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1991-06-04
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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 (217) 585-3456 FAX (217) 585-0164
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 (206) 788-0174 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: 707/829-3265. 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:408/730-2107.
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: 616/788-2765. 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 (1-900-456-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 214/539-7855. 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 203/746-6372.
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 301/843-7165
or tel 301/645-0320. 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 203/659-1065. 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 201/808-2676
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 208/454-2914). 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
(205) 980-0592 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