Shareware Overload/ShartewareOverload.cdr/database/sms-1.zip/SMSDATA.EXE/WHATSNEW.TXT

Text File | 1991-06-04 | 177KB | 2,936 lines

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                         CHANGES SINCE THE LAST ISSUE
            PLUS WHAT'S INTERESTING THAT DOESN'T FIT ANYWHERE ELSE!

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       Do you have a press release, an idea, a disk, a shareware
       catalog or a need for a program which relates to the shareware
       software industry? Shareware authors would like your information!
       Many subscribe to this publication! Send it so SMS can evaluate
       it for possible inclusion in this file. Submit text in ASCII on
       disk so we can import it directly into this package!

       5/25/91

       Quite a bit of news has piled up on my desk since the last issue
       of SMS. Let's get started . . .

       Out on the shareware horizon, there is a storm brewing.
       Unfortunately it concerns the "T" word: Taxes.  Glancing at a
       recent article in PC Sources (June 91, page 141) I got to
       thinking we may be in for BIG trouble in the near future.

       In essence the issue is the Use Tax. This is a tax levied by a
       state which requires a buyer to pay tax on purchases made
       outside of a state (like someone buying software or computer
       hardware by mail). Shareware is very much an interstate business
       for BOTH vendors and authors. We ship disks all over U.S. and
       charge shipping fees, but what about the Use Tax? In principle a
       majority of states charge Use Taxes on purchases made outside
       the state. A sales tax is required to be collected by the seller
       or vendor while a Use Tax is usually BUT NOT ALWAYS reported and
       paid by the buyer. All states that have a sales tax generally
       have a Use Tax. There are cases where an out of state merchant
       MUST collect the Use Tax such as when a business has a PRESENCE
       in a state such as a showroom, sales office or branch operation.
       This presence is called NEXUS.

       In 1967 the Supreme Court ruled that a mail order firm did NOT
       have to collect Use Taxes in the state of Illinois since that
       firm did NOT have nexus or physical presence. So far so good;
       you're thinking that as an author or disk vendor you don't have
       a presence in any state but your own.

       The problem: with the increased need for state revenues,
       recession and decreasing federal tax dollars available to most
       states, the revenue folks in most state offices are scrambling
       to figure out how to effectively collect the Use Tax. In 1985
       legislation was introduced to Congress by the states to this
       effect. The states are now following a new DANGEROUS line of
       logic: business presence, claim the states, can also be seen by
       toll free numbers available for use in that state, use of charge
       cards (backed by a local bank in that state), a moneyback
       guarantee and other policies. All of a sudden this sounds a
       little like many shareware authors and vendors, doesn't it? Can
       you imagine the fun of filling out FIFTY monthly Use Tax reports
       (one for each state of the union?) This is serious stuff and
       shareware is definitely an interstate business. The states are
       DEAD SERIOUS about this. Some states are even sending
       threatening notices to mail order companies to push the issue.
       Take a look at the original PC Sources article and give this
       issue some thought. Use Tax could be a problem in the future.

       Check out my idea for the Shareware Information File (SIF) which
       may make the README file obsolete and at the same time provide
       an unusual boost to the shareware industry. See LETTERS.TXT.

       Top ten shareware programs in order of priority (compiled and
       consolidated by volume and rank by several leading disk vendors
       according to PC Sources (June 91) whose source is a Member of
       the ASP:) Print Partner, AM-TAX 90, PKZIP, Sky Globe, ZipKey,
       Mercury, Tax 90, Image Print, Aporia, Windows Icon Collection
       (PC-SIG disk). Compiled February 1991.

       Eagle eye readers of SMS will note the presence of the file
       SEBFU35.EXE on disk two of this package. As most SMS users know,
       I periodically pack superior new shareware packages with SMS
       which may be of service to authors or users in the shareware
       community. For this Summer edition of SMS I want everyone to
       see, use and register SEBFU (Scanlon Enterprises Batch File
       Utilities.) This is by far the ULTIMATE batch file utility
       set and the enclosed version 3.5 is a major upgrade. Paul
       Scanlon, the program's author, has kindly allowed a $5.00
       discount off the listed registration price. Just mention that you
       obtained your evaluation copy of SEBFU from SMS. Registered
       users receive SEBFI (batch file interpreter) utility in addition
       to an AREA CODE program if you mention SMS! Further questions:

                                 Paul Scanlon
                              Scanlon Enterprises
                              38354 17th ST E #C
                              Palmdale, CA 93550
                                (805)  272-4827

       Next an item sent in by Jim Goode of the Technical Group.
       Shareware authors should take note! This is an edited and
       abridged version, the COMPLETE text of this letter is in the
       file: LETTERS.TEXT elsewhere on this disk.

       PSL (Public Software Library) of Houston, Texas is doing
       something I wish more shareware disk vendors did: when a user
       registers a shareware disk which came from PSL, a little form is
       submitted by the user to the author. The author signs the little
       form which is returned to the user and then (ultimately) sent
       back to PSL so that they user can order ANOTHER free shareware
       disk from PSL. Talk about motivating users to register shareware!
       I love PSL! How long before other vendors pick up on this SIMPLE
       idea? Why didn't somebody think of this sooner?

                     JIM GOODE,  THE TECHNICAL GROUP, INC.
            SUITE B, 4545 INDUSTRIAL DRIVE, SPRINGFIELD, IL  62703
                   VOICE [phone]  FAX [phone]
                             COMPUSERVE 70274,3274

       The Technical Group is a new listing in the SMS database. We
       actively seek shareware and we hope to become a major force in
       our particular niche. We will be producing the MICRO MOONLIGHTER
       NEWSLETTER AND THE MOONLIGHTING WITH YOUR COMPUTER SEMINAR.

       The newsletter will be distributed via SHAREWARE CHANNELS and
       other methods. The Newsletter editorial goal: present realistic
       and creative methods for earning income at home with a computer
       as the focus of a business and keeping the computer entrepreneur
       aware of services, products, and specific areas of opportunity.
       We are seeking good articles and/or continuing series for
       publication. The articles can address most any aspect of working
       from home with a computer as the focus of the business. We need
       writers! Send samples of your work.

       We are also producing the MOONLIGHTING WITH YOUR COMPUTER
       seminar. While we have produced the seminar as a public vehicle,
       we are now involved with the production of the seminar as a
       service to several large clients.  As of this writing (May 21,
       1991), we are negotiating with Illinois Bell to produce the
       seminar under their auspices as a part of their experimental
       Work-At-Home Center in Chicago.

       We are in CONTINUING NEED of products that can be offered to the
       seminar registrants. Such products may consist of books,
       newsletters, magazines, software, databases.  For those of you
       with SHAREWARE  --- PLEASE SEND A COPY ALONG ASAP!  For the
       seminars, we would like to provide the registrants with a nice
       little package of SHAREWARE as a part of the freebies that we
       normally provide. We also have a high interest in developing
       HYPERTEXT books which address a wide range of subjects - but,
       again, concentrated in the area of entrepreneurship.

       (End of item from Mr. Goode. See LETTERS.TXT for the complete
       version of this letter and further details.)

       PC-File version 6.0 is out and has undergone radical changes:
       pulldown mouse-supported menus, scroll bars, windows, dialog
       boxes, table view is now no longer read only, simpler report
       design. Things keep evolving.

       And, since I just mentioned PC-File, it's only fair in the spirit
       of equal access that I print a short press release sent to me
       by Expressware, providers of another world class shareware
       database. Note the size and sales volume of this shareware
       operation in the first paragraph.

              DUVALL, WA. -- MAY, 1991 -- Expressware Corporation

       Expressware was founded by David Berdan in 1984 in Duvall, WA,
       25 miles Northeast of Seattle. Expressware provides software
       products to over 26,000 users. Currently, the privately-held
       company has a staff of 14. 1990 sales were over $1.4 million.

       Expressware Corporation announces shipment of File Express 5.0,
       a major upgrade to its flat-file database management system
       (DBMS). With an economical visual interface that breaks database
       management down to nine steps, File Express 5.0 is an exceptional
       DBMS for the non-programming business user.

       Expressware has dramatically enhanced product flexibility by
       rewriting File Express 5.0 in C and Assembler.  Basic relational
       capability has been added to make it easier and more intuitive
       for the user to retrieve and place information in other
       databases. Over 100 new features have been added to File
       Express 5.0.  The functionality of nearly every aspect of data
       management -- screen definition, import/export, database size,
       reports, form letters, sorts -- has been expanded.  Users can
       now edit records while in browse mode. Recognizing that one of
       the primary uses of a database is for mailing lists, File
       Express 5.0 now has word processing capabilities. Users can
       write a letter from within the program and merge data from a
       database.

       File Express 5.0 has enhanced Import/Export features that let
       users transfer data from eight different formats, including
       dBase, Lotus and WordPerfect files. New features include
       multiple data indexing, file locking for network use, mouse
       support, custom input screen design, 500 context sensitive help
       screens and support for 280 printers. File Express 5.0 has 36
       definable macro keys. Screen definition features include color
       configuration, automatic addition of field names, calculated
       fields, word wrap and easy drawing of lines and boxes.

       File Express 5.0 has increased its capacity, now handling 2
       billion records per database, 4000 characters per record and 100
       databases per directory. File Express requires DOS 2.0 or later,
       512K of available RAM and two 720K (or larger) floppy drives. A
       hard drive is recommended. File Express 5.0 is available for $99
       from dealers or direct from Expressware at 1-800-753-FILE
       (3453). Registration includes a 60 day money-back guarantee, one
       year free telephone support, newsletter and notification of
       upgrades. Upgrade for current users is $39.95. Contact: Charles
       "Luke" Lukey [phone] MCI Mail: Expressware

       (end of Expressware item)

       Two of the best resources for starting and operating a small
       business will be mentioned in the next two items.

       Money Guide on How to Start and Run Your Business. $4.95. Contact:
       Your Business, POB 30626, Tampa, Fl 33630-0626. Produced by the
       editors of Money Magazine. Updated periodically. Also available
       on newsstands.

       The MacMillan Small Business Handbook, Mark Stevens, Macmillan
       Pub. 1988. Comprehensive, detailed and thorough.

       Newkey Ver 5.4 is out. This shareware macro generator continues to
       amaze me. This version adds unique features such as subroutine
       branching and a UNIQUE screen read feature. Here's one way I
       use my (registered!) copy of Newkey: when compiling the main SMS
       database I must LHARC (compress) it. Newkey runs the macro
       for this sequence and then pauses the macro UNTIL it sees the
       word "frozen" on the screen. This is the word LHARC provides
       on the screen when it is done. Then Newkey continues on or
       branches to a different macro depending on what it needs to do.
       You can also continue or branch a macro based on ABSENCE of a
       word or string on the screen. Intelligent macro processing based
       on what Newkey finds (or does NOT find) on the screen!

       This item should answer a HUGE volume of calls and letters I
       get from shareware authors and disk vendors regarding business
       information, employment opportunities and company profiles in
       the Washington State software and hardware industry as well as
       general information about starting a business in Washington State.
       Three primary resources are available. Maybe useful for a resume
       effort or marketing push of your product.

       NORTHWEST HIGH TECH 1990. Editors: John Spilker and Karen
       Strudnick. Published by Resolution Business Press. 206/455-4611.
       713 - 110th Ave NE, Ste 208, Bellevue, WA 98004. Over 1,200
       detailed hardware and software company listings for Washington,
       Western Canada and Oregon. Company name, key product line,
       phone numbers, key contacts, address, size.

       1990 WASHINGTON STATE SOFTWARE INDUSTRY DIRECTORY. Published by
       Washington Software Association. 206/483-3323. 18912 - North
       Creek Parkway, Bothell, WA 98011. Detailed company profiles on
       major and minor software companies in Washington State. Addresses,
       key executive names, phone numbers, product descriptions, market
       category cross refs.

       COMPUTER USER ANNUAL DIRECTORY ON DISK. Puget Sound Computer
       User, 3530 Bagley Ave N., Seattle, WA 98103  206/547-4950.
       Locate products, services, consultants, typesetters, programmers,
       and employers relating to the Puget Sound (Seattle metropolitan)
       computer industry. $69.95

       Finally a mention of the Washington State Dept. of Trade and
       economic development and their excellent public BBS system.
       You can also contact them by mail. Useful to ANYONE operating a
       business OF ANY TYPE in Washington State. Note the availability
       of trade leads. Very valuable. Information follows:

        WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
                    Domestic & International Trade Division

       Address:                                   Telephone:
       2001 6th Ave, Suite 2600                   206/464-7143
       Seattle, WA  98121                         Telex:
                                                  910-444-4091
                                                  BBS:
       Services:                                  206/441-5472

       * General trade counseling.
       * Trade exhibition/mission recruitment and participation.
       * Location of potential buyers and representatives for
         state firms.
       * Visitation program to state companies.
       * Export/Import statistics development.
       * Recruitment of buyers and representatives to visit state.

       PARTIAL BBS MENU:

       <M> Marketplace program
           -- Private sector bid opportunities
           -- Public sector bid opportunities
       <I> International trade
           -- Trade leads
           -- Trade assistance organizations
       <B> British Columbia information
       <P> Publication lists
       <O> Industry Sectors (Biotechnology, Forestry)
       <J> Join discussion group
       <L> Leads - view and download trade leads
       <1> Department of Trade and Economic Development
       <2> Export Assistance Center of Washington
       <3> U.S. Dept. of Commerce, U.S. & Foreign Comm. Service
       <4> WA State International Trade Fair
       <5> Washington Council on International Trade
       <6> Washington State Department of Agriculture

       5/15/91

       New shareware disk from Eagle Software of Texas. Their shareware
       offering is sure to interest Turbo Pascal shareware authors: SYS60A
       and STRG57 and STRG61. High speed replacements for PASCAL SYSTEM
       UNIT which offer BLISTERING SPEEDS for operations such as string
       processing, conversions, classifications, parse, position, match
       ignore case and much more. Versions for Turbo 5.5 and 6.0. over
       111 routines. See the SMS file GOODIES.TXT for ordering info.

       Note change of address pending: Kevin King, Disk-Count Data, POB
       36, Lake Hamilton, AR 71951 will be moving to Sacramento, CA in
       next two months. Will list new address as soon as available to SMS.
       Disk-Count Data is a BUSY shareware disk vending operation, we wish
       Kevin and his wife every success as they make the move. By the
       way my own parents are retired in Sacramento and one of my
       brothers lives in San Francisco while the other lives in East
       Palo Alto. Small world. I'll have to look up Kevin and have
       lunch with him sometime when I visit the folks . . .

       Normally I put letters to the editor in a different section of
       SMS, however, the following info from Dave Byter is a snippet of
       market information that is truly interesting. Any other authors
       willing to share on this issue? If you are bashful about actual
       volume, provide a list with percentage or fractional numbers.

       Dave Byter
       ½ Fast Software
       1/2 Fast Road
       Ritner, KY  42639
       606/376-3137

       Dear Jim,

       Who produces registrations? SURVEY LAND YOURSELF is not your
       normal software, so take this with a block of salt.

       The Software Labs    20
       Anonymous            16
       Gemini                4
       PC-SIG                4
       Sizzleware            3
       DEL                   1
       Fairshare             1
       MicroMart             1
       PC Arcade             1
       PD Select             1
       Pendragon             1
       Prima Data            1
       Spindleware           1

       Notice that TSL produced more than everywhere else combined.

       Go forth & expontntiate^

       Dave Byter

       Comment from SMS: Assuming that customers can order shareware
       from a variety of vendors, why is it that TSL seems to produce
       more registrations from this author's standpoint? Can one infer
       that TSL thus sells MORE disks than PC-SIG? Or maybe that TSL
       customers are more disposed to register a surveying program? This
       is most interesting. As an aside, I too notice a good volume of
       registrations which track to TSL, but I also track high
       registrations to Shareware Express, Compuserve and Public Brand.
       Would like to hear more input from other authors as to which
       vendor(s) seem to have a special magic which produces
       registrations. By the way, you can order Cave Survey disk from
       SMS (see GOODIES.TXT.)

       Fred Parker of Use-Full Software Anthologies (West Palm Beach,
       Florida) notes that while Shareware author Dave Byter of
       Kentucky strongly feels The Software Labs (TSL) is tops for
       securing author registrations, and I like Shareware Express of
       Los Angeles, Fred strongly feels that SMC/International
       Software Library (2180 Las Palmas, Carlsbad, CA 92009  619/931-
       8111) is a strong contender for top registrations received by
       authors. Any other suggestions or nominations?

       Shareware authors call frequently asking about new ideas for
       shareware. Digging into my disorderly desk and idea file, these
       yet-to-be-done projects might strike your fancy.

       SENIOR NEWSLETTER ON DISK

       A compendium of trends about aging, using medicare, health
       insurance scams, great buys, super places to retire, tax breaks,
       new legislation, care for elderly, food and diet concerns,
       exercise, new discoveries.

       TAX TIPS

       Not another tax preparation package, but a tips disk. In other
       words you answer questions (age, earning status, credit card
       use, own or rent a home, etc) and it gives you tax strategy tips
       based on input. Also a section on how an audit works. Betcha
       this will be a HUGE HIT if done carefully and comprehensively.

       MY PET

       Care and feeding for cats, dogs, etc. Multiple disk set: one for
       each animal. Pet market is HUGE.

       HOW TO GET COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID AND UNCLAIMED SCHOLARSHIPS

       Big project, but this one could be out of the gate before anyone
       else does it. Lots of potential for annual updates and could be
       a hit with high school counselers.

       PERSONALS ADS

       Lots of ASCII files for example personals ads. Don't laugh.
       George Van Valkenburg of Soft A'Ware has asked me to do this
       twice. Easy package to do and probably a real winner in a crazy
       sense! Upon registration, the author will write two ads for the
       person based on data which the package obtains by asking some
       questions. Kinda cute. Lots of lonesome people out there.

       5/6/91

       New disk vendor: Zucchini Inc, POB 161, Goldenrod, FL 32733.
       407/671-9766. Contact: Paul M. Leps, Jr. Paul was kind enough to
       send out a letter requesting permission to list my programs.
       Nice touch, and I can comment I wish that more new shareware
       startups did this. Send Paul a disk!

       Check out the May-June issue of Shareware Magazine: large article
       on corporate shareware users. Types of programs used, what they
       look for in support, how they find shareware, several names of
       key corporate contact individuals in corporations such as
       General Dynamics, Allen-Bradley, Data I/O.

       While reading the article, several key names of corporate contact
       individuals were given as shareware users. The thought: why not
       send them a letter suggesting they contact me for evaluation
       copies of my shareware. The problem: no address or telephone
       information other than company name was given. Solution if you
       are faced with a similar situation: grab a copy of the THOMAS
       REGISTER at your library and look up the mailing address, telephone
       and background of the target company. Only takes a second and is
       an invaluable marketing reference for a shareware author seeking
       to make contact with a known but partially documented corporate
       shareware user. This is big dollar potential if you latch onto
       the right company who wants a site license for quality shareware.
       I've done this many times seeking site licenses for my humble
       PC-LEARN tutorial. Works for me . . .

       This brings up an interesting idea. If every shareware author
       contributed two names of KEY CONTACT INDIVIDUAL within a
       corporation who had registered a shareware package, we could put
       together a delicious directory of shareware corporate contacts!
       Send your candidates to SMS and we'll start a new database! This
       could be the ultimate "pot of gold at the end of the rainbow" if
       we get some response to SMS on this idea! Let's start the CSB
       (corporate shareware buyers) database soon. I'll kick in with a
       registered issue of SMS for 5 names and addresses of key corporate
       shareware buyers. One year SMS subscription for 18. I'm looking
       for corporate buyers who have registered your package such as a
       key office manager, MIS contact, or person who got a lot of your
       shareware in the front door at a company. Along the same line of
       shareware in corporate America, note that a group of ASP authors
       have published a corporate catalog of shareware which will be
       mailed to several thousand corporate buyers.

       Authors should take a peek at this shareware disk: Fastzip
       Mail Ver 2.2 is useful for authors and disk vendors who want to
       print special postal bar code and/or return address on mailers,
       postcards, envelopes. Even has adjustment for dot matrix printers
       for use with old ribbon to make sure that bar code is readable
       by post office machines. Slick package can be ordered from SMS;
       see file GOODIES.TXT.

       Another winner is a tiny little shareware jewel called the
       TXT2COM utility which converts any ASCII text file into a com
       file. But there's more! You can convert your txt file to a com
       file which even has imbedded screen color control commands,
       browsing, print file or screen, show line number, etc. Only
       $5.00 to license this tiny jewel of a program for your shareware
       distribution disk. So darn clever. This one does MORE than what
       the docs say. Even has a TSR popup version. Must have. See
       GOODIES.TXT for ordering information. Use this thing to help
       your end users root around in your documentation and keep
       outsiders from editing your text files since they are compiled
       and inviolate to tampering.

       Next, let's take a look at shareware best sellers according to a
       couple of notable vendors:

       Best sellers at PC-SIG as of June, 1991: Print Partner, AM-Tax,
       PKZip, Sky Globe, Zipkey, Mercury, Tax 90, Image Print, Aporia,
       Windows Icon Collection.

       Meanwhile, best sellers and recommended bets at Software
       Excitement disk vendors of Central Point, Oregon are: Checkmate,
       Names and Dates, Master Keys, Viruscan, Super Pinball, PC Key
       Draw, World, Computer Tutor, Trip Planner, Total Recall,
       Electric Almanac, Form Master, Treeview, List 7.3, Video Poker,
       Algebrax, Typing tutor, PC-Write, School Mom.

       Take a glance at the April 1991 issue of PC SOURCES. Writer
       Christopher O'Malley strongly suggests that more computer
       sellers and VARs put shareware on the hard drive of ALL
       computers sold. Real win win situation for the industry. Grand
       new idea, says Christopher. Wanna hear a secret? My little PC-
       LEARN tutorial for beginners has been shipping on the hard drive
       of all computers sold at Seattle's Profast and Seattle's US
       Micro Express for over a year now. The Computery Store in
       Indiana does the same. I currently have about 30 stores with
       such licensing arrangements for PC-LEARN and I get loads of
       registrations from this SWEET SOURCE daily. Now you know, as Paul
       Harvey says, the rest of the story. Suggest you steal this
       OLD idea and go out and bang on some computer store doors soon!
       New computer owners are PRIME candidates to buy, use and
       REGISTER shareware. Vendors can get into the act, too, by
       working a deal to keep their catalogs near the cash register at
       the local computer store. I work a deal with disk vendors using
       PC-LEARN so that just this kind of "catalog placement" can happen.
       Drop me a note if you are a vendor and what to act on this.

       Want to contact Richard Petersen, President of PC-SIG? Personal
       contact info - FAX: [phone]. Mailing address: POB 62,
       Graton, CA 95444.

       May 1991 Issue of Compuserve Magazine lists facts and stats on
       the key on line databases within their service. Smart shareware
       authors might be wise to root around in such databases as
       Commerce Business Daily (GO COMBUS), Newspaper Library (GO
       NEWSLIB) or Patent Research Center (GO TRADERC) for ideas and
       demographics for shareware. See pages 20 and 21 of that issue of
       the magazine. And don't forget to check in at the Working from
       Home Forum (GO WORK). Sysops Paul and Sarah Edwards of that forum
       can also guide you to their new book "Working from Home"
       (publisher: Jeremy P. Tarcher Inc, 1990). And speaking of books,
       you can electronically search and price your favorite book,
       cassette, CD or video purchases at the Barnes and Noble store
       (GO BN).

       5/2/91

       Clever idea! Brian Nash, SoftShop, POB 3701, Omaha, NE 68103
       sent along a copy of his new program: SoftShop ver 2.1 which
       neatly allows the user to design a professional looking menu-
       driven shareware catalog which a disk vendor might use or
       design. Could also be used by anyone designing any kind of disk
       catalog with something for sale (stamps, donations, coins, etc.)
       The disk is itself shareware and has been listed as available in
       the SMS file GOODIES.TXT. This could be the start of a great
       idea that allows MANY MORE folks to get into the disk vending
       business which is something shareware needs to further raise
       visibility, credibility, and registrations from an author's
       standpoint! Know anyone that wants to be a vendor? Softshop
       solves one part of the puzzle: quick and easy disk catalog
       design.

       4/28/91

       Received a disk with letter to the editor from David Batterson
       who is the author of the popular PC REVIEW shareware package.
       In many respects David's package is similar to the direction of
       many sharp shareware packages of the future: information on a
       disk rather than an application to manage information. Check out
       David's thoughts at the end of the file LETTERS.TXT elsewhere
       within this package. Good reading!

       4/24/91

       Still more commercial software is moving into varying forms of
       shareware-like marketing methods. Quicken software published by
       Intuit is up to something: the April 1991 issue of INC. Magazine
       features a comment by John Case who notes that Intuit offers
       customers the chance to obtain a copy of Quicken for an $8.00
       shipping and handling charge. If the product does not suit the
       customer's needs, then the customer is invited not to pay for
       the product. No need to return the product for a refund. Keep it
       or toss it. It it looks and quacks like a duck (shareware) then
       is it a duck? Nope. Technically Quicken cannot be distributed by
       traditional shareware disk vendors so one might classify this as
       "almost shareware." Times they are a changing.

       Buttonware, founders of the shareware concept, is big business.
       Begun in 1982 by Jim Button, Buttonware grew to revenues of
       $400,000 by 1984. Last year revenues were over 3.5 million
       dollars. Buttonware remains committed to the shareware concept
       even while others focus on moving out of shareware towards a
       strong commercial software focus (e.g., DataStorm/Procomm and
       the FormGen Company with its retail versions.)

       Buttonware actually bridges both worlds and secures high volume
       sales for products such as PC-File and PC-Calc through retail
       outlets such as Egghead Software. With the installation of a 900
       telephone support number one who suppose customers would be
       concerned with a pay-as-you-go support policy, but apparently
       all is well and indeed 900 telephone support service seems to be
       a growing norm in the software industry. Currently Buttonware has
       30 full-time and seven part-time employees. Tech Support volume
       is about 300 calls per day which. Jim Button's son, John, is
       currently Buttonware's International Business Manager which is a
       current and future thrust of this dynamic company. Current
       translations of Buttonware products are targeted at French and
       German markets with others to follow. In that respect John
       Button is sure to be a busy man!

       COOP mailing news. Longridge Software 203/723-8380 in Naugatuck,
       Conn. promotes a COOP mailing method for shareware authors. Each
       three months they will mail a package of disks from several
       authors to a large variety of distributors. Share the cost and
       get involved with the power of COOP.

       Check out the Baker PC Industry Catalog. 9,000 companies and
       20,000 products for the PC Market. Data available on disk in
       ASCII. Can contact them at 609/582-9203. Good resource for
       shareware authors. Loads of addresses and key contact info.
       $25 per issue.

       4/22/91

       A future edition of Shareware Magazine from PC-SIG will feature
       interviews with industry movers and shakers. The three key
       questions asked of these industry sources are: 1) What trends do
       you see in the shareware industry? 2) What erroneous shareware
       myth should be corrected? 3) How should a person better use your
       shareware package? Should make interesting reading with the
       combination of shareware industry gurus now writing their responses!

       Latest info on shareware disk bestsellers from Shareware Express
       disk vendors, 27601 Forbes Rd, Ste 37, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677:
       Skyglobe, World29, Bootsys, LQ & Bigprint, ImagePrint, Loan
       Accelerator, Legal Guide, Amortizeit!, Form Master, VDE, Zipkey,
       Master Meal Manager, Powerbatch, Patience. Smart shareware authors
       keep an eye on hotsellers to determine their own marketing direction.

       Expect to see a book release later this year from Future
       Communications Systems, Mr. Marty Fox, 170 Broadway, Ste 201,
       New York, NY 10038. Focus is on producing income by working with
       a computer at home. Should be interesting and possibly include
       information from SMS! Marty's local telephone number in New York
       is 212/903-5626. There are obviously MANY ways to make money
       with a computer - writing shareware is but one avenue.

       One of my favorite marketing ploys is to try to determine the
       demographics of the users who register my package. My PC-LEARN
       package is a beginner's tutorial and one thing I have noticed is
       a growing predominance of older and senior users of the package.
       Look closely at registration checks you receive and read between
       the lines: things such as USN Ret. (US Navy retired) and other
       clues give age demographic information. If a user writes a
       chatty note on the registration form I sometimes call and probe
       more deeply: how are they using PC-LEARN? What is missing?
       Changes needed? Looking closely at registration documents gives
       a lot of information such as ratios of men to women who use the
       package, age and location. Even the check number reveals a lot:
       a high number like 4652 is usually an old account. Business or
       oversize check reveals a potential site license possibility. And on
       and on! Do you just cash registration checks or do you use them
       for demographic research? Shareware is a PROCESS not a PRODUCT!

       4/7/91

       Dave Snyder at MVP Software passes along this tidbit: cheap disk
       supplier is Ann Deaver Enterprises, 2897 Gavilan, San Jose, CA
       95148. Dave claimed something like 14 cents a disk. Maybe worth
       a little investigation.

       New disk vendor: Shareware Unlimited, Perry Langla, POB 6303,
       Virginia Beach, VA 23456. ASP vendor.

       Another vendor north of the border: Ralph Kendall, 5111 - New
       Street, Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7L 1B2.

       You should consider writing a religious or biblical shareware
       package! Most authors kind of roll their eyes and mumble
       something about "writing serious applications rather than low
       profit potential religious shareware." Wrong, wrong, WRONG!
       Kevin King of Disk-Count Data and Ray Hamilton of Biblesoft say
       church and religious shareware is a BOOMING BUSINESS! Kevin's
       primary income flow is from sales of one primary religious
       shareware line. Church Bytes Magazine is devoted to just this
       market. I suspect that users of religious shareware are also a
       little more sensitive to registering a package since honesty and
       religion tend to go hand in hand. Are you ignoring a booming
       market? Contact Ray or Kevin (address info in the main database)
       for further details.

       Received a nice letter from Marilyn Young, editor for PC-SIG's
       Shareware Magazine. Marilyn emphasizes she wants shareware
       authors to submit press releases, story ideas and news about the
       shareware scene to her. Shareware Magazine is widely followed in
       the shareware community. I do urge you to pass along those
       interesting story ideas and news about shareware directly to
       her. Shareware Magazine can be reached as follows: Shareware
       Magazine, Marilyn Young, Editor, 1030 D East Duane Ave, Sunnyvale,
       CA 94086. Voice: 408/730-9291. FAX:[phone].

       Expressware, the File Express people, just finished using SMS
       to mail out part of their announcements and releases for their
       upgrade to File Express. Likewise Bob Ostrander and crew at
       Public Brand registered their copy of SMS and used it to mail
       out the new update for Professional Masterkeys. I am still
       looking at the check from Public Brand for the subscription to
       SMS. Don't know whether I should cash it or frame it . . .
       By the way, Public Brand sent in a little stack of bad and
       undeliverable addresses returned from their mailing of PMK.
       That's how I keep the SMS mailing list clean: appreciate
       feedback on ANY new or old addresses. Now you know what user
       supported really means! All of you out there, PLEASE keep me
       posted on address info for vendors, clubs and computer
       magazines! It benefits all of us in the shareware community!

       This is weird. I am getting quite a few subscriptions requests
       for SMS from engineers who obviously (from the letterhead) work
       at large silicon chip manufacturing houses. Is there a latent
       pack of shareware authors hidden in those silicon foundries of
       California? Could we soon be treated to some new shareware
       packages from a crop of author/engineers? If you think shareware
       is a busy industry now, just watch the next four or five years!

       Cheaper chips could bode well for shareware! Here's the drift.
       Several industry journals I follow are targeted at computer and
       chip designers. This is pretty esoteric stuff: ASIC chip
       design, wafer production technology, economic trends in the chip
       industry for military contracts, etc. It seems that if you think
       that chips and computers are cheap now, wait a year or so now
       that even newer technologies are blossoming. Example: multi-
       trace wire technology that allows seven and eight stacks of
       printed circuit board wiring on one board with each trace
       separated by high density polymer coatings. No more expensive
       multi-layer boards! Just one board with multiple traces and
       polymer insulators. Computers are going to get so small and
       cheap that everyone curious about learning will get one. The
       variety of software needs and niches will explode as really
       cheap computers come to the masses! This is the time to really
       rev up your shareware creativity and prepare for loads of niche
       markets and shareware opportunities. Now that oil prices are
       stabilizing, military budgets are going down due to global
       tension relaxation, and economic markets are solidifying I think
       we could see software really become the currency of trade. These
       are exciting times for shareware!

       Time for some news from Canada:

       New shareware vendor in Canada. Tim and Donna Heaton, DDH Ware,
       POB 1230, Forest, Ontario, Canada NON 1J0. 519/786-4389. I
       repeat my often spoken refrain: send 'em a disk! I urge all
       shareware vendors startups to contact me for a listing in SMS.
       I like Canadian software! Telix is one of the finest shareware
       packages for modem communication ever invented. Exis of Canada
       is the provider. By the way, the new maintenance upgrade for Telix
       Ver 3.15 is shipping!

       New packages in the mail today: PC Stat comprehensive statistics
       package from PC Information Systems of Reno, Nevada. Also, the
       Painless Accounting folks in Plano, TX have released the
       Painless Event Processor which cleverly feeds keyboard macros
       to your PC to start ANY application or combination thereof at
       a time determined by your system clock. Good stuff here . . .
       PC Stat reachable at 702/342-0376. Painless at 214/596-9164.
       I like Texas software. More cotton pickin machine coders there
       than anywhere else. I kid you not!

       Fred Parker of Use-Full Software Anthologies offers a few
       opportunities. He has a three disk set of his software with a
       little extra space on the disks and requests any author with a
       good home-use program to contact him for purposes of coop
       mailing (your stuff and his) to his registered users.
       Possibility of exchanging mailing lists of registered users, his
       and yours, so long as confidentiality is preserved. Fred is at
       POB 4684, West Palm Beach, FL 33402. 407/687-7738. I might add a
       postscript that this is how shareware authors should get their
       marketing done! Sharing, swapping and synergizing!

       4/3/91
       TechStaff Consultants Inc. is a disk vendor who passes along the
       following information. New address: POB 823, Watertown, MA
       02272. 617/924-0306. Their disk catalog is unique: contains
       actual screen snapshots of many of the shareware programs. Neat
       idea! They also author The TechStaff Tools collection which has
       been reviewed by Computer Shopper Magazine (Feb, 91) and
       Shareware Magazine (Sept/Oct, 90). Good organization! Send
       President Jim Patriarca a disk with your program and note their
       change of address.

       Interesting tidbit from shareware regions in Houston: HAL-PC
       librarian Harvey Hild supervises the shareware library for the
       10,000 member Houston Area League. They copy over 4,000
       shareware disks per month for their members. That's a lot of
       shareware! Contact HAL at 1200 Post Oak Blvd, Ste 106, Houston,
       TX 77056.

       Odds and ends: people call and ask me what database do I use to
       manage SMS: Borland's Reflex. Most "respectable programmers"
       react with horror: why not a power user's product like Rbase or
       dBase?

       Reason by way of example: yesterday I had four Reflex windows
       open as I rummaged around the SMS mailing list in Reflex.
       Windows all reading simultaneously: 1) Form view showing precise
       readout of a single record 2) list view showing a "spreadsheet
       like" view with 8 or so records above and below the record in
       question 3) crosstab open to show actual total count of the
       database plus count of types and ratings (how many in each
       category) 4) Pie chart to show visual ratio of count (quantity
       of ratings). Sounds silly? Not until you use something like
       Reflex. I'm an information junkie - you spot trends and see
       relationships by sifting and sniffing . . .

       Reflex doesn't have a programming language or macros since
       Borland would rather sell me Paradox, so I use the shareware
       macro-generating program Newkey to automate Reflex. As an
       example, one Reflex macro is over 400 separate keystrokes and
       performs the sort, export, lharc and update of the final
       distribution copy of the SMS mailing list which is shipped to
       users. Reflex also has quite a few @ functions similar to Lotus
       123. Flat file databases do have advantages, at times . . .

       Trends on the horizon:

       1) Expect disk vendors buying exceptional shareware programs from
       an author - example, Public Brand who owns Professional Masterkey.

       2) Disk vendors and shareware authors will soon be taking an
       equity position in other shareware products (i.e., marketing
       products for authors who would rather program. Example, MVP
       Software. For that matter, more disk vendors will be writing
       their own shareware since they can see the "holes in the market"
       better than anyone else - example, Automated System with the
       Perfect Wedding Planner.

       3) Commercial software trying "shareware-look-alike" schemes -
       example, Lotus and Microsoft with their semi-sorta-crippled
       programs you can buy at Egghead or find on the hard drive of
       your new computer.

       4) More vertical market shareware.

       5) This is important: authors marketing to vertical markets not
       just disk vendors and computer clubs - example, if your package
       is a diet and nutrition system, you should research Contacts
       Influential, a Thomas Register and other sources so that you
       mail your disk to folks like hospital dieticians, health food
       stores, weight loss clubs, etc. Vertical packages demand
       vertical marketing.

       6) Shareware companies growing into commercial size operations
       and commercial software houses getting more deeply involved with
       shareware-like operations - example, Sub Rosa (SR-Info) and the
       famous Xtree package which now have shareware versions.

       7) Expect to see more authors banding together to make winning
       projects fly - example, SMS is itself based on code and
       information from many authors and sources. The menu system comes
       from Texas and some valuable address leads and research come
       from California, Kentucky, and Florida. Aircraft are now made
       from composites, soon good shareware will be, too.

       8) Expect to see major corporations start to buy entire
       shareware disk vendor operations - reason: information is the
       currency of the future and software is the driving force. In
       addition, the profits from a good vending or author/programming
       operation are tempting to corporations who up until now have
       ignored shareware as a revenue stream. The markup is too high
       and too attractive to corporations like Pepsi who calculate
       market share and profit structures with fractional point
       accuracy when shareware vendors and authors collect many dollars
       profit on the simple 21 cent piece of plastic we call a
       diskette. Expect the big guys to become interested soon.

       9) Expect to see government offices start using shareware in
       large quantities - example the VDE editor and the Automenu
       system are already popular in the corporate and government
       world. This could be very profitable to the right author at the
       right time.

       10) Expect to see the Internal Revenue Service someday release a
       shareware income tax package. Reason: taxes are too complicated
       now, soon everyone will have a computer, why not issue your IRS
       forms on paper or disk as desired by the taxpayer? Forms on disk
       is just another way of saying a copy of a program to do your
       taxes. This will change the way we work and live. Very fundamental
       stuff, here.

       11) Anticipate "sudden ramp-up" shareware projects. Meaning:
       shareware that is researched, programmed, marketed and brought
       to completion in two or three weeks and mass marketed to LARGE
       numbers of vendors and BBS systems in the space of a few days.
       Reason: SMS mailing list and rapid BBS upload services such as
       Megapost. Sudden ramp-up shareware projects hold the potential
       for great profit since today things flow in a "winner take most"
       marketing strategy: he who is out of the gate in massive
       quantity and quality before competitors smell the coffee is
       bound to have 97% market share no matter what clone of the
       package comes out later. Lotus isn't the best spreadsheet
       anymore, but the winner takes most system has them locked into
       profit streams for a long time.

       12) Expect vendors to soon start retiring MANY old shareware
       programs. Reason: there is too much shareware for even the
       largest vendors to track, review and catalog. Even with CD-ROM
       capacities, a lot of shareware is going to fade into oblivion in
       the next two or three years.

       13) We need MORE disk vendors! Everybody seems upset about the
       proliferation of 99 cent "Mom and Pop" disk vendors. Comment:
       what we need is four times as many disk vendors all selling at
       69 cents! Shareware needs the visibility, volume and stability
       of mainstreaming. Competition among disk vendors works on the
       same level as competition among shareware programs: the good
       survive, the poor die. No other industry has as low an entry fee
       to "set up shop" as shareware. This applies to both vendors and
       authors. The low ramp-up cost to get an operation started means
       the best and brightest will bubble to the top in surprisingly
       rapid fashion. This is simply the way our economic system works.

       On the horizon! June 21 through 23: the Summer Shareware Seminar
       for shareware authors and distributors sponsored by Public Brand
       Software, the ASP and the Indianapolis Computer Society. Three
       day total immersion seminar from the best and the brightest in
       the shareware industry. Read the LARGE detailed writeup on this
       stunning event a few paragraphs further along, but first some
       immediate news regarding new disk vendors and changes of
       address:

       MVP Software is seeking authors who want shareware programs
       actively MARKETED, not just distributed. If you have a great
       program or idea, contact David Snyder, 1035 Dallas SE, Grand
       Rapids, MI 49507  616/245-8376. David has been a shareware
       author since 1985 and knows marketing!  He handles details
       authors dislike: distribution, promotion, documentation,
       orders, tech support. He will commit up to $15,000 of his
       company's money to market your software if it is terrific.

       MVP and David will be rolling out the next HOT shareware game:
       Robomaze II: The Tower. Robomaze II took two years to produce -
       graphics are intricate: screen updates occur constantly;
       animation is smooth. Over 100 graphics screens. Robomaze II is
       the second episode in the complete Robomaze trilogy.  Robomaze
       II is available as shareware; the remaining two volumes may be
       purchased only by registered users. Coming June 1991. Watch for
       a special promotional contest sponsored by MVP Software and
       Public Brand Software. Robomaze II: The Tower features: Colorful
       animated graphics. Joystick and keyboard support.  Original
       soundtrack written by musician commissioned just for the
       program.  On-line help and quick reference. Runs on CGA system,
       yet includes redesigned graphics for EGA/VGA systems. Unique
       timing routine permits same game speed on any computer
       regardless of clock speed.  Support for all Intel CPU chips.
       Ultra-responsive to player input - no movement or firing
       delays. Intiutive player interface. Full support for Tandy 1000
       line, including the Tandy extended keyboard.

       New disk vendor: Ms. Darlene Wagner, Wagner Enterprises, 5271
       Newton Falls Rd, Ravenna, OH 44266. 216/297-9330. A thanks to
       shareware author Fred Parker of Use-Full Software Anthologies
       for spotting this vendor and passing address info along to SMS.
       Fred says Wagner Enterprises is a quality operation. That's good
       enough for me! Suggest you send them a disk!

       A nice disk-based catalog comes from Cross-Roads Shareware,
       POB 2109, Alvin, TX 77512-2109. 713/331-1201. Suggest you send
       owner Bill Bufkin your shareware disk.

       Another change of address: Sunshine Software Services, POB
       411115, Los Angeles, CA 90041. Steven Charbonneau, President.
       Their old address was in Las Vegas. Their library contains about
       1,500 titles. Ship 'em a disk.

       From the ASP note the following: Executive Director is Jan
       Abbott, 545 Grover Rd, Muskegon, MI 49442. Voice tel: 616/788-
       5131. FAX: [phone]. CIS: 72050,1433. According to materials
       I have seen from the ASP, they now list over 300 author members
       and almost 200 vendor members. Dues for vendor membership (disk
       vendors, not authors) is $150 the first year and $250 each year
       thereafter.

       Software is an international business, too. Best little resource
       I have seen for international marketing research is Inc.
       Magazine's Guide to International Business. Contains goodies on
       international hot spots for trade, a mailing list of state
       resources where you can write or call for information on
       import/export assistance, the whole bit! I just got my hands on
       an old Fall 1988 version of the little guide. Neat! Inc.
       Magazine Publishing, 38 Commercial Wharf, Boston, MA 02110.

       Speaking of magazines, you should see the HOT issue of
       Databased Advisor (March 1991.) GORGEOUS article on the ins and
       outs of computer consulting. We're all shareware authors or disk
       vendors, but lotsa folks do consulting in addition. This issue
       of Databased Advisor has consulting tips and guidelines from
       over 25 thriving computer consultants. Databased Advisor, 4010,
       Morena Blvd, Ste 200, San Diego, CA 92117.

       More magazines/catalogs of interest to shareare authors:
       Compuserve Magazine, November 1990 issue: working at home.
       Details on Compuserve conferences and resources on setting up,
       managing and marketing your wares from home.

       Reliabable Home Office catalog POB 804117, Chicago, Il 60680-
       9968 - free catalog of really neat stuff for the work-at-homer.
       Isn't that what most shareware authors are?

       Entrepreneur Magazine's Guide to Homebased Businesses (Winter
       91). Lots of ideas on making money using a computer - not just
       shareware! Another useful magazine for shareware author
       marketing research.

       New trends in shareware: Trius, the Aseasyas Spreadsheet folks
       have just come out with the new ALITE which is a scaled down
       version of their famous ASEASYAS spreadsheet. Moral: if you have
       a successful package, clone it to a lighter, less byte-filling
       version for more revenue. Same thing with PC-Write which also
       has a light version. Could be a trend here.

       Kevin King, Disk Count Data, disk vendors POB 36, Lake Hamilton,
       AR 71951 has done it again with two brilliant ideas: 1) he has
       added a HOT echo to his BBS system for resellers and wholesalers
       featuring best national buys of the month. 2) he will set you up
       as an equipment reseller which is yet another way a shareware
       author or disk vendor can make money. See info below:

                           DISK-COUNT DATA PRODUCTS
                                 P. O. BOX 36
                           LAKE HAMILTON, AR. 71951
                              501-525-0419 Voice
                               501-525-6094 BBS

       Over the years as we at Disk-Count Data have bought and sold
       computers systems we have continually found ourselves helping
       other people start their own businesses. We can help you become
       a PROFITABLE dealer to resell computers. It won't be long before
       you'll be selling computer products to your friends and
       relatives and maybe even your boss at work.

       Here's the secret: I have located several companies that we can
       help you buy from at true wholesale rates. They all have toll
       free 800 lines for both ordering and tech support. They provide
       on-site service from over 1200 service centers all over America.
       And they will even drop ship direct to your customer. You can
       prepare a simple display ad. You don't need to have a $4,000.00
       full page ad in PC-MAGAZINE, all you need is a catchy typeset
       quality ad that you can display in super markets, computer users
       groups, at the community college or even in magazines like the
       "Thrifty Nickel".

       When you get an interested customer, mail out product brochures
       (that we supply you with) of what you are selling. When the
       customer prepays you with his Bank Draft Check (or you may want
       to be set up to take Visa/Master Card,) you then just call one
       of our recommended manufacturers and they will ship the system
       to your door by UPS. Or they will drop ship to your customer if
       they live out of town or out of state. Plus the company can
       provide your customer an on-site warranty package so that if
       something does go wrong with a computer they can call a 800
       phone number to get hardware support from the "Nationwide
       Service Network."

       You will need to be registered with your State Department of
       Finance and Administration. A reseller's permit is all you need
       to start buying from a manufacturer. All states very in how much
       a permit will cost. You will need to set up at your local bank a
       BUSINESS checking account and good bookkeeping system. After a
       while when you get established you may want to start accepting
       Visa/Master card orders over the phone. We have seen a 50%
       increase in our business since we started with VISA. To apply
       for Visa/Master, just go to the bank where you got setup with
       your business checking. The Visa/Master card company will take
       4.75% from each sale you make.

       We are charging you a ONE TIME FEE of just $50.00. For that
       money we will provide you with everything you will need to buy
       from each company we have recommended. Each company will have a
       dealer kit which will have color product brochures, dealer cost
       prices lists, on-site service information, company policies and
       an 800 toll free number with the name of your account
       representative to order from. We provide you with dealer
       catalogs of companies that sell Memory products, Printers,
       Monitors, Floppy & Hard drives, Controllers and other add on
       type boards. You will also get full access to the RESELLERS
       SECTION on our BBS which lists changing wholesale prices and is
       kept current from our national price listing database and ads we
       receive from VARs and wholesalers. Each company will have a
       dealer kit which will have product brochures, dealer cost prices
       lists, On-site service information, company polices and an 800
       toll free number with the name of your account representative to
       order from.

                 END OF ITEM FROM KEVIN KING, DISK-COUNT DATA

       3/15/91

       This is HOT:

       On the horizon! June 21 through 23: the Summer Shareware Seminar
       for shareware authors and distributors sponsored by Public Brand
       Software, the ASP and the Indianapolis Computer Society. Three
       day total immersion seminar from the best and the brightest in
       the shareware industry: How to woo Fortune 1000 companies and
       the Government with your shareware, getting publicity, going for
       growth, retailing, author and vendor needs, user group
       insights, writing for the educational community, programming
       techniques and MUCH MORE! This is the place to be! Seminar still
       seeking guest speakers and presentation materials. Info: contact
       Public Brand Software POB 51315, Indianapolis, IN 46251.
       317/856-7571 or 800/426-3475 or Bob Ostrander on Compuserve at
       76635,1670. I have written to Bob suggesting that video or audio
       tapes be prepared. Registration is only $20 and Hotel reservations
       at the local Holiday Inn in Indianapolis are available. You want
       success in shareware as an author or vendor? Indianapolis is
       the place to be in June 1991! Write or call Public Brand for a
       seminar announcent sheet which contains reservation materials
       and calander of activities!

       Steve Hudgik of Homecraft (address and tel later in this
       article) will be tape recording and interviewing various panel
       members at the conference who represent LARGE shareware operations.
       Will try to keep you posted when Steve's materials are available
       or you can contact him directly.

       Are you using NARC? Everybody in this business uses PKZIP to
       compress files. But PKUNZIP pales in comparison to NARC. Machine
       code fast. Point and shoot menus. Unarchives zip and arcs. Not a
       shell that uses PKUNZIP - this program has the code on board!
       Very elegant beast. Also look at Qfiler for a hot little shell if
       you like to see two directories at once. I like Directory Freedom,
       but Qfiler is also hot. See file: GOODIES.TXT elesewhere for
       ordering info.

       Neat little disk I bumped into is the shareware "Home
       Businesses" by James Melton of Grand Prarie, Texas. Lots of tips
       and suggestions for starting and motivating a little business at
       home. Import-Export, information services, ideas for little
       businesses which require little startup capital. See GOODIES.TXT
       for further info on ordering from SMS. I hope the author keeps
       working on this one - he's headed the right direction.

       Sometimes a shareware author should look at specialized
       commercial software for a marketing edge: Selective Software
       Catalog (free) 800/423-3556. Packages to consider: Ronstadt's
       Financials which allows you to enter business assumptions and
       then draw up income statement, balance sheet, cash flow, revenue
       forecast, etc. Why use it? Put your financial paperwork together
       if applying for a bank loan or approaching Venture Capitalists
       (Vulture Capitalists) when ramping up for big time shareware
       authorship. $119 for the package.

       Also look at Biz Plan Builder, $99, in the same catalog.
       Clever package is World Trade director, $129, which
       gives background on international marketing, market conditions
       in specific countries, customs, policies, fees.

       The point: Microsoft derives more revenues from foreign
       than domestic sales of software. This thing just might be useful
       to a shareware author seeking overseas sales. Oh, one more
       thing: it contains a database of 1,900 world trade organizations
       and contacts, plus 86 topical areas of trade research. Another
       goodie for the shareware author, same catalog, is PP Memo which
       helps you prepare a stock offering prospectus with complete
       disclosure statements, $149.95. Finally, there is Career Design,
       $99, to assess contacts, career path, resume workup, goal
       setting, etc. Bunch of other good software. Go get the catalog.

       Send a disk to: Power User, POB 89, Erie, PA 16512. 814/454-0234
       814/459-7881. Quality disk vendor. Nice folks, Great catalog.
       Solid BBS system. Go out of their way to explain that users
       should register for shareware they use. I like these folks!

       I am trying an experiment. One of my community charity projects
       is to teach reading to adults in need of literacy help. I am
       trying to use a little shareware to help my student. I'll let
       you know how things progress as the year unfolds. However, two
       points: 1) are you doing something good for your community for
       free? 2) Can shareware help those in need either financially or
       directly in terms of training, management, etc? I'll keep you
       posted on my little adventure . . .

       How many shareware authors will catch the next wave: shareware
       for laptops. This will be (already is) a huge market. What is
       out there? Microsoft Works, some little battery gas gauge
       things, some laplinker goodies; and in shareware: compass and
       slicworks which are integrated programs like smaller versions of
       Microsoft Works. I would like to see some new shareware for
       laptoppers: betcha you'll see some registrations as the market
       takes off. An early entrant: Fastfile. A tiny little machine
       code-quick database. How about a laptop utility toolkit, a
       laptop magazine on disk for airline readers, a laptop desk
       reference set, a laptop care and maintenance guide, a laptop
       database list of repair and equipment sources. There is so much
       work to be done - kinda sad to see all the "me too" shareware
       products out there cloning each other . . . Warning: working in
       anything slow and bulky (Quickbasic, etc) won't make it.
       Assembler or C++ is closer to what a laptop needs. Big market
       out there. Send me something for review . . .

       I think the market could support a TON of magazines on disk.
       How many are out there now? I can count the good ones on one
       hand. Sharedebate International comes to mind. Reading is fun
       on a computer: you can zoom around, hypertext, search, sort,
       assemble for export and play. Big hole in the market for
       shareware packages out there.

       3/8/91

       BBS upload detail item: Megapost upload service can upload your
       files to Compuserve, GEnie, Channel 1, Nashville exchange and
       DOZENS of other HOT boards. You pay a fee to them and can also
       specify that a report later be sent to you showing download
       counts of how many times your software was downloaded on a
       particular board. ASP discount and subsequent upload discount.
       If you want to get your shareware onto boards, you pay them
       a fee and the job is done! Current prices: Per BBS group
       (roughly ten boards in a group) is $45 up to 100K zip file,
       with small additional fee (.45 to .65) per each 1K beyond
       the first 100K. Megapost, Andrew Saucci, Jr. 641 Koelbel Ct,
       Baldwin, NY 11510-3915. Or contact Andrew: CIS 72117,241.
       Delphi ASAUCCI. GEnie  A.SAUCCI3. Exec PC Andrew Saucci.

       Get a subscription to the following publication AND send them a
       disk of your shareware: The Alternative Software Bulletin, Steve
       Enzer Editor, Binary Press, POB 757, Brooklyn, MI 49230. Editor's
       electronic addresses: CIS 72477,517. GEnie S.ENZER. Solid, well
       designed publication which reviews shareware, public domain,
       etc. Back pages list NEW file listings on CIS and GEnie. Plus
       detailed reviews of major and minor shareware packages. $18.00
       for an annual subscription of ten issues. My check went in
       the mail today! Get this one! Send them a disk for review!

       Here's one of my standard tricks: always carry a sample disk or
       two of your programs with you in the briefcase. As many of you
       know, my primary business is commercial photography. As I wander
       about Seattle on my hectic day I frequently spot clients who
       have computers. If the timing and circumstance is right, I can
       offer a copy of my PC-LEARN beginners tutorial to a new
       computer user. Easy way to get registrations when you deal with
       a user eyeball to eyeball instead of post office box to post office
       box!

       Top ten shareware sellers reported by The Simple Series disk
       vendors of Plaistow, New Hampshire: (in order of sales volume)
       Commander Keen, Last Half of Darkness, Resume Shop, Animated
       Alphabet, Takin' Care of Business, Turbo Paint, Formgen, Unicom,
       Business Forms Collection, Electronic Monopoly. Wise authors
       check trends to spot openings (or competitors) in the market.

       Next item of interest to programmers looking for an easy to
       use interface item. Shareware disk (can order from SMS file
       GOODIES.TXT or direct from author.) Note following . . .

       Programmer's Integrated Environment (PIE) provides a simple
       interface for most popular programming languages. PIE allows
       the programmer to edit, compile, link, debug, and test
       programs from a simple menu. It will work with most popular
       programming languages including Turbo Pascal, Turbo C, Turbo
       Assembler, and QuickBASIC.  Also, it allows the user to
       switch rapidly from one language to another by simply entering
       a new source file name! PIE is an interface between the editor,
       command line compiler, linker, and debugger, if all of these
       are available (an editor is supplied with the registered version
       of PIE).  It has been used successfully with Turbo Pascal 6.0,
       Turbo C 2.0, Turbo Assembler 2.0, and QuickBASIC 4.5. Can order
       shareware evaluation copy from SMS (see GOODIES.TXT) or author:

                       twentysomething Software
                       16744 James St.
                       Holland  MI  49424

       Why don't more disk vendors use BRIGHT IDEAS? Let's spend a
       few paragraphs on this point.

       Simple Series (Plaistow, NH) aggressively places stacks of their
       catalogs in major computer stores - up to 70 locations as of
       this article, Public Brand (Indianapolis, IN) publishes a nice
       list of books for sale which are of definite interest to
       computer users and they also rate shareware disks with trophies
       and stars so the end user can get a little value ranking of the
       product, PSL (Houston, TX) publishes their PSL News on ultra
       lightweight rice paper in a handy little pocket size and also
       has a mega disk collection of the best shareware and clever
       chit/chat newsletter at the start of the publication, Data
       Outlet Shareware (Macon, GA) includes an alphabetical index of
       programs so you can find a program's page number location in
       their catalog if you look in the index by name - THIS IS
       ESSENTIAL IN ANY CATALOG AND MOST DISK VENDORS ARE MISSING THIS
       FEATURE!

       Some disk vendors wisely specialize and thus don't have to
       compete with anyone. Example: Biblesoft of Greenleaf, ID is
       probably the biggest and best vendor of religious shareware.
       They don't have to worry about competition. There is none
       at their advanced level. Kevin King, Disk Count Data of Lake
       Hamilton, AR, uses a clever wrinkle to promote his disk vending
       operation: in addition to maintaining a catalog and BBS he
       also writes a well-respected column about religious software
       for Churches Bytes Magazine. He thus promotes shareware and his
       own vendor operation to a LARGE BUT SPECIALIZED NICHE MARKET.

       Dumb stuff: why do some vendors have a simple, clear order
       blank with good instructions and empty lines for program name and
       disk number while other vendors have two pages of itty bitty
       listings of every disk number they carry and customer is expected
       to find and circle the itty bitty numbers of the disks he/she is
       ordering? Imagine the fun if the Sears Catalog did this . . .

       Why not use a rational order form like PD Select of Gastonia,
       NC and place it properly at the end of the catalog where it can
       be located by a customer and include a couple of spare copies?
       PD Select also wisely puts the "how to use a shareware disk
       info near the order forms at the back of the catalog.

       Use the paper saved on itty bitty disk numbers to LIST MORE
       SHAREWARE. Shareware Express (Laguna Niguel, CA), The
       Software Labs (Los Angeles, CA) and tiny Tsunami Software
       (Los Angeles, CA) have reasonable order forms. Not great,
       but reasonable.

       Why do vendors put the order form in the middle of the catalog?
       I am not interested in the poor reason that when you pull order
       form out, the binding doesn't lose pages since you are removing
       the middle section and the staples hold the remaining guts together.

       New England Software Library puts their order form in the middle
       of the catalog but colors it bright yellow so you can kinda find
       it (sorta like spray painting a stolen car: attempting to make a
       dumb deed a little bit easier to locate). Venerable Public
       Brand also puts the customer order form in middle of catalog, but
       their catalog is so detailed and deliciously thorough that
       you can't really quibble over small stuff.

       Back to some praise and positive comments:

       Soft A'Ware (San Diego, CA) has probably the best author
       notification policy in the business: when they receive your disk
       submission OWNER GEORGE VAN VALKENBURG picks up the phone and
       calls you and also sends out a copy of Pinnacle Help and SMS to
       give you some insights into how authorship has its privileges!

       Shareware Outlet of Bellevue CLEARLY marks the new additions to
       the catalog with a visually BOLD "new" logo so you can scan any
       issue and find the new disks FAST. PD Select will be coming out
       with the DEFINITIVE reprint of how beginners should use
       shareware in their next catalog: most shareware vendors have tiny
       ATROCIOUS sections of their catalogs devoted to vague crappola
       hints about what file extensions are and how you can throw
       confetti in the air and unzip or unarchive programs. Vague
       descriptions on how to use shareware cause vague reorders from
       most beginners and poor registrations. No single vendor has this
       one right yet! See my program SUT (shareware users tutorial)
       for my attempt at plugging this leaky dike.

       MSCA of Waukesha, WI is aggressively going after college
       bookstores as a location for shareware racks and catalogs: an
       untapped market. Tsunami Software of Los Angeles, CA has
       probably the smallest catalog in the business but they put
       really attractive little picture icons next to each disk
       listing. Very small catalog, but cute and readable. Back to the
       subject of bugs in programs and a couple of vendors that shine:
       Public Brand has Marcia Meier, their chief disk reviewer, call
       you pronto and suggest a fix if they like your program and want
       to encourage a little tinkering to your program's benefit. ACL
       of Sacramento, CA does the same as witnessed by a recent call to
       me to suggest a little fix to PC-LEARN which made a lot of sense
       and only took one weekend of programming to solve.

       Finally, some of the really smart disk vendors are starting to
       write a little shareware of their own which is GREAT! I like
       versatile folks. Writing and selling keeps you down in the
       trenches! Examples: MSCA and Automated Systems put out some good
       packages they have authored. But these two vendors are a minority
       and sadly most vendors sit around wondering why nobody writes that
       neat package customers are demanding when they could DO IT
       THEMSELVES!

       Final awards before I summarize. Standout movers and shakers who
       are industry resources: Kevin King (Disk Count Data) category:
       drive, originality and raw hustle. Howard Schwartz (MSCA) category:
       talent and direct marketing savvy. PD Select, category: plain
       common sense, killer catalog, always thinking about authors.
       George Van Valkenburg (Soft A'Ware) category: forever on the
       phone to authors in probe and research mode, always thinking how
       to improve the industry. Public Brand, category: damn fine
       catalog. Shareware Outlet (Bellevue, WA), category: top notch BBS

       Tsunami Software, category: smaller is better and brighter. The
       Simple Series, category: catalogs at more retail locations than
       MacDonalds has outlets. PC-SIG, category: Shareware Magazine is
       the major force which will eventually professionalize and inform
       the industry. ASP, category: ASP catalog on disk with list of
       authors, ASP outlets and program descriptions; all nicely done.

       I won't keep droning on. The points: 1) the best and brightest
       disk vendor ideas are all over the place in this industry, but
       no single disk vendor is using A LARGE NUMBER of really great
       ideas; just a few good things here and there. 2) there are still
       another thousand disk vendor marketing ideas yet to be
       discovered. 3) if you think this industry is saturated with disk
       vendors all trying to compete at 99 cents a disk, I'll bet it
       could support four times the number of suppliers if shareware
       vendors would start using bright, simple marketing concepts
       just like the handful I've presented in the last few excessively
       long-winded paragraphs. Too many vendors are competing on the 99
       cent principle: when your price per disk reaches 99 cents, your
       chance of staying in business reaches .001 percent. Authors
       and vendors MUST compete with ideas and marketing strategy,
       price is but ONE ELEMENT of marketing for results.

       Another shareware disk I chanced upon is HOT. The MSDOS
       Reference. A compilation of dozens of tech refs listing all
       kinds of programming goodies: scan codes, interrupts, history of
       DOS, memory map, vectors, goodies and more goodies. Very nice.
       See file: GOODIES.TXT in this package.

       Shareware trends: why aren't the following packages and or concepts
       for shareware out there? My daughter has one of those little
       hand held pocket spelling checkers with thesaurus. Handy. Why
       don't we have a popup version similar to a popup screen
       calculator. If I saw something with the speed of ZIPKEY and the
       elegance of the XACT calculators, I think that would be a
       winner. Next trend on the horizon most shareware authors seem to
       be missing: data for specialized markets. Why program yet
       another database or utility package (yawn) when you could put
       together a database of mailing lists, genealogy information,
       lists of gardening seed catalogs, lists of employment agencies,
       shareware guide to dog and cat breed health care, etc . . .

       Don't always program an application which uses data. Program an
       application WHICH CONTAINS DATA! This also insures renewal
       and cash flow potential since databases and lists of information
       go out of date predictably and thus require users to come to
       you with open wallet for an update. The age of "me too" products
       is coming to a close. Send me a copy of your new concepts. I'll
       tell you if you've got a bingo or a yawner. Especially
       interested in shareware that fits MY NICHE for the SMS file
       GOODIES.TXT which specializes in shareware targeted at users who
       are themselves shareware authors.

       I get stacks of shareware disks in the mail every day and
       frequently spot clever ideas worth sharing. Get a copy of
       the SILICON FROG UTILITIES! Evaluation copy available from
       SMS (see file GOODIES.TXT) or most shareware disk vendors.
       Why get Silicon Frog? 1) You've got to see how the author
       uses an internal PKZIP error checking routine to prevent
       modification or virus tampering - most clever I have seen!
       2) You've got to see how the author has user automatically
       read a licensing statement for use of the disk and answer
       "yes" that user will abide by the conditions of the evaluation
       disk agreement before proceeding 3) the utilities are
       EXCELLENT! Loads of COM files to do many marvelous chores.
       This disk is a treasure trove of BRIGHT IDEAS! Highly
       recommended.

       Some ideas are so obvious you wonder: I am always bugged by
       people registering old copies of my shareware from weird sources
       I cannot track down and send an update disk. Try writing the
       person a note and ask where they got the old copy: USUALLY NO
       RESULTS. Instead send a pre-stamped postcard with your return
       address and note asking to be informed of the source of the old
       copy of your shareware: WORKS ALMOST EVERY TIME!

       Shareware authors send SMS piles of disks: I love it and try to
       sift out those applicable to my general shareware library or the
       SMS library which may interest other shareware programmers.
       However some programmers ask me to do a detailed written review,
       spend several hours with the program, beta test it, prepare a
       marketing analysis (what is chance for success in shareware
       market, what should you do next, who are competitors if any,
       etc.) Unfortunately I can't do this for everybody, although many
       folks request it. Bottom line: I try to look at everything and
       make sure it goes in the proper library or catalog. But if you
       want me to do a detailed analysis (spend all day with your program,
       do thorough writeup, spot problem areas, suggest marketing
       strategy and provide ONE additional beta test of the revised
       product, contact me for current charges for this service. Most
       shareware programmers extract their marketing information directly
       by reading SMS. Many however, want a personal review and analysis
       of their product which I can't do as a freebie.

       Hopefully you won't deem this a high falutin' manueveur: nothing
       in life is free and if you want me to personally beta your
       program, we have to be fair with each other. Generally free
       advice is worth what you paid for it. I might suggest that
       if you are not even prepared to spend around $400 to $500 in
       postage costs to distribute your program, let alone marketing and
       programming costs, you are kinda wasting your time. Let's get back
       to business . . .

       The next item is VERY INTERESTING. A commercial strength
       software programmers management system. Can order shareware
       version for inspection (two disks from SMS via the file
       GOODIES.TXT elsewhere in SMS or directly from the developer:

       -------------------------------------------------------------

       Sell More Software System (shareware version available):
       Marketing and MIS for Software Developers. From Droege Computing
       Services, Inc. 3200 Croasdaile Drive, Suite 304 Durham, North
       Carolina  27705. 919/383-9749. Shareware version available on
       two standard 360K floppies.

       The Sell More Software program is a personal computer system
       designed to facilitate the marketing, sales, and administrative
       activities involved in selling computer software.  Created
       specifically for software developers and value-added re-sellers,
       the program helps to plan projects, track contact with prospects
       and clients, track support, and print custom letters and forms.

       Sales and Marketing Features.  Clients, Prospects and Products,
       MailMerge Forms, Invoicing, 7 Indices to search Prospects by,
       Handles multiple sales representatives, Next sales call by Sales
       Rep or Product, Copy Prospect to another Record, Search for
       other names at same company, Personal Messages and Notes, Tracks
       Typical questions, Contact History, Global search and replace,
       Label and Laser Envelope Printing, Client and Prospect Reports,
       Create Mail Merge Secondary File, Contact Summary Sheets, UPS
       Labels, Accounts Payable Labels, Analysis of Telemarketing Work,
       Weekly Marketing Analysis, Survey Analysis, Daily Call List,
       Letters to Related Clients, Contact Analysis by Type, Contact
       Analysis by Product, Price Lists, and Pricing Detail.

       Time and Billing for Consultants. Proof Reading Listing,
       Generate Invoices, List Items to be Billed, Key Vacation Time,
       Weekly Report of Time Worked, and Productivity Analysis.

       Accounting.  Chart of Accounts, Transaction File (General
       Ledger), Cost Accounting, Cost Centers, Month End and Year End
       Closeout, Postage Expense Tracking, Supplies Inventory, Income
       Statement, Balance Sheet, Transaction Register, General Ledger,
       and Budget Analysis.

       Software Support.  Problems, Error Log and Tracking, Software
       Support Followup Letter, Error Listings, Support Listings,
       Geographical Listing of Users, Sales Analysis, Support
       Expiration Notices, Support Expiration Labels, Mailing Labels,
       New Users, Demos, and Diskette Labels.

       Other Management Functions.  Proportional Fonts, Product Labels,
       Project Planning, Enter Payments / Outstanding Invoices, Invoice
       Distribution Report, Royalty Distribution Report, Lease
       Tracking, Invoice Management, Weekly Project Management, Project
       Status Reports, Timesheet, Product Cost Analysis with Average
       Monthly Cost, Objectives with % Analysis, and Product Budget,
       Actual and Variance.

       Complete Contact Histories.  The Clients and Prospects file
       maintains a record of each contact, thus preventing you from
       forgetting a client or his needs. Next Marketing Step.  The
       program keeps track of the next contact date for each client,
       thus assuring that you always know when to make the next call or
       send the next letter. Software Support Tracking.  The Support
       record tracks support for each client.  The separate Error
       Tracking record lets you keep up with problems and solutions.
       Project Planning.  The Project Planning module helps you track
       hours spent and status of each project.  It also helps to
       monitor expenses with the Cost Analysis report. Mail Merge.  The
       Mail Merge feature automatically merges name and address records
       with your own letters.  The ability to rate your prospects
       simplifies mass mailings.  Laser fonts are supported, thus
       permitting high quality output. Reports.  The program's reports
       help you to manage your sales, marketing, and administrative
       functions.  Reports are listed in the functional checklist.

       You may register and receive bound documentation ($100),
       software support ($375/year), or source code ($750) for this
       software.

       System Requirements: IBM or compatible computer (AT, 80286, or
       later CPU recommended), Hard disk, 640K or more memory, DOS 3.1
       or later, LAN compatible.

       Shareware version available from SMS or Droege Computing.
       -------------------------------------------------------------

       Interesting book on direct mail marketing brought to my
       attention by Ed Marion of Webster, Texas: Direct Mail Workshop,
       1001 tips, by Rene Gnam. 813/938-1555.

       Speaking of direct mail marketing, check out the two shareware
       disks which discuss this subject in the file GOODIES.TXT
       elsewhere in this package.

       When the ASP was using their Bellevue, Washington address
       they sent out a very interesting AUTHOR APPLICATION disk for
       authors interested in joining the ASP. That version of the disk
       contained the highly useful file GUIDE.EXE with letters and
       marketing ideas from established shareware authors. You can
       still obtain that version from SMS (see file: GOODIES.TXT). Now
       that the ASP has changed their mailing address to Muskegon, MI the
       author application disk has changed and mysteriously no longer
       includes GUIDE.EXE but equally mysteriously has a VERY
       INTERESTING file of chit chat captured from their ASP Compuserve
       forum about what and how they view "trivial software" which is
       not eligible for ASP membership status. Take a look. Get the
       old version or new version from SMS (file: GOODIES.TXT) or of
       course contact the ASP directly.

       This is interesting: telephone support services for shareware
       users! I talked at length with Kenneth Mocabee 314/256-3130
       Advanced Support Group, 268 Lamp and Lantern Village, Town and
       Country, Missouri 63017. They offer support for users of your
       shareware package (and other software developers in general)
       via either 900 or 800 telephone numbers. Revenue from the
       900 numbers IS SHARED WITH THE SOFTWARE AUTHOR! Neat idea:
       rather than user support being a pain for the small shareware
       author, it can be a REVENUE SOURCE! Customers calling the
       hotline [phone]-HELP) pay $2.00 per minute. ASG returns the
       call on their own line if the tech support specialist needs to
       research the answer. Visa and Mastercard. Subscription basis
       800 toll free service also available. Info available on disk and
       hard copy. Ken seems to be a dedicated guy about customer
       support and wants to provide EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE TO YOUR
       CUSTOMERS and possibly provide you a little revenue stream from
       user support calls.

       Extending this idea, what do you do if users call and want to
       chat about more mundane DOS questions and ask about word
       processing or other generic stuff? ASG offers more general
       support along those lines too. Other vendors are also into this
       game: Kirin International 900/446-2468 - claims support for over
       600 software and hardware products, both MSDOS and Mac. Both
       prepaid and pay as you go plans. 24 hours a day. Further info
       about Kirin: 800/753-2468. CompuAdd: 900/990-0111 - also offers
       similar services. More info: 512/250-2000. The Help Network:
       900/88-4HELP - offers many folks on call who specialize in
       various software packages and has special expertise in accounting
       software such as DAC, Peachtree and Bradford. PC-Helpline:
       800/366-8125 - good customer support on a variety of packages
       More info: 800/366-8125. Micro Support Resources: 404/452-7676 -
       Yearly support contracts for those needing more continuous
       industrial strength support. Flat $200 per year. Focus is small
       business.

       If you follow the drift of the previous few paragraphs you
       understand how you can look good to your customers by simply
       sending them to one or several specialized support services so
       you can get back to programming and opening those envelopes with
       registration checks!

       2/26/91

       I get stacks of registration forms and then never have the
       time to input the registered user info into my customer database.
       Clever trick department: Praireware, 406/454-0829, POB 265, Great
       Falls, MT 59403 is seeking lists of your registered users so they
       can mail their catalogs and drum up a little business.
       I ship them my big stacks of registration forms, I get back
       the original forms plus a neat little disk of my customer
       info ready to import into my database. Prarieware gets a
       mailing list of customers to whom they send out their catalog!
       Win/win situaton for all! Shareware is a three way triangle:
       Users help us, vendors help us, vendors help users, we help users,
       WE HELP VENDORS! Just mailing out a disk to a vendor is NOT
       enough these days! Share that data! Wonder if more vendors
       will pick up on this simple trick?

       Disk vendors are important to this industry! They get shareware
       out into the marketplace. Sometimes, though, you wonder if they
       don't overlook the obvious: seems they all concentrate on direct
       mail marketing and ads in magazines. It seems to me there are a
       LOT of small to middle sized computer stores out there who would
       probably allow a small stack of disk vendor catalogs near the
       cash register IF THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES came up.

       Computer beginners and new computer owners logically buy more
       software then intermediate and advanced users, seems to me.
       Example: Shareware Outlet here in Seattle has a stack of their
       catalogs near the door at Bellevue-based Lucky Computer Stores.
       Seems obvious. Why don't more disk vendors do this? I even
       have some ADDITIONAL MARKETING TRICKS AND TIPS I will send to
       disk vendors on how they can accomplish this EVEN IF THE
       COMPUTER STORE IS 100 MILES from your office! Write me if you
       are a disk vendor. I am forever on the phone listening to disk
       vendors about what goes on and trying to figure out how I can
       make THEM money so they will make ME money. Ever seen a disk
       vendor have a sales rep solely dedicated to developing corporate
       accounts who want to use shareware? The rep could research what
       businesses would like to see in affordable shareware and pass
       this along to the authors (via SMS of course!) Now there's an
       idea!

       2/19/91

       Note NEW addition of the file DATABAS2.EXE to part B of this
       package. This is a self-extracting file of BAD AND UNDELIVERABLE
       ADDRESSES which is useful to those needing to know what addresses
       are bad. Do not accidentally mix or merge the two databases!
       DATABAS2.EXE produces the file DATABAS2.DBF and can be loaded
       into your database package. Adding a little value to SMS as
       requested by several authors! We aim to please . . .

       New disk vendor. Send this outfit a disk: Howard Schwartz,
       President, MSCA (Marketing Services Corporation of America)
       #1, Marketing Centre, 3157 Madison St, Waukesha, WI 53188-4409.
       414/521-8057. Howard has taught a course on direct mail
       marketing and offers a MUST HAVE course on four cassettes with
       workbook. This is something I listened to in the car on my
       casette player. You gotta hear this thing for GOOD info about
       direct mail marketing! After all, isn't this the business we are
       in? Contact Howard for info about the cassettes. With his
       experience in direct mail and interest in becoming a disk
       vendor, Howard is going to put together a killer operation
       which should wipe out a lot of the 99 cent Mom and Pop disk
       vendors on the scene!

       Steve Hudgik of Homecraft, mentioned elsewhere in this section,
       has done it again with an exceptional interview on the
       strategies it takes to become a successful shareware author in
       the lastest editon of Shareware Magazine, available from PC-SIG.
       Too many details to list, but some highpoints of Steve's
       thoughts from the article: make your software intuitive, use on
       screen info plus help screens, beta test with someone not
       familiar with your system, use defaults if user needs to make
       selection but allow user choices too, and of course for people
       who use laser printers - put a formfeed at the end of the file
       so that the last sheet ejects from the printer rather than
       sitting in the printer and possibly being overwritten by the
       next document.

       New files in the GOODIES.TXT section of this package: Bates
       Directory of Newspapers and Bates Directory of Libraries.
       The point is, you might want to try mailing your shareware to
       libraries and newspapers for review or inclusion in collections:
       many libraries are now starting shareware sections and many
       newspapers have a computer columnist. Mail to the largest and
       see what happens. Good mailing lists! Also see the new electronic
       almanac and PC-Review which reviews and discusses LOADS of hardware
       and software all on a neat little shareware disk!

       Change of address: ASP, 545 Grover Rd, Muskegon, MI 49442.

       Quicksoft, venerable distributors of the famous PC-WRITE
       shareware word processor has been sold to Leo Nikora. Bob
       Wallace, founder, will remain on as adviser and developer.

       Shareware best sellers noted in latest issue of Shareware
       Magazine. In order of volume sold: Sky Globe, Home Legal Guide,
       ImagePrint, PowerBatch, World29, Graphic Workshop, PKZip,
       Miramar, Resume Shop, Wampum. Shareware Magazine is published
       by PC-SIG.

       Note inclusion of Pinnacle Help System and Pinnacle GO system on
       disk two (part B) of this package. Very interesting addition
       you authors should consider incorporating into your packages.
       Be sure to register with Pinnacle if you find the package useful.
       Pinnacle seems to be developing a line of products which we
       might call shareware author tools. Give a look. Another item
       from Pinnacle follows. Speaks loudly about the dismal
       acknowledgement record of disk vendors. Do disk vendors HAVE to
       acknowledge to be any good? I think so! So does Pinnacle. Hope
       that Pinnacle will keep this list updated for SMS! Vendors: see
       how you do on the Pinnacle Rating Scale!

       ----------------------------------------------------------------
                      PINNACLE DISK VENDOR RATING SYSTEM
       ----------------------------------------------------------------
       Acknowledgement Record of Several Shareware Houses compiled
       February 19th 1991 by Pinnacle Software of Canada:

       ALL of the packages submitted to the vendor by Pinnacle included
       four diskettes, extensive documentation, a SELF-ADDRESSED envelope,
       and an acknowledgement form which takes approximately one minute
       to fill out. So why do so few houses acknowledge?

       (Laziness, too many disks flooding through the door, don't know
       how or care to be successful, low capitalization Mom and Pop disk
       vendor are probable reasons . . .  ed.)

       SHAREWARE HOUSE     SENT   ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO PINNACLE OF SUBMISSION
       ───────────────    ──────  ───────────────
       A.C.L.             DEC 18  JAN 02 91  "Too late for inclusion in
                                  1991 catalog"
       GEMINI MARKETING   DEC 18  Good acknowledgement record
       OLYMPUS SOFTWARE   DEC 18  JAN 09 91
       COMPU-TECH         DEC 18  NONE
       DISK JOCKEY        DEC 18  NONE
       GENERIC-WARE       DEC 18  NONE
       INT'L SFTWR LIB'Y  DEC 18  NONE
       MIDWEST SFTWR LIB  DEC 18  NONE
       PARADISE SOFTWARE  DEC 18  NONE
       PC SHAREWARE       DEC 18  NONE
       PRINCETON SOFTWARE DEC 18  NONE
       SOFTSHOPPE         DEC 18  NONE
       SOFTSOURCE         DEC 18  NONE
       CALIFORNIA FREEWR  DEC 18  NONE
       COMPUTER BIN       DEC 18  NONE
       FLORIDA PC LIB'Y   DEC 18  NONE
       SOFT A'WARE        DEC 19  DEC 31 90 (Acknowledgement via phone)
       PUBLIC (SFTWR) LIB DEC 19  Good acknowledgement record
       SIZZLEWARE         DEC 19  JAN 08 91 (Acknowledgement via phone)
       FREEBOOTER SFTWR   DEC 19  JAN 09 91
       THE SOFTWARE LABS  DEC 19  JAN 09 91
       PD SELECT          DEC 19  JAN 17 90   Winner of SMS thumbs up
       AUSTIN PROSOFT     DEC 19  JAN 24 90
       MICRO STAR/WEST    DEC 19  JAN 28 91
       PRAIRIEWARE        DEC 19  JAN 30 90 Many typos in
                                            catalog; inaccurate reviews
       MICROCOMPUTER MGRS DEC 19  NONE
       PRINTERS SHAREWARE DEC 19  NONE
       SFTWR EXCITEMENT!  DEC 19  NONE
       DYNACOMP INC       DEC 19  NONE
       HOME BASED BSNSS   DEC 19  NONE
       PEOPLE'S CHOICE    DEC 19  NONE
       PUBLIC INFO XCHNG  DEC 19  NONE
       PC ARCADE          DEC 19  Sent catalog
       ORIGINAL SFTWR CO. DEC 20  BOX CLOSED -- No forwarding address
       RAINBOW SOFTWARE   DEC 20  JAN 09 91
       IND. SHRWR DIST.   DEC 20  NONE
       QUALITYWARE        DEC 20  NONE
       SHAREWARE OUTLET   DEC 20  NONE
       SHAREWARE TO GO    DEC 20  NONE
       SOFTEC PCL         DEC 20  NONE
       SOFTWARE CLUB      DEC 20  NONE
       SUNSHINE MARKETING DEC 20  NONE
       SUNSHINE SOFTWARE  DEC 20  NONE
       AAA SOFTWARE       DEC 20  NONE
       AMERICAN RESOURCE  JAN 03  NONE
       DATA OUTLET SFTWR  JAN 10  JAN 23 91 (Acknowledgement via phone)
       BABBAGE'S INC.     JAN 10  NONE
       ELITE SHRWR LABS   JAN 10  NONE
       BUDGETBYTES        JAN 10  UNDELIVERABLE; NO FORWARDING ADDRESS
       AMERICAN SOFTWARE  JAN 14  FEB 05 91
       DISK COUNT         JAN 14  JAN 03
       APPLIED BSNSS SYS  JAN 14  JAN 31 90
       FIRST BANK SHRWR   JAN 14  NONE
       FIRST CHOICE SFTWR JAN 14  NONE
       PD SOFTWAREHOUSE   JAN 14  NONE
       SHRWR SOLUTIONS    JAN 14  NONE
       ALTER. PERS. SFTWR JAN 14  NONE
       AMER. SFTWR XCHG   JAN 14  NONE
       BUSINESS SOLUTIONS JAN 14  NONE
       ELECT USA          JAN 14  NONE
       SHAREWARE EXPRESS  JAN 23  NONE -- Has never acknowledged
                                          despite SIX mailings
       STANCOM            JAN 28  FEB 07 91

       Corporate users of shareware aren't stupid. One my my registered
       users for PC-LEARN (my beginners tutorial package) told me how
       he deals with shareware authors: he has his secretary send in a
       registration check with a registration form using his home
       address. Depending on how fast and professionally the author
       deals with this "secret corporate shopper" they draw up
       papers for LAN licensing and site licenses if the package is any
       good. Sometimes he has the "secret shopper" call and ask
       questions to see what support and author profile is like. Like I
       said, corporate shareware users are PRETTY CLEVER! I have sent
       back registered packages to several of my PC-LEARN users to find
       out that I have stumbled into government offices with large LAN
       networks and Fortune 500 companies just because I tried to be
       quick with a response and answered the phone with intelligent
       answers and a little common sense. The smartest corporate users
       prefer some shareware packages because the site licenses are
       relatively cheap and the corporate guru can call the shareware
       author and have a custom version programmed for a price
       attractive to the company and VERY attractive for the author.
       Viva shareware!

       I just finished a weekend project that should really boost the
       industry: SUT (Shareware Users Tutorial) is a slick small ASCII
       file I want all the vendors to put in their catalogs or ship out
       for free! I'm tired of reading half baked explanations in vendor
       catalogs on how a beginner is supposed to figure out shareware.
       We authors have a thousand nutty conventions as to disk contents
       and filenames. SUT is clear and simple so that any beginner
       can figure out how the system works along with some REAL reasons
       why folks should register rather than the lukewarm "register
       because it's nice of you" notes that most vendors put in their
       catalogs. I'll try to include SUT on a few issues of SMS (look
       for it on disk two as SUT52.ZIP and let me know what you think.

       Also urge vendors to use SUT so that they sell more and authors
       get paid more! If beginners can't figure out shareware, then we
       as authors lose and so do the disk vendors. I have also imbedded
       SUT inside my PC-LEARN tutorial system. I want some critique on
       SUT until it works right.

       Something weird: I got a call from Saudi Arabia that a U.S.
       Army officer wanted a dozen PC-LEARN packages shipped or modemed
       pronto! Seems that IBM clones are used in a variety of military
       ways during the action in the gulf and a lot of soldiers need a
       fast tutorial on how a DOS computer works. The point: shareware
       fills MANY market needs if you market and code your program
       well! PC-LEARN is my little beginners tutorial for DOS computer
       users . . . Wonder what other shareware packages were in the
       Gulf doing duty for our country? Come to think of it, does any
       shareware author write stuff for the military? Could be a
       lucrative market . . .

       Trot down to the post office and ask the postmaster for the
       little publication "Consumer's Directory of Postal Services and
       Products." Pub #201. Packed with goodies about using direct mail
       and other services I'll bet you never knew existed! Your disks
       are shipped in the mail and your registration checks arrive in
       the mail - there's lot's more than that to using the mail!

       Recommend disk submissions to: Uncle Hank's shareware
       newsletter and Zip Magazine (shareware reviews) both addresses
       in the main database. Killer vehicles which circulate in the
       shareware community. A good review from these two sources goes
       a long way.

       Finally received my first ever REPORT OF SALES VOLUME from PC-
       SIG. For many moons they have promised to send me a report of
       how many disks of my programs they have sold. Really eye-opening.
       Wish more vendors did this. I was stunned to see volume of sales
       of SMS compared to my older, more general product, PC-LEARN.
       SMS is only 5 or 6 months old and is killing PC-LEARN. Four
       stars to PC-SIG for sales volume report. Will I get another in
       the future? I'll let you know.

       Politics matters. Shareware is a marketing concept and has just
       a LITTLE to do with software! The assumption is that your disk is
       of stunning quality and beyond anything in the commercial sector
       BEFORE you start the serious shareware game of authorship:
       marketing. Shareware to me means devising a method of moving
       pieces of plastic through the mail for maximum profit.

       Back to politics: pick up the phone and call key PEOPLE and ask
       marketing questions: did they get your disk? How can you make it
       better? What packages do they NEED that you should write? Send
       postcard to that person by name thanking them for conversation.
       Call it politics, call it something else, but having a key
       contact person inside a vendor operation or magazine puts you
       into serious position to move disks. Always think: how can I
       solve problems for vendors and magazine editors! Don't just
       shove a disk out the door with an address label.

       Here at SMS I have access to the largest mailing list of all.
       But I only use about 30% of it in what I call the "key shareware
       movers and shakers." Who are key shakers? Example: Marcia Meier,
       disk reviewer for Public Brand. I have absolute respect for
       Marcia, she can make or break your product, strives to give you
       valuable feedback on improvements, and really cares about
       shareware. If you ignore her suggestions or review because you
       know your program best of all and let your ego get in the way:
       your disk is dead . . .

       Let's start a little list in SMS: who do YOU think are the key
       contacts on the shareware scene? Not companies. Individuals who
       can make or break a product! Send me your list plus a blank
       disk, stamps and a mailer and I'll send you back the latest SMS.
       I have my secret list of movers and shakers. This could be
       interesting if enough of you send me a note . . .

       Weird beg screen ideas. How close can you come to crippling
       without crippling? Make a beg screen which forces user to press
       a random key to proceed (F1, F7, etc) Then print the keypress
       information (what key they have to hit) at let us say one of
       eight random spots on the screen! Should drive cheaters wild,
       doesn't cripple the main body of the program, doesn't allow user
       to feed a known key such as "press enter to proceed" to the
       keyboard via a macro called from a batch file. Wicked idea! How
       close can you come to crippling without crippling? Silly Little
       Mail Reader uses the random keypress idea, but they don't put it
       on a random section of the screen. Generally I think that severe
       crippling is real dumb. But a little beg screen funny business
       to trip the cheaters for just a moment or so is the sweetest
       form of revenge and DOES NOT cripple the body of the program.

       Weird idea number two: lets get together a shareware disk of
       the greatest sneaky beg screens ever made and ship it around.
       I could add it to my collection in the file GOODIES.TXT
       elsewhere on this disk. Extra points if source code included.
       In the catalog of most vendors this would be known as:
       "That darn disk: greatest sneaky beg screens from the 80's and
       90's."

       Another weird idea is to have a known delay (perhaps a random
       number of seconds from 1 to 10 just for fun) halt the screen
       before proceeding. But here's the fun: have the number count
       downhill (10, 9, 8 ...) and grow gradually bigger to fill the
       screen and alternately flash the please register message in a
       variety of colors with each tick of the clock. I want to see
       this one. Can somebody send me the code or do one or both of
       these ideas the ASP is SURE TO FROWN UPON? Remember, crippling
       the body of the program is stupid marketing. Beg screen
       creativity will be rewarded with a free issue of SMS if you
       include blank disk, stamps and mailer. Points are awarded for
       finesse (how close can you get to crass and still be elegant),
       use of color, proper use of english grammar, smallness of code,
       simplicity (minimum wordiness), humor, use of random elements to
       surprise and delight, security (code can't be tripped by a macro
       installed by user), conformance to standards (ASP might let
       it go through), and of course auto-sensing of hercules and color.

       Trick of the month club: I rip out every coupon, card, and extra
       thickness sheet of advertising from a computer magazine BEFORE I
       sit down to read it. Try it, you won't believe the difference it
       makes in comfortable reading. The real advertising is buried in
       between the lines and not on the cards and heavy paper stock.

       Zip++ address verification on CD-ROM with official USPS national
       zip files.  Every viable address range in the U.S.! Heavy duty
       info if you are a shareware author into big time mailings.
       $699 per quarter. Arc Tangent, 121 Gray Ave, POB 2009, Santa
       Barbara, CA 93120. 805/965-7277. Also has industrial strength
       merge purge, city state insert and stuff that really big time
       operators in direct mail use. This system makes SMS look like
       peanuts! These folks do serious abuse to the words: junk mail
       possibilties!

       2/15/91

       SMS installation procedure contained in file INSTALL.BAT
       modified to allow for installation of SMS main program to
       Hard drives C, D, E, F, G and HIGH density floppies on
       drives B and D per kind suggestion of shareware reviewer
       MARCIA MEIER of Public Brand Software of Indianapolis, IN.
       Thanks!

       2/11/91

       Homecraft, Steve Hudgik, 503/692-3732, POB 974, Tualtin, OR,
       97062. Absolutely fabulous cassette audio tape on how to market
       and program shareware. Listened to my evaluation copy on the
       cassette in my car THREE TIMES!. $14.95. Buy this now! Includes
       interviews by telephone with shareware greats from HOT shareware
       companies all over the nation plus magazine editors and other
       "key contact shareware movers and shakers," compuserve poll
       research Steve did, tips, marketing ideas. If you don't buy this
       tape, you will probably remain a shareware hobbyist rather than
       a successful shareware author. This tape IS the heart of
       business! Also see ad for Steve's book later in this section.
       Steve's compuserve ID is 71450,254. Steve also notes an
       interesting small detail regarding submissions of shareware
       disks to writers and editors of computer magazines: late Summer
       through September is a key time when magazines renew (or terminate)
       contracts with writers and editors. Thus a software submission
       to a magazine editor or writer should take into account possible
       staff changes. Steve's book, which is a practical guide to
       authoring and programming shareware, is doing well! Steve's
       address info and a short advertisement for his book appears
       later within this file. Recommended reading and worth the price!

       Remove Parity Corporation of Bothell, Washington from mailing
       list. No shareware being carried. Check deletions list for
       other removed addresses.

       Idea: construct a shareware package with help of a computer
       entrepreneur in the USSR you make contact with. Have your
       Russian friend supply lists of Russian entrepreneurs wanting to
       start businesses of all types. Sort your list by category of
       business interest. Model the shareware program after SMS package.
       Russian person supplies you mailing lists by satellite modem link.
       You update package and distribute in America. Russian person has
       bank account opened in US with American cash (hard currency a
       premium in USSR). The two of you split proceeds. Refine idea to
       have folks subscribe to monthly update. Cripple idea: delete
       addresses and force users to pay you small commission fee to get
       address of each Russian entrepreneur they need info on. Name of
       package? Russian Entrepreneurs mailing list: from Russian with
       love! Somebody will do this sooner or later, betcha!

       2/4/91

       I want you to remain calm. I'm going to use the "M" word:
       Macintosh. Some of the brightest ideas for marketing software
       have come from items written by Guy Kawasaki, former Apple
       Corporation employee and president of Acius Inc. Guy's book,
       The Macintosh Way (1990, Scott Foresman Professional Book Pub),
       is filled with wit and wisdom about software marketing and
       sales strategies. Essential reading over here in IBM land.
       I have read my copy three times and still going back for more!

       A followup to the book is Guy's magazine article in the March
       1991 issue of MacUser. The drift is that key people exist
       within any computer community who can move your software.

       In the Mac world, three publications are key movers in directing
       the market to a software product: MacUser, Macworld and MacWeek.
       Three editors are key players: Russ Ito, Carol Person and
       Henry Norr of those three respective magazines.

       The point: use a rifle not a shotgun in distributing software.

       Second item: a product gets the level of distribution
       it deserves. If you have something which is new and well thought
       out, distributors and others will always take a look.

       Third: concentrate of end user pull. Thus try to figure out how
       to increase customer demand for a product (end user pull) rather
       than shoving it at disk distributors (push).

       Fourth: user groups count. They disseminate information and
       build "consicousness" for really great products. User groups
       aren't adequately stroked and served by software developers,
       maintains chariman Guy. Final offer at the end of the article
       is that Kawasaki will send anyone requesting it a database
       of mailing addresses and key contacts in the Mac community
       who help software products achieve distribution. Food for
       thought over here in the IBM clone community.

       Everyone calls me to ask the 64 million dollar question. Do I
       like or hate the ASP. Short answer: I dunno, let's wait and
       find out. . . Long answer: Some folks tell me the emperor has
       no clothes. Others say shareware needs some standards and a Guild.
       My attitude: shareware has too much potential to start serious
       fights and bad feelings. But suggestions, good ideas, information
       flow, AFFORDABLE MEMBERSHIP, REALISTIC STANDARDS, A SENSE OF
       HUMOR AND LACK OF POMPOSITY are good for growth. Sacred cows DO
       NOT always need roasting: sometimes a little sunbath is all
       that's necessary . . . Straw poll: should I get Joe Bob
       Briggs to write for SMS? Should Joe Bob write ASP membership
       guidelines? My two favorite states of the Union: Washington
       (great place to live) and Texas (they talk to you nice, clear
       and friendly like REAL FOLKS and they write software that's tight
       n' pickin good) Let's get back to business . . .

       1/30/91

       Several authors have requested a list of DELETIONS from the
       mailing list database (i.e., what was deleted and when.) This is
       useful for those maintaining a private list who wish to delete
       entries based on what I have deleted. Deletion list is now
       available. You can always find out which entries are new
       by sorting the main database by the DATE REVISED field to locate
       new additions made since you last used the SMS mailing list.

       An observation about the N word: Non-registered authors who use
       the SMS database without first paying the appropriate
       registration fee. Yep, there are quite a few, sad to say. I
       find out since several distributors advise me as they spot the
       obvious SMS mailing labels. Both ASP authors and independents
       are using SMS data without registering. Kind of sad when you
       figure authors should understand and abide by the shareware
       principle.

       I maintain a LONG list of names of the cheaters since it is
       easy to determine this with the help of the distributors
       who feed back info to me. One ASP author used the SMS data in a
       mailing without registering and then was called by myself by
       phone. The author proceeded to make negative comments about
       accuracy of SMS data and need for improvements in the mailing
       list! Come on! If you don't like SMS, don't use it. I do find
       out the cheaters easily and quickly with the feedback from my
       several distributor friends (8 as of this date.) I may simply
       block cheaters from EVER being able to subscribe to SMS if
       cheater one day decides he/she NEEDS SMS updates. Another
       option: publish the list of cheaters in SMS. Not a pleasant
       thought for an indpendent author; bad situation for an ASP
       author. Bottom line: play fair, be fair, respect shareware
       principle.

       1/20/91

       Membership in SMS Net for rapidly distributing shareware to BBS
       systems nationally is growing. See the file RAPID.TXT for list
       of authors and BBS systems which particpate in distributing
       shareware nationally. Join SMS Net by submitting an application
       contained at the end of RAPID.TXT. Since BBS addresses are hard
       to get and SYSOPS are relucatant to release these addresses, SMS
       Net is an attempt to provide a shareware marketing avenue which
       is faster and cheaper than mailing your shareware to BBS
       systems!

       Sizzleware, a shareware distributor listed in the main database,
       is sending around a questionnaire to disk vendors and
       tabulating results to be made available for purchase on disk.
       Questions asked of shareware disk distributors include: how many
       employees, are you still in business, total dollar sales last
       12 months, net profit on sales in percent.

       Ray Hamilton, of Biblesoft shareware distributors (address and
       tel in main database) has done it again. His newly revised
       Christian Computer Survival kit (available from Ray or SMS if
       you see file GOODIES.TXT) now has the first ever ELECTRONIC
       BINGO CARD. Just like the magazine version which you pull out
       and then circle the little numbers for more product info, this
       thing is electronic. This is the cleverest use of electronic
       marketing I have ever seen. Get a copy. By the way, Eagle
       software of Texas (mentioned later in this file) did the
       programming. This is something Borland and Microsoft will
       examine if they want to see clever marketing ideas better than
       their own . . .

       BBS version numbering system for SMS changed slightly. Old
       system: SMS90WI8.ZIP (1990, Winter, Revision 8). New system:
       SMS9008.ZIP (1990, Revision 08). Future extensions will allow
       for mulitiple file parts of SMS on BBS systems: SMS9002A.ZIP,
       SMS9002B.ZIP and so forth. The top of the README file of SMS
       will always give you a suggested BBS name to facilitate correct
       naming of all versions nationally.

       Databased Advisor Magazine Directory ON DISK contains listing of
       1,400+ sources for vertical applicaton code, consulting firms,
       database design tools, function libraries, management systems
       and more for programmers and developers. $17.95 for the disk.
       800/336-6060. Or write 1991 DBA Directory on Disk, 4010 Morena
       Blvd, Ste 200, San Diego, CA 92117.

       HUGE library of PD/shareware utilities for dBase and compilers
       plus other utilities for shareware developers and programmers.
       EMS Prof. Shareware Libraries. 4505 Buckhurst Ct., Olney, MD
       20832. 301/924-3594.

       1/8/91

       Is shareware big business? There are big distributors and small
       ones, obviously. However, last year Gemini Marketing of Duvall,
       Washington noted sales of $2.5 million. Source: owner Dale
       Hubbard quoted in the Journal American News. Gemini has 14
       retail stores scattered around the country with plans to expand
       overseas, says Dale in the news article which also includes
       notes on Duvall, Washington which is home to THREE shareware
       operations: Gemini, Expressware and Fairshare. Duvall is a few
       miles down the road from Seattle, home to QuickSoft, and
       Bellevue, home to Buttonware. With Microsoft, Aldus and many
       other commercial developers nearby, the Seattle vicinity is
       reaching critical density for both commercial and shareware
       types of software. And the $HAREWARE MARKETING $YSTEM is
       published on Mercer Island which is dead center on a Seattle
       vicinity map - not a bad place to be!

       Kevin King, owner of Disk Count Data Products has installed a
       BBS system at 501/525-6094 so you authors can ship him your
       disk. Address in the main database. Kevin runs a large
       operation. Always send Kevin a disk. He will get it out there
       and has a great catalog on disk with good LONG detailed
       instructions. Kevin also maintains a detailed list of shareware
       authors on disk. $9.95. Good research item if you are trying to
       locate an author. Also be aware that the ASP catalog on disk
       contains author and distributor address and telephone
       information (see my file GOODIES.TXT).

       Added more entries to database and corrections. The main mailing
       list is now at over 3,000 entries and STILL growing rapidly as
       authors FLOOD me with lists and address corrections on disk and
       by modem to merge and purge with the main database!

       Ethan Skylar of Rolling Bay, Washington (206/842-1984) suggests
       I update the database to note which distributors have catalogs
       (disk or printed) so he can spot the BEST and most ELITE
       distributors. This is a useful idea! Think I'll act on it,
       but allow me a little time and patience.

       Looking for a label printing program with a difference? Labels
       Unlimited version 3.0 from PowerUp. 800/851-2917. Includes DBF
       import, graphics import, 300 dpi scalable fonts, new graphics
       and borders, serial numbering, print preview, date stamping,
       more. The shareware label makers I have seen are fine. But this
       commercial package is only $59.95 and is better, faster and has
       ten times more features for a modest price approaching what you
       would pay for shareware. The import/export features surpass most
       label makers I have seen and works with the SMS database without
       problems.

       Speaking the obvious department: Shareware authors need to
       subscribe to Shareware Magazine 408/730-9291. Automatic with
       membership in PC-SIG. Too many names, marketing ideas and useful
       information to pass up! Necessary publication for shareware
       authors who understand you can NEVER stop marketing and
       researching new ideas! Shareware Magazine solicits articles,
       contact Marilyn Young, 1030-D East Duane Ave, Sunnyvale, CA
       94086. We always submit a disk to PC-SIG, but there is a lot
       they have to offer to authors from a marketing standpoint if you
       read their magazine.

       Vertical market tip: if you have a specific vertical market
       package, for example an accounting shareware disk targeted at
       physicians, trot down to your local library with a pocket full
       of dimes. Ask the librarian to find the CONTACTS INFLUENTIAL
       DIRECTORY. This jewel contains mailing addresses for businesses
       arranged by type of business. Easy to pull out just the plumbers
       or software stores or video rental outlets. But here is the real
       magic: each listing contains full mailing address including zip
       code, names of key company officers, size of company and phone
       numbers. Better than using the yellow pages. Trot over to the
       xerox machine and copy the pages of interest to you and later
       key in the data for mailing labels at home or even cut out the
       addresses and glue stick them on your disk mailers. Maybe copy
       the pages on an enlarging xerox machine if you want to use
       listings as mailing labels directly. Think vertical markets for
       your shareware package, not just computer clubs and shareware
       distributors. Maybe even line up a consulting job with a company
       if they like your software and want you to customize it just for
       their use. Money to be made on this idea . . .

       Added new "poverty registration option for starving shareware
       authors." See the registration form. Think you will like it!
       <grin>

       I talked with Steve Hudgik on Homecraft In Oregon. He just
       finished an excellent book on shareware marketing. Includes
       mailing list of distributors, equipment suppliers, service
       providers, how to design your shareware and more! A copy of his
       book and a copy of THE $HAREWARE MARKETING $YSTEM disk would
       make a nice combination on your reference shelf! Information
       follows:

       ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
       ║   M A K E    M O N E Y   W R I T I N G   S O F T W A R E      ║
       ║                                                               ║
       ║  Writing & Marketing Shareware - a new book by Steve Hudgik   ║
       ║  shows you how to become a successful shareware author.       ║
       ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
       ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
       ║  Learn how to combine your programming skills with solid      ║
       ║  business practices and marketing techniques to run a         ║
       ║  successful software publishing business.  Includes details   ║
       ║  on everything from software design to legal questions.       ║
       ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
       ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
       ║  This book provides all the information you need to know to   ║
       ║  become a successful shareware publisher and includes a       ║
       ║  mailing list of over 200 distributors who will get your      ║
       ║  software into the hands of users at no charge to you.        ║
       ║                                                               ║
       ║  It also provides a mailing list of over 120 magazine editors ║
       ║  who publish news about software and describes in detail how  ║
       ║  to write a press release so you can get free publicity.      ║
       ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
       Send for a free brochure or to order send $39.95 to: HomeCraft,
       P.O. Box 974, Tualatin OR 97062 - add $9.00 for foreign orders.
       (Jim Hood recommends this one! Get it!)

       1/4/91

       67 changes or deletions made to database. Deleted old or bad
       addresses, added things like FAX numbers and more BBS numbers
       for distributors. About 550 new entries added. My mailbox is
       PACKED daily with items to go into or be removed from the
       mailing list database.

       Added custom service price list for those folks needing my main
       DBF format mailing list converted to ASCII or other formats. See
       the END of the file REGISTER.TXT. Other conversion services
       available. Many people are calling who are not programmers and
       need file conversions for their mailing label software or just
       want labels printed and shipped to them ready to use.

       Odd idea dept: go to any post office and write down the mailbox
       numbers for the largest and oldest (low numbered mailboxes.)
       Those boxes belong to businesses or people who get lots of mail
       or are older folks. Those box owners either have computers
       (business) or the time for computers (retired). Send them a
       shareware disk if your disk is general in nature! Don't send a
       technical package, but try some general public shareware. You
       might make some connections and money. Drive all over town and
       do this for all the mailboxes. Even the private mailboxes at
       places like "Mailboxes R Us." Probably do this nationally by
       finding people in other cities to copy down numbers for OLD or
       LARGE mailboxes. Distributors, send those mailboxes your
       catalog. Get the idea?  Weird marketing concept I'll bet nobody
       has tried even though it is SO OBVIOUS. Someone send me a letter
       and tell me how this nutty idea works out . . .

       Shareware is catching on in commercial circles: Lotus has begun
       a pilot program with Computerland Canada called Lotus Choice.
       The shareware-like program puts copies of 1-2-3, Freelance and
       Magellan on hard drives of new computers sold. Users can try
       each program up to seven times and get toll free tech support.
       If users decide to buy, they get a password by phone to unlock
       their version with an official shrinkwrapped product later
       mailed. Shareware is now SO BIG that even the commercial folks
       are giving it a try.

       Idea: several shareware authors have contacted me wanting my
       services to beta test their products and then prepare a
       marketing campaign. Basically they want me to wring out the
       bugs, find problems and then tell them how, when and where to
       market their product in a serious manner. A couple of shareware
       distributors are asking for freelance librarians to review and
       beta/bug test new products which arrive in stacks every day. I
       might be interested for either bartered programming/cash. Also
       consider submitting to me your name if you want to do some
       serious beta testing or library cataloguing of shareware
       products. Why don't we have more programmers doing beta testing,
       marketing of each others products and library catloguing for the
       distributors? I could start a database listing in this
       publication of folks for hire and positions offered. We are all
       connected by modem and fax anyway. Hmmmm ...

       What didn't someone do this before department: Tim Campbell of
       Pinnacle software (address and telephone info contained in his
       article, see file: LETTERS.TXT) has finally done something which
       shareware has needed: a standardized shareware utility called
       HELPME also known as Pinnacle Help. This clever software utility
       installs on your shareware disk and produces a SIMPLE,
       UNDERSTANDABLE, STANDARDIZED software interface which prints
       user manuals, proceses registration, explains product, lists
       files, configures your package and other grunt work. End users
       should love this with its standard simple front end. Shareware
       programmers should investigate. Can get PINNACLE HELP
       SYSTEM/HELPME from me (see file GOODIES.TXT) or contact Tim.
       Worth a look so that ALL SHAREWARE DISKS in the future will
       look, smell and start the same way. This utility, or at least
       the idea, is right up there with simple things like paperclips
       and post it notes!

       Tim has also updated his "software diatribe" with news about a
       new Canadian shareware distributor and more. See the very end of
       LETTERS.TXT file.

       George Van Valkenburg of Soft A'ware shareware distributors in
       San Diego, CA will be automatically shipping out this package
       and Tim's Pinnacle help disk to authors who ship him a disk.
       Wish more distributors would follow suit and we may yet see the
       GOLDEN AGE OF SHAREWARE during which all authors will start to
       standardize package startup, market shareware effectively and
       see some REAL FINANCIAL REWARDS FOR THEIR EFFORTS. George's
       address/tel info in main database.

       Useful item if you do a lot of mailings and need to check the
       zipcodes in a fast painless manner: get zipkey disk (see my file
       GOODIES.TXT). This thing is clever. Type in the first few digits
       of the zip and it gives the city and state instantly. Type in
       the first few digits of the city/state and it gives the zip.
       Still more? It can fill in the address block of your form
       letters instantly in cut/paste mode if you type in the zip or
       keyword. Tight item. Shareware authors should use shareware
       products. Right?

       Submit your disk for review. Alfred Glossbrenner's Master Guide
       to Free Software and Shareware, c/o FireCrystal Communications,
       699 River Rd, Yardley, PA 19067. Alfred writes one of the
       largest and most respected guides to shareware in the industry
       and is a contributing editor to several industry computer
       magazines.

       MAXIMUM INTEREST ITEM: Jim Gallagher, Eagle Software, POB
       292786, Lewisville, TX 75029-2786, tel [phone]. Can provide
       STUNNING popdown "point and shoot" menu systems as a front end
       for your program. These menus are PURE COMMERCIAL QUALITY that
       puts Borland and Microsoft popdown/moving light bar menus to
       shame. I ran a a demo program using their "Eagle" menu system as
       a front end and I thought my clunky XT clone was a 386 screamer
       machine with VGA it looked that good! These guys program in
       assembler and C to the point where the CPU must be in near
       meltdown! Ultra high speed string searches, help screens, label
       printing, file encoding. All menu driven and so tight n' pickin
       INTUITIVE I thought this character based menu system just might
       give Microsoft Windows a run for the money. Forget GUI's if you
       can have the Eagle system - it's faster and more intuitive! The
       Christian Computer Survival Kit (see GOODIES.TXT on this disk)
       uses Eagle. Take a look at that disk or call Eagle.

       Looking for software tools to improve your programming efforts?
       Computer Solutions, POB 354, Mason, MI 48854, tel [phone].
       LOADS of shareware for programmers: language libraries, ASM and
       C routines, BIOS routines 8087 macros, pascal source, utilities,
       dBase source, prolog, disassemblers and more in shareware. Get a
       catalog and send them your disk.

       Back to basics dept: many shareware authors overlook bulk and
       reduced price volume mailings. Don't just buy a roll of stamps
       and start licking and stuffing disk mailers. Check out bulk mail
       rates with post office.

       DUMP disk mailers! Too heavy and bulky. My method: disk with a
       label plus lightweight paper xerox containing the header of the
       README file. No disk sleeve! Use single weight 6 x 9 envelope.
       No cardboard stiffener. Single stamp does it! Volkswagen class
       mailings. Disk gets bent? The few that do will usually cause
       recipient to ask for another. KISS principle . . .

       Try GEdit. Programmers editor: create and maintain code, repair
       data files, recover files from damaged diskettes, explore memory
       locations, word processing, batch file prep. From Rolson
       Hendricks, Cat Creek Enterprises, POB 606, Bristol, TN 37621-
       0606. I also have it (see file GOODIES.TXT).

       Check this out: Joe Rahall, Small Business Subscription Service,
       Ste D, 344 Timberbrook Dr., Waldorf, MD 20601. tel [phone]
       or tel [phone]. Joe has a shareware disk he publishes (plus
       extra pamphlets and documents) on how you can get over 191 trade
       magazines free! Incredible computer magazines and other business
       oriented magazines free. Joe also has the inside line on
       obtaining at REDUCED PRICES computers, books, newsletters,
       office supplies. His shareware disk: FREE_MAG_191 (can order
       from me see file: GOODIES.TXT).

       George Van Valkenburg at Soft a'Ware in San Diego 800/444-8390
       (address in the main database) wants these shareware programs
       written: disk with huge number of sample resumes in ASCII text
       to edit in a word processor, disk with ASCII sample personals
       ads which people can use to write their own, disk discussing
       menopause and medical implications and assistance for women. How
       about a disk with animated back pain excercises, popup excercise
       reminder alarm, excercise performance graphing and more for
       computer programmers and others wanting to relieve back pain.
       Show me a programmer without low back pain and I will show you
       someone who hasn't written a really long piece of code . . .

       Odd item for those interested in coop mailing: I got a package
       from the ASP today with return address: FormGen Company, 13
       Holland Drive, Bolton, ON, Canada, L7E 5A4. Contains MANY disks
       packed in a plastic bag mailer which are shipped to shareware
       distributors and computer clubs. Shareware like Formgen,
       Diskdupe, SR-Info, Xdir, Powerbatch, more. These guys are in
       saturation mode with bulk mailings. Let's get our own shared
       mailing coop system started SOON!

       One of the Texas computer clubs asked me to be a guest speaker
       at their programmers forum recently. I recoiled at having to pay
       airfare, but they surprised me. Telephone link guest speakers!
       Apparently they rent an amplified speakerphone and then call the
       guest speaker long distance at a pre-arranged time. Everybody
       relaxes in the club conference room while a member demonstrates
       that speaker's program on an overhead and LCD projection panel
       as the program author chats away long distance to club members.
       Apparently the speaker is sitting in front of his screen
       operating the program in tandem. Other speakers ship a disk of
       computer generated slides (not film type, computer images on
       disk of the program) and then ask the projection operator to
       advance to the next screen via his telephone link as he chats.

       Extend the above idea to FORM A SHAREWARE AUTHOR'S SPEAKERS
       BUREAU. Scenario: a smart shareware distributor or club lines up
       many shareware authors into a speakers bureau to discuss
       shareware. Promote the concept to national computer clubs: the
       shareware author speaker's bureau can do presentations for
       monthly computer club meetings by speakerphone. At the end of
       the talk you announce X percent discount on your package if club
       members order your disk in next 24 hours by phone. Either you
       ship disks or team up with a smart shareware distributor who
       does the work and takes the toll free orders. Clubs need
       speakers, authors need money, distributors need exposure. Clubs
       pay for long distance charges. Let's consider a shareware
       author's speakers bureau.

       Interesting thought: "the more nearly a product is pure
       knowledge,  the higher the returns will be." Fortune Magazine,
       January 14, 1991, page 31. Cover item of that issue: the most
       fascinating ideas for 1991. This issue will change how you
       think.

       12/20/90

       Interesting resource I chanced upon in my research travels: DP
       DIRECTORY contact: Al Harberg, 525 Goodhill Rd, Glastonbury, CT
       06033. Telephone [phone]. Produces and maintains INDUSTRIAL
       STENGTH mailing address lists and pre-printed labels of computer
       clubs, manufacturers, distributors, computer industry magazine
       writers, computer stores, medical listings, medical magazines,
       more. Commercial quality VOLUME operation which might be
       interesting for acquiring addresses if you want to do a LARGE
       mailing. Talked with Mr. Harberg via phone. Nice guy.

       Deleted about 30 bad addresses from database. Maintaining a
       separate file of bad addresses (not on this disk) so they don't
       sneak back in as I merge/purge data from authors and shareware
       distributors submitting updates for the database.

       Registration price raised to $25 per issue or $90 for a
       quarterly subscription. Original $10/$25
       registration/subscription price simply too low to sustain the
       EXTENSIVE workload it takes to manage a package of this
       complexity. No advertisers have come forward to help defray
       expenses so a more rational registration/subscription fee is in
       order.

       If you want a fast, full-featured database product which will
       import the main database mailing list from this package (see
       DATABASE.EXE and DATABASE.TXT) and generate mailing labels
       quickly you should look at the soon to be released FILE EXPRESS
       Version 5.0. Lots of folks use dBase, PC-File or small mailing
       label packages to generate mailing labels but File Express is
       balanced: a fast, EASY to use and very powerful shareware
       database system. Evaluation copies available from most shareware
       distributors.

       If you need a SMALL AND SIMPLE tool to access the main mailing
       list database of this program or any DBF file try Popdbf
       (shareware), a TSR which pops up over any application or DOS to
       let you view, append, browse, edit and print records from any
       dbf file. Can get from me (see file GOODIES.TXT) or most
       shareware distributors. Really simple fast way to use a DBF file
       without hassles of a big database package. Also consider
       dPerfect merge which allows you extract dBase files into
       wordperfect format for those wishing to use my database list
       with wordperfect mail merging and sorting (see GOODIES.TXT).

       HOT SOURCE for authors using BBS systems for distribution:
       Telecomputing Magazine, 2625 Pennsylvania NE, Albuquerque, NM
       87110. 505/881-6988. Looks to me like their primary audience is
       BBS SYSOPS, modem/shareware hackers and industry GURUS deep into
       public BBS systems. STRONG SHAREWARE FOCUS - they review
       shareware programs submitted. They publish a BBS yellow pages
       listing each January with Boards and advertisements. While on
       the subject, most large BBS systems throughout the U.S. are
       listed in the "Darwin" file available on most boards. Or get a
       copy of the Darwin list from me (see file GOODIES.TXT). Don't
       foget that many major BBS systems are listed in the main
       database of this package.

       Several shareware authors have suggsted ideas to improve on ASP
       concepts or start an independent shareware programmers group.
       Key concepts I am hearing from the independent programmers: 1)
       skip compuserve for message networking - use Prodigy or Genie
       for cheaper rates 2) do a monthly newsletter 3) keep membership
       dues low 4) provide MORE mailing lists for targeted markets 5)
       allow crippling of programs if author wishes 6) retain the
       ombudsman concept 7) REALLY standardize documentation 8)
       interface with computer clubs on a more proactive basis 8)
       produce videos showing best visual ideas on shareware programs
       that work: screens, colors, animations, documentation, etc 9)
       work with ASP in a mutual synergistic manner 10) contribute
       source code segments and program libraries to a common
       repository which everyone can draw on when programming 11) be
       open to new ideas which are market sensitive and money making.

       Another BBS shareware author marketing tip: CONNECT USA
       (800/477-1788) allows modem connection to MANY major BBS systems
       from anywhere in US for $3.00 per hour from the local CONNECT
       USA telephone number in your city! Connect to MAJOR national
       boards to distribute your shareware. Boards such as Channel 1,
       PC-Library, Exec-PC and more. Good way to get your shareware to
       hot boards FAST and CHEAP. Tell them I sent you!

       Added file: VENDOR. Check out this file to review another one of
       my ZANY IDEAS to distribute this shareware package to MORE
       AUTHORS. If you are a shareware distributor, please review this
       file! Authors, read it too.

       Many authors call and ask my priorities for distributing my own
       shareware: (from highest to lowest) shareware distributors, BBS
       systems, magazine writers with a shareware interest, computer
       clubs in MAJOR American cities, computer stores (the last one I
       use for my PC-LEARN tutorial package which computer stores copy
       onto the hard disk of each computer sold.)

       NICE shareware product for authors: the DUP disk duplicator from
       R. MacLean. Fast, allows serial numbers to be put on disks, CRC
       checks, many options and configuration settings, menu driven.
       Nice. Get a copy from any shareware distributor or can order an
       evaluation copy from me for $1.99 (see file on this disk
       GOODIES.TXT). Author registration is $25. Also a commercial
       version available with fabulous additional capabilities.

       Received note of something called DON'S DIRECTORY, POB 30166,
       Philadelphia, PA, 10913. Source of yet more addresses and
       contacts which shareware authors might find interesting. I have
       not seen a copy of this publication at this time. Just a tidbit
       I have yet to check out!

       Soapbox message to UNRELIABLE SHAREWARE DISTRIBUTORS who still
       resist sending out written acknowledgement to shareware authors
       when they have received a disk: Buy an inexpensive stack of 15
       cent PRESTAMPED postcards from the post office. Send out a
       postcard to acknowlege receipt of disk.

       If you have the time/energy/patience, send out a second followup
       card to notify author if the program has finally been accepted
       into your catalog. Pretty soon authors are going to discover
       unreliability factors when they 1) don't get feedback from you
       2) see your LOW RATING in $HAREWARE MARKETING $YSTEM. A 15 cent
       postcard is minimum human courtesy!

       Finally, send in announcement to $HAREWARE MARKETING $YSTEM if
       you go out of business or decline certain types of shareware! I
       suggest computer clubs who still want to receive shareware for
       their libraries consider sending out postcard acknowledgement as
       well. Authors, send me info on distributors and clubs who need a
       DOWNGRADE rating in my main database or who have changed
       address. The especially bad distributors get a COMPLIMENTARY
       THUMBS DOWN in the vendor award section of this program
       (VENDOR.TXT.)

       While on the subject of postcards, the next suggestion is
       directed at shareware authors who dislike the lack of feedback
       from distributors and clubs when they ship out their routine
       mailing of free evaluation disks.

       Buy a large stack of 15 cent postcards and use a SMALL TYPEFACE
       to print one of the two following messages on the postcard and
       ship the card INSTEAD of the disk. Your local speedy/quick print
       shop can print up the message. Good idea to include reference in
       the first sentence to the $hareware Marketing $ystem so
       distributors can get back to me to update info on my main
       mailing list since this provides a trail for the clubs and
       distributors to the main database which will be updated and
       eventually sent back out to the you authors. In fact it would be
       a good idea to refer to $hareware Marketing $ystem even if you
       still prefer to ship out disks so the distributors and clubs
       will become aware of this product and keep me updated which
       keeps YOU updated and provides more entries on the mailing list
       and more accuracy in data listed.

       POSTCARD VERSION ONE, authors send this to shareware
       distributors:

       Your address was made available by the $hareware Marketing
       $ystem mailing list and newsletter (PO Box 1506, MI, WA 98040).
       I will ship you a disk containing the shareware program named
       _____ Version ____  FREE of charge if you sign and date below
       and UPDATE your mailing address on the reverse of this card.
       This shareware program provides ___________________ capabilities
       and has won the following award and is distributed by the
       following shareware distributors_______.  If you can't wait, you
       may obtain it by modem from Compuserve (GO____, library_____) or
       the ______ BBS system. File name is ______.ZIP. PRINT your name
       and date here____________ to receive your FREE disk(s). Don't
       forget to update your address on face of this card if necessary!
       Return this card to my address and telephone which follows:
       _________.

       Postcard version two: same message, but $1.00 handling and
       shipping fee charged. You decide how much or little to charge
       all the way up to full registration price!

       Another way of securing feedback is to use a different method
       which TRIUS Company (ASEASYAS spreadsheet) uses: ship the disk
       AND an agreement letter with empty signature block explaining
       that the ONLY way to get future updates is to return the signed
       agreement letter.

       GRIPE TO AUTHORS: why don't we routinely put the suggested ZIP
       file name and preferred ZIP version numbering system at the top
       of the README file? See example at the top of the README with
       this program. Good idea to have your ZIP file name and version
       numbering system established nationally. I am sure the SYSOPS
       would love this idea too, what with the diversity of oddball
       names floating around out there for the same program.

       Gripe number two: I hate it when the README file contains
       initial 28 page detail about what shareware is and benefits of
       registration. This belongs in the middle or bottom of the
       README. Here is my suggested order of business in the README
       from top to bottom: program name, version, suggested zipfile
       name, author address and telephone, one line how to quickstart
       the program, CONCISE description, files on disk, registration.

       After this the nicities like topical index, introduction, what
       is shareware and why register, main data about using program
       features. Think of it this way, if I were a shareware reviewer
       or distributor evaluating a program, why bother if I can't find
       out the name, version, startup info, and concise description in
       the FIRST TWO screens at the top of the readme? Another gripe:
       README should be spelled README not READ.ME not README.DOC not
       README.TXT. When spelled README you can run Norton's dirsort (en
       option) to get the directory in order and put the README at or
       near top of the file listing. Frequently a reviewer will lift
       your program description verbatim for reprint in the catalog.

       Resource of interest: Bureau of Electronic Publishing Inc, 141
       New Road, Parsippany, NJ, 07054  201/808-2700   FAX [phone]
       Toll Free 800/828-4766. Beautiful catalog of CD-ROM products
       (both hardware and CD-ROM disks). Probably NOT a source you
       would send your shareware disk to, but worth requesting the
       catalog if you are interested in CD-ROM publishing, researching,
       locating comprehensive source for ALL KINDS of CD-ROM titles.
       Lots of CD-ROMs with shareware contained within.

       12/16/90

       Added LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (LETTERS.TXT) and FILES YOU CAN
       ORDER (GOODIES.TXT) in response to shareware authors who wish to
       express/share views about shareware marketing and also order
       files and programs which are mentioned in this package. Very
       fine article submitted by Pinnacle Software is contained in
       LETTERS.TXT. Free one year subscription goes to Tim Campbell of
       Pinnacle for submitting a file 50K in size to this publication
       per my standing offer contained in the README file elsewhere in
       this program. Tim has a super program, FREE SPEECH, which BBS
       sysops MUST see. Adds unique features to your existing BBS
       unlike anything I have yet seen! Tim's address info contained
       within LETTERS.TXT. Read it if you want to discover a bit of the
       downside of shareware from an experienced author.

       A pattern emerges: many shareware authors ship me a shareware
       disk of their program(s) when they submit a registration check
       for this package. What do I do with disks which are submitted?
       1) I will try to upload shareware programs to Seattle vicinity
       BBS's as I find time 2) would encourage you to consider doing
       the same for me and other authors involved in such swaps in the
       BBS RAPID RELEASE NETWORK (see file RAPID.TXT elsewhere within
       this program) 3) will pass your disk along to other shareware
       distributors locally here in Seattle as time permits. 4)
       encourage you to take your copy of the $HAREWARE MARKETING
       $YSTEM and upload it to five HOT BBS systems in your vicinity as
       a favor to me and the many shareware authors who need the mailing
       list.

       12/3/90

       The database will be growing to over 3,000 entries by the Spring
       1990 edition of this package! I am still working on the new
       revisions since I received over 620 new mailing addresses of
       clubs and distributors from Ray Hamilton of Biblesoft (POB 308,
       Greenleaf, ID, 83626  Tel [phone]). Biblesoft specializes
       in distributing religious shareware and is probably one of the
       biggest in that category. Ray is a superior "new marketing
       ideas" person and is also attempting to form a network of
       christian shareware programmers and those who specialize in
       authoring christian type shareware (bible, church management,
       etc.)

       Biblesoft has also authored a shareware package, the CHRISTIAN
       COMPUTER SURVIVAL KIT, with resources for ministers, christian
       shareware programmers, and shareware programmers in general. I
       can send you a copy (see file GOODIES.TXT) or contact Biblesoft.
       Ray has also developed the CHRISTIAN SOFTWARE LIBRARY, a CD-Rom
       product which features religious shareware and software.
       Advertising is also available in that publication which will be
       updated regularly and released to a variety of religious
       vendors, churches and over 230 religious BBS systems with which
       Biblesoft maintains contact.

       I have changed the field names DISTRIB MNEUMONIC to TYPE in the
       main mailing list database. Also changed DATE LISTED\REVISED to
       DATE REVISED. Simple changes which were requested by several
       shareware authors.

       Added this section, WHATSNEW.TXT. Added coop mailing section per
       request of several authors and a few shareware distributors.

       Added refund for undeliverable addresses section to end of
       registration form. I'll pay you for bad or undeliverable
       addresses. See registration form.

       Added brief mention to my database tutorial concerning the
       PCLABEL.EXE program within PC-FILE since many subscribers seem
       to be getting confused on where the label generator feature is
       located when using this popular shareware database.

       The December 1990 issue of Databased Advisor Magazine selected
       the $hareware Marketing $ystem as the file of the month (page
       119.) This file now contained in forum 6/Consulting and
       business, (Compuserve service: GO DBA.)

       Torbert Data Systems (POB 9218, Chesapeake, VA 23321  tel
       804/488-5506) submitted to me a beta copy of their new shareware
       program the SHAREWARE BUSINESS PARTNER which is slick! Written
       in Clarion, this gem manages a shareware author's business:
       accounting, customer lists, customer orders and invoices, print
       labels, prepare reports on business activity summarized from
       customer and accounting data. Specifically tuned up for a
       shareware author's business. Still a beta release but should be
       out soon. Contact author. I should have a final evaluation copy
       which I can pass along to authors as shareware when program is
       finally released and things have been finalized. Torbert also
       puts out the SMART HOME SHOPPER and HOME HELPER which are aimed
       at the general shareware user market.

       Shareware distributors should investigate the shareware package
       ORDER PRO from Automated Systems (POB 192, Little Falls, NJ,
       07424-0192) You can order an evaluation copy of this package
       from me for $1.99 (see file GOODIES.TXT) This package manages
       and automates a mail order business! Customer controls,
       invoices, etc. They have also authored THE PERFECT WEDDING
       another classic shareware item. Automated Systems is a pretty
       nice disk distributor in general. Send them a disk. Tell them I
       sent you!

       Now using a special feature in the main Borland Reflex database
       to truncate field lengths to the exact length needed. This means
       field lengths will now be only as long as the LONGEST entry in
       the database. The feature was there in Reflex all the time, just
       had not noticed it!

       Brain Barter Database Entry submitted on disk when I mentioned
       brain bartering in the main tutorial of this package
       (TUTORIAL.TXT):

       McKelvy Enterprises, 3149 Bradford Place, Birmingham, AL  35242
       [phone]  Services offered: Programming in Foxbase+/FoxPro
       (and compatible programs), BASIC, FORTRAN.  Specializing in
       database mgmnt systems, inventory tracking/control, contract
       mngmnt, personal information mngmnt (patient info for doctor's
       office).  Program documentation. Tech Report Writing. Services
       Needed: None presently. Possibly C programming in the future.
       Let's barter!!!!!

       Files I have you might find interesting include the ASP disk
       catalog which floats around on BBS systems. Lists their authors,
       programs and distributors complete with addresses and
       telephones. Their author registration disk contains the classic
       file GUIDE.EXE which compliments my tutorial within this
       program. The Disk-Count data catalog on disk contains author
       addresses and program version numbers. The Praireware catalog on
       disk uses the unique (shareware) system called IRIS which must
       be seen. You can contact Disk-Count and Praireware via their
       address info in the main database. Or obtain any or all of these
       files from me directly (see file GOODIES.TXT) for a small disk
       copying/handling fee.

       Since both the database and tutorial sections of this package
       are growing RAPIDLY, I may be forced to provide it on a two or
       three disk set SOON. My hope is to AVOID an increase in
       registration/subscription fees by accepting paid advertising.
       Should keep this package healthy since the work of maintaining
       the database, reviewing STACKS of mail and adding new features
       is overwhelming! Paid advertisers will help maintain the low
       registration/subscription cost for shareware authors. Win/win
       situation. If no advertising, registration fees will increase.

       Received calls from several authors wanting to start the BBS
       Rapid Release Network  (see RAPID.TXT). Will publish more.
       Possible names and list of BBS systems.

       11/15/90

       This program now in libraries and catalogs of PC-SIG, PUBLIC
       BRAND, NEW ENGLAND SOFTWARE, others.

       Added 348 new addresses and entries to database. Added splash
       screen as DATABASE.EXE unpacks itself. Some BBS systems will
       strip this comment out, don't worry if you don't see it as
       DATABASE.EXE unpacks.

       Version numbering system of package formalized: year, quarter
       and revision. Example: 1990, Winter, Revision 2.  Zip file
       format suggested: SMS90WI2.ZIP

       Several subscribers of this package have asked why the database
       is in all CAPS. Reason: several post office folks whom I have
       talked with suggest that the all caps option is easier to sort,
       search and ship using automated equipment. Lists come to me in
       all upper, all lower and upper lower, something has to be done
       to normalize the list. Reflex has an @UPPER function which I run
       to bring the hodgepodge of data into an uppercase condition.
       Quattro pro and other programs have an @PROPER function for
       upper/lower case if you wish to reformat.

       Other subscribers have asked why the foreign addresses don't
       have their own special fields (e.g., country). The reason is
       that if you create extra fields you would have to print all your
       labels for the USA and then go back, load a fresh template or
       reprogram your label generator to drop out the city/state fields
       and add in the country field(s). Ease of use counts.

       9/18/90

       Discontinued lotus file format, dBase is sufficient and the file
       is too large to load into lotus on most machines. 281
       corrections to old or existing data.

       8/11/90

       First release of package: 1990, Summer.  BBS File format
       SMS90SU.ZIP also released as $M$90SU.ZIP