Complete Bookshop/CompleteWorkshop.iso/compute/applic/applic.exe/APPLIC.TXT

Text File | 1991-08-20 | 30.6 KB | 759 lines

Dear Author,

Thank you for your interest in becoming a member of the
Association of Shareware  Professionals (ASP).  We are a group
of Shareware authors 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 application will be
subjected to several rigorous tests.  Admission to ASP is by no
means automatic: you must demonstrate that one of your products
(e.g., a program and related documentation) meets ASP standards;
and you must guarantee that, if you are accepted, your other
Shareware will meet the same high standards.

I'll get to the registration details here in a moment.  First,
let me explain the various files you have just received, and
then we'll take a look at what ASP is all about, and how your
application will be processed.

=========
THE FILES
=========

This file, APPLIC.TXT, contains all of the information you will
need to join the ASP.

APPLIC.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
may wish to refer to the "Official" rules.  Membership
regulations are detailed in REQUIRE.TXT.

You may find the contents of SHAREW.PRN a useful addition to
your product's documentation. Feel free to include any or all of
it in your docs.

And REASONS.TXT goes over many of the reasons for joining ASP --
if you aren't already convinced!

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

The ASP is an association for shareware authors with the general
goals of educating shareware authors and distributors and the
public, setting standards, sharing resources and information
among members.

==================
WHAT IS SHAREWARE?
==================

For the ASP's purposes, "Shareware" is software which meets all
of the following general criteria:

It is a "complete" program, ie: it performs all of the major
functions normally expected of a program of its type, unlike a
"commercial demo" which normally has a major function disabled.

It is copyrighted (as opposed to uncopyrighted software which is
"public domain").

It may be copied for others to try, possibly subject to copying
restrictions: you might restrict copying in conjunction with any
business enterprise; you might place limits on copying for a
fee; registration fees may be required from the user as a
condition of continued use of the program beyond a trial usage
period. (Note that a "$0" registration fee is valid.  You might
want to distribute "$0 Shareware" to build a mailing list, for
example.)

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

How long will it take to become a member?  That's the question
we hear most often.  The answer?  Well, it depends.   Six to ten
weeks is typical, but if there are questions or a long reviewer
delay, it could take longer.  If a lot of things break your way,
it could take as little as three or four weeks.  We do intend to
keep you posted on the progress of your application.

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 forget to send in their
program.  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.  With our country's outstanding
mail service, that only takes 2 or 3 weeks extra, but....

Once your application is complete, the ED sends you a
notification card in the mail, and distributes your application
to the members of the Author Membership Committee ("AMC").

The AMC reviews your app to make sure there are no obvious
problems.  There  are two common hang-ups at this, the first
hurdle.  (1) Your program's "Registered" version may not be
identical to the "Freely Distributed" version.  Yes, there are a
few permitted differences, but they are very narrowly defined,
and must be followed scrupulously.  Or (2) your program's
"commercials" -- also known as Nag Screens or Registration
Reminder  Screens -- in the Freely Distributed version may not
follow guidelines.  Yes, you are  allowed to have "commercials",
but they must meet very strict rules.

If your app fails to clear this first hurdle, you will hear from
one of the members of the  AMC (we call them "AAMCs" or
"Assistant Author Membership Coordinators").  Your AAMC will
work with you to bring your product into compliance.  Once it
meets ASP standards, you will have to submit your revised
product, and the process starts all over.

When you pass the first hurdle, the ED will send you another
card in the mail.  Your application and product (both
"Registered" and "Freely Distributed" versions) are then sent to
an ASP reviewer.  The reviewer runs your program through its
paces, and writes a review.  The review simply notes each ASP
requirement in turn, and measures your product against the
requirements; there is no "secret evaluation sheet", nor are
there any undocumented evaluation points. Your program is also
tested for "triviality" (described below), and checked for
obvious bugs.  Results of the review are distributed to the
members of the AMC.

Any questions about policy or procedure are immediately passed
on to the Board of Directors: the AMC is not a policy-making
body.  At a minimum, the AMC is given a week to examine your
application and the results of the review in detail.

If you clear this final hurdle, I will contact you with all the
details about membership, and you will receive a full membership
package in the mail shortly thereafter.

If your application does not meet ASP standards, it will be
referred to the Board of Directors for a re-review and
notification. If you disagree with any action of the AMC, 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 Shareware authors, you probably will!), keep
one thing in mind: with the exception of the "ED", this entire
process, beginning to end, is run by volunteers -- volunteer
Shareware folk, just like you, who have myriad demands on their
time.

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

When you apply, you will send in a check (or sign away your
credit card) for $50.  That amount covers your first years'
dues.  Technically, it's spread out over four calendar quarters,
at $12.50 per quarter, starting in the quarter your application
is submitted.  If you apply after the first quarter, you must
still submit $50; the excess is credited to your second year
dues.

After the first year, dues run $75 per year.  That amount may
change, of course.

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

Membership is open to programmers who are authors of at least
one "nontrivial" product which is currently marketed and
supported as shareware, who agree to abide by standards adopted
by the association, and whose membership, in the judgment of the
Membership Committee, will not be detrimental to the goals or
reputation of the ASP.

There are other types of members:  CoAuthors, for example, may
apply providing at least one of the authors of the product in
question is an ASP member; Associate Membership is open to
Vendors and Bulletin Board operators.  These other types of
members have their own application procedures.  Please contact
the Executive Director for details (address below).

(Don't be confused by the ASP jargon: an "Author Member" is
simply a Member, one who writes Shareware, just like you; a
"Vendor Member" is an Associate Member, typically a person or
company that distributes shareware diskettes for profit.)

Companies with a controlling interest owned by programmers ALL
of whom are ASP Members or CoAuthor Members, are considered
Company Members; there is no additional membership fee.

Companies with a controlling interest owned only partially by
ASP Members are also considered Company Members; there are
additional dues of $100 per year, pro-rated by quarter.

===============
TRIVIALITY TEST
===============

The product submitted with your application is checked for
"triviality"; perhaps a better term would be "substantiveness".
There is no single, hard-and-fast rule about what constitutes a
"trivial" submission.  The AMC does not have final word in this
matter -- each application rejected under this rule is reviewed,
individually, by the Board of Directors.

In general, a program is "trivial" if a good programmer with the
right tools can substantially duplicate the product in two days
or less.  That is a rule of thumb, not a definition.

===============
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 APPLIC.FRM.  Fill out the APPLIC.FRM application
form electronically, i.e., on disk.  We MUST have an electronic
file called APPLIC.FRM, properly completed, in order to process
your application.

C: Once the questions in APPLIC.FRM have been answered to your
satisfaction, print the file, then sign and date the printout
where indicated.

D: Print all of your product's documentation files.
(Documentation and tutorial material only: not program
listings!)

E: Put ALL of the following into one package:

   1) The file APPLIC.FRM
   2) A signed and dated printout of the file APPLIC.FRM
   3) Printouts of all of your product's documentation files
   4) The "Freely Distributed" version of your program
   5) If there is any difference between "Freely Distributed"
      and "Registered" versions of your program, also include
      a copy of the "Registered" version, clearly marked.
   6) Any material (such as a manual or a newsletter) that is
      normally included in the "Registered" version
   7) If you have an Enhanced Retail Version of your product
      (see below), the entire retail package
   8) Either:
      A) A check for $50, in U.S. dollars, drawn on a U.S. bank;
         or,
      B) The completed credit card charge authorization located
         at the end of APPLIC.FRM

   All files should be submitted on 360K, 5.25-inch diskettes,
   except for Mac and Amiga files, which may be submitted on
   any common media for those machines.

   Note that $35 of the $50 fee will be refunded if your
   application is not accepted; $15 is a non-refundable
   processing fee.

F: Mail the package to:

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


===========================
===========================
HEEEEERE'S THE INSTRUCTIONS
===========================
===========================


You are to submit one product (e.g., a program and associated
documentation) with your application.  That product will be
scrutinized thoroughly to make sure it meets the criteria
described below.  If you are admitted to the ASP, you will have
60 days to make all of your products conform to ASP standards.

I, personally, recommend (and this is NOT an ASP requirement!)
that you look at the text included in the file SHAREW.PRN,
modify it to apply to your product, and include it in your
documentation.  More than that, I recommend you insert all of
the ASP-required statements into your documents before you
submit them with your application.  Why?  Two reasons: first, if
you put all the docs together as if you were a member, the AMC
can readily verify that all of your documentation is in order;
and, second, if you are admitted, you won't have to re-write
anything.  On the downside, you are not permitted to release
anything including the ASP logo, Ombudsman statement, etc.,
unless and until you are formally admitted as a member.

At this point, you should take a look at the file APPLIC.FRM,
and follow along as we step you through the form.  These
instructions are very important, and must be followed precisely.
If you screw up, you'll delay processing of your application by
days -- possibly weeks!

(Note that the following instructions are, by and large, an
English translation of the Bylaws of the ASP, Inc., and formal
ASP policies, rules and requirements.  All of the policies have
been passed by at least a 2/3 majority of members.  If there are
any conflicts between these instructions and the formal legal
documents, the formal documents take precedence, of course.  If
you are concerned about precise wording and definitions, please
refer to the formal documents.)

=============
THE TOP BLOCK
=============

Wherever you see an underline 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, our programs go berserk -
- and so will you when you have to resubmit the form....

Fill in your name, address, etc.  If you have access to
CompuServe, we strongly urge you to note your CompuServe i.d.
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.

If you check "Yes" on "Mailing List OK", or leave the question
blank, your name and address may be provided to outsiders. The
mailing list consists solely of names and addresses -- not phone
numbers.  You may change your choice at any time by notifying
the ASP Executive Director in writing.

Please indicate the name you commonly use to describe your
product.  If it's an acronym, you can spell out the name in the
Description field.  When you describe the program, you may
assume a reasonable level of knowledge about computers, but you
should indicate any significant requirements or restrictions.
For example,

Product Name..... 3CPO__________
Description...... An AutoCAD add-on that prints circles ___
                  under three inches in diameter___________

or, say,

Product Name..... FoldEmUp______
Description...... VisualBasic Folder Manager, nests Folders
                  up to 10 deep____________________________


================
SOFTWARE SUPPORT
================

All ASP members' shareware products must provide support,
included in the purchase price, for a minimum of three months
from the date of registration.  Support may be provided for a
fee after this initial period has elapsed. The support policy
must be clearly stated in the shareware documentation -- that
is, in BOTH the Freely Distributed and Registered versions.

Support during the initial period may be one or more of the
following: via the mail; by telephone (if this is the only
support provided, at a minimum an answering machine must be
available 4 hours per day; this support may be limited to thirty
minutes of connect time at the option of the author); by BBS or
major communications service, providing the Shareware product is
a communications or communications-related product; or by any
alternate method approved by the Board of Directors by a two
thirds vote.

The author must answer questions and fix serious bugs during the
minimum three month period. For problems involving a specific
hardware or software environment or feature, the author may
choose not to modify the program. In that case, if a problem is
reported within three months after purchase, then the author
shall offer to refund the user's purchase price.

Any money sent to an author to register an unsupported product
shall be promptly returned with an explanation that the product
in question is no longer supported.

Known incompatibility with other software or hardware, and major
or unusual program limitations, must be explicitly noted in the
documentation that comes with the Freely Distributed version of
the product.

Please verify that your support policy meets ASP requirements,
and that the policy is clearly stated in your documentation
(both Registered and Freely Distributed versions).  When you are
satisfied, check "Yes" on the application form.

============
REGISTRATION
============

Your documentation must clearly describe how to register the
product and what goods and/or services the user will receive for
registering.

Fees must be expressed in fixed monetary amounts. Voluntary
payments or contributions may not be solicited, although
phrasing such as "if you use and like this product, please
register" is allowed.

Multiple levels of registration may be set, as long as each
level individually satisfies the above two requirements.

A "$0" registration fee is perfectly valid.  This approach may
be of interest to you, for example, to accumulate a mailing list

Also, fees may be required only from specific types of users --
such as businesses and government, but not individuals -- if you
wish.  But you must clearly identify the different types of
users and how much they must pay to register.

Please verify that your registration policy meets ASP
requirements, and that the policy is clearly stated in your
documentation (the statement is required in the Freely
Distributed version, and recommended in the Registered version).
When you are satisfied, check "Yes" on the application form.

===================
OMBUDSMAN STATEMENT
===================

The ASP Board has set up an office of Ombudsman and appointed as
ASP member as Ombudsman. The Ombudsman's sole role is to mediate
disputes between ASP members and their customers. The Ombudsman
reports to the Board situations where he/she feels Board action
or knowledge is appropriate.

All ASP Members and Associate Members are required to cooperate
with the Ombudsman when so requested.

The Registered and Freely Distributed versions of your products
must contain the following text:

"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 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI
49442 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP
Ombudsman 70007,3536."

The first sentence may be replaced by "<Member's name> is a
member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP)." If
a member's company qualifies under the company name policy, the
company name may be used instead of <member's name>.

(As noted above, companies with a controlling interest owned by
programmers ALL of whom are ASP Members or CoAuthor Members, are
considered Company Members; companies with a controlling
interest owned only partially by ASP Members are also considered
Company Members, although there are additional dues.)

Packages of the registered version, essentially identical to
those sent to registered shareware users, intended for sale in
retail establishments or primarily retail mail order firms need
not have an Ombudsman statement included. However, if the
version contains any reference to shareware, it must also
contain the Ombudsman statement.

The Ombudsman statement may not be hidden in a file or other
manner which 60% of the Board of Directors regards as obscure.

Please verify that you have an Ombudsman statement in your
product that meets ASP requirements.  When you are satisfied,
check "Yes" on the application form.

========================================
REGISTERED = FREELY DISTRIBUTED VERSION?
========================================

This is the most-often-confused part of joining ASP.  Please
read the regulations carefully, and note that they are
interpreted very, very stringently.  In the most direct terms:
if there's any question at all if your product qualifies for a
specific exemption, it probably doesn't!

The principle behind shareware is "try before you buy." ASP
believes that users have a right to try a fully functioning
shareware program in their regular computing environment.
Accordingly, ASP members' programs must conform to the
following:

The executable files (and/or items linked in with executables)
in the Registered and Freely Distributed versions will be the
same (with the permitted exceptions noted below).

All the program's features will be fully documented.

Registration encouragement procedures which in the judgment of
the Board are either unreasonable or unprofessional are not
allowed. Detailed rules are in the next section.

If your program meets these standards, and the Registered
version of your product is identical to the Freely Distributed
version (or the only difference between the two versions is a
printed manual), check "Yes", and skip down to the question on
Enhanced Retail Versions.

=====================================
REGISTRATION ENCOURAGEMENT PROCEDURES
=====================================

The Freely Distributed version of your product may have
registration encouragement procedures absent from the Registered
version.  (Equivalently, your Freely Distributed product may
include registration encouragement procedures which can be
disabled with a code only provided to registered users.)

The term "registration encouragement procedure" means a method
for alerting users to their duty to register the program.
Permitting registration encouragement procedures is not to be
construed as a means of avoiding the general rule that
Registered and Freely Distributed versions be the same.

The most common type of "registration encouragement procedure"
is a Registration Reminder Screen (RRS, also known as a Nag
Screen or "commercial").  There are very exacting requirements
for RRSs in ASP members' programs:

RRSs may be displayed at most twice each time the program runs,
or twice per day for long-running programs such as TSR's.

The user must be able to bypass the RRS with one or two
keystrokes.

The RRS should not take control of the computer away from the
user for more than three seconds.

Practices such as creating undocumented hidden files or printing
a registration form without the user's knowledge or consent are
prohibited.

If you have a Registration Reminder Screen(s), please verify
that it (they) meets the above criteria, then fill in the
details specified on the application form.  If you have a
registration encouragement procedure other than an RRS, please
explain what it is in the "location in program" field on the
application form.

============
SAMPLE FILES
============

To reduce the size of the Freely Distributed file(s), the
Registered version of your product may include sample files not
included in the Freely Distributed version.

These files must not in any way affect the user's ability to
evaluate the product.

If you have sample files in the Registered version that are not
in the Freely Distributed version, give file names and sizes,
and explain their function.

============================================
TUTORIAL AND ADDITIONAL EXPLANATORY MATERIAL
============================================

To reduce the size of the Freely Distributed file(s), the
Registered version of your product may include tutorials and/or
other explanatory material not included in the Freely
Distributed version.

This material must not in any way affect the user's ability to
evaluate the product.

Note, in particular, the overall requirement that all the
program's functions must be documented -- in the Freely
Distributed version.

If you have a tutorial or additional explanatory material in the
Registered version that is not in the Freely Distributed
version, give file names and sizes, and describe them.

=============================
SMALL VERSION / LARGE VERSION
=============================

You may have two Freely Distributed versions of your product.

One version -- the small version -- would be the Freely
Distributed version in normal circumstances.  For example, if
your product is a collection of C tools, the small version may
include tools applicable to only one operating system or
environment.

The other version -- the large version -- must be available from
some public source (possibly for a small distribution fee),
where it may be obtained for trial purposes.  You should
seriously consider distributing the large version yourself, for
a shipping and handling fee.

The small version's documentation must clearly describe how
users may obtain the large version.

If you have two different sizes/versions of your Freely
Distributed product, make sure your versions conform to this ASP
rule, indicate the size of each, and explain where the larger
version is available -- and at what price, if there is an
additional charge.

==================================================
UNRELATED BONUS UTILITIES OR CONVENIENCE UTILITIES
==================================================

The Registered version of your product may be include bonus
utilities unrelated to (and which do not change) the basic
functionality of the program.

For example, a dictionary for a spelling checker is NOT
"unrelated"; a telephone dialer provided as a bonus for a
scientific equation solver IS unrelated.

Registered users may be given utilities which provide a
convenience but which are not essential to the function of the
program.

For example, if you can change screen colors in a program by
editing hex codes -- and changing colors is not integral to the
function of the program -- a fancy color picker would be a
convenience utility.  But if your product is a database package,
the ability, e.g., to import dBase files into your program is
NOT merely a convenience.

These rules are interpreted in the strictest possible sense, and
are not intended to undermine the basic requirement that
Registered and Freely Distributed versions be the same.

If you have unrelated bonus utilities or convenience utilities
in the Registered version that are not in the Freely Distributed
version, give file names and sizes, and describe them.

=================
OTHER DIFFERENCES
=================

If source code is offered with the Registered version, it may be
withheld from the Freely Distributed version.  If this is the
case with your product, please check where indicated.

Exceptions to any of the above requirements must be approved by
the ASP Board of Directors, by a 60% vote.  If you wish to apply
for a Board exception, please describe.

=======================
ENHANCED RETAIL VERSION
=======================

The author may provide an enhanced retail version of the program
so long as it is not (in the opinion of 60% of the Board of
Directors) merely an attempt to circumvent these policies.

The Enhanced Retail Version should have a different name (e.g.,
"Procomm Plus") to minimize confusion between the Shareware and
Commercial versions.

The Shareware version must be a separate product that meets all
ASP standards for support, documentation, etc.  The Enhanced
Retail Version may not be represented as a "Registered" version
of the Shareware.

If there is an Enhanced Retail Version available, that fact must
be made clear in the registration documentation.  (The user
should never be put in the position of registering a Shareware
product only to discover that they would have preferred the
retail version.)

If you sell a retail version of the product that is
substantially different from the Registered shareware version,
please check where indicated.

=======================================
OTHER SOFTWARE AVAILABLE FOR EVALUATION
=======================================

If you are accepted as an ASP Member, you will have 60 days in
which to alter all of your other products to conform to ASP
rules.  Note that these rules do not cover commercially
distributed products, but they DO include almost anything that
could be construed as Shareware, including Freeware, Demoware,
Crippleware, or any other kind of "ware" that is freely
distributed.

In this section of the application form, please list the latest
versions of all products you have available for user evaluation,
i.e., anything you have written that is freely available.  If
you believe the product conforms to ASP rules, please put "(OK)"
after the name (e.g., "3CPO (OK)").

==========================
MISCELLANEOUS REQUIREMENTS
==========================

Take a second to review your application form.  And please note
that all ASP members are expected to abide by the following
additional requirements:

Your product must been thoroughly tested and should not be
harmful to other files or hardware if used properly.

Any discussion of the shareware concept and of registration
requirements must be done in a professional and positive manner.

You must respond to people who send registration payments, as
promised in the program's documentation. At a minimum, you must
acknowledge receipt of all payments.

You will keep the ASP apprised of changes in mailing address and
of any changes in the status of his programs.

===========
FINAL STEPS
===========

You should have an electronic version of APPLIC.FRM ready to
submit.  Follow the instructions above ("HOW DO I APPLY?").
Print a copy of APPLIC.FRM, date and sign it.  Bundle everything
together and send it to the ASP Executive Directory.

================
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



Thanks!

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




Woody Leonhard
Author Membership Coordinator
August 21, 1991