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- │ W H A T I S S H A R E W A R E ? │
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- │ W H A T I S T H E A S P ? │
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- ┌─────┴───┐ │ (R)
- ──│ │o │──────────────────
- │ ┌─────┴╨──┐ │ Association of
- │ │ │─┘ Shareware
- └───│ o │ Professionals
- ──────│ ║ │────────────────────
- └────╨────┘ MEMBER
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- ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
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- Definitions
- The Shareware Concept
- The Association of Shareware Professionals
- Contacting ASP Members Via CompuServe
- ASP Ombudsman Statement
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- Definitions
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- You've probably heard the terms "public domain", "freeware",
- "shareware", and others like them. Your favorite BBS or disk vendor
- probably has many programs described by one or more of these words.
- There's a lot of confusion about and between these terms, but they
- actually have specific meanings and implications. Once you understand
- them, you will have a much easier time navigating the maze of programs
- available to you, and understanding what your obligations are, or
- aren't, with each type of program.
-
- Let's start with some basic definitions.
-
- "Public domain" has a very specific legal meaning. It means that the
- creator of a work (in this case, a piece of software), who had legal
- ownership of that work, has given up ownership and dedicated the work
- "to the public domain". Once something is in the public domain,
- anyone can use it in any way they choose, and the author has no
- control over the use and cannot demand payment for it.
-
- If you find a program which the author has explicitly put into the
- public domain, you are free to use it however you see fit without
- paying for the right to use it. But use care - due to the confusion
- over the meaning of the words, programs are often described by others
- as being "public domain" when, in fact, they are shareware or free,
- copyrighted software. To be sure a program is public domain, you
- should look for an explicit statement from the author to that effect.
-
- "Copyrighted" is the opposite of public domain. A copyrighted program
- is one where the author has asserted his or her legal right to control
- the program's use and distribution by placing the legally required
- copyright notices in the program and documentation. The law gives
- copyright owners broad rights to restrict how their work is distri-
- buted, and provides for penalties for those who violate these restric-
- tions. When you find a program which is copyrighted, you must use it
- in accordance with the copyright owner's restrictions on distribution
- and payment. Usually, these are clearly stated in the program docu-
- mentation.
-
- Maintaining a copyright does not necessarily imply charging a fee, so
- it is perfectly possible and legal to have copyrighted programs which
- are distributed free of charge. The fact that a program is free,
- however, does not mean it is in the public domain - though this is a
- common confusion.
-
- "Shareware" is copyrighted software which is distributed by authors
- through bulletin boards, on-line services, disk vendors, and copies
- passed among friends. It is commercial software which you are allowed
- to try out before you pay for it. This makes shareware the ultimate
- in money-back guarantees.
-
- ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
- The Shareware Concept
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- Most money-back guarantees work like this: you pay for the product and
- then have some period of time to try it out and see whether or not you
- like it. If you don't like it, or find it doesn't do what you need,
- you return it (undamaged) and at some point - which might take months
- - you get your money back. Some software companies won't even let you
- try their product! In order to qualify for a refund, the diskette
- envelope must have an unbroken seal. With these "licensing" agree-
- ments, you only qualify for your money back if you haven't tried the
- product. How absurd!
-
- Shareware is very different. With shareware, you get to try it for a
- limited time, without spending a penny. You are able to try it on
- your own system(s), and in your own special work environment. If you
- decide not to continue using it, you throw it away and forget all
- about it. No paperwork, phone calls, or correspondence to waste your
- valuable time. If you do continue using it, then - and only then - do
- you pay for it.
-
- Shareware is a distribution method, NOT a type of software. Shareware
- is produced by accomplished programmers, just like retail software.
- There is good shareware and bad shareware, just as there is good and
- bad retail software. The primary difference between shareware and
- retail software is that with shareware you know if it's good or bad
- BEFORE you pay for it.
-
- As a software user, you benefit because you get to try the software
- and determine whether it meets your needs before you pay for it, and
- authors benefit because they are able to get their products into your
- hands without the hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses it
- takes to launch a traditional retail software product. There are many
- programs on the market today which would never have become available
- without the shareware marketing method.
-
- The shareware system and the continued availability of quality share-
- ware products depend on your willingness to register and pay for the
- shareware you use. It's the registration fees you pay that allow shareware
- authors to support and continue product development.
-
- Please show your support for shareware by registering those programs
- you actually use and by passing them on to others.
-
- Shareware is kept alive by YOUR support!
-
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- The Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP)
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- In the early days of shareware, there were no real standards. Inde-
- pendent authors had no efficient way to learn from each other, or to
- work together to improve the overall image of shareware. There was no
- system in place to ensure that users were treated fairly and profes-
- sionally. There was no way for users to find an address for an author
- who had moved. In short, the shareware community was disorganized and
- each author did things the way he or she thought was best. It was
- clear that if shareware was ever to become a viable and respected
- marketing alternative, there had to be some standardization. There
- had to be some guidelines to best serve the users.
-
- In 1987 a handful of shareware authors founded the Association of
- Shareware Professionals (ASP). In forming this industry association,
- these shareware authors had several primary goals in mind, including:
-
- o To inform users about shareware programs, and about shareware as
- a method of distributing and marketing software.
-
- o To foster a high degree of professionalism among shareware
- authors by setting programming, marketing, and support standards
- for ASP members to follow.
-
- o To encourage broader distribution of shareware through user
- groups and disk dealers who agree to identify and explain the
- nature of shareware.
-
- o To assist members in marketing their software.
-
- o To provide a forum through which ASP members may communicate,
- share ideas, and learn from each other.
-
- The newly formed Association of Shareware Professionals worked
- together to draft a code of ethics for all present and future members.
- This code of ethics included several requirements that soon became
- very popular among users (customers), including:
-
- o A member's program (evaluation version) could not be limited
- (crippled) in any way. In the true spirit of Try-Before-You-Buy,
- users must be able to evaluate all the features in a program
- before paying the registration fee.
-
- o Members must respond to every registration. At the very least
- they must send a receipt for the payment.
-
- o Members must provide technical support for their products for at
- least 90 days from the date of registration.
-
- A new system was put in place to help ensure that users were treated
- fairly and professionally. If a user was unable to resolve a problem
- with a member author then the user could contact the ASP Ombudsman
- with their complaint. The Ombudsman would then try to help resolve
- the dispute. For more complete details regarding the Ombudsman,
- please refer to the "ASP Ombudsman Statement" below.
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- Contacting ASP Members Via CompuServe
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- There is an easy and convenient way to speak directly to many ASP
- Members (both authors and vendors). Visit the Shareware forum on
- CompuServe. Simply type "GO Shareware" - or "GO SHARE" - from any
- CompuServe "!" prompt.
-
- Here you will be able to talk to the authors of your favorite
- shareware programs, learn about other programs, ask questions, make
- suggestions, and much more. We'd love to meet you online - please
- come visit us today!
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- ASP Ombudsman Statement
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- 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 technical support for members' products.
-
- Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at:
-
- ASP Ombudsman
- 545 Grover Road
- Muskegon, MI 49442-9427
- U.S.A.
-
- or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe MAIL to ASP Ombudsman
- 70007,3536.
-