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Monster Media 1994 #1
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VNDINF10.ZIP
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SYSOP.TXT
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1994-02-28
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┌───────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ VENDINFO -- What's in It for the SYSOP? │
│ │
└───────────────────────────────────────────┘
This is perhaps addressed most easily by answering one of the
most "Frequently-Asked Questions" about the VENDINFO system.
>> What does VENDINFO provide a sysop that FILE_ID.DIZ doesn't?
Plenty. :-)
Let's start with the thing FILE_ID.DIZ is good at, and see what
more VENDINFO can do in that area, namely, extraction of product
descriptions:
o VENDINFO will even make extraction of simple product
descriptions better. The VENDINFO approach will virtually
guarantee that the description used is the author's own.
It will prevent high-ASCII and other disruptive characters
from entering the description. Instead of truncating a
description if it's too long for the BBS, it will select a
shorter, complete description provided by the author.
o VENDINFO will also allow extraction of: keywords; product
categories by code or readable text; independent extraction
of product name, type, version, version date, and reason
for version; information about required platform, and lots
more.
o You may think this is more than you need, but two major BBS
manufacturers have already informed me that they're adding
many more fields to their files databases, and they regard
the ability to extract the required information from a
VENDINFO record as a real breakthrough. By the way, some
30 manufacturers of BBS and related software have already
committed to support VENDINFO, including PCBOARD, Wildcat!,
Major BBS, Searchlight BBS, and TBBS.
And that's all FILE_ID.DIZ can do. There are lots more things
that VENDINFO can do for the sysop:
o If desired, it can automatically rename the uploaded package
to the author's preferred name, eliminating duplication.
o If desired, it can automatically route packages to selected
file areas based on the product category encoded in the
VENDINFO record.
o If desired, it can build a list of older version packages
that have been rendered obsolete by this version, so you
can easily free up the space.
o If desired, it can show you the names of other required
packages, so you can verify that you have all parts of a
multipart product.
o If desired, it can detect an attempt to upload commercial
or registered programs marked with an abbreviated VENDINFO
"executable" record. (late Spring, 1994)
o If desired, it can detect a package that has been altered
from the original form prepared by the author.
o If desired, it can verify that distribution of a product
is allowed on BBSes in general, and on this BBS in particular
(e.g., it may be OK if users are charged a subscription fee,
but not if they're charged specifically by download). Most
shareware authors don't impose restrictions on BBS
distribution anyway, but this will allow the conscientious
sysop to know for sure. By the way, the VendEdit editor
used by authors to prepare VENDINFO records recommends
*against* restricting BBS distribution.
o If desired, it can automatically detect author trade
association memberships, to allow routing to special file
areas, marking of descriptions, etc.
o If desired, it can tell you whether or not recompressing
(perhaps with a different compression program) is allowed.
It can tell you whether recompressing internal ZIPs is
allowed (sometimes this disables installation programs).
o The human-readable front text contains a wealth of
information useful to the end-user, and it can be read
with standard text viewers, including on-line "in-zip"
viewers.
o Should the sysop need it, the VENDINFO record contains
tools-accessible contact information for the author,
including a variety of e-mail and network addresses,
as well as information about the forums on which
support is offered.
o If desired, it allows you to automatically build FILES.BBS
or other customized descriptive files with great
flexibility.
o The VENDINFO record provides a security layer, greatly
increasing your confidence that you're seeing information
as it was actually provided by the auther.
o The VENDINFO record actually SAVES space in the
distribution package, because it's almost always smaller
than the VENDOR.DOC, SYSOP.DOC, READ_ME.DOC, and other
files it replaces. We've often listed FILE_ID.DIZ in this
list, and it will eventually replace FILE_ID.DIZ, but we
recommend that authors continue to provide FILE_ID.DIZ
files for at least the first year. This has always been
the intention, but some sysops have been concerned when they
saw FILE_ID.DIZ in the list. By the way...
o If desired, it can construct FILE_ID.DIZ and DESC.SDI
files from the VENDINFO.DIZ file at the receiving end,
should the sysop need one and the author not provide it.
One of the six product descriptions (of varying length)
stored in the VENDINFO record is of exactly the same
dimensions as FILE_ID.DIZ, to insure full compatibility.