ASP Advantage 1993/The Association of Shareware Professionals Advantage CD-ROM 1993.iso/files/business/sba93_3a/userinfo.doc

Text File | 1993-07-01 | 17KB | 354 lines

             USER INFO FILE (FILENAME "USERINFO.DOC")
             ----------------------------------------

                      ┌─────────┐
                ┌─────┴───┐     │              (R)
              ──│         │o    │──────────────────
                │   ┌─────┴╨──┐ │  Association of
                │   │         │─┘  Shareware
                └───│    o    │    Professionals
              ──────│    ║    │────────────────────
                    └────╨────┘    MEMBER


CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SELECTION OF THE EVALUATION WARE
PROGRAM "SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR."  We think you will find
that this new expert program, designed to help small
businesses through the dense thickets of taxes and other
government regulations, is not only an extremely helpful
and current source of business information, but that it is
also exceptionally easy to use, within a minute or two
after the first time you start it up.

While this is an "evaluation" program (similar to share-
ware, except that you may only legally use it for a 30-day
evaluation period), you will find that it is completely
uncrippled, and contains all of the features of the
commercial version of the program, which retails for
$149.95.  We are willing to give away the program in large
quantities, because we find that a significant number of
users like the program enough that they choose to either
order the latest quarterly update of the program (since
the tax and legal and other content of a program of this
type quickly goes out of date--every time the people in
Congress wake up from their naps, in fact).

The remainder of this file contains:

 . a description of hardware limitations of the program;

 . information about the Association of Shareware
   Professionals "Ombudsman" program;

 . general information about shareware;

 . disclaimer and summary of terms of the license under
   which this software is provided by the author; and

 . information about the various registration options
   and about ordering updates of the program, or ordering
   the related books or the Professional Version of the
   program;

For detailed instructions on using all the functions of
the program, see the file F122.SBE, which is the on-disk
user manual.  You may print this file out directly from
the program by the selecting the "USER" option from the
program's Main Menu, and then, after viewing the manual
on-screen, pressing the <ESCAPE> key to select printing
options.  Since the program prints out a neatly formatted
user manual for you (approximately 15 pages in length), no
typeset user manual is provided with the registered
version of the program.


     PROGRAM LIMITATIONS--SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR
     -------------------------------------------
The program is compatible with most MS/DOS PC/DOS systems,
monochrome or color, MDA, Hercules, CGA EGA or SVGA.
However, it may not run properly on some monochrome
monitors used with a color card.

You will need 512K of RAM and either a hard disk or a
High-Density floppy disk drive to run the program, as it
takes up over 1MB of disk space when de-compressed.
Because of frequent disk access, running the program on
a hard disk drive is highly recommended.


   ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
***│SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR will NOT run on the IBM PCjr.│***
   └────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘



 ASP OMBUDSMAN STATEMENT
 -----------------------

  "This program is produced by a member of the Association
   of Shareware Professionals (ASP).  ASP wants to make sure
   that the shareware principle works for you. If you are
   unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP
   member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able
   to help.  The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute
   or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide tech-
   nical support for members' products.  Please write to the
   ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 or
   send a CompuServe message, via CompuServe Mail to ASP
   Ombudsman 70007,3536."


DEFINITION OF SHAREWARE
-----------------------
Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software
before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and con-
tinue using it, you are expected to register.  Individual
programs differ on details -- some request registration
while others require it, some specify a maximum trial
period.  With registration, you get anything from the
simple right to continue using the software to an updated
program with printed manual.

Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial
software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with
a few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors
are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors,
and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases,
there are good programs and bad ones!)  The main difference
is in the method of distribution.  The author specifically
grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either
to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example, some
authors require written permission before a commercial disk
vendor may copy their Shareware.

Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software.
You should find software that suits your needs and pocket-
book, whether it's commercial or Shareware.  The Shareware
system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try
before you buy.  And because the overhead is low, prices are
low also.  Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee
-- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it.

DISCLAIMER - AGREEMENT
----------------------
Users of SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR must accept this disclaimer
of warranty:

   "SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR is supplied as is.  The author
    disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, includ-
    ing, without limitation, the warranties of merchantabil-
    ity and of fitness for any purpose.  The author assumes
    no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which
    may result from the use of SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR."

SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR is a "shareware program" and is
provided at no charge to the user for evaluation.  Feel free
to share it with your friends, but please do not give it
away altered or as part of another system.  The essence of
"user-supported" software is to provide personal computer
users with quality software without high prices, and yet to
provide incentive for programmers to continue to develop new
products.  If you find this program useful and find that you
are using SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR and continue to use SMALL
BUSINESS ADVISOR after 30 days, you must make a registration
payment of $19 to the author, Michael D. Jenkins.  The $19
registration fee will license one copy for use on any one
computer at any one time.  You must treat this software just
like a book.  An example is that this software may be used
by any number of people and may be freely moved from one
computer location to another, so long as there is no possi-
bility of it being used at one location while it's being
used at another.  Just as a book cannot be read by two
different persons at the same time.

Commercial users of SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR must also
register and pay for their copies of SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR
within 30 days of first use or their license is withdrawn.
Site-License arrangements may be made by contacting the
author or publisher at the address given on-screen in the
program.

Anyone distributing SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR for any kind
of remuneration must first contact MICHAEL D. JENKINS or
DYNAMIC SOLUTIONS at the address given in the program for
authorization.  This authorization will be automatically
granted to distributors recognized by the Association of
Shareware Professionals (ASP) as adhering to its guidelines
for shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin
offering SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR immediately.  (However,
MICHAEL D. JENKINS or DYNAMIC SOLUTIONS must still be
advised so that the distributor can be kept up-to-date with
the latest version of SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR.).

You are encouraged to pass a copy of SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR
along to your friends for evaluation.  Please encourage them
to register their copy if they find that they can use it.

Users who wish to:

  . register; or

  . to order an updated copy of the program (the commercial
    version, which is identical to the Shareware version,
    except that it has no shareware screens); or

  . to order the Professional Version (mainly for attorneys,
    CPAs and other business consultants); or

  . to order the related book, "STARTING AND OPERATING A
    BUSINESS IN .[STATE]...." (specify state -- an edition of
    these 250 to 300 page books is available for each of the
    50 states and the District of Columbia),

may do so at discounted prices by using the facility in the
SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR program that allows you to print out
an order form.  The order form will also contain a "current
user" discount code that will entitle you to order at 67%
or greater discounts from the commercial list prices of the
software.


  BENEFITS OF REGISTERING YOUR COPY OF SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR:
  ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

1.  RIGHT TO CONTINUED USE OF PROGRAM (LEGALLY).  As a regis-
tered user, you may continue to legally use your copy of the
Shareware version of SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR indefinitely,
after the 30-day Evaluation Period has expired.

2.  TECHNICAL SUPPORT.  All REGISTERED users will receive
the right to 3 months of free technical support, by mail,
of the program, and we will, where feasible, remedy any
"bugs" or system incompatibilies that we can, or, if we are
unable to do so, or choose not to, we will fully and prompt-
ly refund your registration fee.  When you register, you
will receive a written notice regarding the address to write
to for such service (if different from the address given in
this version of the program), and, if we have implemented
telephone technical support service by such time, we will
also give you the telephone number to call for technical
support.

3.  USER CODE.  If you register your copy of the SMALL
BUSINESS ADVISOR (basic $19 registration fee only), we will
NOT automatically send you an updated copy of the program.
However, we will send you a simple user code that will allow
you to turn off the "shareware message" reminder screens in
the program.  ALSO:  We will send you the "PRINT/SAVE"
utility, described in the next paragraph.  With the USER
CODE and the PRINT/SAVE utility, the program becomes iden-
tical to the "registered version," including the absence
of "shareware message" reminder screens.

4.  PRINT/SAVE UTILITY.  At any level of registration, from
the basic $19 registration on up to purchase of the Small
Business Advisor Professional Version, you will receive a
copy of our self-installing PRINT/SAVE UTILITY program,
which, when present, will allow you to print out or save to
disk (for editing with your word processor, if desired) any
text file or checklist that you view on-screen in Advisor.
This is very useful, particularly if you are a professional
who wishes to use Advisor text files (printed out) to give
to your clients as "instant memos" on various tax and legal
subjects covered in the program, or to incorporate part or
all of any such text files or checklists generated by
Advisor into a letter or other document, created on your
word processor.

(The PRINT/SAVE utility lets you either print clean-looking
formatted copies of text files or checklists directly from
any printer, or will save any such text on disk as ASCII
files, which are readable and editable by almost any word
processing program.)

5.  DISCOUNT PRICE ON BOOKS.  If you register (at any level),
and wish to order one of the STARTING AND OPERATING A
BUSINESS IN (____STATE___) books at the same time, you may
do so for only $23 ($19 plus $4 shipping & handling),
instead of the $33.95 for the book alone.


    QUESTION:  HOW DO I PRINT OUT THE ORDER FORM?
    ---------

    ANSWER:    Simply press "P" when the program prompts you
    -------    to do so, just as you are about to exit the
               program.  Then type in your name and address
               on-screen before you print out the order form.)

AS ALTERNATIVES TO THE BASIC REGISTRATION, the order form
that the program will print out for you gives you several
other options, as follows:

 -  FULL REGISTRATION.  For $29.95, you not only become a
    registered user, entitled to 3 months' technical support,
    but you also receive a copy of the latest update of the
    commercial version of the SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR, which
    retails for $69.95 (to anyone not submitting an order
    form with a "discount code" printed on it).  SMALL
    BUSINESS ADVISOR is updated every calendar quarter, to
    keep abreast of rapidly changing laws and regulations.

 -  ORDER PROFESSIONAL VERSION.  If you are a professional
    (lawyer, CPA or other business adviser) or otherwise
    want the 50-state & D.C. Professional Version of SMALL
    BUSINESS ADVISOR, which sells for a retail list price of
    $ 99.95 (bookstore owners:  see R.R. Bowker's "Books in
    Print" for full description of The SMALL BUSINESS
    ADVISOR -- PROFESSIONAL VERSION), you may obtain a copy
    at a discounted price (see order form created by the
    program for discounted price) if you print out the order
    form containing your "current user discount" code.

 -  BOOK ORDER (without registration).  You may order one or
    more of the companion series of books, "STARTING AND
    OPERATING A BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA" (or any other state)
    for $33.95 ($29.95 plus $4.00 shipping).  Each book in
    this series, which is either authored or coauthored by
    Michael D. Jenkins, CPA and Attorney (the author of this
    program), consists of approximately 250 to 300 pages of
    text, including in-depth analyses of tax, legal, and
    other matters of concern to new businesses, all written
    in very clear and readable language.  This series, which
    is published by Oasis Press, and which is co-authored
    (in most states) by the local offices of the "Big Six"
    international public accounting firm of Ernst & Young,
    has been highly acclaimed for over a decade and has sold
    over a half million copies; it is the "standard" book
    used in most SBA offices, SBDC's and SCORE chapters
    nationwide, including the national offices of the SBA in
    Washington, D.C.

 -  BOOK ORDER (with any level of registration).  If you
    are also sending in your $19 or $29.95 registration,
    or an order for the Professional Version of SMALL
    BUSINESS ADVISOR, you may order one or more of the
    STARTING AND OPERATING A BUSINESS IN ______ books for
    the reduced price of $23.00, with NO charge for shipping
    and handling.


                    *** CONSCIENCE MONEY ***

   ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
   │IF YOU USE AND LIKE THIS PROGRAM,  BUT CHOOSE NOT TO SUP-│
   │PORT IT BY SENDING IN YOUR  REGISTRATION FEE or  ordering│
   │updates, we strongly urge you to instead send a  $15  (or│
   │larger!) contribution to the GREENPEACE organization, in-│
   │stead of us, at the following address:                   │
   │                                                         │
   │                     GREENPEACE                          │
   │                     P.O. BOX 3720                       │
   │                     WASHINGTON, DC 20007-0220           │
   │                                                         │
   │ PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE NOT, IN ANY WAY, AFFILIATED WITH│
   │ THE GREENPEACE ORGANIZATION.  We are simply in alignment│
   │ with their  goals and  wish to encourage others  to give│
   │ their financial support to helping maintain a  semblance│
   │ intelligent life on the planet -- and we also would like│
   │ to give you, as a user of the program, some other way to│
   │ salve your badly mangled conscience,  if you continue to│
   │ use SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR in violation of the copyright│
   └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘