Hello, and thanks for your interest in DiskTracker! This program has been in development for quite a while now and it is my intention to make it the best program of its type available. If you have any suggestions as to how I might better do this, please, please let me know by sending email to me at TheVortex@kagi.com.
Also, be sure to check out the DiskTracker World Wide Web page at http://web.mit.edu/mnp/www/dt.html
for DiskTracker news, support files, and information about new releases.
Introduction
What is DiskTracker?
DiskTracker is a multipurpose application with a single primary goal: to help you keep track of the contents of your floppy disks, hard drives, CD-ROMs, and removable hard disks. Classically such applications have been dubbed “disk catalogers”. However, DiskTracker’s usefulness goes far beyond simply cataloging disks. In addition to allowing you to view the contents of your disks in an easy-to-use, System 7 outline-view-like window, DiskTracker also provides you with the ability to print custom disk labels, which you can create templates for in an advanced “object-oriented” MacDraw™-like environment. You can also locate files that meet any combination of almost twenty separate criteria using the flexible multi-criteria Boolean search system, and even locate duplicate files across multiple disks and within StuffIt™ and Compact Pro™ archives. All of these features (plus a whole bunch more!) are put into a fast, simple to use environment that is fun to use.
Why use DiskTracker (or any disk cataloger, for that matter)?
DiskTracker (as well as other disk catalogers), offer the user the ability to have, in one simple file, the contents of all of your floppy disks, even those which are gathering dust in the back of some disk box, lost deep in the cavernous depths of the underside of your computer, vanished somewhere in the house (or office or whatever), or lost in some indeterminate higher plane of existence. This prevents that common question that most of us will eventually face when dealing with software libraries, “Where the heck did I put that stupid file?” With a disk cataloger, all you would have to do is open up the catalog file and search for the file.
Furthermore, a disk cataloger, which can access its catalog data far faster than the Finder can access the directory information off a floppy or CD-ROM, makes browsing lightening quick and searching even faster. And, because DiskTracker’s environment resembles the Finder’s so much, you won’t be left with the question, “How the heck do I use this stupid program?” Add to that DiskTracker’s built in virtual memory scheme, which allows even the largest volumes to be scanned in a minimum memory partition (and still maintain some semblence of speediness), and you have a truly useful file browsing tool.
An additional virtue of many disk catalogers, including DiskTracker, is the ability to produce spiffy-looking disk labels. This helps to avoid the other question that is encountered when dealing with software libraries, “What the heck is on this stupid floppy disk?” Although it is possible to simply put a little sticky-label on the disk and write down the contents on that, for many of us, this is too much trouble (and, once we do label a disk, we forget to un-label it later, and thus end up with disks labeled “Important files and such” that actually contain a bunch of crappy old Hypercard games). This is why DiskTracker keeps track of whether the contents of a disk have been updated since the last time the disk was labeled, so that you can simply select a menu command “Print labels for unlabeled disks” and instantly have current disk labels.
There are many other ways in which you will find DiskTracker indispensable - for some other great ideas, check out the DiskTracker web page!
What is shareware?
Shareware is a distribution system under which you are free to try out a piece of software for a period of time (usually on the order of a week or so) for evaluation purposes without obligation. If you decide that you would like to contine using the software, you are required to send a small fee (in the case of DiskTracker, $20) to the author for the continued usage of the program, or else delete the software from your system. If you choose to register, the author will, in return give you notice of any future upgrades and free upgrades when requested (as well as his eternal gratitude (I'm not kidding!)).
You may (and I certainly encourage it) freely distribute UNREGISTERED copies of DiskTracker to friends and associates, as well as upload it to bulletin board/on-line services and internet FTP sites. (Please get my permission before distributing DiskTracker on CD-ROMs or on other collections by sending email to TheVortex@kagi.com.) Just be sure that, if you choose to pass around copies of DiskTracker, you include all of the documentation and support files which were originally included with the program.
Note that I have not disabled features in unregistered copies of DiskTracker. I feel that it is important, as it allows you, the user, to get more acquainted with all of a programs features, and it builds a trusting relationship between you (the user) and me (the programmer). However, IN NO WAY, does this free you from your obligation to register the software. So send off those checks!
Support the shareware system!
Register DiskTracker!
Disclaimer of warrantee:
THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. SHOULD THE PROGRAM BE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, IN NO EVENT WILL THE PROGRAMMER BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING TO PERSON OR EQUIPMENT.
