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W H A T I S S H A R E W A R E ?
---------------------------------------
W H A T I S T H E A S P ?
------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 1990 by Falk Data Systems.
All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Shareware Concept ......................................... 2
The Virus Problem ............................................. 3
The Association of Shareware Professionals .................... 6
Contacting ASP Members Via CompuServe ......................... 7
Author Address Changes ........................................ 8
ASP Ombudsman Statement ....................................... 8
For More Information .......................................... 9
Page 1 of 11
- Definition and Description of Shareware and the ASP -
======================
The Shareware Concept:
======================
If you are familiar with the idea behind Shareware, then you
know that Shareware is the ultimate in money back guarantees.
Most money back guarantees work like this: You pay for the
product and then have some period of time to try it out and
see whether or not you like it. If you don't like it or find
that it doesn't do what you need, you return it (undamaged)
and at some point - which might take months - you get your
money back. Some software companies won't even let you try
their product! In order to qualify for a refund, the diskette
envelope must have an unbroken seal. With these "licensing"
agreements, you only qualify for your money back if you
haven't tried the product. How absurd!
Shareware is very different. With Shareware you get to try it
for a limited time, without spending a penny. If you decide
not to continue using it, you throw it away and forget all
about it. No paperwork, phone calls, or correspondence to
waste your valuable time.
Software authors who use the Shareware method of distribution
feel that Shareware is the best way to try a product. You are
able to try it on your own system(s), in your own special
work environment, with no sales people looking over your
shoulder. Have you ever purchased a car and realized that if
you could have test driven it for 30 days your purchase
decision might have been different? With Shareware these
problems can be avoided - you DO have a 30 day test-drive!
After trying a Shareware product and deciding to continue to
use it, then - and only then - do you pay for it. Not only
that, but Shareware is traditionally MUCH less expensive
simply because you are paying for the software, not the
advertising and marketing that comprises the majority of the
cost of most software (a one page ad in PC Magazine, one
time, can cost upwards of $20,000). If the try-before-you-buy
concept sounds like an ideal way to make your purchase
decisions, you're right!
Some companies burden their products with annoying copy
protection schemes because they don't trust their users.
Shareware developers not only don't use copy protection, they
freely distribute their products because they DO trust their
users.
Someone once said that you should never trust software which
doesn't trust you. This makes a lot of sense - no wonder
Shareware is becoming so popular among users and developers.
Page 2 of 11
- Definition and Description of Shareware and the ASP -
Shareware is a distribution method, NOT a type of software.
Shareware is produced by accomplished programmers, just like
retail software. There is good and bad Shareware, just as
there is good and bad retail software. The primary difference
between Shareware and retail software is that with Shareware
you know if it's good or bad BEFORE you pay for it.
Registration of Shareware products, in addition to being
required, is also an incentive for programmers to continue to
produce quality software for the Shareware market.
There is another significant advantage to Shareware - it
allows small companies to make software available without the
hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses that it takes to
launch a traditional retail software product. There are many
programs on the market today which would never have become
available without the Shareware marketing method. Please show
your support for Shareware by registering those programs you
actually use and by passing them on to others. Thank you for
your support!
==================
The Virus Problem:
==================
We've all heard the horror stories about computer viruses.
Unfortunately, we have also heard lots of conflicting
statistics and opinions. When it comes to the virus problem
there is a lot of confusion among users and even developers.
The sad truth is that some unscrupulous publishers of
anti-virus products are using half-truths,
overdramatizations, and outright fabrication to promote sales
of their products. They delight in manipulating statistics to
support their marketing efforts. While not illegal, these
snake-oil tactics are certainly not ethical.
To make matters worse, the media has frequently promoted the
misinformation promulgated by these unscrupulous individuals
rather than the straight facts. While the misinformation may
be more interesting than the actual facts, the media is not
doing the computer industry any favors by spreading
inaccurate information. To be fair, many newspapers,
magazines, and news networks are beginning to realize which
"virus experts" are reliable and which "experts" say whatever
is in their own best interest.
One of the most interesting myths that has been promulgated
by these snake-oil salesmen is that BBSs (Bulletin Board
Systems) and Shareware programs are a major source of virus
infections. This is interesting since one of the individuals
who makes this
Page 3 of 11
- Definition and Description of Shareware and the ASP -
claim, also distributes his virus detection system as
Shareware. Some corporations are now afraid of Shareware and
BBS activity because of this misinformation.
In the October 11, 1988 issue of PC Magazine, publisher Bill
Machrone's editorial was entitled "Shareware or Scareware?".
In his article, Bill Machrone points out "The truth is that
all major viruses to date were transmitted by commercial
[retail] packages and private mail systems." That sounds a
little different than the claims being made by less
knowledgeable journalists.
Let's consider for a moment, the distribution differences
between retail software and Shareware software. Company XYZ
releases a new version of its retail software product. At the
same time that company XYZ ships tens of thousands of copies
to its retail distribution channels, it also ships 30,000
updates to loyal users. Most of those loyal users will
receive the update within a few days of each other. This can
be a big problem if the update happened to be infected with a
virus.
"Not likely", you say? It has already happened! Several
times! There have been seventeen (17) major incidents of
virus and trojan horse problems in retail software. Some of
these incidents affected tens of thousands of users.
What about Shareware? To date there has been one case of a
shareware author shipping an infected product. The virus was
detected by the disk vendors and the problem was corrected
immediately. No users were infected.
"But it makes sense that programs which are passed around
have a greater chance of virus infections, doesn't it?" Think
about it. Who has the most to lose if viruses were spread by
BBSs and Shareware programs? The BBS operators, Shareware
disk vendors and the Shareware authors, of course. Because of
this, reputable BBS operators, disk vendors and Shareware
authors are very careful with the programs they handle.
Think about it. Hundreds (even thousands) of BBS operators
and disk vendors are carefully examining the programs they
receive and distribute. Their business depends on it. This
means that any given Shareware program can go through
hundreds (even thousands) of checkpoints where the program is
carefully examined. If a problem is found the word spreads
incredibly fast. News travels "on the wires" even faster than
the proverbial small town gossip. Programs have disappeared
almost overnight as a result of this highly efficient
communication network.
Page 4 of 11
- Definition and Description of Shareware and the ASP -
If a Shareware program has been around for a few months, it
has been checked for virii and trojan horses many more times
than any retail software could hope to be checked. Retail
distributors don't check the disks they sell. Even if the
publisher checks their masters for virii (few do), that is
still far less than the scrutiny to which Shareware programs
are subjected.
There's something else to consider. Most retail distributors
have a return policy. What do they do with packages that are
returned? They shrink-wrap them and resell them, of course.
How can you be sure that you are the first person to purchase
the package you just bought at your friendly neighborhood
computer store? You can't. On the other hand, most shareware
authors erase, reformat, and reduplicate the disks that are
returned to them. Which do you think is safer?
Bill Machrone's article in PC Magazine goes on to say "It's
time to recognize that there's nothing to fear in shareware.
As a distribution medium, it saves you money and helps you
try out new genres of software with minimum risk."
Does this mean that we should all start buying Shareware
instead of retail software? Not at all (although few
Shareware authors would object). Let's face it, more data has
been lost to power failures and spilled cups of coffee than
all virii, trojan horses, and worms combined! An even bigger
threat is plain old human error, a mistake, a wrong key
press, turning off the power while files are open, and so
forth. Accurate information and common sense (regular
backups) are the best defenses against lost data.
Sure, the virus problem is real. Virii exist. But shunning
Shareware is not the answer. Shareware and BBSs are, quite
simply, NOT a major source of virus infections. Some
corporations have even banned Shareware entirely because of
fear of infections. This is not only unreasonable, it is also
expensive. Think how much they could save in software costs
if they would only try software before they buy it!
Is there anything you can do to help protect yourself from
virus infections? Absolutely! Fortunately, the best
preventive measures are also the least expensive!
If you need informative, accurate and practical information,
please read the treatise on "Computer Virus Myths" written by
Rob Rosenberger and Ross M. Greenberg. This treatise is
available as a text file on many BBSs and online services. It
not only gives you the facts, it also provides the best
overall strategy for protecting your computer system.
Page 5 of 11
- Definition and Description of Shareware and the ASP -
Don't let fear stop you from saving money on software. Don't
let fear prevent you from trying some of the best software
available. Shareware is an important market for software.
Take advantage of it. You'll be glad you did!
=================================================
The Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP):
=================================================
_______
____|__ | (R)
--| | |-------------------
| ____|__ | Association of
| | |_| Shareware
|__| o | Professionals
-----| | |---------------------
|___|___| MEMBER
In the early days of Shareware there were no real standards.
Independent authors had no efficient way to learn from each
other or to work together to improve the overall image of
Shareware. There was no system in place to ensure that users
were treated fairly and professionally. There was no way for
users to find an address for an author who had moved. In
short, the Shareware community was disorganized and each
author did things the way he or she thought was best. It was
clear that if Shareware was ever to become a viable and
respected marketing alternative, there had to be some
standardization. There had to be some guidelines to best
serve the users.
In 1987 a handful of Shareware authors founded the
Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). In forming this
industry association, these Shareware authors had several
primary goals in mind, including:
o To inform users about Shareware programs and about
Shareware as a method of distributing and marketing
software.
o To foster a high degree of professionalism among Shareware
authors by setting programming, marketing, and support
standards for ASP members to follow.
Page 6 of 11
- Definition and Description of Shareware and the ASP -
o To encourage broader distribution of Shareware through
user groups and disk dealers who agree to identify and
explain the nature of Shareware.
o To assist members in marketing their software.
o To provide a forum through which ASP members may
communicate, share ideas, and learn from each other.
The newly formed Association of Shareware Professionals
worked together to draft a code of ethics for all present and
future members. This code of ethics included several
requirements that soon became very popular among users
(customers), including:
o A member's program (evaluation version) could not be
limited (crippled) in any way. In the true spirit of
Try-Before-You-Buy, users must be able to evaluate all the
features in a program before paying the registration fee.
o Members must respond to every registration. At the very
least they must send a receipt for the payment.
o Members must provide technical support for their products
for at least 90 days from the date of registration.
A new system was put in place to help ensure that users were
treated fairly and professionally. If a user was unable to
resolve a problem with a member author then the user could
contact the ASP Ombudsman with their complaint. The Ombudsman
would then try to help resolve the dispute. For more complete
details regarding the Ombudsman, please refer to the "ASP
Ombudsman Statement" below (page 8).
The ASP currently (November, 1990) has about 300 author
members and almost 200 vendor members, with new members
joining every week.
======================================
Contacting ASP Members Via CompuServe:
======================================
There is an easy and convenient way to speak directly to many
ASP Members (both authors and vendors). Visit the Shareware
forum on CompuServe. Simply type "GO SHAREWARE" - or "GO
SHARE" - from any CompuServe ! prompt.
Here you will be able to talk to the authors of your favorite
Shareware programs, learn about other programs, ask
questions, make suggestions, and much more. We'd love to meet
you online, please come visit us today!
Page 7 of 11
- Definition and Description of Shareware and the ASP -
=======================
Author Address Changes:
=======================
People move. Forwarding orders expire. What can you do?
"I got a copy of a Shareware program written by an ASP
Member. I sent in the registration fee and the post office
returned my letter saying that it was undeliverable. Now what
do I do?"
If the author has moved then chances are very good that you
have an old version of the program. This is another situation
that the ASP can help you to resolve. ASP Members are
required to keep the ASP informed of address changes. If you
need to obtain the current address for a member, simply write
to the following address:
ASP Executive Director
P.O. Box 5786
Bellevue, WA 98006
U.S.A.
or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe MAIL to ASP
Executive Director 71327,2051.
========================
ASP Ombudsman Statement:
========================
This program is produced by a member of the Association of
Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that
the Shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to
resolve a Shareware-related problem with an ASP member by
contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The
ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with
an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for
members' products.
Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at:
ASP Ombudsman
545 Grover Road
Muskegon, MI 49442-9427
U.S.A.
or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe MAIL to ASP Ombudsman
70007,3536.
Page 8 of 11
- Definition and Description of Shareware and the ASP -
=====================
For More Information:
=====================
If you would like to learn more about the Shareware
phenomenon, there are several excellent sources of additional
information. Two of the best books ever written about
Shareware are described below.
Announcing an Outstanding Book/Disk NEW
from Dvorak*Osborne/McGraw-Hill
Dr. File Finder's Guide to Shareware
------------------------------------
by Mike Callahan and Nick Anis
Foreword by John C. Dvorak
Includes One 5 1/4" Disk with Dr. File Finder's Favorite
Shareware Programs: Qmodem 4.2, BackMail 1.10, dCOM 3.44, and
many more.
For All IBM PC & Compatibles.
"[Mike's] book distills thousands of hours of his online
search for the crown jewels of Shareware into one usable
guide. As such, it may be the most valuable computer book
you'll ever buy."
--Jack Rickard, Publisher, Boardwatch Magazine
"No one combines Dr. File Finder's comprehensive knowledge of
the Shareware genre with his good taste in software. This is
sure to be the definitive place to look for insight and
program information."
--Barry Simon, Former President of the Association of
Shareware Professionals, PC Magazine Columnist, and
Coauthor of Stackey, Batutil, and Ctrlalt
"GREAT! Every PC user will find something of value within
these pages. This book will save you a bundle."
--Alfred Glossbrenner
"If I were going to buy only one computer book, this would be
it."
--Tom Scott, Publisher, Telecomputing Magazine
Nobody knows Shareware like the illustrious Dr. File Finder,
known off line as Mike Callahan. Now, in Dr. File Finder's
Guide to Shareware, you can learn about dozens of leading
Shareware programs, including where and how to get them. In
the true spirit of Shareware, this book/disk package includes
a disk
Page 9 of 11
- Definition and Description of Shareware and the ASP -
full of top programs that you can try out yourself before
registering. Send in the card at the back of the book and
you'll get two additional disks with more software.
About the Authors:
Mike Callahan, AKA Dr. File Finder, is the world's leading
authority on Shareware. He regularly accesses thousands of
bulletin board systems and has been a major force in
promoting many of the top Shareware packages. Callahan has
spent several years and thousands of hours helping people
around the world learn more about Shareware.
Nick Anis is the coauthor of several acclaimed best-sellers
in the Dvorak*Osborne imprint, including Dvorak's Guide to PC
Telecommunications, Dvorak's Guide to Desktop
Telecommunications, and Glossbrenner's Complete Hard Disk
Handbook.
$39.95, ISBN: 0-07-881646-7, 950 pp. 7 3/8 X 9 1/4
AVAILABLE NOW AT YOUR LOCAL BOOK OR COMPUTER STORE
OR CALL TOLL-FREE 1-800-227-0900 (M-F, 8:30 - 4:30 PST)
Shareware: "Try Before You Buy" Software:
------------------------------------------
Perhaps you've read Rob Rosenberger's well known and highly
acclaimed treatise on the computer virus problem. If you
liked that article then you'll love his excellent book on
Shareware. This book is a must for anyone who is interested
in Shareware, what to look for (and look out for), and where
to find it. In this book, shareware author and writer Rob
Rosenberger delves into the very heart of Shareware, telling
you who developed the concept and why.
You'll know why these programs: * undercut the price of
retail software * helped bring down the use of copy
protection schemes * receive numerous editorial and reader
survey awards * generate more sales than retail software in
some cases * make retail OS/2 software developers so nervous
* are falsely accused of spreading computer "viruses".
Rob shows you where you can find good Shareware. You'll learn
to beware of companies that make money by abusing the "try
before you buy" concept. And you'll discover where Shareware
is heading in the near future.
Page 10 of 11
- Definition and Description of Shareware and the ASP -
"A lot of good books devote just one or two chapters to the
concept and history of Shareware. I'm pleased to say there is
finally a reference book on the subject."
--Jim Button, cofounder of the Shareware concept
"It's filled with accurate information for anyone who wants to
learn about one of the most significant sources of high-
quality software."
--Edward Mendelson, contributing editor, PC Magazine
Here's all the information you need to obtain your copy of
this outstanding book:
Shareware: "Try Before You Buy" Software
by Rob Rosenberger
Third Edition
Only $6.95!
Paradise Publishing Phone: (800) 233-2451
3111 S. Valley View Blvd.
Suite B-105
Las Vegas, NV 89102
U.S.A.
Page 11 of 11