
involve any cost to the ASP.

Each BBS member will have to choose which level they want at each membership
billing.  For changes at the main billing, services would shift effective
April 1.  At any time after that, a member can switch from basic to full
services by paying the difference in dues in full.  The change will be
effective as soon as the ED can process it.

(*) There are two types of mailings you might receive, which many ASP authors
participate in on a voluntary basis.  This can amount to quite a few programs,
so if you do not want to handle disks by mail make sure you circle the
appropriate block on the BBS-APP.FRM.  1. There is a Group Mailing which
combines several disks from various authors into one package mailed monthly.
NOTE: This ASP-sponsered service is not funded, required or guaranteed by the
ASP itself, but totally by the authors who choose to participate. 2. There are
disks sent to you directly by authors who prefer to mail independently.

========================
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO JOIN?
========================

Membership is open to all SysOps of BBSs and On Line services that distribute
programs which are currently marketed and supported as shareware, who agree to
abide by standards adopted by the association, and whose membership, in the
judgment of the BBS Membership Committee, will not be detrimental to the goals
or reputation of the ASP.

(Don't be confused by the ASP jargon: an ASP Approved BBS is an Associate
Member of ASP)

===============
HOW DO I APPLY?
===============

You must follow these instructions, precisely, in order. (Please! Follow the
instructions!  If your application is returned it only adds to the delay and
the confusion....)

A: Read the rest of this document.

B: Follow the instructions in this document to answer all the questions in
BBS-APP.FRM.  Fill out the BBS-APP.FRM application form in print.  We MUST
have a printed copy of the file called BBS-APP.FRM, properly completed, in
order to process your application.

C: An electronic copy of the BBS-APP.FRM application form should be placed on
a blank floppy disk (preferably at 5-1/4" 360k disk). This will allow the ASP
"ED" to forward your application electronically to the BBSMC, and will speed
up the process a bit.

D: If you have extra information about your system, ie brochures, magazine
reviews, etc.  Send those too!  It is your opportunity to show off your best
side.

E: Create a "user account" for the BBSMC to logon with. This should be a user
account with the name and password that you have listed on the BBS-APP.FRM. It
should have a high enough security setting so that the BBSMC investigator can
fully evaluate your system. Please set this account up as "NO COLOR / ANSI /
GRAPHICS" - if the investigator desires to use these features, he/she can turn
them on after they logon. [NOTE: Many sysops *OFTEN* forget to actually set up
this account (even after listing the logon name and password on the form), and
thus causes delays in the approval process].

F: Add the necessary Bulletins to your system, and make any other changes
necessary for approval.  Remember, that all the files can be included now,
EXCEPT the ASP Approved Logo. (NOTE: This is also a step that many sysops
forget to do, and only adds to the delays.)

G: Put ALL of the following into one package:

   1) A signed and dated printout of the file BBS-APP.FRM.
   2) An electronic copy of the completed BBS-APP.FRM on a floppy disk.
   3) Any Additional information.
   4) Either:
      A) A check for $40, in U.S. dollars, drawn on a U.S. bank;
         or,
      B) The completed credit card charge authorization located
         at the end of BBS-APP.FRM

   Note that $20 of the $40 fee will be refunded if your
   application is not accepted; $20 is a non-refundable
   processing fee.

H: Mail the package to:

   Executive Director
   Association of Shareware Professionals
   545 Grover Road
   Muskegon, MI 49442-9427

===================================================
HERE'S THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILLING OUT BBS-APP.FRM
===================================================

At this point, you should take a look at the file BBS-APP.FRM, and follow
along as we step you through the form.  These instructions are very important,
and must be followed precisely. If you don't follow the instructions, you will
risk delaying the processing of your application by days -- possibly weeks!

===============
THE APPLICATION
===============

Wherever you see an underline (i.e. _______ ) in the application form, your
answer *MUST* fit within the defined bounds.  Set your word processor or text
editor to "Overstrike" the underlines!  If you go outside the confines of each
field, your information WILL BE TRUNCATED TO FIT! (We would prefer that *YOU*
determine where to place any necessary abbreviations).

Fill in your name, address, etc.  Be sure to list the address in proper
mailing format, exactly as it should appear for postal delivery.

If you have access to CompuServe, we strongly urge you to note your CompuServe
PPN number;  we will try to contact you through CompuServe whenever possible,
and you should check your CompuServe mail every few days while your
application is being processed.

Please be sure to list your specialties in the "Description" area. This should
include any network connections (i.e. FidoNet, RIME, NANet, etc) and be sure
to include your network addresses. You should also list any local affiliations
such as user groups, etc. Also list the main focus of your BBS.



================
HOW TO GET HELP!
================

If you have questions about your application, please contact the ASP Executive
Director on CompuServe at 72050,1433.

If you do not have access to CompuServe, try the U.S. Mail:

   Executive Director
   Association of Shareware Professionals
   545 Grover Road
   Muskegon, MI 49442-9427

Or Call:

   [phone] (Voice Mon-Fri 8am-5pm EST)

Or FAX:

   [phone] (FAX - 24hrs/day)

Thanks!

We all look forward to seeing your application....

Richard Holler
BBS Membership Committee Chairman
April 11, 1993