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READ.ME
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1987-04-16
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4/16/85
The accompanying files in the archive BWTOOL01.ARC comprise the first release
of the Window Tools routines into the Public Domain. If you followed the
release late in 1986 of the BASWIND2 package, you will remember that I prom-
ised to release the Window Tools routines (demonstrated in the file BW2DEMO2)
one at a time as my contribution to the IBM PC "shared software" community.
Please note that these routines are PUBLIC DOMAIN; that is, not "shareware",
"freeware", or any other type of designation for programs that retain the
copyright of the author. You may use any of these routines freely, in any
program, commercial or private, without any obligation. It is my hope that
others will similarly contribute works to the Public Domain which we may
all share and improve as we see fit.
If you are aware of the BASWIND2 release and the demos of the Window Tools;
you undoubtedly know that for the past several months (and hopefully, for a
few months to come) I have been selling a complete package of the Window Tools
routines. This has been an experiment on my part to see if a certain amount of
commercial value can be extracted from a software work by an author; to pro-
vide an incentive for him to keep writing routines that are of value to others;
while at the same time providing for the eventual enrichment of the Public
Domain. I am pleased to say that the response to this rather novel method of
release has been very positive; as I have received a gratifying amount of both
moral and monetary support.
To those of you who considered the full package of routines to be attractive
enough to warrant your $25 contribution; you have my sincere thanks, with my
best wishes that you have found the routines to be of use in your programming
efforts. To those of you that, for whatever reason, did not feel they were of
commercial value to you: please use the accompanying routines (and those to be
released along the coming months) as you see fit as they are hereby released
into the Public Domain for the free exchange of all. I do not ask for any
contribution for their use: they have provided me with what I consider to be
an adequate return and I am now using them as my way of contributing something
back to the IBM software community that has been of inestimable value to me.
Some of you may find that, after reviewing this and subsequent routines, that
you would like to have the complete set of routines and prefer not to wait.
For this reason, I will continue to provide a disk with the complete set of
all source code and documentation for the entire Window Tools package. You may
acquire this package by sending a contribution of $25 to:
Dave Evers
2500 Larch Rd. #58
Quincy, IL 62301
I will return the disk to you via First Class mail. Obviously, as more and
more of the routines are released into the Public Domain over the coming
months, the value of this offer will diminish. I have taken this into con-
sideration as part of the declining return that anything of value provides
to its creator over time. The difference here is that once the commercial
value is exhausted; the product doesn't languish in obscurity, but is free to
develop in a "second life" among the user community. I wish more software
(especially "defunct" commercial packages) would be available in this manner;
as it offers a tremendous opportunity for learning and application to many
people who, by lack of financial resources or inclination, simply choose not
to purchase a software product. I encourage all software authors to consider
contributing in some fashion to the Public Domain so that it becomes more of
a resource; in effect becoming a "public library" rather than a "public dump".
SPEECH OVER! Now to the task at hand ...
Included in this release are the following files:
BWTOOL01 DOC
FASTPRT ASM
FASTPRT OBJ
NEWSCRN ASM
NEWSCRN OBJ
POPMENU SUB
SCROLL SUB
USERLIB2 OBJ
MAKEWIND SUB
WINDTOOL LIB
READ ME
The ASM files are assembly language source files for certain routines;
the OBJ files are the assembled routines ready to be linked to your program.
The SUB files are QuickBASIC source code for the balance of the routines in
this release.
Also included is a file called WINDTOOL.LIB, which contains all of these
routines in linkable form in a single entity to be specified during the LINK
procedure. To use these routines, your main program must be compiled using the
/O option (command line) or the OBJ (BCOM.LIB) option within QB. If you desire
to use the interactive programming environment of QuickBASIC, you must re-
compile all of the SUB files using no switch on the command line or the
OBJ (BRUN.LIB) option within QB. Then you must use the BUILDLIB program that
comes with QuickBASIC to incorporate ALL of the OBJ files into a User Library
(following the procedure specified in the QB manual). Then, when invoking
QuickBASIC, use the /L:[library name] option to load in the User Library.
You may then compile to memory quickly and test your programs without having
to separately compile and link all of the modules.