4OS2 v3.02 TRIAL.TXT -- April 12, 1999 JP Software Inc. P.O. Box 1470 E. Arlington, MA 02474, USA (781) 646-3975 fax (781) 646-0904 Email sales@jpsoft.com Web http://www.jpsoft.com/ Greetings, and thanks for trying 4OS2! This file explains how trial versions of 4OS2 work, and how you can give a purchased copy of 4OS2 to a friend to use as a trial version. For instructions on using a downloaded trial version to upgrade your previous purchased copy to a new maintenance release see README.TXT. Trial Version Basics -------------------- We distribute trial or "shareware" versions of our software to allow you to "try before you buy". Most users obtain trial versions by downloading them. You might also have one if a friend gave you a copy of their software -- as long as they don't give you their serial number and registration key (which would be illegal), the software they gave you will operate as a trial version. Trial versions are covered under the trial version license in the LICENSE.TXT file, which you should read before using your software. We explain here how trial versions work because we believe that full disclosure of what you can expect from your software is the best policy for both you and us. Our timing mechanism is designed to give you a fair opportunity to try our software, order it, and receive it without significant restrictions on use. It's also designed to make sure that use of the software becomes restricted if you significantly exceed the normal evaluation period. Trial versions of our products are fully functional evaluation copies which are not "crippled" or feature-limited in any way except for the trial timing mechanism described here. Trial Version Timing -------------------- When you first install a trial version on your computer, it begins to count the number of days on which you use it. Only actual days of use are counted -- if you go away for a few days, or are busy with other things and don't work with the product for a bit, the intervening days are not counted. You are given a 21-day evaluation period (remember that's 21 days of actual use -- three weeks if you use the product every day, or a little more than four 5-day work weeks of uninterrupted use). The number of days remaining in the evaluation period is displayed when you start the program, and can be redisplayed at any time with the VER /R command. At startup the software pauses briefly to allow you to read the information; this pause can be interrupted with a keystroke if you wish. During the last 7 days of the evaluation period a short two-tone beep draws your attention to the signon message. Once you have reached 21 days of use the evaluation period expires and you are given a grace period of 14 additional days (of actual use) to make sure you have time to receive your order of a purchased copy. During this period you are advised at signon that usage will be restricted once the grace period expires, and of the number of days remaining (use VER /R to redisplay the number of days remaining). Also, the startup delay for reading the signon message becomes slightly longer, the first part of the delay is no longer interruptible with a keystroke (to continue, just wait a couple of seconds, then press a key), and a sequence of beeps is used to draw your attention to the reminder messages. After expiration of the grace period your use of the software is restricted by limiting the number of commands you can enter before the program exits automatically and must be restarted. You are advised of the usage restriction each time you start the program. There is also a significant delay each time the program starts, and a substantial portion of that delay is not interruptible with a keystroke. Once use is restricted the software will also sound a noticeably longer sequence of beeps each time it is started. If you have ordered a copy of our software directly from us, at or before the end of the evaluation period, and find that the grace period expires and use becomes restricted before your order arrives, please contact us for assistance. Installing the Purchased Version After a Trial ---------------------------------------------- When you install a purchased copy of 4OS2, you may choose to: - Install it in a new directory, and then delete the trial version directory; - Install the purchased version "over" (in the same directory as) the trial version; - Install only the "branding" program from the purchased version (when this option is offered by the installation software), and use it to "brand" the trial version with your name and serial number, converting it to a purchased copy. In each case, once you install the purchased copy and "brand" it with your name and serial number, all trial messages and delays should stop. (If 4OS2 was running during installation of the purchased version you must exit and restart for the newly installed name and serial number to take full effect). Giving Copies to Others to Try ------------------------------ We know many of our customers may want to give a copy of one of our products to a friend or colleague to try. We encourage you to share your purchased copy of our software with individuals you know personally. The only restriction is that you must use the simple approach described here to avoid violating your license agreement or disclosing the registration key (for which you paid!) to others. To give a copy of your software to someone else for evaluation purposes, simply let them borrow or make a copy of your diskette, CD (or the desired subirectory from the CD), or downloaded electronic purchase. When your friend or colleague installs the software you've passed along to them in this way, without your serial number and validation key, the program will automatically become a trial version using the system described earlier in this file. The recipient may then decide whether to purchase the software under our normal trial version policies. Please note that under our license and trial version policies there are also some things you may NOT do: - You may not give the other person your serial number or branding codes, as these are private and represent the license you paid for (giving them to others is a violation of your license agreement). - You may not give the other person copies of installed files from your hard disk, as these may have the serial number and code embedded in them. - You may not place copies of your purchased copy of our software on any Internet or other electronic distribution site, or in any user group or other shareware library, or distribute them to the public at large in any way. This policy only allows you to distribute copies to friends and colleagues you know personally and privately. You should also read LICENSE.TXT, and remind the recipient to read that license and this file for complete licensing and trial version information. PLEASE NOTE: This policy allows for only one level of distribution; those who receive copies of your purchased software for trial use under this policy may NOT further redistribute those copies to their friends and colleagues. If you need a true trial copy for general distribution, download one from our web site at http://www.jpsoft.com/. LEGAL STUFF ----------- Copyright 1999, JP Software Inc., All Rights Reserved. Published by JP Software Inc., P.O. Box 1470, E. Arlington, MA 02474, U.S.A., phone 781-646-3975, fax 781-646-0904. Take Command and 4DOS are registered trademarks of JP Software Inc. 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4NT are JP Software Inc.'s trademarks for its family of character-mode command processors. JP Software, jpsoft.com, and all JP Software designs and logos are also trademarks of JP Software Inc. Other product and company names are trademarks of their respective owners. All prices and terms subject to change without notice.