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│
│ Shareware Author Kit - Revision #11
│ Guidelines for Shareware Author's Participation
│
│ SDN INTERNATIONAL(sm)
│ Fidonet's Shareware Author's Distribution Network
│
│ Published from The SDN Project, February 1995
│ (c)Copyright 1995 Ray L. Kaliss - The SDN Project
│
│
│
│
│
│
│
│ This document is Copyright The SDN Project 1995 and the property
│ of Ray L. Kaliss as The SDN Project.
│
│ This document in not public domain. It is intended as an
│ informational document for Shareware author's considering
│ distribution via SDN International. This document may be copied
│ whole and unmodified for that intent only.
│
│ Official SDN International Policy is formulated by The SDN Project
│ and published at The SDN Project Bulletin Board in Meriden, CT,
│ U.S.A. 203-634-0370. Policy posted online at The SDN Project
│ supersedes policy in circulation or of earlier date.
Copyright
SDN, The SDN Project, the service mark of SDN International(sm) and
SDNet and the file extensions of .SDN/.SDA as used by The SDN Project
are Copyright 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995 by Ray L.
Kaliss and can not be used with out express written permission.
Contents Chapter
-------- -------
SDN International....................................1
Because We Are International.........................2
Sysops and SDN.......................................3
Authors and SDN......................................4
User Supported SDN...................................5
How To Submit Your Programs..........................6
The SDN.ID Control and Description File..............7
More about SDN.ID....................................8
Commercial Distribution..............................9
SimTel Policies.....................................10
┌──────────────────────┐
─┘ 1. SDN INTERNATIONAL └───────────────────────────────────
The SDN Project stands for Fidonet's 'Shareware Distribution Network'
for DOS, Windows(tm) and OS/2 operating systems. It embodies a concept
of author, sysop and user cooperation in the shareware concept through
service to the electronic communications community. As such, SDN
represents cooperation among the good people that make it effective.
It is though of as a public trust with it's origin and processing
center at The SDN Project BBS. It is the first and largest
author-direct distribution of it's kind with the cooperation of authors
and sysops, amateur and commercial services, it's extent is world wide.
The shareware programs distributed by SDN are the copyrighted works of
their respective authors submitted for distribution by the authors.
Programs are compressed into downloadable format, security sealed for
tamper-proofing and authentication, then posted for distribution to
participating download sites.
From it's beginning on January 1989 with only a few hundred sysops
SDN's distribution extent has grown yearly to encompass not only
thousands of Fidonet connected bulletin boards all over the world, SDN
has also pioneered electronic distribution to satellite, commercial
online services and the Internet. All the while remaining a gratis and
amateur adventure in Fidonet.
Through amateur and commercial cooperation, SDN reaches all of North
America, Western Europe such as Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, The
Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland and others. SDN is
brought into the Australia, Asia, Israel, Puerto Rico, Brazil, South
Africa, Japan, Singapore and many many other countries.
Quotes...
"I sent you version 1.0 about 3 weeks ago. I already
have responses from Australia and a vendor from Denmark.
I'm quite impressed."
Paul Dobin - USA
"From what I've seen, SDN is the shareware authors best
friend and most effective distribution method, with none
other even close. I've gotten correspondence, and yes,
money from all over the world as a result of SDN. And
you can quote me on this."
Medel Cooper - USA
"I would like to thank you for the opportunity to
distribute JOSS through your network. It has made the
task of getting our product into distribution
considerably easier."
Mike Henry - Australia
SDN is without a doubt the most respected amateur distribution network
and maintains periodic contact with shareware author associations such
as the ASP and ASAD. SDN has received mentioned in issues of PC
Computing, BYTE, Computer Craft and BoardWatch magazines and is listed
by BoardWatch magazine in it's National List.
SDN charges no fee to anyone, is not operated for profit and is
intended to join author's, sysops and users in a shareware cooperation
benefiting to all.
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
─┘ 2. BECAUSE WE ARE INTERNATIONAL └────────────────────────
Author's submitting programs to SDN for distribution must take into
account our international network and free access. Do not submit
programs or material that is restricted in distribution by the United
States Government or restricted in distribution by copyright laws. By
submitting your program to SDN you assume the responsibility and any
liability of being distributed so widely and freely.
NO - Pornography (pictures or text).
NO - Government restricted encryption.
NO - Marketing schemes for retail products or services
masquerading as 'shareware'.
NO - Shareware products that are retail in other
countries.
NO - Programs or information intended for illegal uses.
NO - Programs that cease to function of become crippled
with expiration or drop-dead dates.
To distribute specifically Christian items in Fidonet please logon at
The Preacher Online BBS, Ray Waldo, 504-878-3023 and arrange for
distribution by CDN, an SDN cooperative affiliation. Specifically
Christian items mailed into SDN International can only receive
commercial distribution.
┌───────────────────┐
─┘ 3. SYSOPS AND SDN └──────────────────────────────────────
If you were a sysop and your choices were to stock your BBS with user
uploads or author-direct and security sealed shareware by automation -
which would you choose?
SDN distributions in Fidonet are automated. Through utilities readily
available to Fidonet sysops - SDN distributions can be received,
tested, posted, files listings updated with description, and the
enclosed SDN.ID description posted as a message to users and other
sysop to announce your programs arrival.
┌────────────────────┐
─┘ 4. AUTHORS AND SDN └─────────────────────────────────────
You want your products distributed complete, intact, secure and,
widely. Hours of though and programming went into them. SDN's
security and authenticity seals are trusted and have never been broken.
SDN is synonymous in the online community with author-direct because of
the extra steps we take to verify authors and in distribution.
Wide distribution should do it's part to increase your registration
rate. It's simple. Increase the number of people downloading and
trying your program - and registrations should increase in proportion.
Remove the risk that your program has been corrupted by some careless
or problem uploader - and registrations should increase. No one can
guarantee registrations, but SDN can help you reach your potential.
┌───────────────────────┐
─┘ 5. USER SUPPORTED SDN └──────────────────────────────────
SDN's Fidonet service is gratis, a service provided at no charge. No
fee, charge or commission to anyone. For author's to duplicate our
distribution they would spend hundreds of dollars in time and uploading
costs, or to 'professional' uploading services that do not have the
reach or popularity of SDN. SDN is amateur and can not accept payments
for services.. but we can accept support in appreciation from authors
who stand to benefit from our distribution.
Suggested author support is $40.00 enclosed with each mailing. This in
most cases is less than one shareware registration which SDN
distribution should provide for you a few times over. Appreciation
checks received help cover costs in phone bills, author contact
mailings, hardware, software and the overall logistics of managing such
a vast effort.
To those authors who have supported us and help make SDN possible,
thank you, you are what 'user supported' is all about. Authors who
have used SDN for distribution but have not yet supported us, consider
it with your next disk.
As an incentive to keep SDN going, author's that send along support
enclosed, will have thier programs queued for uploading to whatever
online commercial services is cooperating with SDN distribution at the
time. This means many more thousands of additional users will have the
opportunity to download and try your product. Posting on services, is
of course up to the management and criteria of each online service's
management once SDN delivers your files there. Commercial distribution
is not free to SDN, your user support helps cover the costs and allows
me to keep SDN equipment going.
If you decide on appreciation support, include a check with your
submission payable to: "SDN International"
┌────────────────────────────────┐
─┘ 6. HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PROGRAMS └─────────────────────────
You must mail your program(s) on disk to The SDN Project. You must
follow a few simple guidelines so we can verify it's origin and process
it for distribution.
* Disks should be mailed with a professionally printed label if
available.
* We prefer 3.5 disks but any size is acceptable. Do not write
protect the disks.
* Do not compress your files. We will do that.
If you must compress files for some reason (perhaps an
install procedure) make it a self-extracting .exe and
include the SDN.ID seperately on the disk.
* Do not include another author's copyrighted works without
written permission from the other author. Online
services do not like to find pkunzip.exe or such inside
your archive.
* Do not put multiple programs on one disk. Each disk we
receive is archived as it is, and turned into one
downloadable file. If you intend to release many small
programs as one package then make them self-extractors and
have the description lines of the SDN.ID tell
downloaders the archive contains many programs.
* Do not use directories on your disk. Use the root only. Our
compression does not include directories.
* Include one SDN.ID description and processing control file
on each disk (described later in this guide).
* Print out, sign and include our PROGRAM FORM for each
program submitted. Check off the appropriate boxes.
* Include one self-addressed and stamped envelope (SASE).
We use this to mail you a confirmation and news flyer.
Outside the United States you can obtain an international
coupon from your local post office.
Put it all in a mailer (3.5 disks fit in a letter size envelope) and
address it as given later in this guide.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐
─┘ 7. THE SDN.ID DESCRIPTION AND CONTROL FILE └─────────────
When we receive your disk, we must run it through a processing
treatment that sets it up for our different pipelines of distribution.
- Scanned for virus.
- Compressed and security sealed.
- Test the compression.
- Build a one line description for files listings.
- Places it in the proper distribution category channel.
- Que for commercial distribution if support is received.
To process on such a scale.. we must automate.. but heck.. we got
computers!
What accomplishes this for you is what we call the SDN.ID file. You
must include one with every disk you mail us.
The SDN.ID is pure ASCII text (no hidden control codes) and is a format
of which the first three lines serve double duty as processing control
information. The file itself serves many additional uses during
distribution such as being posted in online message areas for users to
be inclined by reading a full description of your program and it's
features.
You write the SDN.ID yourself.
Here is what the first few lines look like and their explanations of
purpose. For a better example examine the SDN.ID included with the
files of this kit's own archive later.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│X-Word Editor 2.1 fast GUI editor for the novice and experienced│
│DOS WINDOWS JAN94 EDITOR WRITE PROCESSOR SPELL │
│FILES: xword21 │
│ │
│Author: Timothy Blance │
│Registration: $50.00 │
│ │
│ A superVGA editor system that uses icons you create. │
│Fantastic for the novice or the advanced power user. Menu pages │
│can be stacked 100 deep. Programmable using script langu... │
│etc.. etc.. etc.. │
│
│
│
│
The first line, begins with the name of your program, the version
number and a few words of description.
The second line is the keyword line. The very first keyword is the
operating system this program runs under. If your program runs under
more than one operating system, you can also list them as the next
keywords. Available operating system keywords are:
DOS WINDOWS OS/2
Why? .. On some BBS and online services, where files are grouped by
type (utility, wordprocessor, games, etc..) giving the operating system
allows users to do a keyword search on the operating system as a group
to create a subset.. and then search that subset. This allows the
user to review only that software appropriate for his computer.
After giving the operating system, give the MMMYY date (JAN94 MAY94
APR94 JUN94 etc..) as usual. Searching on this date keyword allows
your files to be located easily by age. Some users are interested in
only the new releases. Most system operators and authors would like to
delete posting when they are too old, this makes that easier. You
really don't want version 1.00 dated 1989 still posted with version
5.60 do you?
On the FILES: line, the file name (given the final compressed
downloadable file) does not uses an extension. This is because on some
services your file will be in .zip compression, on others it may be in
.arj formet etc., which ever compression is more appropriate for that
service.
Keep in mind that when you fill in the Author: field with your name,
this field is used to create a receipt message.. address to you, on my
BBS. When you log onto the SDN Project BBS next, there will be a
personal message to you dated on the day your program was processed and
released into Fidonet for distribution.
┌──────────────────────┐
─┘ 8. MORE ABOUT SDN.ID └───────────────────────────────────
SDN.ID is a description file.. authors often don't know or remember it
is also a processing control file. I wind up editing and correcting
most of them so they will process correctly. Here are some tips to
assist you and save me time.
Recheck the header (top line to Registration: line) before you send
your package in. Be sure you have included the program's version
number on the top line. Be sure you have started off the keyword line
with the appropriate operating system. The keywords line is all in
Caps.
Keep your description short and to the point of your main features.
Some authors write so many lines of text on every little feature, that
I have to edit and delete to a reasonable size. No more than two
screens of text is about all a user reading it online, can absorb.
This is about 50 lines. Online services connections can be slow and a
user does not want to wait - and wait, as your description creeps by.
One full screen of description - about 24 lines - is the best length.
Do NOT mention names of any online services in your SDN.ID - like "Tom
Mcguffy e-mail 10033304@compuserve.com" .. put that in your
documentation, not your description. Online services do not appreciate
encouraging use of the competition.
In your description.. do not list out all the files that comprise your
program. That is often done like..
Contains:
dfretg.exe
documet.doc
this.com
that.dat
etc..
Reading all the files contained wastes the users online time and lines
of SDN.ID text which could be put to better description use.
The name of your programs final, single compressed file that users
download, the name you give it, (FILES: xword23 ) - should begin with
an alpha character only (abcdefg..). Your file name should be
alpha-numerical in characters. Some online providers run a brand of
UNIX or other non-DOS system. Names like "1keyway.zip" will not work
because you can not _begin_ with a number on some networks. Names like
"#keyway.zip" or "key&way.zip" will also not work because of the
non-alphanumeric characters used.
Fidonet bulletin boards, in general, do not accept the same file name
twice. This means if you name your file "keyway.zip" - and a few
months later you update it and send it in named "keyway.zip" again -
because there is already you first file named that posted on the board,
the BBS software will refuse to accept the same-named update file. The
new version goes to the bit-bucket while the older version stays
posted.
Stick with the general convention used worldwide of naming your
compressed file by using a few alpha characters to represent the name
and one or two number characters to designate the version.
X-Word Processor version 2.30 ==> xword23 or xwrd230
If you save the SDN.ID on disk for reuse on next submission, be sure
you change the FILES: name to reflect the new version! One time an
author blasted me in an international public echo for destroying his
reputation and all kinds of nasty things. It had gone on for awhile
and someone brought it to my attention. You see, his newest version
was distributed under his last version file name. Ready to take my
public deserts.. I found that he had re-edited the old SDN.ID (SDA at
the time) updating the version number in the top description line and
in the description body, but did not change the FILES: line. Although
I do check each SDN.ID for format and contents.. I'm human and do not
catch every mistake.
Name the file SDN.ID and place it on the first disk of your program.
Example directory of your disk:
MENU EXE 345266 12-10-93 1:03p
MENU DOC 16354 12-10-93 10:10a
MENU DAT 4562 10-12-93 11:01a
-> SDN ID 1500 12-11-93 2:25p
SORT EXE 34555 12-11-93 4:00p
Print out the PROGRAM FORM, sign it, enclose the SASE and any support
amount..
mail your disks to:
┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ┌──────┐ │
│ │######│ │
│ └──────┘ │
│ │
│ SDN International │
│ 13 Douglas Drive │
│ Meriden, CT, USA │
│ 06451 │
│ │
│ │
│ Magnetic Media! │
└────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌────────────────────────────┐
─┘ 9. COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION └─────────────────────────────
Commercial distribution is accomplished by SDN with the cooperation of
commercial online services. Although special arrangements are
sometimes made, SDN still has to pay a phone bill to get the files
there. Where Fidonet distribution is relatively free for me,
commercial distribution costs to do, therefore, commercial distribution
can only be offered for contributing authors.
The following is a few notes to keep in mind on present commercial
distribution procedures.
Delphi software does not allow non-alpha-numerical characters in file
names and the first character can not be a numeral.
NovaLink does not allow me to upload the same file name as already
exists in a library.
America Online posts in a priority. First priority is a direct author
upload, second is an SDN upload. If you have uploaded your program to
AOL yourself, my copy will not get posted. If some user has uploaded
it however, my copy will replace the user upload.
SimTel, Coast to Coast Software Repository does not accept Windows NT
or OS/2 programs at this time.
Specifically Christian items mailed to SDN can not be sent through
Fidonet, CDN (Christian Distribution Network) does that (see section 2
above).
┌─────────────────────┐
─┘ 10. SIMTEL POLICIES └────────────────────────────────────
If you include support, one of the sites that SDN can distribute to is
the SimTel.Coast.NET ftp site on the Internet. CCT does not let just
anybody upload there, SDN has special permission, arrangements and
security. If it is posted at SimTel.Coast.NET, it is mirrored around
the world to over 50 ftp sites where the public can obtain it. Mirror
sites are free and open to the public for downloading and are probably
the best known ftp sites for shareware on the Internet. Once there, it
may be include on CD-ROMs for futher distribution.
On the SDN Program Form, you can crossout SIMTEL from distribution if
you do not want it included at the SimTel Repository or on their CDROM.
The Form you fill out will remain on file with SDN as proof of your
agreement with CCT's compilation copyright posted at oak.oakland.edu in
text /SIMTEL/COPYRIGHT.README. A copy of this is also posted at the
SDN Project BBS as SIMTEL.CCT. Under a compilation copyright you
retain all copyrights to your program and add a copy of your program to
their compilation of other shareware programs.
NOTE: Simtel does not accept Windows NT or OS/2 programs. Windows and
DOS only.
"Our Repository exists to help software authors gain a wider
audience for their programs than they can individually give
them. Thus we allow many so called "mirror sites", currently
more than 50, on the worldwide Internet, to copy our host
Repository (at irregular intervals of their choosing), as long
as the mirror sites are accessible FREE OF CHARGE to Internet
users for browsing and downloading any program. We insure
this free access by asserting our compilation copyright on the
Repository, and on report of abuse by a mirror site, denying
access to our host.
To support our efforts, we offer (800) access to the host
Repository and make CD-ROM disks of the entire Repository for
sale. If we accept your program, it most likely will be
included in future editions of OUR CD-ROMs. To enlarge
exposure of programs to the potential universe of end users,
we occasionally license other CD-ROM vendors to offer abridged
and unabridged versions of the Repository on CD-ROMs made by
them. Our licenses have the option whether or not to include
your program(s) on their offerings.
Please do NOT upload your program(s) if you object to such
activities without compensation from CCT and its licensees.
By uploading your program(s) you agree to look to the
individual end user(s) for your sole source of compensation
for the use of your work, and *not* CCT, its distributors,
licensees or their distributors, or any Internet mirror sites.
You also understand and agree that we can not call your
program back from such distribution. If we accept a program,
we try to update our host as soon as possible, and once it
appears there we will not stop further distribution... so
please if you have any concern about our distribution system,
do NOT upload, because once you do, it's too late."
Keith Petersen
General Manager
Simtel, The Coast to Coast Software Repository (tm)
┌───────────┐
─┘ NOTES... └──────────────────────────────────────────────
* FidoNet is a trademark of Tom Jennings.
* Boardwatch is a trademark of Jack Rickard.
* Delphi and BIX are trademarks of Delphi Internet Services.
* NovaLink is a trade mark of NovaLink Interactive Networks.
* BIX is a trademark of Delphi Internet Services.
* Intel(tm) is a trademark of Intel :)
* ASP is The Association of Shareware Professionals.
* ASAD is The Association of Shareware Authors and Distributors.
* Windows(tm) is a trademark of Microsoft.
* OS/2 is a trademark of International Business Machines.
/eof