Fritz: All Fritz/All Fritz.zip/All Fritz/FILES/BUSITION/SMARKET1.LZH/SMSDATA.EXE/WHATSNEW.TXT

Text File | 1992-04-02 | 275KB | 4,653 lines

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                               NEWSLETTER UPDATE

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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 and vendors would like your
       information! Many subscribe to this publication! Send information
       and disks for possible inclusion in this newsletter. Submit text
       in ASCII on disk so we can import it directly into this package!

       Please note that older material from previous SMS newsletters,
       containing HIGHLY valuable marketing information, has been moved
       to the SMS archives disk which is available from SMS. Consult
       the GOODIES section of SMS for information on ordering this
       archived newsletter material.

        --------------------------------------------------------------
                     Newsletter: Spring 1992 Edition
        --------------------------------------------------------------

       Seattle is overcast at this time of year. The pace is slow and
       the potted geraniums inside my house rely on an early Spring.
       Seattle is an improbable place for the silicon collar workers
       who populate the algorithm foundries at Microsoft, Aldus,
       Buttonware, Quicksoft and the raft of local high tech ventures
       who live and breathe for two reasons: produce code, market code.

       I usually extract core information for SMS from industry
       sources: shareware disk catalogs, press releases, telephone
       conversations with key vendors, contacts with authors and
       CompuServe messages. Hardcore idea surfing.

       It's curious, then, that the theme for this issue came from the
       February 19 edition of a local community newspaper, Eastside
       Week. A cover note promised an article on the high tech industry
       by Robert X. Cringley who writes for Infoworld Magazine and is,
       according to computer industry insiders, the ultimate computer
       industry insider. Cringley rarely writes about shareware. This
       time something buried in the article struck me.

       Cringley suggests you have to go back to the classic comic strip
       Pogo, the wise and witty possum of the Sunday comic strip which
       originated during a time in America when comic strips had
       something to say. One passage from a Pogo strip has the frazzled
       possum opine: "We have met the enemy and he is us."

       Everybody has heard this classic line at one time or another.
       But it is the next panel which reveals something about
       shareware. Pogo simply observes, "We are surrounded by
       insurmountable opportunity." Here's what I deduce from Chairman
       Pogo:

       The computer industry is the penultimate high frontier. It is
       where we are heading and will continue to head into the near and
       distant future. By obvious connection, shareware will continue
       to play an explosively larger role as more people acquire VERY
       inexpensive computers. 40 million computers are in consumer
       hands with more soon to be purchased. The insurmountability in
       this equation is that commercial software has the high ground
       while shareware, with its higher value and broader selection,
       languishes in relative marketing obscurity. That may be
       changing, however. If we can fix the problems, that is.

       For authors, an "insurmountability factor" arises from the vast
       quantity of shareware packages in place with which they MUST
       compete. A contrarian approach offers stunning market potential.
       Careful niche market research for untapped buyers and poorly
       programmed packages reveals financial return in tantalizing
       proximity. The same goes for shareware disk vendors who can spot
       a precise niche amidst the hundreds of other vendors. There are
       only two choices in this business: grow or decline. There are no
       plateaus. Shareware can be volatile. And lucrative.

       An opportunity factor involves a key window of time: one or two
       years. The time it takes any vendor or author to stay in the
       saddle with a package or vending operation before financial
       return kicks in. You can get into shareware for a few pennies.
       But for large income potential you have to STAY in and market
       cleverly. In some ways shareware is not yet a commodity item. In
       other ways it has moved past commodity status to a higher
       marketing frontier: anyone can play the game now that compilers,
       computers and a little cash is all it takes to do shareware.

       Insurmountable change. As soon as you have finished coding your
       package, printing your vendor catalog and shipping your orders,
       a newer compiler, mailing list, stack of author disk submissions
       or whatever puts you back at square one. No sooner have you
       finished the job when, insurmountably, you must start improving
       again. Excrutiating change. Probably faster than the commercial
       software market. Which can be an opportunity to leave your
       competitors in the dust if you think about it.

       Don't ignore the opportunity factor. The rates of return on
       shareware disk vending and authoring can be VERY good. 500% to
       1000% markup or return on investment is not uncommon to hot
       vending and programming operations. There can never be ONE Bill
       Gates of the shareware industry when in fact MANY of us can
       become Bill Gates simultaneously.

       Another insurmountable opportunity. The try before you buy
       nature of shareware. How can authors REALLY encourage users to
       register the shareware they use? There are ways. In a future
       edition of SMS we'll discuss some options.

       For shareware USERS insurmountable opportunity also arises from
       too many shareware packages to compare, too much atrocious
       documentation, too many bugs and too much opportunity for a
       really great package to be lost for lack of adequate marketing.
       And that sinking feeling that computers and shareware can
       produce vast productivity increases but the average user cannot
       understand common shareware fixtures like self-extracting
       files, readme documentation and authors who have moved with no
       forwarding address. This could be the lingering insurmountable
       opportunity which continues to weaken this business - I don't see
       many folks repairing the damage in this area. Not the BBS
       systems, not the computer clubs, not the ASP and not the
       vendors. Shareware is GREAT stuff. Unfortunately that isn't good
       enough, given the state of the industry from the user's
       perspective. Even this is an opportunity for the right vendor or
       author.

       Here I would have to change the wording from insurmountable
       opportunity to inevitable opportunity. Pogo was half right and
       half wrong.

       For the record, Robert X. Cringley's book is aptly titled
       Accidental Empires: How the boys of Silicon valley make their
       millions, battle foreign competition and still can't get a date.
       Published by Addison Wesley. Get a copy if you want to
       understand the computer industry and where it will be in the
       years ahead.

       Cringley, a former journalism professor at Stanford reveals that
       in fact Robert X. Cringley is a pseudonymn and in fact the third
       person to write under that byline for Infoworld.

       Other tantalizing Cringley insights include the following:
       "Marketing is the stimulation of long term demand by solving
       customer problems . . . . Four major trends are about to shift
       PC users into warp speed: standards-based computing, RISC
       processors, advanced semiconductors, and the death of the
       mainframe." Where does this fit into the shareware scheme of
       things? A pattern emerges:

       Cringley asserts the mainframe will fade from history at exactly
       midnight, December 31, 1999 because original program source code
       for millions of dollars of mainframe software has been lost in
       shifting from one mainframe to another after years of use. Many of
       these mission critical software programs have key algorithms
       missing which can deal with date changes from the 20th to 21st
       century. Original mainframe programmers did not suspect that their
       programs would outlive them. This is serious stuff with a
       mainframe payroll or accounting system. The mainframe date
       algorithm bug and the lack of source code virtually dooms many
       mainframes since businesses will have to trash their software,
       start from scratch with new source code and move to a desktop,
       mini or microcomputer environment. Either that or attempt
       "digital archeology" by reverse engineering and updating antique
       code. Cringley is on to something that sounds very beneficial for
       the shareware industry. Mainframes will fade. Desktops will
       blossom. And everyone will be scrounging for GOOD software.

       As we approach the year 2000, chips will be faster and smaller
       than our current workhorse CPU's. This will be VERY good for
       shareware. The more people who have computers, the more
       shareware opportunities there will be. Simple logic tells us that
       shareware, for reasons of cost, availability and no-nonsense
       "try before you buy" licensing will eventually grab greater
       market share - if author's and vendors don't muddle things too
       badly in the meantime.

       The state of the art Intel 80486 contains 1.2 million
       transistors. The 80586 will have three million transistors.
       Extrapolating out, and there are no technical reasons why this
       is not possible, we could have 96 million transistors on a CPU
       chip by the year 2,000 - according to Cringley. The processing
       power dropped in our laps will be off the scale. With this much
       power one can hardly imagine the type of shareware we will be
       able to create. And sell.

       Turning the news about advanced silicon chips upside down, my
       suspicion is that commercial software companies will suddenly
       find small shareware companies as competitors in a global market
       since chips, programming languages, exploding niche market
       opportunities and new interfaces will create even more wealth
       for astute shareware authors and vendors.

       Cringley also chronicles the decline of new blood in the
       software and hardware industry which indirectly spells more good
       news for the shareware sector. The pioneers who develop
       operating systems and hardware are in their middle age. New
       university graduates and immigrant engineers only flesh out an
       existing technical force. It's not that we have too much old
       blood, it's that shareware will become the underlying software
       plasma as talented programmers find that, with the right
       marketing mix, there really is money to be made in shareware. If
       they are willing to REALLY work at it.

       Let's conclude by saying all signs point to a busy horizon for
       shareware. Three things will count for success in the shareware
       industry: 1) Product quality, 2) marketing savvy and 3) global
       connections to agents, authors and vendors. Let's move away from
       the future and into the present . . .

       Several news items popped up on my desk which will have
       SIGNIFICANT impact on the shareware industry.

       The recent implementation by CompuServe of a new basic rate
       package priced at a flat $7.95 per month will bring DRAMATIC
       change to the shareware industry. If authors and vendors see the
       potential, that is. The new flat rate package allows for
       transmission of about 60 messages per month to Compuserve
       members plus receiving an unlimited number of messages. Similar
       messaging capabilities allow you to send a FAX anywhere in
       North America - including Mexico and Canada - for about $1.00
       per page using your modem to transmit an ASCII file; no need to
       own a FAX machine or FAX board! This change alone could allow
       authors and vendors to "dicker and deal" on a global scale for
       SERIOUS financial return!

       Until now the "pay as you go" plan at CompuServe has deterred
       many shareware authors and vendors from frequent messaging.
       Information sharing and timely market flow is the lifeblood of
       any software marketing strategy. The picture of a global
       shareware community of authors and vendors able to keep in touch
       inexpensively is now a REAL possibility. For example, two days
       after I converted my membership to the new plan, I began sending
       FREQUENT messages to Steve Lee, British publisher of PC
       Shareware Magazine as well as Nick Thompson, UK shareware agent
       for many authors. We'll talk more about Nick and Steve later,
       but the point is that I am contacting key shareware movers
       and shakers in the United Kingdom for pennies in communication
       costs compared to the equivalent FAX, postal, telephone or old
       CompuServe pricing system. Bytes don't get much cheaper than
       this.

       Obviously CompuServe designed the package in response to similar
       flat rate deals at America Online and Prodigy, but this new
       package which also includes access to other basic services such
       as Grollier's Online Encyclopedia, Peterson's college search
       database, Consumer Reports, news, weather, games, shopping and
       their incredibly useful CompuServe Magazine. By the way, my
       personal CIS ID number is: 72020,2176 if you need to drop me a
       note. CompuServe can be reached at 800/848-8199 or 800/848-8990.
       5000 Arlington Centre Blvd, Columbus, OH 43220.

       More good news department: The new shareware magazine, Shareware
       Update, debuts early this Spring under the management auspices
       of shareware vendor Software Excitement! currently based in
       Central Point, Oregon. The publication will be edited by
       respected industry columnist Bud Sadler, who was formerly senior
       editor of three computer magazines in the IDG chain:  PC GAMES,
       PC LAPTOP, and COMPUTERS IN SCIENCE. Bud was also chief copy
       editor for BYTE Magazine. Shareware Update Magazine, POB 2454,
       White City, OR 97503-9901. Writers, shareware news and
       submissions are actively sought.

       Financed by Software Excitement's solid cash flow and extensive
       customer mailing lists, Shareware Update Magazine is off to a
       solid start with subscription cards offering a free trial issue
       to be included in a Spring 1992 mailing to approximately 1.2
       million recipients of newly revised Software Excitement!
       catalogs. Actual catalog printing was 1.5 million. In addition,
       100 thousand Shareware Update subscription promotion cards will be
       placed in the May COMPUSERVE MAGAZINE. This is VERY serious
       marketing.

       The new magazine will be about 30 pages and will be eventually
       offered to everyone on a 500,000 count mailing list which
       Software Excitement! maintains. This in house mailing list and
       existing catalog mailing allows Shareware Update to promote its
       first printing affordably - at a cost of about $10,000 to print
       and bind subscription promotion cards in the existing Software
       Excitement! catalogs - compared to about $340,000 for a similar
       effort which would include printing, postage and name list
       rental for a comparable magazine promotion not having access to
       Software Excitement's existing resources.

       The seven new catalogs from Software Excitement! include:
       IBM Prospect, IBM House, IBM Windows, IBM Games, Macintosh,
       Apple, and Amiga. All display colorful screen dumps of
       shareware packages. One catalog specializes in windows only
       applications while others relate to games, utilities and
       business applications. Software Excitement! specializes in a
       limited offering of the best shareware and produces small,
       colorful catalogs mailed out to approximately 8 million PC users
       annually. Software Excitement! has 50 employees in two locations
       and $6 million in annual sales. Current reports are that the
       Windows-only catalog is outpulling all other catalogs as a
       percentage of catalogs shipped. Screen dumps of shareware
       programs outpull orders for disks 2 to 3 times compared to
       programs listed without screen dumps! Since going to color,
       order volume has risen 10%. For the volume of catalogs printed,
       color did not cost more compared to one or two color catalog
       printing, according to industry sources.

       Note that Software Excitement! can also process registration
       fees for shareware packages via an online CompuServe catalog of
       REGISTERED shareware packages. Includes credit card processing,
       800 toll free order service, CompuServe email, FAX or telephone
       notification to the author of orders, payment checks each
       Friday. Cost to author is 20% commission (minimum $4.00) per
       package. Other options include author drop shipping or
       processing through Software Excitement! warehouse - with SE!
       paying the shipping costs in the latter case. Agreement can be
       terminated by giving 30 days notice. Contact SE! for an
       application form.

       This issue of SMS adds a large number of key overseas and
       foreign shareware contacts to main list of vendors
       (DATABASE.EXE). Nick Thompson of the Thompson Partnership in the
       United Kingdom and Francis Burns of The Langway Company in
       France are to be thanked for providing this information.

       The new second edition of WRITING AND MARKETING SHAREWARE by ASP
       author Steve Hudgik is now out. A revised and expanded classic
       which all shareware authors should read. Tips on registrations,
       pricing, copyrights, testing, documentation and quality. 304
       pages. 25 illustrations. ISBN 0-8306-2552-6. $18.95 plus $3.00
       shipping from the Steve Hudgik, POB 974, Tualatin, OR 97062.
       VOICE: 503/692-3732 FAX: [phone]. Steve is also in the
       final stages of summarizing the results of this year's shareware
       author survey and may supply results to SMS readers in the
       future. This survey plots the trends of what is REALLY happening
       for shareware authors and makes for fascinating reading and
       a reality check on the profits and pitfalls of shareware
       authorship.

       Dave Beiter of Ritner, Kentucky, again shares with us an update
       to his DOLL vendor rating system in the letters to the editor
       section in this edition of SMS. If you want to see how your
       favorite vendor stacks up against the HARD COLD LIGHT OF TRUTH,
       see Dave's vendor rating system. Dave has told me in the past
       that the SMS vendor rating system (A, B, C) is not quite the
       REAL truth. Dave's system of rating vendors is, shall we say
       politely, the NAKED truth. The file CAVEDATA.EXE contains a
       larger superset of the data sorted three ways: by vendor name,
       vendor quality ranking and vendor responsiveness.

       Deep regrets department: I must note with some sadness that the
       beautifully crafted Alternative Software Bulletin Magazine
       (Binary Press, Brooklyn, MI) will be ending publication soon or
       merging with another shareware magazine. According to editor,
       Steve Enzer, the costs of printing, marketing and advertising
       have driven the magazine to less than profitable conditions. The
       magazine's detailed reviews of shareware packages were and
       remain some of the best in the business. According to Steve,
       current readers will have the remainder of their subscriptions
       transferred to PC-SIG-affiliated Shareware Magazine. Steve plans
       to continue writing articles for the shareware industry and we
       wish him every success.

       What's new in technology? Three items briefly.

       The Multibus Manufacturer's Group has been working on a new
       telecommunications/computer technology called "hot swap".
       Meaning? You can pull a card out of a system while running and
       swap in another without affecting operations in progress. Ideal
       for task sensitive critical data installations and routine
       maintenance.  Micro Industries (Westerville, OH) already has
       products in the works. Intel and Siemens are working on the
       concept also.

       Sharp Electronics of Japan has signed a deal with Intel to build
       an $800 million chip fabrication line for Intel flash memory
       chips in Japan. Intel will market the chips in America with
       Sharp distributing the resulting chips in Japan. Flash memory
       will be very central to computers and software in the future.
       Ironically, Toshiba invented the technology of flash memory but
       Intel developed the concept and pushed it to global market in
       the most cost effective manner.

       Want to REALLY protect your system from virus damage? New idea
       from Trend Micro Devices Inc, Torrance, CA (800/228-5651)
       provides clever system protection by use of both memory resident
       software and "immunizer" hardware plug which mates to your PC's
       parallel port and contains a NONVOLATILE EEPROM chip which
       stores copies of your system boot sectors and partition tables
       on an ongoing basis. Real clever idea. Do these developments
       affect shareware? Not immediately, but you do get a sense that
       the future is racing towards us quickly and should be here in
       the next ten or fifteen minutes . . .

       Note that I have removed one category and created a new
       category in the SMS mailing list. If you use the SMS mailing
       list, you will be familiar with the fact that type "B" means
       BBS while type "D" means shareware distributor. The old "A"
       category is gone. It has been merged into the new category
       type "K" for Key shareware contact. Perhaps a better
       description is the folks who represent the "Who's Who" in the
       shareware industry. Since some of these people are agents,
       brokers, translators and other entities, we need a new type.
       Also note that the type field can now have MORE than one digit.
       For example, you might see type K,D meaning key contact who is a
       distributor. Or possibly type K, a key person. Or type K,B,D key
       bulletin board who is also a disk distributor. To locate all the
       key movers and shakers, simply request that your database search
       for all type "K" entries where the letter K appears ANYWHERE in
       the field.

       I guarantee you'll find some surprising contacts. And if you can
       suggest any new entries for type "K", please do so! I might be
       tempted to offer a registered SMS edition if you can provide
       sufficient quantity and quality for the new type "K" data entry.
       Reread the SMS file DATABASE.TXT for explanation of the mailing
       list.

       Note that Bob Ostrander, founder of Public Brand Software has
       been elected as President of the Association of Shareware
       Professionals. Inside sources reveal that a bit of rough sailing
       was encountered since Bob initially announced his intention to
       resign from the ASP Board of Directors in an open letter on the
       ASP's CompuServe forum. The three part message noted the problems
       Bob had experienced with the board and chairman Barry Simon who
       has since departed the board. Bob is a fundamental NICE GUY
       within the shareware industry and I think we can expect to see
       some positive energy and overdue changes in the ASP in the year
       ahead. Bob continues to run his new venture, Software Coop, as
       well as plan for the Summer Shareware Seminar in Indianapolis
       this Summer, plus act as a consultant to Public Brand Software,
       now owned by Ziff Davis. Apparently Bob has more energy than an
       80486 processor without surge protection. Page ten of the March
       1992 of PC Shareware Magazine (UK edition) shows photo of Bob with
       appropriate beer bottle and large grin - I think the ASP is
       going to rediscover a long overdue need: FUN. Bob shared with
       me the tentative agenda of the Summer Shareware Seminar which I
       will reprint a bit later in this newsletter.

       A letter crossed my desk from shareware author Terry Towle of
       Antioch, TN a few weeks ago. It is reprinted in unabridged form
       in the SMS letters section. A couple of paragraphs illustrate an
       UNDERUSED marketing method: vertical marketing. The point: if
       you are an author who religiously submits disks to vendors,
       clubs and BBS systems, you may be missing the mark by miles.
       Consider the POWERFUL MARKETING LESSON here.

       Dear Jim,

       You and your readers may be able to benefit from my experiences
       and avoid my mistakes. The first shareware program I wrote is
       titled SP-FOOTING. It designs reinforced concrete spread
       footings.  Footings are what support buildings for all you
       people who don't care that much about construction/engineering.
       Talk about a vertical market!  How did I go about marketing it?
       I uploaded it to 7 BBS's that had engineering sections in
       various parts of the country on 2/22/91.  I also sent it to 7
       disk vendors on 2/22/91.  Results as of today - two
       registrations, one in September '91 and one in December '91.It
       took 7 months to get my first check -but it was SO SWEET!  It
       took 10 months to get the second check. How did I do with the
       shareware vendors?  LOUSY.

       What went wrong?

       1.  I wrote a program that would only interest structural
       engineers and maybe a few architects.  Thin vertical market! 2.
       Only sent it to 7 vendors and 7 BBS's.  Actually only made it
       into one catalog that I know of. 3.  Didn't bother to do any
       vertical marketing. 4.  Program wasn't flashy with pop-up
       windows, pull-down menus, etc.  It just  gave the right answers.
       5.  Registration was only $20.00 which included the source code,
       thick bound manual and handworked examples.  The copying and
       postage costs ate up most of the $20.00.  Lucky I didn't sell
       more. 6.  Gave up on shareware vendors.

       WHAT I DID RIGHT: 1.  Program was tested by several registered
       professional engineers before being released. 2.  Documentation
       was extensive and accurate. 3.  Included handworked verification
       problems so users could follow my methodology. 4.  Gave them
       something substantial for their registration fee.

       My second effort was a Lotus 123 template that did earthwork
       cut/fill calculations.  You would have thought I learned my
       vertical market lesson.  Some people are just hard-headed, but
       at least I had a use for the program.  I uploaded it on the same
       7 BBS's and sent a copy to PBS back in November '91. Never heard
       from PBS, no registrations to date and although I only asked
       $10.00, I don't expect any now.  Think about it - who is going
       to register a template?!

       My third effort and PAY ATTENTION, this could open up a market
       of free advertising for you.  In my construction work I use a
       scheduling program extensively.  I wrote a small program that
       makes life a little easier for people using the program.  Not
       much, just a little.  It took me two weeks of spare time. They
       have to be using the scheduling program for a specific task only
       (Vertical market again!), but hey - I wrote the program to make
       my life easier. Anyway, the company distributes a newsletter to
       users of the software. I wrote the editor a short note saying I
       had this utility available for $20.00 to anyone interested and
       would the editor include it in the newsletter. I had 50 calls
       the first day!  In 3 months I sold 70 copies to just about every
       major construction firm in the U.S.

       (end of abridged letter)

       To add a postscript to Terry's insights about the potential of
       vertical marketing, your public library carries the ever-popular
       Thomas Register and Contacts Influential which list industries
       by SIC code or type. The Thomas Register is also available
       online from CompuServe. Your librarian should also be able to
       point you to references for magazines and periodicals for any
       given field or industry sector. In addition, at the END of this
       newsletter section of SMS I have listed some online resources
       for specialized databases which might lead you to other industry
       niche markets.

       Speaking of authors of shareware programs, note that DB-DUPE, the
       SUPERLATIVE duplicate checker for mailing lists and dBase format
       files has recently been updated and now includes a VERY USEFUL
       registration bonus of DB-ZIP which cross-checks mailing lists
       for accuracy of zip codes! I have also included a letter from
       DB-Dupe author Kevin Clark in the SMS letters to editor section.
       You can obtain a shareware copy of DB-DUPE by checking the SMS
       file GOODIES.TXT.

       Christopher Noyes, member of our informal SMS Net author
       uploading group (see RAPID.TXT), is an author with an
       interesting program and some VALUABLE information to share about
       registrations he has received for his ASTRO package which
       provides astrology analysis. Richard has kindly shared his
       statistics on program source and registration totals for ASTRO
       which might give you some valuable marketing clues. I hope other
       authors will be able to share similar data with SMS in the
       future so that more may benefit! You can contact Richard about
       ASTRO or these statistics as follows: Christopher Noyes Software,
       718/625-2262 718/625-2262,  28-Douglass Street, Ground Floor,
       Brooklyn, NY 11231. Next follows a compilation of registration
       statistics:

       VENDOR/COMPANY             QUANTITY REGIST    TOTAL INCOME

       3rd Eye BBS                       1             $49.95
       ADV SW                            1             $69.95
       Altamante Sprin                   1             $39.95
       APS                               2            $111.95
       BBS                              47          $2,540.95
       BL Software                       1             $54.95
       Brother                           2             $69.95
       Budge Shareware                   1             $60.00
       Byte                              1             $54.95
       Calif Freeware                    5            $334.30
       California Shar                   1             $49.95
       Cape Software                     4            $306.95
       Catalog                           3            $145.85
       Channel 1                         2            $139.90
       Choice Marketin                   1             $39.95
       Cloud 9 BBS                       1             $69.95
       Comp Mart                         1             $39.95
       Compute Shopper                   1             $39.95
       Computer Fair                    11            $579.45
       Computer Shoppe                   1             $39.95
       CWI                               9            $514.50
       Data Outlet SW                    1             $84.95
       Data Trust                        1             $49.95
       Deaver/Cook PD                    1             $39.95
       Delphi BBS                        1             $65.00
       Distant Market                    1             $74.95
       DOS Shareware                     1             $52.95
       Exchange BBS                      1             $69.95
       Exec PC BBS                       1             $72.95
       Finans-Butikken                   1             $69.00
       Firesign                          3            $132.90
       Florida PC Lib                    1             $54.95
       Fotomanual SRL                    1             $39.95
       FPCL                              1             $39.95
       FRIEND                           17          $1,054.30
       Gemini                           49          $2,690.95
       Gemini BBS                        1             $69.95
       Gemini Software                   2             $99.90
       Gift                              1              $0.00
       Gift from                         1              $0.00
       Gift to Chip Uh                   1             $39.95
       GIFT                              1              $0.00
       Guelph BBS                        1             $49.95
       H.G.Shareware                     1             $72.95
       HG Shareware                      2            $102.90
       HPSL                             10            $499.55
       Local BBS                         1             $69.95
       London Drugs                      1             $69.95
       Magazine ad?                      1             $54.95
       Matrix Almanac                    1             $69.95
       Micro-Mart                        1             $44.95
       P.C. Arcade                       1             $54.95
       P.C. Software                     1             $39.95
       P.D.Warehouse                     1             $39.95
       PC Arcade                         6            $304.75
       PC Serve                          2             $79.95
       PC Shareware                      1             $39.95
       PC Swap Meet                      1             $69.00
       PC Works                          1             $55.00
       PC-ARCADE                         2            $119.90
       PC-EXEC                           1             $69.95
       PC-OHIO                           1             $69.95
       PC-SERVE                          2             $94.95
       PCNL Holland                      1             $55.00
       PD PACS                           1             $39.95
       PD Shareware                      1             $54.95
       PD Software                       2             $79.90
       PD Softwarehous                   6            $254.70
       PD-Service                        1             $60.00
       Pro Softw Monte                   1             $69.95
       PSL                               8            $442.60
       Public Brand SW                   1             $29.95
       Raintree                          1             $39.95
       Rainware                         11            $429.50
       Referral                          1             $49.00
       Sector Systems                    1             $72.95
       Selective Software                2            $139.91
       Selective Ref                     1             $69.95
       Seltec                            7            $392.75
       Shareware Labs                    2            $154.90
       Shareware+selec                   1             $49.95
       Show                              1             $39.95
       Shows Unlimited                   1             $49.95
       SIM-COM Service                   1             $29.95
       Softcell                          1             $80.00
       softw. show                       1             $39.95
       Software Labs                    66          $4,317.75
       Softwarehouse                     1             $39.95
       STR Computers                     1             $54.95
       Sun                               1             $49.95
       Sun Software                      4            $179.80
       Sunmap BBS                        1             $69.95
       SWAP MEET                         5            $263.85
       Swapmeet                          1             $54.95
       TSL  The Software Labs            6            $402.70
       UIUC.EDU archiv                   1             $69.95
       Unitech                           1             $69.00
       User BBS                          1             $69.95
       Walden's                          1             $49.95
       ALL                             368         $30,163.27

       Please share your registration statistics with SMS so that more
       authors can benefit! If necessary, identity of author can be
       kept confidential! Same goes for vendors who wish to publish
       program ordering volume.

       (end of statistics report)

       Next, a marketing opportunity for shareware vendors and authors
       involved in financial and spreadsheet packages. Lotus publishes
       a postcard pack or "deck" with advertising mailed to customers
       who are 62% top or middle managers in companies having more than
       1,000 employees. Lotus proclaims that the folks on their mailing
       list - probably derived from industry sources and their own
       popular Lotus magazine - will buy $8.4 billion in PC hardware
       and $550 million in software in the next year. I've seen
       shareware vendors KWN systems (Freehold, NJ) and Reasonable
       Solutions (Medford, OR) advertise in this card deck, so there
       must be serious shareware purchasing potential for those using
       the Lotus Card Pack advertising program. Further information:
       Cathleen Cavanaugh, Lotus Card Pack, POB 9160, Cambridge, MA
       02139-9930  617/225-6803.

       Perhaps the HOTTEST NEW TREND among disk vendors is rack sales.
       I am getting MANY calls from existing and startup disk vendors
       who prefer to bypass the mail order disk vending route - which
       is somewhat saturated anyway - and setting up or negotiating
       rack sales of shareware direct to consumers from small
       convenience stores, printshops, college bookstores, discount
       shopper clubs and more. This probably will be the next EXPLOSIVE
       expansion phase for vendors in the 90's and it raises public
       visibility of shareware another notch - always a good thing.

       Industry disk vendor PC-SIG and Shareware Magazine have fired a
       competitive salvo at low budget disk vendors by slashing disk
       prices to $2.00 in the latest issue of Shareware Magazine and
       including one of the largest shareware "mini-catalogs" I have
       seen in any recent issue of the magazine.

       Other recent changes at Shareware magazine have seen the recent
       departure of long time editor Marilyn Young and VERY recent
       departure of editor Claudia Graziano. Word from sources in close
       proximity to Shareware Magazine is that the March-April 1992
       issue of the magazine was a MAD DASH effort which reflects
       internal changes and personnel "adjustments." On the upside, the
       magazine IS GETTING BETTER under new Editor-in-Chief Michael
       Callahan. In fact I was pleased to see a writeup on page 9 of
       that issue noting the Johns Hopkins award for my own PC-Learn
       package.

       On the downside no mention was made in the same issue of
       Shareware  Magazine of the errors made in the Jan-Feb issue
       regarding this package, The $hareware Marketing $ystem. Although
       I sent a letter to the editor, reprinted in the last SMS letters
       section, nothing was printed to correct Shareware Magazine
       errors such as the erroneously reported $129 registration price
       for SMS. Shareware Magazine may also be facing competition from
       larger shareware magazines published in the UK such as Shareware
       Shopper and PC Shareware Magazine. It should be interesting this
       year to watch shareware publications evolve.

       Let's spin the dial and talk about news from disk vendors.
       Address and telephone information for the following vendors is
       contained in the SMS file DATABASE.EXE. Search for the address
       by scanning the main SMS list by company name combined with
       location or name of the person to contact . . .

       The recession in America does indeed affect our industry. SMS
       reader Richard Bonin of Kernersville, NC reports that the large
       disk vendor PD Select of Gastonia, NC has gone out of business.
       Richard spoke to the PD Select owner in December 1991 when staff
       had been reduced from 8 to 2. By late January or early February,
       1992 the phone had been disconnected and mail directed to PD
       Select was being returned. The main SMS mailing list has been
       revised to reflect the change.

       Small details make all the difference. Disk vendor Shareware
       Plus of Carmichael, CA sent me their latest catalog and note
       requesting input and corrections to my program listings. But the
       nice marketing wrinkle they add is $1.00 gift certificates in
       exchange for address of each PC compatible user referral you
       send them. In addition, they motivate users to REGISTER
       SHAREWARE by offering the choice of one additional free disk for
       each program registered with any author. Shareware Plus is a
       vendor with a small but well organized catalog. I urge authors
       to send them a disk and put them on your quality vendor disk
       update mailing list. Hope other vendors see the wisdom in these
       small, but nice marketing touches.

       New vendor with THREE LOCATIONS and good registration potential
       is Discount Computers which maintains locations in Monroe,
       Middletown and Miamisburg, Ohio. According to President Edwin
       Morrow, this vendor retails computers as well as carrying about
       350 shareware titles. A file is installed on all disks
       explaining both HOW and WHY shareware should be registered.
       Suggest you send them a disk! to their central Middletown, Ohio
       office.

       New shareware vendor on the scene: Southern Enterprises of
       Marion, VA. Owners Roger and Barbara Boardwine promise
       professional distribution in quantity, explanation of the need
       to register for customers who use shareware and courtesy catalog
       sent to each author so that program description can be checked.
       Drop them a disk in the mail soon.

       New vendor with hot market potential. Send a disk to GOOD TIMES
       HOME VIDEO CORP of New York. Large chain of video rental stores
       setting up rack display sales throughout their chain! Mr. Kris
       Thomson is the contact person.

       I recently received a large envelope with a coop mailing from
       Bill Dickson, president of SHAREABLE SOFTWARE who arranges coop
       mailings for groups of authors. Coop is the way to go for many
       small authors and you might want to contact Shareable since
       their enclosures and VENDOR QUESTIONANNAIRE are slick and very
       professional. See detailed press release from Shareable later in
       this newsletter. Their address also in the mailing list
       database.

       Another new disk vendor entry for your disk submission is
       FACTORY DIRECT of Metairie, LA. Mr. Doug Ellingson is getting
       their opertion up to speed and URGES authors to submit a disk!
       They promise to actively promote to their customers in the
       Louisianna area. Good potential and they seem honest and
       sensitive to author needs and responsiveness.

       Vendor with ORIGINAL IDEAS: Professionware of St. Petersburg,
       FL. Features most current version of shareware packages, full
       ACCURATE descriptions of shareware programs direct from the
       author, RETAIL RACK SALES PROGRAM, UNIQUE VOICE MAIL catalog so
       that customers can call in and hear about the program IN THE
       AUTHOR'S OWN VOICE and mailbox for authors at no charge with
       message length up to five minutes. The voice mail message about
       the program from each author is set so it can be UPDATED so
       authors can run registration specials, comments about new
       program updates, etc. Professionware can also record the message
       for the author if preferred. Contact Dean Vander Woude,
       President, Professionware. Clever idea!

       And not to be outdone in the ORIGINAL IDEAS department you might
       want to make note of another new vendor with some REALLY NEW
       concepts. THE SHAREWARE CLUB of Duvall, Washington is on to
       something. Authors can set up a special free BBS account with
       this vendor which provides: Sales tracking - vendor tracks your
       shareware sales and posts it to YOUR email box on their BBS,
       includes info on whether customer purchased via mail order or
       downloaded. Product returns - find out if your disk was returned
       by dissatisfied customers. Customer support - consult your email
       box if customers complain of problems running or installing the
       program. Monthly newsletter - shareware reviews, new releases,
       updates. AUTHORS CAN WRITE ARTICLES FOR THE NEWSLETTER - submit
       articles on disk or post via email. Altogether a pretty hot
       package. As a side note, observe that this startup is located in
       Duvall, Washington - home of industry giant Gemini Marketing and
       shareware author operation Expressware. Something unique is
       cooking in this tiny town! Duvall is sprouting into a "mini-
       shareware" marketing and development hub. Lawrence Backstrom is
       Director of Marketing at The Shareware Club which also prefers
       to use a pre-printed author submission form to aid processing of
       submitted disks.

       A new BBS and disk vendor has popped up who specializes in
       investment related and financial shareware: RGJ Systems of
       Provo, Utah. Send SYSOP Bob Jarvis a disk if your shareware fits
       that particular niche! Addresses for BBS systems are pretty
       rare, so this is a nice addition to the SMS mailing list! Bob is
       editing and publishing an investment newsletter distributed on
       the Wall Street West BBS which also includes integrated
       communications and newsletter viewing software.

       Advantage Plus Distributors have several new products for startup
       disk vendors. Review the following press release. Advantage Plus
       can be reached at 813/885-1478 and is also listed in the SMS
       database. Their Shareware Solutions CDROM is a complete shareware
       distribution business for storefront, mail order, nmetwork or
       BBS use and includes both a CD as well as disk-based catalog.
       Ownership of the CD includes license for BBS and buinsess use.
       Quality disk selections are reprodouced exactly as received from
       the authors. Includes easy to customize floppy Disk Catalog
       containing entries describing nearly 3,000 disks of software
       direct from authors. 80% are less than one year old. Disk
       descriptions include performance rating and hardware
       requirements. Expands to over 2 Gigabytes. Published quarterly.
       $149/single issue or $400/year. Why spend hours and $$$ to
       assemble a disk library when $149 gets you into the disk vending
       business?

       Advantage Plus has also released a three CD set of over 2,500
       shareware programs, most direct from the author for those
       wishing to retail CD-ROM disks to the public. Each CD is easy to
       use, network friendly, contains directory program of contents
       and individual program requirements. CD's include Education
       Master CD-ROM with over 1,000 education program. Game Master CD-
       ROM with over 500 games. Business Master with over 1,000
       business related programs. Introductory reseller pricing begins
       at $60 for two sets of 3 CD's (6 CD's total.)

       Droege Computing of Durham, North Carolina is an unusual vendor
       who is new to disk vending. Originally specializing in
       consulting and training for the medical and technical industry,
       Droege is releasing a dazzling catalog of over 125 shareware
       programs, many with a medical focus plus a large variety of
       general utilities and mainstream applications. The core focus of
       the library of shareware will be medical software - an area in
       which Droege has long excelled with custom vertical market
       applications. Authors are urged to submit their packages whether
       medical or not - all categories welcome! Contact Mike
       Hillerbrand.

       GAMES vendor for authors writing for the games/entertainment
       market: GameKing of Huron, OH. Keith Vlasak, owner. Authors
       working in this market should submit a disk to Keith.

       New vendor in Ravenna, Ohio who offers retail shareware, mail
       order, BBS and sells computers: Dave's Place.

       Vendor for those interested in the Philippines market: Mr.
       Eduardo Guzman of E & J Global Enterprises. Can handle
       registrations and vending.

       Staying with the international market, in New Zealand a good
       disk vendor is HAMSOFT which began as a Ham Radio or Amateur
       Radio club some years ago and got involved with shareware in a
       big way. A focus of the group remains amateur radio - a good
       marketing channel for authors focused on this market niche.
       Their library grows at the rate of about 25 to 50 disks per
       month according to club coordinator Anthony Briggs. A menu
       driven catalog is available and virus checking is rigidly
       enforced. Users are frequently informed to register programs
       which are in use. A cover screen to this effect is added to all
       disks. Send them a copy of your disk!

       Another hot outlet for your disks submissions in the
       international market is the large Computer Time Store in Delta,
       Britsh Columbia, Canada. This computer retail store also
       features shareware and actively encourages author submissions.
       Contact Marianne Farmer at Computer Time.

       ASP disk vendor Shareware Outlet is expanding again with new
       stores in Ogden, Utah (3880 Kiesele Ave, South Ogden, UT 84405
       801/399-1100) and Corvallis, Oregon (101 - 21st St NW at Monroe,
       Corvallis, OR 97330  503/758-5424). New and improved best of
       Shareware Outlet catalogs are slimmer, feature more new
       shareware and better organization. Top programs have expanded
       descriptions and moved to front of catalog. Older programs have
       slimmed or one line descriptions and positioned at back of
       catalog. A new BBS system (The BBS or TBBS) has replaced the old
       system which can still be reached at 206/646-0886. Authors
       should keep disks updated with the corporate office in Bellevue,
       Washington.

       The new Public Brand Software catalog is out - Vol 8, No 1.
       Clean graphic look which reflects the continuing upgrade by new
       owner Ziff-Davis. The new Ziff-Davis "look and feel" is also
       seen in the large back page advertisement for the PC Computing
       Guide to shareware, another Ziff publication written by Preston
       Gralla. Turning the pages of the catalog, some informational
       tidbits jumped out worth sharing. On page 31 of the catalog PBS
       notes some good ideas for shareware which needs creation:
       Hotel/motel/resort reservation system, speed reading course,
       graphics-based stamp cataloguer, daycare center records billing,
       nursing home management, windows laser printer controller,
       autocad libraries, postscript tools for pascal and C,
       needlecraft/quilting layout, budgeting system for movie/video
       production, backup/restore system which runs in background.

       Also note the continuing popular PBS submission contest which
       awards either $100 worth of disks or $50 worth of disks for
       newly submitted programs. As mentioned in earlier editions of
       SMS, Public Brand will be hosting the second annual Summer
       Shareware Seminar June 19 through 21 in Indianapolis, IN.
       Detailed information on the Seminar including agenda and awards
       Banquet can be found at the end of this article and were
       submitted by Bob Ostrander via CompuServe link as TENTATIVE
       working schedules at the time this edition of SMS was published.

       Computer Outlet, disk vendors in Orlando, Florida have also sent
       along their updated catalog which has grown to over 65 pages. I
       am using their new author advertising system which allows
       shareware programmers to purchase advertising space immediately
       below their program listing in the Computer Outlet catalog.
       Full, half and quarter page advertising space is also available.
       This is a good idea which gets authors greater visibility and
       helps vendors subsidize catalog costs. Computer Outlet is also
       moving into CD ROM titles at fairly attractive savings.
       Everything from the CIA world book to a 21 volume encyclopedia.

       Tsunami Software of Redondo Beach, CA has a BRILLIANT IDEA. $100
       instant credit form for shareware customers. Works like this.
       Fill out the credit application on the back of their catalog.
       First time customers require $25 payment with order. Thereafter
       pay just $25 per month on outstanding balance. No annual fee. No
       interest payments. Must be 21. No available in Alaska, Hawaii or
       outside continental US. Neat idea! Wish more vendors did this.

       Niche market disk vendor of the month award to: Shareware Source
       of Greenville, SC. Owner Pete Steveson offers shareware disks to
       the market for HOME SCHOOLING PARENTS (teaching children at
       home) and also school conventions across the country. Pretty
       amazing niche! Send him a disk if your shareware fits his
       profile!

       Disk Vendor Kevin King of Disk-Count Data in Sacramento, CA has
       a few worthy marketing wrinkles. His BBS system, MY FAVORITE
       BBS, (clever name!) maintains a test description file on each
       program in the author's own words. Many descriptions are over 30
       lines long. No membership fee and first time users can call and
       download on the first use. Kevin's program, FOR HOME AND PROFIT,
       which includes interesting money making ideas is moving well
       through vendors, but over 80% of the followup on that package
       is through BBS echo mail. Kevin thinks that BBS systems probably
       move and REGISTER a higher percentage of shareware than any
       other channel. Whenever Kevin sees a new upload pop up on his
       board, he WRITES the author asking for permission to distribute
       the package and a late update if applicable. One author from
       Georgia was so impressed they called long distance to Kevin's
       board to upload their program which took a solid twenty minutes
       of connect time at their expense. Kevin also sent along a few
       additions to the BBS list for the Sacramento area which have been
       added to the SMS mailing list for all authors to share.

       Send a disk to the Atlanta PC Users Group Librarian Stanley
       Plager in Stone Mountain, GA. The group is one of the largest
       clubs in Georgia and also maintains a BBS with over a gigabyte
       of online storage. ASP vendor.

       The Organization of Shareware Writers and Distributors located
       in Union City, California solicits memberships from interested
       vendors and program submissions from authors. Fees solicited are
       $250 for basic vendor membership. $350 for advanced vendor
       membership and $450 for deluxe vendor membership. Member
       services include discount pricing on labels, displays and
       diskettes, a monthly mailing service, new program releases,
       support, free access to a toll free BBS ($18.00 per hour for
       program downloading), capability to advertise affiliation with
       the organization including cutouts, logo and .com file with
       membership information suitable for copying to saleable
       diskettes. Contact Mr. Vance Venable or Mr. Benjamin Drake.

       Finally, San Diego disk vendor Soft A'Ware is moving further
       into the rack sales arena along with other vendors. Owner George
       Van Valkenburg is establishing outlets on the east coast with
       rack sales in a variety of retail outlets. Initial estimates are
       that the local retail store will earn 20% on sales, the local
       vendor who supplies the retail outlet will receive 20% and Soft
       A'Ware will receive the balance less costs.

       Next a quick tip for those interested in disk submissions to BBS
       systems. LARGE BBS located near a university campus of over
       45,000 students. The Voice in Stadium Village BBS, POB 14786,
       Minneapolis, MN 55414-0786  BBS Tel: [phone].

       Adding to news from the BBS community, note that THE BBS CALLERS
       DIGEST can be obtained by calling 800/822-0437. A monthly
       magazine of about 40 pages dedicated to the modem user/BBS
       caller. Loads of shareware reviews by Uncle Hank, caller
       profiles by Lana Fox, RelayNet articles by Mike Brunk, TBBS by
       Phil Becker, PCBoard represented by Richard Kozik and Steve
       Catmull. News releases, books, BBS info and more. Our thanks to
       Uncle Hank's Shareware Review Newsletter for this tip.

       Women in shareware. There are some SMART women in shareware
       out there, for example Diana Gruber, senior programmer at Ted
       Gruber Software and Darlene Wagner of disk vendor Wagner
       Enterprises. With that focus in mind here is a quick tip for
       women considering shareware and needing a resource: The federal
       Small Business Adminstration partially funds 25 demonstration
       centers nationally which advise women entrepreneurs who want to
       start or grow a small business. Small fees are charged but are
       well worth it. Most centers offer one-to-one counseling on all
       aspects of business from raising money to accounting to
       marketing. A free list of the 25 demonstration centers can be
       obtained by contacting SBA, Office of Women's Business
       Ownership, Demonstration Project Sites, 409 Third St SW,
       Washington DC 20416.

       Money saving tip. I have mentioned this disk supplier before,
       but a repeat is necessary. Want to purchase USED recyclable
       diskettes VERY affordably? Example: fourteen or fifteen cents
       per 5-1/4 inch floppy? Contact Ann Deaver Enterprises, 2897
       Gavilan Drive, San Jose, CA 95148  408/274-5795. Ann purchases
       overruns and previously used disks which are BETTER quality than
       cheapie disks from most media suppliers. Ann's disks have better
       surface gloss, lubrication, and lower error rates than second
       rate disks from China and Taiwan. All you do is slap a blockout
       label (which Ann can also supply) over the original disk label
       and you are in business.

       Here's something simple related to shareware marketing for
       authors and vendors. Dress up your 6 x 9 inch paper disk mailing
       envelopes with a little printed message! My following batch
       file uses a standard utility (printc from the Scanlon SEBFU
       batch file utility set) to send printer control codes to output
       double high, double wide advertising messages on the face of
       disk mailing envelopes. You can use just about any printer
       control code utility similar to printc. I actually have a huge
       linked batch file print registration letters, registration number,
       diskette sleeve messages and so forth. Notice how different
       typefaces are used on my panasonic 1124 printer as I proceed
       down the face of the 6 x 9 inch envelope. By the way, you can
       order the SEBFU batch file utility set containing PRINTC from
       the SMS GOODIES.TXT section of SMS. Here's the batch file:

       rem Next line initializes prtr, sets for small typeface
       rem and prints return address
       printc 27 64 24 27 120 1 27 107 1
       echo $hareware Marketing $ystem>prn
       echo PO Box 1506>prn
       echo Mercer Island, WA 98040>prn
       rem Next line produces a few blank lines
       printc 10 10 10 10
       rem Next line prints postal message
       echo DON'T BEND: SOFTWARE - DON'T BEND: SOFTWARE>prn
       rem Next item skips a few lines
       printc 10 10
       rem Next, set printer to double high, double wide, underlined
       printc 27 87 1 27 119 1 27 69 27 45 1 27 115 1 27 65 18
       echo The $hareware Marketing $ystem is HERE!>prn
       echo Over 4,000 key vendor addresses and>prn
       echo MASSIVE Shareware Marketing Newsletter>prn
       echo Public Brand Software says:>prn
       echo "This software rates a trophy Award!">prn
       rem Next line forces envelope to eject
       printc 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
       rem Next line resets printer
       prntc 27 64 24
       rem That's all folks

       Shareware packages of note (many of which appear in the SMS
       GOODIES section) have recently been upgraded. Contact Plus, the
       venerable and feature-rich contact manager is now better than
       ever with a tutorial and host of new features. Likewise, the
       BOXER text editor has also been updated and is turning out to be
       a marketing success story for author David Hamel. See the
       GOODIES section for further shareware package update and release
       information.

       Fast takes in good reading. Consider grabbing the book MAKING IT
       ON YOUR OWN by S. Norman Feingold and Leonard Perlman, published
       by Acropolis Books. Over 400 cutting edge ideas for businesses
       and marketing you've NEVER seen before. Business ideas like
       computer tutoring, human spare parts matching service, divorce
       mediation, truffle nurseries. $12.95. Sorry I don't have an ISBN
       number, am assuming your book vendor can track it down for you.

       Next shareware notes from around the globe. Address and
       telephone information for following contacts in the SMS file
       DATABASE.EXE.

       George Margelis, owner of the Australian disk vending operation
       Budgetware sent me a nice note on CompuServe a short while ago
       regarding his visit to the U.S. He will be landing in San
       Francisco near the end of March and then driving up to Seattle
       April 3. Should be some interesting information exchange
       regarding the Aussie shareware market and the potential for
       authors to increase registrations since George can act as an
       Australian agent to handle these matters from his office in
       Newtown, Australia. News from my sources is that George will be
       launching the premier issue of his new Australian shareware
       magazine in March called Alternative Computing Magazine. Readers
       will be served in both Australia and New Zealand. I will be
       meeting with George and other authors during the Seattle leg of
       his trip, and will update you on George's insights in the next
       edition of SMS! George also maintains a U.S. postal address if
       you want to ship him a disk update inexpensively! Address in the
       SMS database under BUDGETWARE.

       France is an interesting market for software. But there are
       pitfalls as with any foreign software venture. A key contact in
       France is Mr. Francis Burns, Langway S.A.R.L Company, 7 Avenue
       du Granier, 38240 Meylan, France. Tel: [phone] or 76411315.
       Langway, which has 3 employees, specializes in translations for
       industrial software development companies which make control
       systems, measurement devices, toll collections systems, sound
       and voice recording retrieval boards and so forth. However
       Langway can also convert software packages and translate and
       "localize" them for the French market. Localize is a hot word in
       the software and shareware international community. It means not
       only converting the words of your packages, but also providing
       suggestions for the menus, look, feel and handling of the
       package for a foreign user. Example: in Japan the familiar Lotus
       spreadsheet package is usually set to display a grid over the
       number display which is a "localized" preference of Japanese
       users. In the U.S. we usually prefer a blank screen with cell
       address bars above and to the left of the display. Localization
       is the key.

       Back to observations and discoveries about the French software
       market. Mr. Burns notes that 1) shareware is probably not a
       lucrative market in France. Not enough incentive to register and
       general distaste for shareware with its nutty menu and file
       conventions which vary widely from package to package. 2) French
       users want the package to work CLEARLY AND SIMPLY, and do not
       have ANY patience for fiddling around. The package MUST be in
       French to even warrant a glance. 3) Therefore my PC-Learn
       package will probably be translated and localized for France by
       Langway but be released as a commercial package with Langway
       handling advertising, sales and promotion. 4) Retail software
       prices in foreign countries are MUCH higher than U.S. prices.
       Mr. Burns speaks with some authority since he has also designed
       and released other software packages - for example, Astromart a
       commercial astrology program which has received HIGH marks in
       the commercial French software press. Astrology software is a
       BIG deal in France. Special thanks should be given to Mr. Burns
       who kindly shared a a list of European disk vendor addresses
       which have been appended to the main SMS database. I'll keep you
       posted on proceedings from the French quarter.

       I recently received a registration for my PC-Learn beginners
       computer tutorial from the Sultanate of Oman in the Gulf. Other
       authors might want to follow up on this one. Mr. Tim Hatch
       (Scientific Institute for English and Computers, PO Box 26717,
       Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman) is setting up a series of courses on
       computers for beginners. Needs shareware for course offerings.
       Curiously he also asked me for permission to reprint ALL of PC-
       Learn onto paper for government approval of class materials. The
       point I read between the lines is that in Muslim Middle East
       countries, STRICT religion-mandated limitations are imposed on
       printed and transmitted materials. You might want to contact Tim
       if you have something pertinent to education which is shareware.
       Potential for further registrations as his students scatter your
       disk about the middle east.

       Want to increase your registrations AND BENEFIT YOUR FELLOW MAN?
       A recent letter from Peggy Ferguson, Executive Director of the
       STEP Program of Canada (POB 497, Lower Sackville, Halifax Co,
       Nova Scotia, Canada, B4C 3G4  902/865-6170  FAX: [phone])
       outlines her unique use of shareware. Peggy coordinates a non-
       profit Canadian government facility known as the Sackville
       Training and Employment Program. It is a computer assisted
       learning facility using the PLATO system and encourages
       shareware donations to help train unemployed individuals and
       high school dropouts. Typical courses include life and work
       skills, basic math, high school skills, reading, writing,
       science, social studies, bedford accounting, lotus, dBase,
       manual accounting and data entry, wordperfect, basic computer
       literacy. Shareware disk submissions ENCOURAGED!

       Switching from Canada we hop next to Britain and the UK
       shareware market. Nick Thompson of the Thompson Partnership is a
       key player on the British shareware scene. He represents U.S.
       and foreign authors in the U.K market and acts as a full service
       agent to include package distribution, promotion, packaging and
       registration. Current ASP president Bob Ostrander recommended I
       contact Nick - a noteworthy recommendation indeed. Nick was also
       kind enough to share an extensive list of UK shareware disk
       vendor addresses which have been added to the SMS database. Nick
       Thompson can be reached at: The Thompson Partnership,
       Churchcroft, Bramshall, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. ST14 5DE
       England  Tel: [phone], FAX: [phone]  CIS:
       70007,5560. I am also reprinting in the letters to the editor
       section the text of a blank contract which Nick uses in
       representing shareware authors. Very enlightening and could
       provide outline for your own contract design when dealing with
       foreign shareware agents and brokers. I am completing
       negotiations with Nick (via Compuserve link) to represent both
       PC-Learn and SMS in the UK market.

       Next, news regarding the Summer Shareware Seminar. Quite a bit of
       additional SMS news follows this information, so keep reading!

       From Bob Ostrander:

       An updated preliminary detailed schedule for the Summer Shareware
       Seminar follows. Please note that these people are NOT confirmed
       panel members except those marked >. Those marked ? are pending
       reply

       The others are just ideas based on who I expect will attend.
       This area is very flexible right now.

       The 1992 Summer Shareware Seminar in Indianapolis is a confirmed
       go for June 19th through the 21st. Friday and Saturday will be
       full days and it will conclude with more sessions on Sunday
       morning.

       Last year 210 people attended; this year we anticipate 400. This
       necessitates a split of the forums into two tracks. This and
       hosted receptions on Thurs and Fri evenings will keep everybody
       busy.

       There are planned sessions for new and experienced authors, disk
       distributors, BBSs, and user groups. The emphasis will be on
       learning how to make the business of shareware more profitable
       for everybody. The panel discussion format with audience
       participation will be retained.

       Scheduled for Saturday evening is a gala dinner where the
       Shareware Industry Awards will be presented (organized by a
       committee of authors). This will honor the best and most
       innovative shareware products over the last 10 years.

       More complete details of who, what, etc. will be constantly
       posted in ZNT:PBS section 7 and fliers will be mailed out in
       March.

       I'll be glad to give more information via email or feel free to
       call me at 317-856-6052 (voice) 10a-8p eastern time. Bob Ostrander

       Tentative schedule:

       Thursday, June 18

        1:00p-4:00p    Open house at PBS (2 miles from hotel).
                       A shuttle bus will run from hotel lobby to PBS.

        2:00p          SIA Selection panel meets

        7:00p-9:30p    Registration open in Hotel Bar

        7:00p-??       Unofficial Get-together in Hotel
                      (ASP Sponsorship)

       Friday, June 19

        9:30a-2:30p    Registration open

        (Newcommer's Track)

       10:00a-11:00a   Writing Better Software
                       (tips for ease of use)
                               Tom Guthery - Animated educational
                               series
                             > Eric Isaacson - A86, Zipkey
                             > Marcia Meier - PBS
                             > Paul Mayer - Z-Pay Payroll Systems -
                               Grab +
                               ???

       11:15a-12:15p   Hints from the Pros I
                       (general marketing tips)
                             > Nels Anderson - Mah Jongg, etc.
                             > Gene Davis - Datamicro Inc - Lotto Prophet
                             > Ross Greenberg - Software Concepts Design -
                               Flu_Shot+
                             > Joe Kertschmer - Tea Time Software -
                               TypeTrek
                             ? Rudy Ramsey - Rams' Island Software -
                               InContext

        2:00p-3:00p    Association of Shareware Professionals
                       (the shareware trade association introduces itself
                             > Gary Elfring - Chairman of the Board
                             > Paul Mayer - Board of Directors
                             > Ron Roberts - Author Membership Chairman
                             > Eric Robichaud - Vendor Membership
                               Chairman

        3:15p-4:00p    Preparing your Distribution Version
                       (making it usable by everybody)
                             > George Abbott - Pro*Dev Software -
                               Pro*Dev Quote
                             > Bob Burns - PBS
                             > Jim Green - Software Testing Laboratories
                             > Steven Hudgik - Homecraft
                             > George Pulido - PC-Sig

        4:15p-5:00p    Writing Better Documentation
                       (making it usable by everybody)
                             > Steve Enzer - Alternative Software Bulletin
                             > Jerry Olsen - free-lance writer
                             > Rob Rosenberger - Barn Owl Software -
                               PCF Dial
                             > Dennis Scarff - PBS
                               Sigrid Vaubel - PC Doctors

       (Experienced Track)

       10:00a-11:00a   Coping with Growth
                       (becomming a full-time company)
                             > Dave Berdan - Expressware - File Express
                             > Gary Elfring - Elfring Soft Fonts
                             > Paris Kariaholios - Trius - As Easy As
                             - Randy MacLean - Formgen - Formgen
                             > Marshall Magee - Magee Enterprises -
                               Automenu

       11:15a-12:15p   Publicity from the Writers Viewpoint
                       (hints from experts)
                             > Michael Callahan - Shareware Magazine
                             > Preston Gralla - Ziff Publications
                             > Steve Townsley - PC Shareware Magazine (UK)
                             ? Trudy Neuhaus - Ziff Publications
                             > Paul Mullen - free-lance writer
                             > Jerry Olsen - free-lance writer

        2:00p-3:00p    Public Relations
                       (advertising - free and paid)
                             > Rozalia Deborde - Hooper International - TCB
                             > Ross Greenberg - Software Concepts Design -
                               Flu_Shot+
                             ? Lisa Landa - Ziff Communications
                             > Jim Perkins - Formgen - Formgen

        3:15p-5:00p    Hints from the Pros II
                       (more hints and tips (and a break in the middle)
                             ? Sidney Bursten - Sub Rosa - VP Info
                             > Rozalia Deborde - Hooper International - TCB
                             > Paris Karahalios - Trius - As Easy As
                             > Dave Berdan - Expressware - File Express
                             > Marshall Magee - Magee Enterprises - Automenu
                             > Scott Miller - Apogee Software Productions -
                               Keen
                             > Jim Perkins - Formgen - Formgen
                             > Tom Rawson - J.P. Software - 4DOS
                             > Sandy Schupper - Brown Bag Software
                             ? Bob Wallace - Quicksoft - PC-Write

        5:30p-10:00p   Display Booths open

        7:00p-10:00p   Hosted Reception (Sponsored by PBS and Display
                       Vendors)

       Saturday, June 20

        9:30a-2:00p    Registration open

       (Distributor's Track)

       10:00a-11:00a   The Disk Vendor Business
                       (how to be profitable in a changing world)
                               James Carvin - CWI
                             > Mike Comish - Software Excitement
                             > Jim Green - Shareware Testing Laboratories
                             > Erv Salski - PC-Sig
                             > Terry Ramstetter - PBS

       11:15a-12:15p   Interacting with Authors
                       (for Vendors, BBSs and User Groups)
                             > Dave Burton - PBS
                             > Adrian Mardlin - Nildram Software -
                               Flexiback Plus (UK)
                             > Eric Robichaud - Rhode Island Soft Systems -
                               Blank-It
                             > Charles Schell - Unicorn Software - SoundZ
                             > Dan Veaner - Emmasoft - Super-Maint

        2:00p-3:00p    The BBS Business
                       (how to be profitable)
                             > Nels Anderson - Xevious BBS
                               Ron Brandt - Satalink Info Systems
                             > Jay Caplan - The Consultant BBS
                             > Jim Edwards = PBS-BBS
                               Neil Fleming - Canada Remote Systems
                             > Jack Rickard - Boardwatch

        3:15p-4:00p    CD-ROM Considerations
                       (should you be in this market?)
                               Dennis Burke - Quanta Press
                               John Dilday - Advantage Plus Distributing
                               Laura Falk - Falsoft
                               Duane Franke - Digital Publishing (Shareware
                               Gold)
                             > Steve Landau - PC-Sig
                               George Mankin - HDIS Inc.

        4:15p-5:00p    Rack Vending
                       (shareware to the masses)
                             > Bill Dickson - Shareable Software
                               International
                             > Jim Green - Shareware Testing Laboratories
                             > Paul Jacobsen - Digital by Design

       (Author's Track)

       10:00a-11:00a   Going Retail
                       (getting your product in stores)
                             > Paris Karahalios - Trius - As Easy As
                             > Randy MacLean - Formgen Corp - Formgen
                             > Marshall Magee - Magee Enterprises - Automenu
                             ? Bernie Melman - Sub Rosa - VP Info
                             > Ron Roberts - Brightbill-Roberts - HyperPad

       11:15a-12:15p   Interacting with Distributors
                       (for Authors)
                             > Bill Dickson - Shareable Software Intl
                             > Jay Caplan - The Consultant BBS
                             > Bethy Couzzo - Software Excitement
                             > Craig Kerwien - ZiffNet
                             > Joyce Mosier - PBS
                               Bob Sanborn - APCUG

        2:00p-3:00p    The International Marketplace
                       (getting overseas representation)
                             > Steve Lee - Shareware Publishing (UK)
                             ? Ian Mackay - Manaccom (Australia)
                             > George Margelis - Budgetware (Australia)
                             > Nick Thompson - The Thompson Partnership
                               (UK)
                               Serge Tremont - Software International
                               (Spain)

        3:15p-4:00p    Registration Incentives
                       (what works and what doesn't)
                               Ken Flee - Jamestown Software - QFiler
                             > Rich Harper - RGH Software - TTime
                             > Dave Snyder - MVP Software - Robomaze
                               Gordon Wanner - Starlite Software - Galaxy
                               Lite
                             > Sandy Schupper - Brown Bag Software

        4:15p-5:00p    Problem Applications
                       (tough shareware markets)
                               Mark Haney - Klassm Software - Skyglobe
                             > Everett Kaser - Solitile, Snarf, Sherlock
                             > Gary McNutt - Retailware - The Retailer
                             ? Jeannine Wolf - Browse/2

        6:30p-?        Eric Isaacson's First Annual Shareware Waterslide
                       Party

        7:00p-11:00p   Shareware Industry Awards Dinner

       Sunday, June 21

       10:00a-11:00a   Legal Aspects of Shareware
                       (your questions answered by an expert)
                             > Lance Rose - Copyright and Trademark Attorney

       11:15a-12:00n   Technical Support
                       (satisfying your customer)
                             > George Abbott - Pro*Dev Software - Pro*Dev
                               Member
                             > Jeff Frownfelter - PBS
                               Jim Hass - Microfox - HDM IV
                             ? Ken Mocabee - Advanced Support Group
                             > Steve Twonsley - Shareware Marketing (UK)
                             ? Bob Wallace - Quicksoft - PC-Write

        1:00p-3:30p     ASP Membership Meeting and Luncheon


       End of schedule listing. Next, awards banquet details:



                           Shareware Industry Awards
                       ``10th Anniversary of Shareware''

          Objectives

            P/R for the industry
            Recognition of achievement
            Encouragement of excellence/new authors

          Awards

            Custom Design
            High-tech look
            One winner only - no runners up
            Presented on stage

          Venue

            Adams Mark Hotel
            2544 Executive Drive
            Indianapolis IN 46241
            [phone]

          Date & Time

            During Summer Shareware Seminar
            Saturday, June 20, 1992

            7:00 - 8:30  dinner
            8:30 - 9:30  awards
            9:30 - ????  entertainment / bar

          Awards Night

            Catered banquet
            Dress: semi-formal
            Price: $20.00/person

          Organization

            SIA and SIA logo to be owned by SIA Foundation to be
            incorporated in Indianapolis.  First Board of Directors to
            be composed of Steering Committee members:

               - Mike Callahan
               - Paris Karahalios
               - Randy MacLean
               - Bob Ostrander
               - Jim Perkins

            SIAF will be responsible for organizing and operating the
            awards as an industry-wide event on an annual basis into the
            future.  It will also control the use of the logo, sponsorship
            funds and other property associated with the awards.

            Bob is initiating the incorporation process in Indianna.

          SIA Logo

            SIA logo has been developed by Mike Coman of Shareware
            Magazine.  Lance Rose has undertaken to do the legal work
            associated with obtaining a trademark on the logo.

          Sponsorship

            Sponsors will:
               - have the right to associate with the awards on the
                 Olympic model
               - be listed on display card at podium
               - be listed in the program

            Sponsors to date:
                Budgetware ....................................$1,000
                FormGen Corp...................................$1,000
                Hooper International...........................$1,000
                Michael E. Callahan (Dr. File Finder)..........$1,000
                TRIUS, Inc.....................................$1,000
                Public Brand Software ....................$dinner bar

            Sponsorship monies to be spent on:
               - Award trophies
               - SIAF incorporation
               - SIA logo trademark
               - Decorations
               - Program printing
               - Panel meeting
               - Publicity (pre and post)
               - Professional M/C
               - Entertainment
               - Reducing the cost of the dinner
               - surpluses (if any) to be held for '93 awards

          Award Categories

            "Best of" awards:

             1. Utilities
                  Additional functionality for DOS, Windows, and other
                  (including retail) programs.  (ie. List, 4DOS, PKZIP,
                  disk copiers and catalogers, menu syetems, Icon Master,
                  Zipkey, @Last, AutoRender, PopDBF, dProg, TextOut/5,
                  WOPR, and other Ventura, Lotus, SimCity, Mean 18, Print
                  Shop, dBase support, etc.)

             2. Major Applications
                  DataBase
                  Mail List
                  Communications
                  Spreadsheet
                  Word Processing
                  Form Generation

             3. Graphics
                  CAD
                  Business Graphics
                  Clip Art
                  Graphics Utilities
                  Paint Programs

             4. Business and Finance Applications
                  Accounting, bank account management, home records, stock
                  tracking, financial calculators, specific business
                  oriented (vertical market), etc.
                  Vertical Marketing
                  Investment

             5. Programming Languages/Tools
                  Both compilers and toolboxes

             6. Education
                  General and specific applications including foreign
                  languages and computer education. Note: Teacher's
                  gradebooks, etc. are vertical market applications

             7. Entertainment

             8. Home/Hobby
                  Ham Radio, astronomy, collections databases, religion,
                  health, cookbooks, occult, lottery, sports, genealogy,
                  music, etc.

             9. Math and Engineering
                  Stats, Mandelbrot, linear programming, SPC, etc.

            This year, winners will be from the first ten years of
            shareware.  In the future, no repeat winners unless there has
            been a significant re-write of the winning software.

            10. Best new product
                  Judged by panel
                  Package must have been introduced in calendar year prior
                  to SSS.

            11. Best Overall
                  Judged by panel
                  selected for technology / utility

            12. Peoples' Choice Award
                  Award is for "best" or "technical excellence", and not
                  for popularity and is to be determined by returned user
                  ballots (information via vendor-, BBS-, and magazine-
                  polls).  Voting is open to anyone except panel and
                  steering committee.

                  A random draw from ballots recieved will be held to
                  reward the voters.  Three winners will recieve a prize
                  consisting of one registered version of each of the SIA
                  winning products.  Ballots will be sent to each ASP disk
                  vendor and BBS as the primary voting for "best of" awards
                  (ASP might let us put the ballot/letter into the group
                  mailing).

           13.  Achievement Award
                  This is an award to a person, rather than a package
                  Judged by panel
                  Recognizes outstanding achievement
                  Need not be awarded each year

          Panel

            Appointed by steering committee
            Must be knowledgeable about broad range of offerings
            Will nominate products for awards by June 1, 1992
            Will research nominated products
            Will vote on finalists in Indianapolis on Thursday, June 20,
            1992

               Bill Dickson.............Shareable Software International
               Bob Burns................PBS
               Bob Ostrander............PBS
               Craig Kerwien............ZiffNet
               George Margelis..........Budgetware (Australia)
               George Pulido............PC-SIG
               Jack Rickard.............Boardwatch Magazine
               Jerry Olsen..............freelance writer
               Jim Green................Software Testing Labs
               Mike Callahan............Shareware Magazine
               Preston Gralla...........PC Computing
               Steve Enzer..............Alternative Software Bulletin
               Steve Townsley...........Shareware Marketing (UK)
               Tom Knackstedt...........Software Excitement!

          Program:

            A program for the awards will be developed and printed.  Bob
            will handle the DTP work and manage the printing.  Should
            include:
               - schedule
               - sponsors
               - history of SIA
               - advertising???

       Hotel/Motel accomodations:

       The arrangements are finally complete with the Adam's Mark. Got
       into a bit of flack last week because of an incompetent salesman
       who didn't reserve enough space but...

       Rooms:

       Single or Double, 1 or 2 beds - $74 / night (plus 10% tax)

       MUST REFERENCE the Summer Shareware Seminar for this rate (about
       $13 off normal)

        Reserve via mail to

        Adam's Mark
        2544 Executive Dr
        Indianapolis, IN 46241

        or phone to

        317-248-2481

       (a reservation card will be in the flyer next month).

       Suites are available for an _extra_ $95 to $300 (ranging from a
       parlor to an attached room with a conference table that seats
       35). Not cheap, sorry.


       On a separate note, if you remember the somewhat crowded
       conditions last year (we expected 125 people and got 210 <G> ) -
       this is FIXED.

       The two meeting rooms will total just over 10,000 sq ft of space!
       We're set to hold more than 500 people.

       (plus 2,000 sq ft for the Thursday get-together, 4,000 for the
       Friday reception, and 3,800 for the Saturday SIA awards dinner).

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  ! WIN !         * * * 1992 Shareware Industry Awards  * * *       ! WIN !  │
│                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                       │
│ As part of the Tenth Anniversary of Shareware Celebrations in Indianapolis  │
│ this June, the first Shareware Industry Awards will be presented to the     │
│ authors of the best software in the industry.  You can participate by       │
│ voting for your favorite shareware program, and have a chance to win your   │
│ own copies of all the top programs.  Ten lucky winners will receive fully   │
│ registered versions of all 12 award winners.                                │
│                                                                             │
│ To be eligible to win, fill out the ballot below and mail it to the         │
│ address at the bottom of the form.  Winners will be selected by random      │
│ draw on June 21, 1992.  Entries must be postmarked by May 15, 1992.         │
│ ──────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Best Shareware Program:           │ Name:                                   │
│                                   │──────────────────────────────────────── │
│ ──────────────────────────────────│ Address:                                │
│ Why it's the best:                │──────────────────────────────────────── │
│                                   │ City, State:                            │
│                                   │──────────────────────────────────────── │
│                                   │ Country:                                │
│                                   │──────────────────────────────────────── │
│                                   │ Zip:                                    │
│ ──────────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────── │
│    Shareware Industry Awards   Box 279   North Andover, MA   01845-0279     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
  Contact:  Jim Perkins [phone]


                      SHAREWARE INDUSTRY AWARDS ANNOUNCED
                           BEST OF THE BEST HONORED!

       Indianapolis - As part of its 10th Anniversary of Shareware
       celebrations, the shareware industry will honor its best
       shareware authors and publishers at the Shareware Industry
       Awards.

       The Awards ceremony promises to be the highlight of the Summer
       Shareware Seminar, to be held this year between June 19 and 21 in
       Indianapolis, Indiana.  It will be a formal occasion on the
       Saturday evening during the seminar.  The winners will be
       presented with their award at the Awards ceremony to recognize
       their outstanding achievement.

       Awards will be presented in fourteen categories, including Best
       New Utility, Best New Major Application, Education,
       Entertainment, the People's Choice Award, and the Lifetime
       Achievement Award.

       The Summer Shareware Seminar is a full three day event where
       authors and publishers meet to exchange technology and marketing
       experiences, benefit from the expertise of industry leaders, and
       introduce new products to the press and major vendors.  All
       shareware authors, publishers and vendors are invited. Contact:
           FormGen Corp., 13 Holland Drive, Bolton, Ont. L7E 1G4
           [phone]   [phone]   FAX: [phone]

       End of Summer Shareware Seminar news. Time to switch gears . . .



       Let's talk about credit. In the last issue of SMS I mentioned
       the ins and outs of obtaining merchant status so your customers
       can pay for shareware orders and registrations with a credit
       card. The other side of the coin is locating the lowest rate
       card or bank for your own personal credit card. Consider
       obtaining a monthly update to CardTrack published by Ram
       Research which surveys 300 largest credit card issuing banks and
       organizations. The list provides names and phone numbers for
       cards with lowest customer rates nationally. For latest issue of
       CardTrack send $5 to Card Track, POB 1700, Frederick, MD 21702.
       Or call Ram Research at 301/695-4660.

       Want to be a better shareware author? Broaden your educational
       horizon with radio. My favorite program is Marketplace - a light
       and VERY lively review of business news. Marketplace follows
       another one of my radio favorites: All things considered.

       You may have to make a few calls to local radio stations in your
       community to locate the Public Radio or Educational channel.
       Here in Seattle All Things is carried on KUOW (94.9 FM) both
       mornings and evenings with Marketplace in the evenings
       immediately following All Things. Once you have listened to
       Marketplace for business news, you'll be hooked! Marketplace can
       also be contacted at the following address: Marketplace Radio,
       Los Angeles, CA 90089. Telephone: [phone]. Tapes of
       previous broadcasts and lists of national affiliate stations are
       available.

       And while on the subject of radio, note that industry columnist
       John Dvorak began broadcasting a nationally syndicated radio
       program in early January of this year. Lots of computer industry
       gossip and celebrity visits. For a station in your area, contact
       Cybernet Radio Network, 213 Upper Terrace, San Francisco, CA
       94117. Final tip: set a timer to tape record programs you might
       miss then listen to a cassette in the car when opportunity
       presents itself!

       Sign of the times department: clearly commercial software
       companies are profoundly aware of the shareware channel. In an
       interesting marketing move which further validates shareware
       marketing channel vigor, Central Point Software of Oregon released a
       special shareware version of their Anti-Virus program configured
       to detect the Michelangelo virus. The special edition of the
       program was released on February 21 and required a mere 5 days
       to reach most major BBS systems and vendors throughout America -
       a validation of the maturity and size of the shareware
       distribution channel. The virus detection package also helps
       expose a functional, though limited, working copy of the popular
       Central Point Software program which should boost sales for
       their full featured version in the future. Central Point
       Software BBS (2400 bps) [phone] CompuServe: GO CENTRAL.

       What's hot and what's not department: an edition of SMS would
       not be complete without a scan of shareware programs which have
       made the top seller's list among vendors. Let's pause and
       discover what's hot!

       Shareware Express, Ashland, Oregon disk vendor, placed the
       following hot programs on their top ten list. In order of
       popularity: Print Partner, World29, Windows Icons, Skyglobe,
       Zipkey, Music Trans, LQ, Family Fun, King of Kroz, BOOT.SYS.

       The January edition of PC Sources Magzine recommended: Checkmate
       Plus, dtSearch, 4DOS, Instacalc, List, Telix, VSUM, Wampum, and
       Winbatch. Actual top ten weere Commander Keen, Viruscan,
       Skyglobe, Duke Nukem, Icondraw, Desktop Paint, By Design, Print
       Partner, Animated Math and As-Easy-As. Finally, recommended DOS
       5.0 utilities in that same issue were DOS 5.0 Memory management
       kit, TSR utilities ver 3.1, and DV Tree.

       The March-April edition of Shareware Magazine, published in
       affiliation with PC-SIG awarded top ten ranking to Duke Nukem,
       Viruscan, SkyGlobe, School Mom, Crystal Caves, Graphics
       Workshop, Print Partner, PKZIP, and Zipkey.

       The previous January-Febrary edition of Shareware Magazine
       bestowed editor choice awards on 4DOS, 4Print, Animated Series,
       As-Easy-As, Back and Forth, Boxer Editor, Commander Keen, Duke
       Nukem, Command Post, Commo, Contact Plus, EZ-Format, Form Gen,
       Frac, Gogol Math, Grab Plus, Hard Disk Director, HDM IV, Hooper
       Finance, LCD, List, Logik Menu, Metz Utilities, Moraff Games,
       PC-File, Paint Shop, PC-Write Standard Level, PK Menu, PKZIP,
       TSR Download, Laserjet soft fonts, Unicom, Viruscan, VPIC,
       Zipkey, 4Edit, 4zip, Boot.sys, PMK and School Mom.

       Houtston, TX based PSL awarded best of 1991 awards to: Wincheck,
       Painless Payroll, Verbal Vanquish, Pre & Grade School, Commander
       Keen, Due Nukem, Jumpman Lives, Crystal caves, Dark Ages,
       Robomaze, Fairy Godmom, Hugo II, Whodunit, Intra-Galactic
       battles, Quatris Pro, Friday Night Poker, Las Vegas Craps,
       Desktop Paint, Interstate Traveler, Starware, Fastmenu Gold,
       Back Desk, Fish and Iconmaster.

       Finally, PC Shareware Magazine, a publication from England
       published by Steve Lee of Shareware Limited, noted in their
       recent, March 1992 edition that top twenty shareware programs in
       the UK were in order of priority: Driving Simulators, Commander
       Keen, Page Financial Controller, Draft Choice, Educational Word
       Games, Optiks, Imageprint, Primary Education 2, Desktop Paint,
       As-Easy-As, Amy's First Primer, Flodraw, EasyCASE, Advanced
       Utils 3, Wampum, PCX Borders, Graphics Workshop, Hornback PCX,
       French and Sharespell. This listing is interesting because,
       unlike other vendors, symbols next to each program shown in the
       Magazine indicate a "rising and fallling" in position of the
       program compared to the last listing. Sort of like a music album
       listing which shows who has risen and fallen since the last top
       twenty listing. Clever?

       Let's continue the last paragraph for a moment. PC Shareware
       Magazine from Shareware Limited is an ASTONISHING resource.
       Shareware is a VERY popular and highly visible software style in
       the UK. The density of information of the magazine and its
       companion order catalog is a meaty 80 pages for the March 92
       edition, substantially beyond the size and publication frequency
       of similar U.S. publications.

       PC Shareware Magazine articles scan a spectrum of topics: new
       international vendors and agents, specific games and titles
       localized to European shareware markets, author news, program
       reviews, program ratings and exceptional illustrations and screen
       dumps. The advertising from shareware disk vendors is dense,
       full-page and richly illustrated. Author interviews with the
       likes of Tom Rawson (4DOS, J P Software) and Dave Shulz/Paris
       Karacalios (As-Easy-As, Trius, Inc) delve into how shareware
       programs are developed and marketed effectively.

       I recently made arrangements with Steve Lee of Shareware Limited
       to exchange subscriptions to our mutual publications as well
       as mutually draw news items from each other's publications which
       should prove valuable for SMS readers. Incidentally, the
       companion shareware disk catalog from Shareware Limited, simply
       called the Shareware Book is a modified version of the familiar
       Public Brand Software catalog with UK and European shareware
       offerings added. PC Shareware Magazine. Publisher: Steve Lee.
       Editor: Ken Hughes, Belgrave House, POB 43, Rossendale,
       Lancashire BB4 5PJ. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. PC
       Shareware Magazine readers and editors also hang out on
       Compuserve at GO UKSHARE. US subscriptions are available.

       If you work with mailing lists as a vendor or shareware author,
       sooner or later you bump into the need to convert database
       formats. Customers, vendors and authors swap mailing lists like
       crazy and the variety of data formats is insane. Hot new
       product: DBMS/COPY converts INCREDIBLE NUMBER of formats and
       also does SOPHISTICATED DATA MANIPULATION AND ANALYSIS. Formats
       which can be interchanged and translated include: Macintosh
       ASCII, IBM ASCII, free format, SPSS, entrypoint, Alpha Four,
       Clarion, Fox, GURU, Smartware, Reflex, dBase, Knowledgeman,
       Axum, Sigma, Excel, 123, DIF, Quattro, Symphony, ACT accounting,
       BASS, STAT pack and DOZENS MORE! Once you have the data you can
       run MIND BOGGLING ANALYSIS and string manipulations to include
       log, gamma, date, time, binomial, inverse, matrix math, trig
       functions, upper lower case conversions, string conversions,
       right/left justify and TONS MORE manipulations. Get the brochure
       and check out this product which will blow you away if you work
       with varied database formats: DBMS/COPY PLUS for DOS. SPSS Inc.,
       444 North Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611  800/543-9258.

       Neat stuff department: We've all seen imprinted products. Things
       like pens and t-shirts with company logos imprinted. But if you
       stop and think for a moment, disk vendors could do some
       interesting promotions with the concept as well as authors
       promoting package registrations. One of the COOLEST catalogs of
       promotional imprinted merchandise comes from Sales Guides and
       contains a gorgeous assortment of goodies onto which you could
       imprint your company logo or name: pens, glasses, toolkits,
       calendars, address books, post-it note pads, watches,
       calculators and on and on. Much the merchandise is VERY high
       quality and would make a good impression on ANY potential
       customer. Get the catalog and decide for yourself. Sales Guides,
       10510 N. Port Washington Rd, Mequon, WI 53092-9986  800/352-9899
       or FAX: [phone].

       Fred Parker has shipped his first mailing list disk of shareware
       customers and clients to authors participating in the shareware
       SWAPS program. For some authors, this may be an affordable low
       key, low cost alternative to ASP membership. Fred's initial disk
       for SWAPS members contains THOUSANDS of mailing addresses of
       shareware users/customers and the shareware package types they
       have registered! The source of this list is dozens of author-
       pooled customer lists which are compiled, cleaned and checked
       for dupes. Fabulous resource! Fred also maintains a central
       mailing list of all shareware author addresses for the benefit
       of the industry. I'll reprint some of the SWAPS program goals
       shortly, but first Fred's address: Fred Parker, POB 4684, West
       Palm Beach, FL 33402  407/687-7738

                SWAPS (Shareware Authors' Promotional Services)

       Central to the plan is to create a shareware focal point to
       reduce distribution costs and increase author registrations.
       SWAPS is a for-profit, member supported program, conceived and
       managed by USE-FULL(TM) SOFTWARE ANTHOLOGIES, Fred's company, to
       promote shareware authors' financial interests.

       Premises:

       1) One thousand, or more, shareware authors, with common
       interests, working in concert, can achieve and earn more at
       lower costs than an equal number of authors working alone.

       2) Income earned from individual effort is limited by one's
       time, energy and available capital. Income earned from the
       efforts of others can be unlimited.

       Based on these premises, SWAPS goals are to:

       1) Enroll all shareware authors in the SWAPS program. 2) Enroll
       vendor, BBS, computer clubs and user members. 3) Establish a
       central BBS distribution point through which all member software
       and updates shall pass. Authors upload to one BBS, authors have
       no postage or material costs. 4) Vendors, BBSs and other members
       download from one up-to-date source. Huge mailing costs to
       authors becomes a small cost to vendors who will profit most.
       Authors save time and avoid telephone charges uploading to
       multiple BBS systems. No modem? No problem. SWAPS can upload it.
       5) Encourage a 25% courtesy discount on registrations among
       members. Members will have an incentive to promote and place
       registration orders for other members products. Creates more
       income for members in a recession prone economy. 6)
       Maintain the current address for members who move. 7) Promote
       sharing of information about contract programming, joint
       ventures and other employment opportunities.

       In the last few weeks, SWAPS has already referred one registrant
       seeking a software program to an author who could fill the need
       - matching of customers to programs and authors. Other
       successful matches include address referral to a vendor seeking
       to register an author's program, author referral to a local
       business seeking a QB2 programmer.

       Future services may grow to include:

       1) Coop mailings among members 2) Credit card registration
       service and processing 3) Introduce Peer awards for author
       member programs 4) Coordinate reciprocal beta testing among
       authors 5) International distribution of shareware 6) Quantity
       discount buying for systems and supplies 7) Assistance to new
       authors 8) Regional service centers operated by authors 9) Track
       downloads of each author's program and post information in
       private message center 10) Encourage vendor members to provide
       program sales figures for compilation and posting. Vendors only
       need upload sales by program to one board. Overcomes excessive
       workload objection. 11) Maintain member directory 12) Maintain
       registered users mail list.

       SWAPS charter members would receive a 15 month, first year
       subscription since some services would not be available for 3
       to 6 months from start-up.

       Comments about the feasibility of this program appreciated.
       Replies to Fred Parker at addresses listed above.

       "Free advice" tips from Fred Parker for SWAPS authors: Stop using
       cardboard disk mailers (increases postage by .23 and cost .24
       each). Instead use paper 6 x 9 envelopes (.04 each). Savings:
       .47 per mail piece saved x 300 pieces = $141 savings! Avoid pre-
       printed envelopes: 6 x 9 envelopes pre-printed cost .10 each.
       Instead use gummed shipping labels which you print with your
       printer at about .012 each. Savings: .088 x 300 per average
       mailing = $26.40. Use rubber stamp reading "Computer disks -
       Do not bend" at one time cost of $3.50. Do not use pre-printed
       disk labels which cost .07 each. Use Terry Lustofin's "Piclabel"
       or F. Verser's "Labelmaker" software programs. Savings: .07 x
       300 = $21.00.

       Included with the SWAPS mailing was a BEAUTIFUL full color
       brochure on the BOXER text editor by author Dave Hamel who
       PREPARED THE BROCHURE HIMSELF. Dave might just have discovered a
       skill more authors can use! Also included with the SWAPS mailing
       is the Shareware Sales Tracker software program which has been
       added to the SMS GOODIES section.

       Need to dabble in converting parts of your program to Windows?
       George Cole (14608 - 25th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98166  206/246-
       3647) programs in Visual Basic which is a FAST development
       system - you might find some synergy contacting George if you
       have been considering producing a Windows product. George is
       working on a Windows conversion of my PC-Learn package.

       Want to learn about advanced and automated methods of testing
       software? Neat factoids like how your software upgrades can
       degrade another part of your software system once installed, top
       down versus bottom up testing, using CASE tools and event
       positioning for software testing, code doping, reverse software
       engineering and more. Consider attending the "Improving the
       software testing process" seminars to be given by Data Tech of
       Clifton, New Jersey. Seminars are held as follows: May 4-5,
       Atlanta. May 7-8, Dallas. May 11-12, Phoenix. June 8-9, Seattle.
       June 22-23, Chicago. June 25-26, San Jose. For information
       contact DATA TECH, POB 2429, Clifton, NJ 07015. VOICE: 201/478-
       5400. FAX: [phone].

       Automated software testing system which generates custom reports
       for the suite of tests you design. Non-intrusive, hardware
       assisted. Can also test mainframes and minis. Elverex Evaluator,
       Eastern Time Inc., POB 310, 117 S. St., Hopkinton, MA 01748.
       508/435-2151.

       A few words about SDN, also known as the Shareware Distribution
       Network. This not-for-profit group is represented by BBS sysops
       who believe strongly in the principle of shareware and are
       dedicated to rapid and highly organized distribution among BBS
       systems. Both ASP and non-ASP shareware is distributedby this
       efficient national network of BBS systems. As a key organization
       for shareware marketing, authors should consider contacting Ray
       Kaliss who is the SDN project manager at his address or BBS
       listed in the main SMS database mailing list.

       You may be able to legally limit your tax liability by forming
       an S Corporation which avoids double taxation on corporate tax
       status. Book available: How an S Corporation can Save you Tax,
       by Joseph Oliver, CPA. $14.95 plus $2.50 shipping. Enterprise
       Publishing, 725 N. Market St, Dept VL-1XL, Wilmington, DE 19801.

       Speaking of taxes, you can locate some tasty CompuServe files
       having to do with taxes and advice for those working from home.
       GO Work, Library 9 for the following. SETAX.THD expains
       stragegies on self-employment tax and retaining a larger share
       of earnings. WTHKID.THD discusses proper tax procedures on
       witholding for employment of your own children in your business.
       STRTUP.THD presents a clear explanation of start-up expenses,
       equipment pruchases and tax liabilities. BUYCAP.THD presents
       notes on buying capital equipment such as furniture, computers
       and other capital expenditures. BOOKS.THD discusses proper
       bookkeeping methods and ways to save time and energy on
       your accounting records.

       Several shareware authors contacted me last month regarding
       organizations involved with the disabled and computing
       applications - such as software, hardware and shareware - for
       that unique market. A brief list of contact organizations which
       should assist authors and vendors interested in that market:

       AbleData, Adaptive Equipment Dept, Newington Children's
       Hospital, 181 E Cedar St, Newington, CT 06111 800/344-5405

       Accent on Information, POB 700, Bloomington, IL 61702
       309/378-2961.

       Apple Computer, Office of Special Educ. and Rehab., 20525
       Mariani Ave. MS 43F, Cupertino, CA 95014  408/996-1010

       Closing the Gap, POB 68, Henderson, MN 56044  612/248-3294

       Direct Link of the Disabled, POB 1036, Solvang, CA 93463
       805/688-1603

       Easter Seals Systems Office, 5120 S. Hyde Park Blvd, Chicago, IL
       60615  312/667-8626

       IBM National Support Center for People with disabilities,
       POB 2150, Atlanta, GA 30055  800/426-2133

       Proceedings of Johns Hopkins National Search for Computing
       Applications to Assist Persons with Disabilities. IEEE Computer
       Society Press, 10662 Los Vaqueros Circle, POB 3014, Los
       Alamitos, CA 90720-1264

       American Foundation for the Blind, 15 W. 16th St, NY, NY 10011
       212/620-2000

       Trace Research and Devmpmnt, Univ of Wisconson, Madison Room S-
       151, Waisman Ctr, 1500 Highland Ave., Madison WI 53705
       608/262-6966

       National ALS Association, 21021 Ventura Blvd, Ste 321, Woodland
       Hills, CA 91364  818/340-7500

       Next, let's discuss online databases which you might find
       surprising marketing resources. Advanced modem users are going
       to shrug and say they can access this through a CompuServe
       gateway. WRONG! You can usually access a SUBSET of the data, not
       the entire database! For MUSCULAR MARKET RESEARCH you need to go
       online direct to the database.

       A 1990 Small Business Association survey revealed that of 2,000
       businesses owning a PC, few were using it for marketing research
       with business and marketing databases available via modem. These
       databases reveal new customers, potential geographic marketing
       concepts, foreign trade possibilities, suppliers, competitors and
       key executive contacts. Online census data can be accessed to
       determine a precise geographic area which is ideal for a new
       product introduction.

       Next, a listing of specialized online database services. Calling
       a specialized database directly may yield more detailed
       information since gateway services such as Compuserve obtain
       only a PORTION of the entire database. Realize that there are
       over 4,250 online databases of specialized research and business
       data!

       Two master indexes are available which describe ALL online
       services. The directory of Online Databases is available for $75
       from Cuadra Associates and can be found on the Orbit service at
       800/456-7248 or DataStar at 800/221-7754. You might also
       consider the more detailed Computer Readable Databases index for
       $165 from Gale Research which is available through Dialog at
       800/334-2564.

       Databases of interest in alphabetical order:

       BRS Gateway. 800/345-4277, 800/289-4277. Accesses many business
       and special research databases described within this tutorial.

       Business Dateline. 800/626-2823 or 502/589-5575. Complete text
       articles of over 200 US and Canadian business magazines. Also
       available on CD ROM. Also available through Dow Jones News,
       Nexis and other services.

       Businessline. 800/866-2255. Statistical reporting servce on over
       8 million businesses, including number of employees, sales line,
       number of businesses in a geographical area in a specific
       product line.

       BusinessWire. 800/227-0845 or 415/986-4422. Carries announcements
       and press releases about new products, services, research
       findings, financial reports. Also available through Delphi, Dow
       Jones, and other services.

       Cendata. 301/763-4100. Economic data on domestic and foreign
       business trade including retails sales, building permits,
       employee staffing levels, etc.

       Conference Board Abstract Data base. 317/872-2045 or 800/421-
       8884. Specialized research areas on business management,
       decision making, case studies in management of individual
       companies, speeches by corporate executives, management
       consultants and government researchers. Topics also coverlabor
       relations, merit pay, executive
       compensation.

       Consumer Spending Forecast. 215/660-6300. Forecasts and past
       historical trends on consumer spending, credit use patterns,
       retail sales.

       Consumer Trends. 212/725-4550 or 212/725-5954. Contains
       references, citations and cross referenced bibliography
       regarding consumer trends articles and research.

       Corptech. 617/932-3939 or 800/333-8036. Profiles of small and
       emerging growth companies or those with innovative technology.
       Useful for identifying customers for your product or candidates
       for stock purchase, merger, technology transfers or mutual
       research arrangements.

       Daily Developments. 317/872-2045 or 800 421-8884. Contains over
       180,000 articles concerning governmental actions, pending
       legislation, environmental developments, international trade,
       tax rulings and similar topics. Track the evolution of a
       regulation which may affect your business from introduction
       through final enactment. Usaeful for personnel professionals
       needing latest insights on legislation concerning employee
       rights, unions, urban planning, drug and alcohol abuse. Superb
       up to date information on tax legislation.

       Dialog Information Services. 800/334-2564. Accesses many
       business and financial database services.

       Disclosure Database. 212/581-1414. UIpdated financial reporting
       data on over 14,000 publicly owned companies whose stocks are
       traded on the NYSE and other public exchanges. Also available
       through Compuserve, BRS, Dow Jones and other services.

       Donnelly Demographics. 203/353-7474. Contains US census data
       which is highly valuable to marketing and sales analysts. Useful
       for planning expansions of retail stores or analyzing a region's
       labor pool by age, education and race. Includes Arbitron Press
       Areas of Dominant Influence, AC Nielsen Desginated Market areas.
       Also includes current and five year projected estimates and
       demographic analysis of US census data.

       Dow Jones News. 609/520-4000. Timely business, financial and
       government news bulletins which include articles from Wall
       Street Journal and Barrons National Business. Business and
       market professionals can learn about emerging legislation,
       business mergers, economic forecasts, financial disclosures and
       banking regulations hours before general media report the story.

       DRI/NPDC County Business Patterns Service. 800/541-9914 or
       617/860-6385. US county employment data including SIC code and
       business patterns census data. Includes payroll, staffing,
       number of firms referenced by number of employees.

       Dun's Million Dollar Directory. 800/526-9018. Contains
       financial, marketing and address data for over 190,000 companies
       whose net worth exceeds $500,000. Also available on Dialog.

       EconBase. 215/667-6000. Unique analytical database with state by
       state or industry tabulations of foreign currency changes over
       time, electricity use, agricultural output or use of aluminum.
       Useful for forecasting, business relocation planning, raw
       materials planning, economic trends, manufacturing output. Data
       recorded back to 1948.

       Encyclopedia of Assocations. 313/961-2242 or 800/521-0707. As
       its name suggests this online service descriptively lists
       national and international associations, trade groups, unions,
       societies, non-profits, clubs and patriotic groups. Over 77,000
       groups in all. Knowing the right organization can point you in
       the right direction to authorities on a given topic or field.
       VERY useful for shareware authors trying to nail down a market
       niche and needing to find a starting point!

       Harvard Business Review Online. 212/850-6000. Contains full
       transcript of all articles of the esteemed Harvard Business
       Review from 1976 to the present. Business topics include
       statistics, marketing, ethics, automation, robotics, foreign
       trade, forecasting, negotiating and employee training.

       Insiderline. 301/738-1400 or 800/231-DATA. Provides up to the
       minute specialized information on corporate executive stock
       trades as required by SEC forms 3 and 4. Trader name, company
       postion, share volume traded, value, total shares owned.

       Market Analysis and Information Database. 212/245-3513. Over
       36,000 reports on marketing methods and trends for specific
       industries and countries. Electronics, agriculture, silk screen
       printing, food and beverage, consumer habits, demographics and
       more. Covers over 730 business and trade publications in 22
       languages - all translated into English. Newsline servce offers
       fast breaking trends and is updated daily.

       Mead Data Central. Nexis Research Service. 800/277-9597.
       800/277-8379.

       Moody's 5000 Plus. News and financial reporting data on 14,000
       companies which are publicly traded. Also available on CD ROM.

       NewsNet. 800/345-1301. News and business database service.

       Newsearch 800/227-8431 or 415/378-5329. Index of over 4,200 news
       stories, books, reports and libraries on businesses, products,
       finance, marketing trends.

       Standard and Poor's News Service. 212/208-8622. High level
       financial reporting data on over 18,000 companies to include
       mergers, aquisitions, management and staffing, earnings.

       Telescan Financials. 713/952-1060. Allows investors to scan over
       10,000 stock offerings for particular investment profile such as
       SIC code, profits to earnings, price, etc. Historical data
       reveal a target company profile and growth. Complete transcripts
       and analysis of trade shows, investment seminars, wire service
       news.

       Thomas Register. 212/290-7291. Who makes what and where in the
       U.S. Over 160,000 businesses, 50,000 classes of products and
       over 100,000 trade names of products. Also available on
       Compuserve. HOT shareware source since you can search for
       addresses of key contact business in a specific niche, from
       plumbing to video rentals.

       Trade and Industry Index. 800/227-8431 or 415/378-5329. Index to
       over three million articles on industry, trade, commerce. Also
       available on CD ROM.

       TriNet. 201/267-3600 or 800/874-6381. Information on over
       200,000 private and public companies. Arranged by conventional
       SIC code categories. Private company information is especially
       difficult to obtain and TriNet seems to the the best and
       locating it.

       Western Union. 800/527-5184 Gateway for most major business
       databases.

       Next, for those joining SMS for the first time, a reprint of news
       from the previous Winter edition . . .

        --------------------------------------------------------------
                     Newsletter: Winter 1991-1992 Edition
        --------------------------------------------------------------

       Welcome to the Winter 1991-1992 edition of SMS! The flow of
       marketing specific information within the shareware industry is
       nothing less than phenomenal. The information density which
       arrives daily by telephone and postal delivery is apparently
       bottomless. It is not unusual that most mornings require almost
       45 minutes just to open the mail directed to SMS, let alone
       read it. Rest assured, though, I scan the content of every piece
       and weave the best ideas into each quarterly SMS edition. I want
       to thank our readers and contributors for their VALUABLE
       suggestions, press releases and ideas. If anything, send MORE so
       that shareware will continue to grow and vendors and authors
       can benefit mutually. Let's begin the Winter 1991-1992
       newsletter . . .

       Please note that SMS prices for registration and subscription -
       previously at $25 and $90, respectively - will be revised to
       $49.95 for registration and $175.00 for subscription on January
       1, 1992 to reflect costs of production, research and support
       necessary for a large package of this type. Current registrants
       and subscribers who have paid for SMS will have those agreements
       honored at current prices. Vendors who distribute SMS should
       note the revised price structure in their shareware catalogs.

       An additional note. Vendors who are not paid SMS subscribers and
       who wish to CONTINUE receiving four free quarterly SMS updates,
       need to help SMS. Vendors are now REQUIRED to submit four press
       releases to SMS annually about shareware industry news to remain
       on our mailing list and receive four free quarterly unregistered
       SMS updates. News examples: what shareware disks are popular
       orders, programs you wish authors would prepare, marketing
       changes, new ideas you'll be pursuing, ASP news items, changes
       of address, a letter from a customer with an intersting problem
       or shareware question, etc. You may continue to carry older SMS
       editions if you choose not to keep us updated, of course. Press
       release preferred on disk in ASCII. News items on paper hardcopy
       accepted as an alternative. Vendors who already provide press
       releases or are paid subscribers are obviously exempt from this
       requirement.

       The reason for this change is that MANY vendors are requesting
       free quarterly SMS updates but apparently, judging from lack of
       registrations derived from certain vendors, producing little
       actual distribution of SMS.

       Let's move on and pass along a tip for vendors:

       Most disk vendors would sit straight up if I said I knew a sure
       fire way to DOUBLE YOUR REPEAT DISK ORDERS FROM NEW CUSTOMERS.
       It is amazing no vendor has thought of doing the obvious: a
       short videotape on how to use shareware with highlights from a
       few simple shareware packages. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE
       MARKETING POWER OF A VIDEOTAPE FOR NEW SHAREWARE USERS. Let's
       expand this . . .

       The one complaint I hear from vendors is they receive an order
       from a first time customer and TYPICALLY nothing more. Shareware
       is an odd commodity for a first time user WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST
       POTENTIAL REORDER SOURCE. Funny file names, strange conventions,
       documentation on disk. Some new users can learn about shareware
       by reading "quick help guides" in vendor catalogs, but EVERYBODY
       can watch and learn from a good videotape. Some REALLY SHARP
       VENDOR will sooner or later plop a video output board into a pc,
       and generate a short videotape along the lines of my own
       SHAREWARE USERS TUTORIAL diskette which can be found either
       inside my PC-Learn package or as a freestanding User's Tutorial
       available from the goodies section of SMS. Do a little post
       production work on a video editor, add sound, some nice animated
       screen dumps of a word processor, spreadsheet, a couple of
       games, a business application and a household manager. Fold in a
       mini DOS lesson. Wrap the whole thing up in UNDER 20 MINUTES
       RUNNING TIME. Charge folks raw cost for the blank cassette,
       maybe $2.00. Do an in house version with your logo and a generic
       version which can be licensed to other vendors. Warning: if you
       do a second class production job you can expect second class
       results. Look at some of Apple Computer's hardware and software
       videotapes: short, totally professional, small budget. Look at
       Compuserve's video demo.

       Second step in shareware/videotape marketing: video catalogs
       from vendors highlighting screen dumps and COLORFUL PROGRAM
       RUNTIME SEQUENCES from new monthly releases. Have the AUTHOR OF
       THE PROGRAM narrate how and why it works. Most authors would
       jump at the chance and viewers would get to meet the genius
       behind the code! Just interview the author over the phone and
       then audio mix in his comments at post production time. Third
       step: yearly or quarterly "best of shareware" videotapes. Fourth
       step: business and corporate video tape demos of the best and
       most powerful shareware business applications mailed to key
       corporate shareware users. Fifth step: work with authors of top
       selling packages to produce complete video documentation and
       demos of their packages. Send me a beta videotape soon for
       review in SMS!

       Public Brand Software of Indianapolis Indiana (address
       information in the main SMS mailing list) is on the move. Their
       latest purple cover version of the famous PBS catalog (Vol. 7,
       No. 4) represents an interesting variation of the current orange
       cover PBS catalog which also remains available. The new purple
       catalog features a redesign by Ziff-Davis. Same descriptions and
       similar content as the orange catalog, but a different look. So
       what does this mean for other vendors and authors?

       In talking with PBS staffer BOB OSTRANDER several things are on
       the horizon. The computer publications goliath Ziff-Davis
       recently bought PBS and is now probing more deeply into
       shareware marketing. The new purple catalog, according to
       Ostrander, is a Ziff-Davis marketing trial which will be sent to
       a large number of computer users to see how it sells. On the
       horizon is a second redesign and additional customer mailing to
       see how a second catalog concept might work. Market testing on a
       grand scale as Ziff-Davis zeros in on what designs and mailing
       lists produce the best results.

       Bob Ostrander also shared with me another insight: PBS is
       currently running four, 9,600 baud modems day and night
       transferring copies of the entire PBS library to Ziff-Davis'
       ZIFFNET operation on Compuserve. In fact, suggests Bob, another
       reason Ziff-Davis acquired PBS is to make available IN ONE FELL
       SWOOP the contents of the PBS library for CD-ROM. It is hard
       work to select shareware titles, write descriptions, prepare
       catalogs and maintain a good shareware library. By acquiring
       PBS, Ziff-Davis thus obtains 1) completely updated and indexed
       material for a profitable CD-ROM library of shareware 2) a
       substantial upgrade to their ZIFF NET online service 3) a way to
       use their substantial mailing lists in another market.

       In my OPINION things are gearing up rapidly at PBS for a
       marketing shift of considerable importance. Ziff-Davis has two
       things a shareware vendor needs: 1) substantial mailing lists of
       computer users and 2) money for SERIOUS market test mailings. By
       changing the design format of their catalog I read between the
       lines that PBS is gearing up for a determined marketing effort.
       Some time ago I talked to  staffer Bob Ostrander who mentioned
       that his days in direct mail marketing taught him that several
       times of the year are excellent seasons to mail out promotional
       catalogs - right after holidays such as Christmas being one
       example. Things could get very serious for other shareware
       vendors as PBS emerges in this muscular new course.

       Another comment Bob Ostrander made confirms my own suspicions
       from other sources: THE SHAREWARE INDUSTRY IS NOT RECESSION-
       PROOF. Many mid sized vendors are reporting decreases in disk
       sales of up to 50% over the same time last year. The numbers do
       not appear as bad at the very largest and very smallest vendors,
       but the mid sized distributors - those with moderately high
       overhead and moderately large operations or storefronts - are
       suffering.

       Note that June 19, 20 and 21 of this year will mark the second
       annual SUMMER SHAREWARE SEMINAR in Indianapolis, Indiana. This
       three day seminar is the equivalent of COMDEX to the shareware
       industry! Last year's event was attended by hundreds of authors
       and vendors eager to learn about the latest trends and
       technology in shareware marketing, design and distribution.
       Everything from international marketing to BBS systems. This is
       the one to attend if you are SERIOUS about shareware! Note that
       this year a SPECIAL AWARDS BANQUET is in planning which will
       select shareware programs and people who have made a positive
       difference! Expect to see categories and awards for BEST NEW
       PACKAGE and other awards. According to the latest issue of
       Shareware Magazine, expect to see awards in categories such as
       Best New Utility, Best New Major Application, Education,
       Entertainment and People's Choice Award.

       According to Bob Ostrander, ballots will be made available to a
       variety of industry sources and the final selection will
       represent the best and brightest shareware individuals and
       packages! Audio tapes of last years proceedings are still
       available if you would like a flavor of what is to come.
       Representatives from the largest vendors, authors, international
       distributors, BBS sysops and computer clubs will be in
       attendance. Fabulous opportunity! For more information, contact
       PBS at 800/426-DISK or write Public Brand Software, POB 51315,
       Indianapolis, IN 46251.

       Page 58 of the PBS catalog also features an updated list of
       successful shareware authors, some of which may give you STRONG
       marketing ideas about what REALLY SELLS IN THE SHAREWARE
       ARENA. Examples:

       Bob Ainsbury: Technojocks Toolboxes. Nels Anderson: Cipher, EGA
       Trek, Mah Jongg, Shooting Gallery. Chris Anthistle: Payroll USA,
       Payroll Canada. Alan Avery: Elftree. Gene Davis: Lotto Prophet.
       Vern Berg: List, Arce, FV. John Friel: PC-Disk, Qmodem. Mark
       Harris: LQ, Active Life. Dick Kelly: Billpower, Ramdesk. Frank
       LaRosa: Searchlight BBS. Keith Phipps: Sagewords. Hans
       Salvisberg: Boot.sys. Karl Thompson: Solveit!, Amortizeit! Dan
       Veaner: Darn! Neil Wagstaff: Family Ties.

       And a final note from Bob Ostrander: Currently the ASP is doing
       COOP mailings (many author's disks share one mailing package to
       selected disk vendors) of about one COOP mailing per month. This
       applies only to ASP members and the mailing is, apparently, only
       to ASP vendors. Other channels are opening up for using this
       powerful marketing method by independent authors, and I'll keep
       you posted as the situation evolves.

       Over at Seattle disk vendor Shareware Outlet, Inc. dynamic
       changes are afoot. I had a pleasant afternoon meeting with
       corporate president THOMAS BOOKHAMER who explained several new
       marketing ideas which are evolving at that company.

       For starters, their catalog has been redesigned from the
       previous "newspaper" size to a 136 page "book" sized format
       which works better. An index of program titles has been added
       and exciting plans are underway for the new Winter-Spring
       edition. The Fall-Winter catalog offers over 290 new shareware
       titles. Additional new titles are released by the research
       department at the beginning of each month. Each supplement
       usually contains 100+ new titles and updates.

       Beginning with the Winter-Spring edition, explains Bookhamer,
       "best of shareware" catalog updates will move top selling (and
       top supported) programs to the front of the catalog with
       EXPANDED DESCRIPTIONS and less popular (or poorly supported)
       programs to the back of the catalog with shorter descriptions or
       simply a title only. "Best of shareware" titles will probably be
       limited to about 1,000 programs for any given "best of
       shareware" catalog update, although additional programs will be
       available upon customer request. A nice detail is that customers
       can avail themselves of a computer at store locations and attend
       short "mini-DOS" training classes offered by Shareware Outlet
       which gets beginners off on the right foot and brings back
       repeat shareware orders.

       All titles are also available on the Shareware Outlet BBS which
       is probably one of the best kept secrets in the shareware
       business. For a smaller board, it rivals giant Public Brand
       Software's BBS in variety of titles and timeliness of updates. I
       subscribe to it personally since it is easier for me to "dial
       and download" titles I need urgently rather than searching for
       hours through many Seattle public BBS systems.

       Another new feature currently underway at Shareware Outlet is
       attractively packaged shareware "volumes" or collections such as
       games packages, business packages and so on. This idea is seen
       from time to time at other vendors, but Shareware Outlet has
       really DONE IT RIGHT THIS TIME by selecting programs which are
       CREAM OF THE CROP unlike other vendors who approach this
       "collected volumes" idea with an annoying "anything that fits on
       ten disks" mentality.

       Bookhamer also explained his logical evolution in author
       submission policies such as file dates newer than 24 months, no
       X or R rated shareware, adequate documentation and prompt
       delivery of all promised registration benefits. In exchange
       Bookhamer markets shareware via direct mail nationally and
       through a series of distributorships which gives authors potent
       marketing muscle. Shareware Outlet, Inc. has also uniquely based
       its growth on the development of walk-in retail store locations.
       Every store has experienced staff familiar with the applications
       and able to advise and assist in finding the right application
       for an end-user's special needs.

       The message I read between the lines is that for authors willing
       to do a package right, Bookhamer will go the marketing distance
       in getting your package distributed. Down the road I see
       Shareware Outlet rising into the upper vendor tier with the
       likes of TSL, Public Brand, Software Excitement!, and Shareware
       Express simply because they dwell on SMALL DETAILS, expand by
       distributorships and WANT TO REACH AUTHORS AND TRULY COOPERATE.

       I see a lot of shareware catalogs daily. Shareware Outlet has
       probably the most accurate and clear catalog descriptions of any
       vendor INCLUDING PUBLIC BRAND AND PC-SIG. Descriptions include
       ASP designation, author registration fees, hardware, video and
       memory requirements, version numbers. Authors who also want to
       investigate vending might consider a Shareware Outlet
       distributorship since corporate does the hard work so each
       distributor can concentrate on selling. Founded in 1988 by
       Thomas Bookhamer, the company is dedicated to such fundamental
       policies as fully functional applications, no crippling or
       disabling of advertised features, complex product evaluation,
       virus protection, providing full disks, complete and adequate
       documentation available on disk, current versions and customer
       service. I recommend a disk submission! Librarian is Elizabeth
       Gills, Research Department, Shareware Outlet. 713 - 110th Ave
       NE, Suite 207, Bellevue, WA 98004. 206/646-3571.

       Send them a disk department: Stanley Plager, Librarian for the
       Atlanta PC Users Group urgently requests all authors to submit
       shareware disks! ASP member. LARGE library and active shareware
       distribution with over one gigabyte on their BBS. Atlanta PC
       Users Group, ATTN: Stanley Plager, 5143 Oakleaf Terrace, Stone
       Mountain, GA 30087  404/469-2800

       Computer Outlet, shareware disk vendors based in Florida, have
       recently updated their catalog and are also accepting paid
       advertising from authors. This is becoming more popular in the
       industry and is, on balance, a good idea for those authors who
       want to explore a niche with a particular vendor or shareware
       title. Ad prices at Computer Outlet range from $395 (full page
       front inside cover) to $50 for an ad insert placed under your
       program's listing in their catalog. These are VERY GOOD rates
       when you consider that their next catalog printing of 10,000
       copies to be published January 15, 1992 will go to quite a few
       shareware users. Contact them for ad space in future catalogs if
       you miss the January printing. You can reach them at POB 555098,
       Orlando, FL 32855-5098  407/843-5544.

       Sometimes it's the little things such as sending authors a
       Christmas card. This year, vendors who passed along greetings
       and a holiday card to me include: Software Excitement! (Central
       Point, Oregon) and Wagner Enterprises (Ravenna, OH). The point
       may be a small one but, Software Excitement! is VERY large while
       Wagner is small. Both will remain on my update list since they
       obviously value both high tech AND high touch. Keep an eye out
       for vendors who dwell on DETAILS as you market your shareware.

       Glance at the letters to the editor section of this edition of
       SMS. Shareware author Chris Noyes provides insights in his
       dealings with PC-SIG, Selective Software, TSL and other vendors.
       Interesting reading!

       Gemini Marketing, disk vendors from Duvall, Washington sent
       along an interesting letter from a shareware customer who has an
       idea for a simple but useful program. Glance at the letters to
       the editor section of SMS. I would like to see MORE disk vendors
       send me customer letters which shareware authors and vendors
       can review within SMS.

       Tidbit #1: what is the average size order to a disk vendor from
       a FIRST TIME SHAREWARE USER? My industry sources say about 10 to
       12 disks for most vendors. Anybody care to revise this figure?

       Tidbit #2: Want a college English professor and FELLOW SHAREWARE
       AUTHOR to help produce, edit or review package documentation or
       catalog descriptions and layout? Contact:

       ERDMAN BILL 503/666-6009 503/666-6009
       ABRAXAS RESEARCH
       POB 560  FAIRVIEW  OR 97024

       Late night viewers of cable television in Dallas, Texas may soon
       be treated to shareware disk promotions by shareware vendors in
       that community! No specifics as to vendor and cable channel to
       watch, but this could be the glimmer of yet another marketing
       innovation for the shareware industry.

       One of the more interesting news items involves The Software
       Labs of Los Angeles, California. It seems IBM is doing extensive
       compatibility testing on the soon to be released version 2.0 of
       OS/2. The technical head for IBM's four testing departments has
       ordered the ENTIRE shareware library from TSL for testing under
       OS/2. IBM rightly assumes that testing of OS/2 for compatibility
       with the top 200 or so commercial programs is not a sufficient
       test for the broad range of programming methods which
       programmers might use. Apparently the virus-free certification
       which TSL provides to customers was a second reason for IBM's
       vendor selection. The interesting side issue to me is that
       shareware is now a SIGNIFICANT MARKET FORCE IN THE SOFTWARE
       INDUSTRY and IBM surely does not want to disappoint customers
       who might be running shareware as well as commercial software.
       This might be the start of another trend as more commercial
       software houses beta test their offerings to ensure compatibility
       with shareware programs.

       A surprising discovery I made recently was to examine a copy
       of SHAREWARE SHOPPER which covers the shareware scene from a
       British perspective. At almost one hundred pages long with
       detailed shareware reviews, articles on setting up shop as a
       shareware vendor, unusual programs from Europe, articles about
       Windows shareware and more, this is a stunning resource! Most
       shareware authors and vendors are familiar with PC-Sig's
       SHAREWARE MAGAZINE which is a fine resource, but skimpy in
       comparison to the scope of detailed information which SHAREWARE
       SHOPPER offers.

       The conclusion I draw after reading the magazine is 1) sooner or
       later it will appear on our shores 2) shareware is taken very
       seriously in Europe and England - much more public awareness
       than shareware receives in America. This is an exceptional
       reference magazine which welcomes articles for publication and
       disks for review. Published by Europress Publications, Europa
       House, Adlington Park, Macclesfield, UK, SK10 4NP. Telephone:
       0625 878888 (all departments), 051-357 2961 (subscriptions),
       0625 879966 (fax).

       Speaking of magazines of interest to both shareware authors and
       vendors, you might want to try a subscription to BUSINESS
       MARKETING which covers marketing news, direct mail issues,
       business strategy, focus group research and other not-so-exotic
       "power tools" familiar to marketing mavens. 12 issues, one year
       for $35. Contact Business Marketing, Circulation Department, 965
       E. Jefferson, Detroit, MI 48207-9974.

       Another resource for shareware disk vendors searching for
       display racks, wire frame product displays, disk holders and
       similar retail display items is the detailed catalog from Siegel
       Display Products, POB 95, Minneapolis, MN 55440.

       And finally, mention of a magazine which should be very useful
       to your customers who a computer novices and really need "start
       up" information. Consider tossing in a one year subscription as
       a "support" service to your customers who really need help. PC
       Novice Magazine. 12 issues, $24 per year. Contact: Venture
       Communications, 60 Madison Ave, Third Floor, NY, NY 10160-0981.

       New vendor of note to whom you should submit a disk: P.C.
       Software Depot, 968 E. 830 S., Pleasant Grove, UT 84062.
       801/785-9507. Contact Mr. Bruce Henriksen. The thing which
       appeals to me about the Depot is that they seem genuinely
       interested in suggestions and sharing with authors. Initial
       mailing of their first catalog will be to 10,000 computer owners
       and software users, and with their neighborhood populated by the
       likes of Wordperfect, Novell and Softcopy you have a very
       positive synergy of high technology operations! They sound very
       responsive to author concerns and input and have some UNUSUAL
       MARKETING CONCEPTS they will be pushing early this year!

       A special word to American shareware authors about Canada which
       is home to MANY shareware customers, authors, high quality
       vendors and BBS systems. Make every effort to encourage a sense
       of "hospitality" in your documentation and shareware which will
       be viewed by potential Canadian customers and vendors. Small
       details like currency exchange courtesy will go a long way.

       Canadian customers and shareware vendors are very sensitive to
       overtones that you may consider them a "foreign country". For
       example, your registration documentation may suggest $25
       registration fee for US customers and $35 for foreign orders. A
       small notation that "Canadian orders honored at $25 (US funds)
       will earn you many friends! Likewise be cordial about returning
       long distance calls to Canadian customers in need of support.
       Maybe even include some examples of Canadian towns and city
       names if, for example, your program includes zip code or
       telephone area code sorting. Canadian zip codes are different
       than US zip codes. Can your program handle sorting and searching
       BOTH formats? The bottom line: Canadians resent the status as a
       "foreign" country and many prefer to be considered as North
       American neighbors and not foreign trading partners. You'll be
       surprised what a little fine tuning will do to increase
       registrations in the VAST canadian market!

       I have mentioned shareware Fred Parker in previous editions of
       SMS as being an industrial strength resource. Now Fred has
       pushed ahead on a project which ALL authors should find useful.
       If fully implemented, it could provide the basis for an
       organization parallel in purpose to the ASP, but focused on the
       larger group of independent shareware authors. Fred's SWAP
       concept is now in full operation. Basically interested shareware
       authors submit to Fred on disk in quote and comma format a list
       of their registered users plus $25 for processing, list
       compilation and handling. What you get back in a few weeks is a
       FABULOUS mailing list containing THOUSANDS of registrant
       addresses from EVERY author's list! Preliminary reports from
       Fred suggest that a variety of shareware authors and companies
       have committed to supplying addresses for in excess of 65,000
       shareware users and registrants. See also the SWAPS
       questionnaire in the letters to the editor section of this
       edition of SMS.

       The obvious question regarding Fred Parker's concept: what if
       another author upgrades his package and solicits your customers?
       SO WHAT! You can solicit his and THOUSANDS of other customers.

       This may be the best $25 you'll ever invest! Along with your new
       master mailing list Fred will also supply details on how you can
       use the list to CREATIVELY increase your registrations, reduce
       distribution costs, bulk purchase supplies, coop mail, register
       other authors packages at professional courtesy discounts and
       more!

       Always security conscious, Fred will remove references to the
       shareware author who supplied each list so no one can identify
       the source of the list. Fred will also attempt to categorize the
       individuals on the list so that you can roughly determine, for
       example, that a certain group of addresses registered
       spreadsheet software while another group registered word
       processing packages. Fred has contacted SMS regarding the
       possibility of a professional courtesy registration discount on
       the SMS package to those who participate in this program.

       Disk vendors should also note that Fred maintains one of the
       LARGEST AND MOST POTENT address lists of shareware authors in
       the industry and is also expanding a mailing list of shareware
       users. If you are a vendor, Fred's author mailing list is
       the one to use. Obviously authors should keep Fred posted on any
       change of address or telephone number. Fred Parker is at POB
       4684, West Palm Beach, FL 33402. 407/687-7738.

       Now a note about the SAMPLE PROGRAMS available with this issue
       of SMS. Note that on one of your disks you will find TOOLS1.EXE
       and TOOLS2.EXE. In TOOLS1, machine code guru Paul Scanlon has
       created the answer for ONE OF THE MOST TROUBLESOME problems
       which bedevil shareware programers and disk vendors: a user
       calls and says a shareware program does not run or install
       correctly. Sound familiar?

       Paul's first toolkit offers a READY TO USE set of utilities
       which can be run separately, together or linked by an automated
       batch file of your own design to PROVIDE A COMPLETE printout or
       disk report profile of a user's computer. You could, for
       example, mail or modem a diagnostic disk or file to your user,
       instruct them to run a batch file which implements Paul's
       utilities, and then have the customer mail or modem the disk
       containing an ASCII file report (or printout if you prefer) back
       to you for closer examination! Check out what the utilities can
       do:

       GETMCB is a small utility to display a list of memory usage.
       This utility will display a list of programs residing in RAM
       (lower 640K) in a list which includes Start Segment, Size, Owner
       and program Name (if your DOS supports this feature). All values
       will be in hex. This is how you find out what is actually in
       memory and where these TSR's are. This list is only part of what
       is in memory, additional information can be supplied by
       executing GETDEV and INTLIST.

       GETDEV lists the devices, as loaded by the CONFIG.SYS file, at
       boot time. This can be seen, by displaying your CONFIG.SYS file,
       and observing any lines starting with 'DEVICE='.

       INTLIST utility generates a listing of all 256 interrupts and
       who is the owner (has first access). In some cases, an interrupt
       can be taken over, and other TSR'S will NOT be allowed access to
       the interrupt, including DOS. This is especially true, when a
       specific TSR is requested or popped up, via a hot key.

       BIOSDTA lists the memory area called the Bios Data Area, which
       contains information about DOS, such as printer port addresses,
       serial port addresses, video mode and other video information
       and much more.

       All utility outputs can be re-directed using the DOS re-director
       character on the command line. The DOS re-director is the '>'
       character. Thus output can be sent to a disk file or printer.

       In TOOLS2 Paul provides some quick small programs which could be
       used when working with the large SMS mailing list. Details
       below.

       Note: PRG programs are dBase program files. EXE files are
       standard executable files.

       SMS.PRG creates an intermediate file called SMS.TXT, which is a
       quote/comma delimited mailing list file. SMS.PRG then calls
       XLATE.EXE which makes the mailing label format file SMS.LBL,
       which is CR delimited, and the city, state and zip are put on
       one line. There is a blank line between labels (4 lines per
       record). XLATE.EXE program then deletes the SMS.TXT file upon
       completion. SMS2.PRG simply counts the records in the data base.
       SMS.TXT is a sample output from the SMS.PRG before running
       XLATE.EXE. SMS.LBL is the final product, ready to import into
       most label programs etc. If the user wants to have only the
       quote/comma version, simply edit the SMS.PRG (using any text
       editor) and delete or rem out the line beginning with RUN. Small
       efficient ways for using the SMS mailing list.

       Speaking of mailing lists and similar ideas, Home Office Computing
       Magazine has a great way to send a thank you gift to all of your
       customers: Send them a list of friends who are computer users,
       or interested in computing or business in a home or office
       environment and they will send a free issue of their magazine,
       thank you card with your name on it and great subscription offer
       to everyone on your list. Contact Michael Sheehy, Home Office
       Computing Magazine, POB 53561, Boulder, CO 80322-3561. Great way
       to thank all of your customers and give them something which is
       interesting and relevant to the computer scene.

       Although there is no intentional editorial theme within SMS
       which distinguishes each quarterly edition, if I had to select a
       focus for this issue, it would be BBS systems!

       Several reasons come to mind: the SMS mailing list database has
       recently added MANY NEW mailing addresses of BBS systems. The
       easiest way to locate BBS systems which contain addresses is to
       load the SMS mailing list into your database and search for
       records which are TYPE "B" and are NOT blank in the address
       field - this is an easy search condition with most database
       packages and you should locate a nice selection of addresses
       in no time!

       Addresses for BBS systems are difficult to obtain. SYSOPS are
       intelligent folks and generally don't want their home or office
       addresses floating around for security reasons. Charles "Luke"
       Lukey of Expressware, providers of File Express, Express Graph
       and other fine shareware packages and also Dave Snyder of MVP
       Software have both graciously shared good BBS mailing lists with
       SMS. In previous issues of SMS, many readers have suggested that
       perhaps my bias is towards promoting disk submissions to disk
       vendors. Hardly! BBS systems account for a SUBSTANTIAL volume of
       my registrations for both SMS and my PC-Learn package. BBS
       SYSOPS are, as a group, receptive to the latest shareware
       offerings and are usually pleased to hear from authors. If your
       shareware offering is good, a SYSOP can MAKE news of your
       software travel at the speed of light throughout the nation!

       Dwelling a bit longer on BBS opportunities for shareware
       authors, note that the Intellicom modem/term package has finally
       been released in beta version .093 by Wayne Duff of Canada. I
       discussed the package in the Fall 91 edition of SMS, but seeing
       the real system in operation is delightful! I have added
       Intellicom as an available package you can order from the SMS
       GOODIES section. By way of reminder, here are the stats from the
       Fall edition of SMS concerning Intellicom:

       Intellicomm allows AUTOMATED AND UNATTENDED UPLOADS TO ALMOST
       ALL MAJOR BOARDS! Intellicomm combines the best features of
       Robocom, Telix and Liberator in one package written in tight C
       code. Intellicomm should present an advantage to the astute
       shareware author who realizes the marketing muscle an unattended
       and fully automated uploader can do to push a shareware package
       out into the BBS world! Duff claims early compatibility with PC
       Board, Wildcat, RBBS, QBBS and others. The package is not just
       an automated uploader. It is a full featured telecommunications
       package including x/y/zmodem, editor, script language,
       scrollback and keyboard buffers, mouse support, EGA/VGA, 3 way
       file sorts, autotagging, and more. $29.95 or $19.95 if
       submitting proof of purchase from another comm program. Wayne
       points out that fully automated sessions will require  that the
       user spend a reasonable amount of time - anywhere from 15
       minutes to an evening - preparing a BBS information file, known
       as a BIF, so that Intellicomm can understand the prompts and
       structure of that particular BBS. Once this configuration file
       is available (and many boards will have the file available for
       download), the program can work its magic. Duff can be reached
       at Liberation Enterprises, 3091 Eglinton Ave E., Suite 602,
       Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, M1J 2G1. Package can also be
       ordered as shareware from most vendors or by consulting the SMS
       GOODIES section.

       While on the subject of new shareware communications packages,
       Bob Ostrander's new venture, Software Coop has released a honey
       of a program: Odyssey. This telecommunicatons program features
       easy to use popdown menus, scripts, multiple protocols,
       sophisticated configurations and more. While not as fully
       automated as ICOM, for those using Telix or Procom and wanting a
       "friendlier" interface with sensible features, Odyssey may be
       worth a look. The Software Coop can be reached at 5437 Honey
       Manor Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46241  317/856-6052. Odyssey even
       has a clever script which will automatically call the Software
       Coop and process your registration online! Nice touch, wish more
       communications package offered this clever wrinkle! Other
       packages offered by Software Coop include Layout, DMPLAS and
       Clipbook.

       Note that our informal shareware author uploading network "SMS
       Net" is growing. Review the file RAPID.TXT for updates and new
       names which have been added since our last SMS edition.

       Want to upload your package to a HOT Las Vegas, Nevada BBS
       tollfree? Call Public Access BBS at 800/659-8750. They claim
       they will even upload your programs to Compuserve, if requested.
       The board has 9600 baud modem with standard V.32/V.42vbis
       features. Sounds like a good idea to me!

       And finally wrapping up my discussion of bulletin board systems
       of note I need to mention that you MUST consider sending a disk
       on to KBBS of Los Angeles. Talk about slick marketing! This BBS
       features gorgeous printed stationery, business cards, envelopes,
       even a KBBS bookmark calendar for users of their service.

       Hosting over 2,200 calls per day, this powerhouse BBS has been
       reported in the Los Angeles times as THE place for singles to
       meet online, download files, and more. KBBS was featured as the
       "Best of LA 1990" selection of things to do. The quality of
       their printed promotional materials is fascinating. Hurry and
       send them a disk! This is a BBS that knows how to MARKET and
       serve a client niche very well! Contact:

       KBBS LOS ANGELES, POB 10281, CANOGA PARK, CA 91309-0281
       MR. DALE PORTER, SYSOP DAY
       TEL: [phone]              BBS TEL: [phone]
       FAX TEL: [phone]

       Next a quick release from Austin ProSoft:

       December 26, 1991

       Austin ProSoft announces the release of its first catalog
       devoted solely to Windows based Shareware and Public Domain
       software.  Included are complete collections of graphics tools,
       laser printer applications and fonts, file launchers, program
       managers, wallpaper managers, virus and security utilities,
       games and sounds.

       In addition, ProSoft maintains the most extensive collection of
       Public Domain Adobe Type Manager fonts, Icons, and Windows
       wallpaper currently available. Austin ProSoft is a Texas based
       distributor specializing in educational and general purpose
       shareware and public domain software. The release of this
       catalog marks a major shift in emphasis by Prosoft from DOS
       based to Windows based software. A free catalog can be obtained
       by calling 800-594-7769 or by writing Austin ProSoft, P.O. Box
       1811, Austin, TX 78767.

       SMS editor's note: the printed Windows catalog which was
       submitted with the above press release, looks good. Suggest
       you update ProSoft especially if you have a Windows product.

       End of Press Release.

       Shareware problem note: word from industry sources is that Herb
       Kraft's legal guide shareware package is raising a few eyebrows.
       One item is that the ASP Ombudsman has been involved in
       several reports that users send registration checks and receive
       back no documentation or acknowledgment as promised in program
       materials. PSL and PBS may be dropping the disk set for these
       and other "author support complaints." The BBS line which was
       set up by the author to support this package is also unplugged.
       Kraft, according to industry sources, may be close to departing
       the ASP. Strange when a legal package by an attorney has
       problems of this type.

       Quick byte: High volume diskette duplication equipment for
       unattended and economical use. Princeton Diskette. 1101 Richmond
       Ave, Pt. Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742  800/426-0247. These folks can
       also provide duplication services, custom labels, packaging and
       shipping if you need service rather than equipment.

       A catalog which has recently been revised is the BEAUTIFUL
       Software Excitement! catalog from Central Point, Oregon (address
       in the SMS mailing list.) Although deliberately small and highly
       selective of only the best shareware titles, this STUNNING
       catalog features some of the best screen displays and color
       inking of ANY shareware catalog I have seen. The reason for the
       small catalog size, according to Mike Comish of Software
       Excitement!, is that by limiting offerings to a smaller catalog
       of only the best quality shareware they receive HIGHER VOLUMES
       OF REPEAT BUSINESS. The logic is simple: if customers
       (especially first times users of shareware) have a GOOD FEELING
       about their first exposure to shareware they will come back for
       more. A simple and effective marketing message here.

       The Software Excitement! February catalog will contain over 100
       color screen dumps of top shareware packages. Software
       Excitement! is also branching out into hardware witnessed by
       catalog offers for mice, trackballs, surge supressors, books and
       so forth which is a trend more shareware vendors will be forced
       to consider in the ever spiraling revenue game of "keep up."

       Staying with Software Excitement!, vendors should note that
       ULTIMATE SOFTWARE is a part of Software Excitement! and produces
       such shareware programs as Ultimate Spanish, Ultimate French,
       and Ultimate Geography. Prepared by a talented programmer under
       contract to Software Excitement!, this is a revenue stream more
       vendors are pursuing since they can quickly spot the need for
       new packages.

       Software Excitement! president Mike Comish notes that his
       business avoids writing programs that compete too closely with
       those of existing shareware authors with whom they work, but
       adds that they have several programs in planning and a few close
       to completion. Other vendors such as PBS and Automated Systems,
       to name a few on a rapidly expanding list, also write shareware
       and distribute other authors works. Authors may groan at this
       trend as being unfair and a conflict of interest. My opinion is
       that the MARKET decides what shareware packages, authors and
       vendors will survive. It is very much a keep up or keep out game
       and will stay that way for the near future.

       Be sure to read the Software Excitement! press release regarding
       their new Compuserve "store" in the letters to the editor
       section of this edition of SMS. Reveals some interesting
       marketing statistics about this company if you read closely.
       Hint: per their press release, Software Excitement! has annual
       sales of $6 million with current marketing efforts including the
       mailing of over 7 million catalogs per year to computer users.
       Shareware IS BIG BUSINESS.

       Over at shareware disk vendor Wagner Enterprises creativity is
       afoot. You've got to see their latest TALKING catalog of
       shareware! Great menu system and some nice demo programs on
       disk, but the talking part is the best. This combines great
       vending ideas with some shareware I have seen recently such as
       SW-Talk. The disk is available from Wagner or can be ordered
       from the SMS GOODIES section. Wagner Enterprises is at 5271
       Newton Falls Rd, Ravenna, OH 44266-9603  216/297-9330. Send
       Wagner a copy of your shareware while you are at it!

       Authors investigating COOP and reduced rate mailings might want
       to contact Chris Kangley of Shareware Distribution Services, PO
       Box 52, El Paso, IL 61738  309/527-8579. Pay only for the amount
       of mailing space and weight your program takes, choose disk
       vendors or computers club and others as you wish. Even mention
       of a rebate program.

       Power User tip: Folks evolve various ways of capturing tidbits
       of information from long ASCII documents. Maybe you read through
       this newsletter and hit Shift-Print Screen when you find an
       interesting tidbit. Maybe you print four sheets to a page. Best
       tip yet is load the ASCII document file into Vernon Buerg's LIST
       program. When you see a screen you want, tap ALT-O (Alt and O
       keys together). List will ask for the name of a file to create.
       Supply something like C:\notes or whatever. Now continue tapping
       ALT-O whenever another screen of useful info comes up. That
       screen will be APPENDED to the continually growing "clippings
       file." When you are done, you have a personal "clippings and
       extracted tidbits" file you can print (reload your "clippings"
       file into LIST and tap Control-P) or edit with your word
       processor and then save or print. Great idea for working
       with this newsletter or other long documentation file from
       which you want to extract a little bit here and there!

       Meanwhile, at PC-Sig in California (address in the SMS mailing
       list) their HOT SHEET is out which boasts prices as low as $1.66
       per disk in volumes as low as 12 quantity. PC-SIG could force a
       LOT of other vendors to dramatically lower prices on shareware,
       so this a trend worth following. PC-SIG is also marketing
       combination packages which has been a popular course with many
       vendors. Their Essential Home and Business Collection features
       over 300 of the BEST programs on one CD-ROM for $49. However,
       according to one industry observer with whom I spoke recently,
       there may be some problems with the HOT SHEET which has
       shareware authors upset. It appears that the HOT SHEET is
       directed at first time buyers who may interpret phrases like
       "Reg. $55" at the end of program descriptions to mean "regularly
       $55" rather than "registration fee $55." For first time
       shareware users who see the HOT SHEET as a great way to BUY
       software, some concern may arise. Nevertheless we are now seeing
       major vendors like PC-SIG responding to lowball prices from
       other disk vendors.

       Incidentally, if you glance at page 27 of the current (Jan-Feb
       1992) issue of Shareware Magazine you will note that PC-SIG is
       also pushing 99 cent diskettes for selected programs. Now even
       the Mom and Pop 99 cent disk vendors will feel pressure from the
       large vendors as competition increases. 1992 as a year, should
       be very interesting on both the author and vendor side of the
       competition equation.

       Another emerging trend will see a few of the more successful
       shareware disk vendors snapped up by larger corporate entities
       as the year unfolds. The profit margin in vending shareware is
       too attractive for a corporate America searching for better
       revenues and profitable software driven technology.

       I suspect some of the marriages yet to be made might include the
       following:

       Acquiring Grooms: Tandy Corporation, PC Zone, Europress Ltd,
       Scholastic Inc, Costco and PTN Publishing.

       Blushing Brides: Shareware Express, The Software Labs, Shareware
       Outlet, Gemini Marketing, Reasonable Solutions and CWI. Note
       that these comments are speculative in nature and do not reflect
       any "inside" information which I have uncovered at this point.

       The second tier of this activity will probably move into the
       trenches where the real development action unfolds as corporate
       entities move down the food chain and acquire shareware author
       operations of note. Leo Nikkora of Microsoft has taken a large
       equity interest in QuickSoft and PC-Write, for example.

       Finally a SIGNIFICANT TREND which shareware authors should watch
       is the release of more FORMERLY COMMERCIAL PACKAGES INTO
       SHAREWARE. I routinely receive phone calls and letters from
       small to mid-sized commercial software businesses seeking to
       switch to shareware distribution. Examples: Immigration Tracking
       2.0, an exceptional package which helps employers automate
       paperwork needed to comply with the Immigration Reform and
       Control Act of 1986. It has received substantial press coverage
       from the likes of Infoworld, PC Magazine and other major
       publications and formerly carried a $285 commercial price tag.
       The shareware version carries a $99 price and is now
       aggressively marketed as shareware. In the last year we've also
       seen Xtree and VP-Info also revised from commercial to shareware
       status.

       Likewise the Professional Real Estate Analyst, a formerly
       commercial package for brokers and real estate investors
       features slick menus, help screens, automated macros and more.
       The Analyst received glowing reviews in Lotus Magazine and other
       journals and represents another commercial package gone
       shareware which may edge out existing shareware packages.

       The writing is on the wall: 1) superb packages are now entering the
       market which will give older shareware packages a stiff run for
       the money 2) These packages fill specific niches and are feature
       rich and well documented 3) This trend will increase among both
       vertical market packages as well as broad horizontal market
       packages.

       Conclusion: If your package is clunky, poorly documented and
       infrequently updated you will soon be someone else's lunch. In
       fact I suspect that the best and brightest of the commercial
       software houses will shortly begin scanning through shareware
       catalogs and selecting shareware packages which they can easily
       CLONE with better features and improved interfaces to test
       broader shareware concepts! Formerly we have seen shareware
       authors clone commercial concepts. Now the bird may come home to
       roost as commercial firms clone unique shareware concepts.

       Shareware authors call and ask me to boil down my "secrets"
       concerning shareware financial success. Kind of like asking for
       a five minute synopsis of a badly tattered copy the New York
       yellow pages. At any rate, here is my windy opinion:

       1) Find a niche that isn't filled or filled poorly at the moment
       2) Look at lots of vendor catalogs first to see what/who your
       competition is 3) Realize it will take one year and maybe two to
       achieve market recognition - EXTREME PATIENCE 4) Distribute your
       disk(s) to at least 500 vendors, 500 computer clubs, 500 BBS
       systems, 50 magazine writers 5) distribute to the major foreign
       vendors 6) Start your next package 4 months after you have
       started your previous package - regardless of whether your
       previous package is completed 7) Be totally straight arrow with
       customers: cash checks after shipping goods, be prepared to
       return long distance calls, have an outside support service
       (e.g., AGC or other company) do your support and order
       fulfillment if necessary due to volume 8) Have at least $5,000
       to finance your modest startup 9) get outside programming help
       if your program interface is lacking, your documentation is poor
       or your customers suggest a change beyond your capability 10)
       Get and use this package: SMS 11) Don't give up EVER 12) Frame a
       xerox of first registration check to give life reality 13) spend
       50% of your time marketing and 50% programming. I think closer
       to 80% marketing and 20% programming would be more realistic,
       but 50/50 is a primitive start. 14) realize that you are
       probably doing this because you are addicted to computers and
       are rationalizing (at the early stage of the game) the possible
       financial income 15) Have as a modest goal two good package
       releases per year for life 16) Beta test the dickens out of your
       package then PAY someone to really beta test it 17) When you
       ship your package to vendors and BBS systems include a piece of
       paper that makes SENSE (who, what, where, when, why, phone
       number, etc). 18) LISTEN to what others say about your package
       and don't be defensive - it is just code. Criticism is a form of
       flattery turned inside out.

       Quick takes: The November 28, 1991 edition of the Seattle Times
       reports that the two LEADING NEWSPAPER WRITERS ON THE COMPUTER
       INDUSTRY are John Markoff of the New York Times and G. Pascal
       Zachary of the Wall Street Journal. A press release on your
       package is obviously in order if you desire industry attention.
       Your library should have addresses for the editorial desks for
       both of these papers. I might also add influential industry guru
       Stewart Alsop of the P.C. Letter, Richard O'Reilly of the Los
       Angeles Times, Barry Nance of Byte Magazine and finally Preston
       Gralla of PC Computing. Knowing the right name and publication
       makes all the difference when mailing press releases. Hope this
       list of "movers and shakers" moves you higher up the food chain.

       I have added several packages to the SMS GOODIES section which
       authors might care to order. Briefly...

       LHA (formerly LHARC) is the compression/archiving package I use
       with SMS. No charge to register or use as long as you abide by a
       few minimal licensing requirements. LHA recently was awarded PC
       Magazines Editor's Choice Award.

       ARJ is another new archiving package has also been added to the
       GOODIES section. Very good compression ratios and some clever
       features which neither PKZIP nor LHA has.

       I have also added the EXCEPTIONAL Lookbook package from Bill
       Kavanaugh of Red Oak Data Systems. Lookbook deserves a VERY
       CLOSE EXAMINATION by both shareware authors and vendors.

       Lookbook is an electronic book and reference system for
       publishing disk based documents such as program manuals, text
       files, catalogs, ASCII files and more. Has TSR features if
       needed, editor, hypertext functions. It is SO GOOD that Public
       Brand Software selected it for both a trophy award and their
       catalog on disk. It is vaguely like the older IRIS hypertext
       electronic book system but MUCH better. It has some of the best
       documentation, features and intuitive feel I have seen in
       ANY shareware package. There are hundreds of ways Lookbook could
       be useful to MANY authors and I strongly urge a "looksee."

       Another update to the GOODIES section is two additional issues
       of ZIP magazine (for a total of four back issues.) ZIP MAGAZINE
       is an electronic magazine which reviews shareware and discusses
       new developments on the shareware scene. Zip editors will
       attempt to review your disk if submitted to them. ZIP magazine
       circulates on BBS systems throughout the world.

       Also consider ordering the NEWLY REVISED ASP catalog on disk
       which has been updated and features revised listings of ASP
       packages, author addresses, vendor addresses, BBS systems with
       addresses and more. A treasure trove all authors should browse
       for a detailed marketing focus. SMS disk 102.

       Another worthwhile package for author investigation is the PC
       Products Database Demo from EMS and Baker Enterprises. This
       unique disk features LOADS of product reviews and speeds up the
       search for hardware and software items you may need. Very slick
       product.

       Also take a look at the INFOLIST disk which features many
       electronic freebies and addresses of companies who supply them.
       Lots of FREE demo disks, videocassettes, books, magazines and
       more. You CAN get something for nothing!

       Consider DB-DUPE which is a POWERHOUSE duplicate record checker
       for those maintaining mailing lists and needing to "weed and
       feed" lists and purge duplicate entries. Network compatible.
       43/50 line mode. memo file support. Browsing. Swap fields. Start
       search from any record and more. FAST duplicate checking.

       And while still on the subject of duplicate records testing, note
       that the latest release of File Express from Expressware of
       Duvall, Washington also has a duplicate record testing function.

       Again, the above shareware disks can be obtained from SMS by
       consulting the GOODIES.TXT section of this package.

       Continuing on with our "useful files" discussion, note that the
       ASP maintains some files which may be of interest to authors,
       vendors and sysops. While I am not a member of the ASP, I think
       SMS readers should at least be aware of these files which are
       available on Compuserve for download with your modem:

       ASP Approved vendor requirements. VENDOR.ARC, SHAREWARE forum
       Library 2, 4k size. Requirements which ASP Approved Vendors must
       follow. Authors may review ASP requirements for disk vendor
       affiliation/associate membership.

       ASP BBS Membership Application. ASPBBS.ZIP SHAREWARE forum LIB
       2, 20k size. ASP application rules and files for posting. $40
       annual membership fee.

       ASP Catalog for BBS Systems. Name: not available. 200k size.
       Catalog of ASP shareware.

       ASP Catalog for CompuServe. CATLOG.ZIP SHAREWARE forum LIB 2,
       200k size. Catalog of ASP shareware.

       ASP Catalog for GEnie. Name: not available. 200k size. Catalog
       of ASP shareware.

       ASP List of Approved BBS systems. APPBBS.ZIP, SHAREWARE forum
       LIB 2. 8k size. ASP Approved BBSs list. BBS name, address, phone
       number, conferences, lines, protocols, network affiliations.

       ASP List of Approved Vendors. VENDOR.EXE in SHAREWARE forum LIB
       2, 15k size. ASP Approved Vendors by country and state or
       province.  Updated monthly.

       How to join as a "beta" author  BETA.TXT in SHAREWARE forum LIB
       2, 3k size. Messages and text files explaining how potential
       shareware authors can apply for membership in the ASP before
       releasing their first shareware program.

       IBM PC Author Application. APPLIC.EXE, SHAREWARE forum LIB 2,
       35k size. Information on joining the Association of Shareware
       Professionals as an author member.

       Information about copyrights. COPYRT.ARC, SHAREWARE forum LIB 4,
       3k size. Text files, messages on why & how you should copyright
       a shareware program.

       MacIntosh Author Application. APPLIC.SIT, SHAREWARE forum LIB 2,
       35k size. Information on joining the Association of Shareware
       Professionals as an author member.

       Moving along to the issue of noteworthy vendors, I strongly
       suggest you consider a disk submission to the following vendor
       since this is a LARGE business which also sells PC systems,
       offers consulting and training and many other services which can
       expose your shareware package to the public in many ways! I
       visited with owner Jeff Tocket by phone and he sincerely wants to
       help authors.

       PD CONNECTION
       5454 WESTERVILLE RD, WESTERVILLE, OH  43081
       JEFF TOCKET, PRES
       DAY TEL: [phone]     BBS TEL: 614/891-DISK
       EVE TEL: [phone]     TOLLFREE ORDER TEL: [phone]
       LARGE VENDOR, ALSO RUNS BBS SYSTEM AND SELLS PC'S
       LARGE CATALOG ON DISK. GOOD QUALITY

       Next, here's a highly interesting lead about a Canadian investor
       who is interested in researching and investing in high quality
       software which can be marketing by either commercial or
       shareware methods. I met with David Smith in Seattle and he
       genuinely seems interested in software packages and has access
       to the funds necessary for strong marketing efforts. He
       currently has acquired several commercial packages which will be
       released as shareware and also seeks authors with original
       programming ideas! Tell him you spotted this in SMS...

       DAVID G.M. SMITH  604/988-6575
       INTERFACE SOFTWARE 3115 CAPILANO ROAD, NORTH VANCOUVER,
       B.C., CANADA  V7R 4H4

       I want to dwell one additional moment on the previous item which
       might be more in the realm of speculation than fact.

       Canada has a somewhat more liberalized policy of immigration
       than the U.S. and is currently a favorable destination to MANY
       folks from Hong Kong as that colony approaches reunification
       with China. Many wealthy Hong Kong investors are selecting
       Canada as their new home and bring with them two things which
       could bode favorably for shareware in the distant future: 1) a
       high comfort level with computer technology and software as a
       good investment or business 2) Substantial investment funds from
       previous lucrative ventures in Hong Kong to finance technology
       products in North America. 3) Finally, Vancouver B.C., where
       many of these folks are settling, has a VERY DIFFERENT stock
       market and investment system than U.S. stock offerings and
       features various "penny stocks" which can be financed RAPIDLY in
       a freewheeling and "informally frantic" manner which is very
       much to the advantage of software developers and investors
       alike.

       Bottom line: watch Canada for new shareware, new types and
       methods of financing shareware vending and development
       operations, and RAPID makeovers and marketing of formerly
       commerical software into shareware packages.

       Dave Beiter, our friendly and OUTSPOKEN critic and shareware
       author from Ritner, Kentucky has sent along an interesting list
       of his personal picks and pans among shareware vendors which I
       have reprinted in the letters section of this edition of SMS.
       Dave reviews such things as vendor responsiveness to authors and
       the infamous DOLLS vendor index rating (date of last life sign.)
       Amidst the chuckles, there is some SERIOUSLY useful marketing
       information here which Dave has obtained from mailings for his
       shareware package, SURVEY IT YOURSELF. Check out the DOLLS index.

       This issue's chuckle:

       According to SMS editor, Jim Hood, SMS was started as a SIMPLE
       mailing list. However, industry sources report that Hood is now
       considering a new marketing effort to repackage SMS with sexy
       diskette jackets and sell it next to National Enquirer at
       supermarket stores: Aliens open 99 cent/disk shareware outlet in
       New Jersey, Ziff-Davis buys Taco Bell and uploads recipes to
       Ziff Net, Woman who gave birth to shareware author claims to be
       Cher, SIF verifier system made industry standard at Borland two
       weeks before copyright suit by rival Microsoft claiming similar
       SIF Verifier "look and feel", shareware version of OS/2 now
       "repositioned" to run under Timex Sinclair DOS.

       Back to reality...

       Pausing for a moment to discuss copyright news of interest to
       the shareware community, note that U.S. Copyright Law number
       201.26 will probably be in force within the next 90 days of
       publication of this issue of SMS. This law, specifically created
       to address the needs of the shareware industry, allows for
       shareware authors and companies to deposit on file with the U.S.
       Copyright Office a copy of the licensing information
       accompanying a shareware package (e.g., granting a user a 30 day
       trial period of use or other restrictions).

       One favorable result for our industry is that by keeping a
       license on file with the Copyright office, the defense of
       "innocent infringement" is denied to a corporate or individual
       shareware user who later claims that "they were not aware of a
       license or limitation of use" since they obtained an allegedly
       hacked or damaged copy of the shareware devoid of licensing
       restrictions. The original planning began in May of 1991 and was
       published in the U.S. Federal Register in October, 1991. A
       period of public comment was made available and original
       versions of the proposal were sent to large and small vendors,
       authors and the ASP. Authors are not required to avail
       themselves of license filing under 201.26, but may find its
       special protection useful in the case of successful or popular
       packages which require additional copyright protection. The
       bottom line of 201.26 is that it firmly puts the onus or burden
       of registration firmly on the end user.

       Over at the ASP the new category of PUBLISHER is in the works. On
       the way out, in all probability, is the ASSOCIATE MEMBER
       category which will be relegated to members of the press or
       others without a direct financial interest in the shareware
       industry. Vendors will probably receive full voting rights early
       in 1992, according to industry source Bob Ostrander of Public
       Brand Software.

       Hot tip: authors seeking to locate a good agent to represent
       their shareware package in the United Kingdom might want to
       contact Nick Thompson, 10 Churchcroft, Bramshall, Euttoxeter,
       Staffs, England ST14 5DE. Apparently a fine fellow who can
       handle overseas registrations and package promotion for you in
       that country.

       A service which authors might consider for their shareware
       fulfillment is EZX corporation which is itself a shareware
       development and distribution house. I have reprinted the COMPLETE
       TEXT of their press release in the SMS letters to the editor
       section (LETTERS.TXT) elsewhere in this issue of SMS, but here are
       a few brief highlights from their press release.

                        Attention Software Authors!!!!

       From the Desk of Ed Marion    713-280-9900 (Voice)
                                     713-280-0525 (FAX)
                                     713-280-8180 (BBS, 9600, N81)
              Evenings and Weekends  713-480-0432 (Home)

       Mail: EZX Distributing 17077 Texas Av., P.O. Box 58177 Webster,
       TX 77598-0080  USA

       Announcing EZX Distributing's Software Fulfillment Service!

       No up-front money.  Most of our fulfillment services are on
       "spec".  That is, we don't collect until you do. We'll take
       orders for your product directly via our TOLL FREE VOICE and
       TOLL FREE FAX lines. We'll process credit cards, bona fide
       purchase orders, and talk directly to your customers during
       normal business hours. We can even provide technical support
       during business hours directly to your customers. We can do your
       packaging, duplication, or any service related to the sales and
       distribution of your product. When you become one of our
       fulfillment clients, we'll even provide unlimited consulting
       services to you. EZX has been in the software business
       since 1983: we can help you market your software more
       effectively. We'll even give you access to our meticulously
       maintained in-house press release contact list.

       End of abridged press release.

       And here's another fulfillment service authors might consider.
       You can now use the Advanced Support Group to process VISA and
       Mastercard payments for your package, provide telephone support
       and many of the services you may not be able to provide as a
       small business. Paul Mayer, ASP shareware author, as well as
       many independent authors use ASG to free them up from the
       routine business activities of shareware authorship so they can
       concentrate on programming and research. Contact Ken Mocabee at
       the Advanced Support Group (1-900-456-HELP), 268 Lamp and
       Lantern Village, Town and Country, Missouri 63017 Alternate
       telephone number: 314/256-3130. These are good folks and
       genuinely care (and specialize) in the support of shareware
       authors and their packages.

       Let's expand the VISA card topic further. Small businesses such
       as vendors and shareware authors call me and ask for the straight
       line on obtaining VISA merchant status. Within the BBS
       community, taking a VISA card online is a REQUIREMENT for
       successful operations. Industry source Jack Rickard of
       Boardwatch Magazine suggests a FOURFOLD increase in business for
       boards who accept charge cards. The problem is that smaller home
       based businesses are denied charge card status by most banks.
       Curiously, as reported in a recent issue of Marketing Week (Jan
       7, 1991) the market share for the major charge cards is as
       follows: VISA 45%, Mastercard 28%, American Express 22% and
       Discover 5%.

       Market share, of course, means what percentage of the consumer
       market each card represents in purchases when consumers go
       shopping. An American Express merchant account is easier to
       obtain that a VISA or Mastercard account. Discover card merchant
       status is reportedly about as difficult to obtain as VISA or
       Mastercard merchant status.

       There are three methods for obtaining merchant status:

       First, your local bank ESPECIALLY IF YOU MAINTAIN AN ACCOUNT
       such as checking, mortgage loan or business loan is your primary
       AFFORDABLE resource for merchant status. One way you can cleverly
       increase the chance of acceptance is to offer opening a savings
       account, money market account or certificate of deposit for
       around $1,000 to $2,000 to be HELD AS A BOND OR PLEDGE against
       possible losses in your first year or two of business. This
       sweetens the deal to the cautious average banker who is uneasy
       with home based businesses and will find the whole concept of
       shareware "curious."

       The second method is to obtain merchant status through a
       business or trade group such as the Direct Marketing Association
       or other retail vendor group. Lists of these groups are
       available in your local phone book (see ASSOCIATIONS) or try
       investigating Gale's Encyclopedia of Associations at your
       library.

       The third, albeit most expensive method, is to try various
       commercial bank agents, card brokers and sales groups. The catch
       here is you pay a higher transaction fee on each customer
       purchase than if the processing is handled through your local
       bank. Perhaps 5% to 7% transaction fees versus 2% to 5% via
       merchant status arranged through your local bank. Typical bank
       brokers and commercial sales groups who can arrange this are:
       Data Capture 605/341-6461, International Bancard 303/691-2513
       and Cardservice Intl 818/593-3500.

       By the way, if you want to avoid doing business with a WEAK BANK
       you might consider contacting Veribanc, a Massachusetts research
       group which investigates the earnings and assets of savings
       banks, commercial banks, and credit unions. $10 charge for first
       bank report and $3 for each additional report. 800/442-2675 or
       617/245-8370.

       Time for a little tax education pertinent to shareware authors
       and vendors. Many of us work in a home office setting and to no
       great surprise the U.S. Internal Revenue Service has created the
       new 8829 form specifically designed to elaborate reporting
       requirements for those folks taking a deduction for a home
       office. The form was created at the insistence of the service's
       examination department which noted than home office taxpayers
       seem to consistently make errors when claiming a home office
       deduction. It used to be you checked of a box on schedule C and
       itemized deductions within that schedule. Now the specific home
       office deductions have been broken out onto their own form 8829
       which will leave many home office business operators scrambling
       to and fro with yardsticks and calculators to determine area
       measurements for the home office.

       However, don't be shy about using the 8829 since once you have
       qualified for the home office deduction you can legally deduct
       prorated portions of your mortgage interest, home maintenance,
       insurance, utilities, and even your home's value on a
       depreciated basis. These deductions can be substantial if you
       qualify and will help offset self employment taxes as well as
       income taxes.

       One instance when not to take the home office deduction concerns
       those homeowners who plan to sell their homes while the home
       office is still in use. This is because if you have depreciated
       a portion of your home as a business expense and then sell for a
       gain, you must pay capital gains tax on the portion of the home
       you previously depreciated. Of course this affects renters
       differently: those folks can continue to deduct rent, utilities
       and insurance on the prorated portion of the home until the day
       they move out. For homeowners in this situation (moving or
       selling) there are two solutions: either continue deductions for
       mortgage interest, taxes and utilities but discontinue
       depreciating the house OR stop using the home office as a
       prinicipal and exclusive place of business and discontinue the
       deduction.

       While on the subject of taxes for home business owners don't
       forget these two goldmines: 1) Consider a Keogh retirement plan
       by the end of the year since you can save up to 20% of your
       income or $30,000 per year in a tax deferred account - much more
       than the lowly IRA. 2) Don't forget that instead of depreciating
       equipment such as computers and office equipment over their
       estimated life you can, according to section 179 of the tax
       code, legally claim the ENTIRE amount during the year in which
       the equipment was purchased and placed in service. There is a
       limit of $10,000 per year for this deduction so plan to buy LESS
       than this amount in any given year for your equipment purchases
       if you plan to use rule 179. There are some other technical
       exclusions for use of rule 179, but it is a goldmine for those
       that know how to use it.

       Final suggestion for the home office: at tax time buy the latest
       printed tax guide at the bookstore you can find and always use a
       software program to prepare your taxes to prevent errors. My
       favorite guide is J.K. Lasser's tax guide.

       Other books of interest to the shareware community: How to Write
       a Business Plan by Mike McKeever $14.00 Nolo Press 415/549-1976.
       Also consider: How to Prepare and Present a Business Plan by
       Joseph Mancuso. $11.00 Prentice Hall Press. 212/373-8500. By the
       way, sample business plans are available on Compuserve in the
       International Entrepreneur's forum. GO USEN. Library 8.

       Please note that disk vendor Disk-Count Data owned by Kevin King
       has relocated to Sacramento and now has a permanent mailing
       address as follows: DISK-COUNT DATA, POB 277482, SACRAMENTO, CA
       95827-7482 DAY TEL: [phone]  BBS TEL: [phone]  Kevin
       runs an excellent operation and is very much worth keeping on
       your update list since he does such a fine job of promoting
       shareware, writes a respected column for Church Bytes magazine
       and is forever repeating the phrase "register if you use
       shareware." Send Kevin a disk today!

       Speaking of promoters, I was delighted to hear from Howard
       Schwartz of Marketing Services Corporation of America, another
       excellent vendor. Howard's new idea is to publish a newspaper
       syndicated computer education column which explains shareware
       and other computer issues. Howard's background in direct mail
       marketing should find this new effort quite successful and I
       would urge all authors to send Howard a disk since YOUR program
       could be the subject of one of his columns! Contact MSCA, #1
       Marketing Centre, 3157 Madison Street, Waukesha, WI 53188-4409
       414/521-8057. Howard sent along a copy of his first column which
       is EXCELLENT. If you mention that you heard about this from Jim
       Hood at SMS, I'll bet he might send you a copy or update of his
       column from time to time! Keep him posted both regarding disk
       submissions and useful ideas for his column.

       Want something for FREE which could greatly improve your skills
       and opportunities as a shareware author? Pick up the phone and
       call toll free 800/445-7899 and obtain your copy of the
       Programmer's Paradise catalog of software tools and technology.
       Not only does this jewel contain pertinent information on the
       latest software tools, compilers, libraries, editors and
       linkers, but it contains HIGHLY INFORMATIVE articles on the
       state of the industry from a programmers perspective. A recent
       feature of the catalog presented lucid articles on software
       patching/update technology, using DLLs, Windows programming, and
       application frameworks for OOP technology. There IS such a thing
       as a free lunch! The catalog is a publication of the Voyager
       Software Corporation, 1163 Shrewsbury Avenue, Shrewsbury, NJ
       07702 USA  908/389-8950. Get it NOW.

       Another free item of interest is SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS, a
       publication updated annually by the Pacific Bell Directory and
       the U.S. Small Business Administration. At 72 pages, it includes
       a variety of up to date information for the small businessperson
       such as obtaining bank loans, coping with recession, FAX machine
       selection, computers and more. The publication offers a wealth
       of pertinent information and even includes an 18 page directory
       for further reading. Contact: Pacific Bell Directory, 101 Spear
       Street, Attn: Communications Dept. P-CWS4, Room 429, San
       Francisco, CA 94105.

       Promotion of shareware takes different forms. Several months ago
       I spotted a small article in Shareware Magazine about a national
       contest sponsored by Johns Hopkins with a focus on locating and
       awarding computer technology and software to assist the
       disabled. Out of curiosity, I entered by PC-Learn beginner's
       tutorial system and was recently accepted for regional
       competition here in Seattle with possible display at the
       national convention at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

       Whether I win, lose or draw the PUBLICITY from this kind of
       competition is invaluable to a small shareware author and in
       fact something even larger software firms wish they could
       garner. By enclosing a copy of the competition notification with
       my press releases I gather a lot of interest.

       The point: consider non-traditional ways of exposing your
       shareware to a niche market (e.g., the disabled) which can
       provide both good will and fabulous advertising mileage!
       Sometimes you do well by doing good. By the way, PC-Learn
       received a regional winner's award and was placed in the top ten
       entries in the regional competition. The press coverage is and
       will continue to be INVALUABLE to my marketing efforts.

       Lately I have received a few comments about an apparent
       incompatibility of the SMS dBase format mailing list with PC-
       File from Buttonware. Sure enough, when you load in the SMS
       mailing list, an automatically created "header file" or HDB file
       is incorrectly generated due to some unknown bug in PC-File. On
       the screen several fields of information are "overwritten" by
       other fields. The data is there, it just will not display
       properly.

       The SMS dBase file imports to most other packages fine, but PC-
       File requires an HDB file to layout the screen and a few other
       functions. The records are intact, because if you switch to
       list/browsing view you can see all of the company names,
       addresses and so forth. You can either try the simple repair
       outlined below or contact SMS for a correct copy of the HDB file
       (available to registered SMS registrants and subscribers.) I
       can't fix the bug in PC-File, but I can provide a correct header
       and the following instruction so that problems disappear.

       Here is how to fix the the problem with PC-File when importing
       the SMS database. Load the SMS file DATABASE.DBF into PC-File DB.
       The program will ask for an index field so it can generate an
       alphabetically sorted NDX file - most users decide to select
       the SMS field "Company." The program will proceed to generate an
       NDX file and an INCORRECT header HDB file usually called
       DATABASE.HDB. This process is called "adopting" by PC-File.

       Now, load the incorrect DATABASE.HDB file into any ASCII text
       editor or word processor in PURE ASCII MODE and notice the lines
       at the BOTTOM of the HDB file which I have marked as errors due
       to a bug in PC-File. The error lines represent the row and
       column location for display of the Remarks1 and Remarks2 fields.

       NREMARKS1
       TC
       L80
       IN
       R3         ---- error!
       C53        ---- error!
       V65
       NREMARKS2
       TC
       L80
       IN
       R4          ---- error!
       C53         ---- error!
       V65
       Zend

       Next the repair operation: Using your ASCII text editor, change
       the lines to the correct display location using my notes below
       which adjust the row and column display values of the HDB file.
       When you are finished, save the corrected HDB file, remove the
       bad one (if it remains) and restart PC-File and load in the SMS
       database mailing list. The corrected HDB file will provide
       proper screen display information!

       NREMARKS1
       TC
       L80
       IN
       R21          ----- New, correct value
       C14          ----- New, correct value
       V65
       NREMARKS2
       TC
       L80
       IN
       R22          ----- New, correct value
       C14          ----- New, correct value
       V65
       Zend

       If you are curious about more information concerning how the HDB
       file is used and other adjustments you can make, use the special
       program contained with PC-File called DPRPT.EXE which generates
       a report and provides clues about HDB file layout. Here is a
       typical DPRPT report display which shows you how the HDB file is
       used by the SMS database and PC-File. You can easily determine
       the values of the HDB file.

                        PC-FILE  DATABASE  DESCRIPTION

       Printed   Wed Jan 08 08:38:30 1992
       Database:    C:\TEMP\DATABASE
       Description: Adopted dBASE file
       Next UNIQUE number will be: 1

           FIELD NAME   TYPE  LENGTH DEC INDEX ROW COLUMN WINDOW
           ----------   ----  ------ --- ----- --- ------ ------
        1. COMPANY        C     41         A     3   14
        2. ADDRESS        C     50               4   14
        3. CITY           C     30               5   14
        4. STATE          C     30               6   14
        5. ZIP            C     12               7   14
        6. DATE_REVIS     D      8               8   14
                Mask  :09//  :
        7. TYPE           C      1               9   14
        8. RATING         C      2              10   14
        9. LABELTOP       C     40              11   14
       10. FIRSTNAME      C     20              12   14
       11. LASTNAME       C     20              13   14
       12. POSITION       C     30              14   14
       13. DAY_TEL        C     28              15   14
       14. BBS_TEL        C     19              16   14
       15. FAX_TEL        C     15              17   14
       16. TOLLFREE_O     C     13              18   14
       17. AFFILIATIO     C     13              19   14
       18. PRINT_         C      1              20   14
       19. REMARKS1       C     80               3   53    65
       20. REMARKS2       C     80               4   53    65

       Back to the news...

       Speaking of software bugs, here's another ESSENTIAL TIP. Always
       check your shareware disk for incompatabilities with OTHER
       programs which are popular such as 4DOS. I recently had problems
       with my PC-Learn package whose installation routine uses a small
       file called INKEY.COM. To my surprise, a few users found that
       when running 4DOS, which has an internal reserved keyword named
       INKEY, my PC-Learn installation bombed out. There are many other
       shareware and commercial packages which can also conflict. In
       general you can't fix everything, but be aware of 4DOS and other
       popular packages which should be at least beta tested with your
       product.

       Shareware vendors and authors alike are interested in cost
       effective use of postal services to move shareware around the
       world. With that in mind you might learn a lot by reading the
       article concerning Arc Tangent software in the June 25, 1991
       issue of PC Magazine, Vol 10, N 12. Arc Tangent is the
       aristocrat of commercial direct mail marketing packages and has
       recently seen some attractive price reductions from direct mail
       software suppliers. This commercial package has more cost
       effective ways to manage bulk mailing than you can shake a stick
       at. But I digress. The focus is not that you need the Arc
       Tangent package, just be sure to READ THE ARTICLE to see how
       good software can manage your mailings and save you both time
       and money. Read between the lines of the article and see if some
       of the methods which Arc Tangent uses couldn't be adapted simply
       with your current software. A lot of inside information about
       postal regulations and bulk mailing I never knew! Very eye
       opening piece.

       Along this same line of thought, note these press releases from
       PrairieWare:

                            ATTENTION MASS MAILERS

       Do you want to get more postage for your postage dollar?  There
       are two things you need to do. First send for your very own
       FREE PrairieWare disk Catalog. The next thing is pick out one
       of the many label printing programs to print the new 5 digit
       Postal Bar Code on the labels that you mail out. There are even
       programs to print the 9 digit codes and the carrier route to
       save even more money. Check the listings PR042, PR046, UT163,
       MS143, and UT236. Send for your FREE disk catalog. Send your
       request to PrairieWare, PO Box 265, Great Falls, MT 59403-0265
       or call 800-759-8596.

                                   TAX TIME

       Have the Income Tax blues got you down, look in your latest
       PrairieWare Catalog and pick out one of the many Tax assistance
       programs listed and change your cloudy day to sun shine again.
       Some of the programs print an approved IRS form while others
       over print the official IRS form. Some of the programs to choose
       from are BS109, BS110, BS116, BS127, BS190, BS256. Regardless of
       which program you choose you will get all the help you need
       since all the programs contain extensive help screens.  To get
       you started order your latest, FREE, PrairieWare disk catalog.
       All you have to do is call 800-759-8596 or write to PrairieWare
       PO Box 265 Great Falls, MT 59403-0265

       Changing gears we move along to another item . . .

       With sadness I must mention that ASP author Steve Hudgik has
       removed many of his excellent shareware packages from
       distribution and turned over their marketing to American
       Software Distributors. Steve has been quite ill in recent months
       and we will miss his enthusiasm and wit. Vendors should check
       their catalogs carefully. Steve's software was distributed under
       the Homecraft brand name. Programs include: For Photographers,
       Home Money Manager, Your Financial Adviser, Play n' Learn.

       Security programs sought by European firm. Encyption, password,
       menuing, etc. Herr Graziano, Company: Techno-Treuhand GMbH,
       Bahnhofstrasse 21-25, 2150 Buxtehude, Germany. (fax) 011-
       49416152277 (voice) 011-49416153862.

       Another European vendor which you might consider: Herr Garnet
       Brown, Company: The Pearl Agency, W-7845 Buggingen, Germany
       (voice) 011-4976314042 (also ext 4043). They claim continuous 2
       page ads in the top 16 European computer magazines and a massive
       16 page insert in several other shareware magazines. 4,000,000
       readers per month see their ads, claim company spokesmen. Also
       consider contacting them for information about a European
       magazine with a shareware focus: DOS-Trend Magazine which has a
       purported circulation of over 120,000 European computer users
       and is published by a sister company of Pearl.

       Source code deal of the year department: Paul Scanlon, assembly
       code programmer extraordinaire, is offering a hot deal on the
       source code for his SEBFU utility set! $89.95 gets you a no
       royalty, no limit license plus source code disk. Get a copy of
       the original SEBFU batch file utilities to check out this rich
       toolkit and then contact Paul if you want access to the source
       code. $5.00 discount if you mention you heard about it from SMS.
       Paul also provides consulting and machine code libraries to
       boost the performance of your packages. Paul Scanlon, 38354 -
       17th St. East, Palmdale, CA 93550. 805/272-4827

       Over in Britain shareware promotion is big. A nice twist is that
       the massive Personal Computer World magazine promotes special
       offers to encourage subscriptions and renewals. Among the offers
       are sample disks of ASEASYAS, PC-Write, Best PC Games, and
       others. Wouldn't it be nice if American publications also tried
       this "value added" strategy to increase subscriptions?

       A little shareware magazine popped up on my desk the other day
       and I suggest that MOST AUTHORS should submit a disk for review!
       The Shareware Report is a small 8 page newsletter published
       monthly by Shareware Publications, POB 295, Portage, OH 43451-
       0295. Subscriptions are $36 per year. Topics include review of
       new shareware releases, vendor lists, book recommendations, and
       information on ordering disks which have been reviewed. Send
       editor John Hasselman a copy of your program! John can be
       reached on Compuserve at 72027,3142.

       A nice idea that surfaced the other day is VENDOR COOP MAILINGS.
       What this means is that unlike AUTHOR COOP MAILINGS (many
       authors share a mailing to distribute several disks to selected
       vendors) instead several vendors share a single mailing to a
       large group of authors. Maybe vendor A needs to communicate a
       change of address. Vendor B is requesting certain utilites be
       written. Vendor C is offering media sales and disk duplication
       to authors. I am hearing rumblings of this taking off at several
       middle sized vendors. Fred Parker (mentioned earlier in this
       newsletter) has the largest mailing list of authors for those
       considering vendor coop mailings.

       Next, a long, but very useful press release from Shareable
       Software. More SMS newsletter updates follow the press release
       so keep reading!

                           SHAREWARE AUTHOR SERVICES
                                     FROM
                    SHAREABLE SOFTWARE INTERNATIONAL, INC.

                                 January, 1992

                               Table of Contents

       Introduction..................................................  1

       Latest News...................................................  2

       BBS Upload Service............................................  3

       Disk Vendor Mailing Service...................................  4

            Non-ASP Vendors..........................................  5
            ASP Vendors..............................................  5
            U.K. Vendors.............................................  5

       Publishing Your Products......................................  6

       Mass-Media & Other Writing-Related Services...................  7

       Cost Charts...................................................  8

            BBS Upload Service.......................................  8
            Non-ASP Vendors..........................................  8
            ASP Vendors..............................................  9
            U.K. Vendors............................................. 10
            Mass Media & Other Writing-Related Services.............. 10

       Order Form.................................................... 11

                              Introduction

       Program distribution and promotion are vitally important for the
       success of a Shareware program.  Shareable Software
       International, with the introduction of Shareware Author
       Services, provides shareware authors with cost-effective methods
       of increasing this distribution and promotion.  This document
       covers four areas:

       1. Disk Vendor Mailing Service

       2. BBS Upload Service

       3. Contracting out the publishing of your program

       4. Mass media and other writing-related services.

       Shareable Software International (SSI) and its President, Bill
       Dickson, have served the shareware industry since 1989.  SSI is
       also an ASP Vendor Member in good standing.

       This document is updated monthly.  Contact us via Runway BBS,
       215-623-6203 (join Conference 77), on CompuServe User ID
       76226,2652, by voice at 708-397-1221, by fax at 708-397-0381, or
       in writing to PO Box 59102, Schaumburg, IL  60159.  You can find
       the current version of this document on Runway BBS as a free
       download.  The BBS name of this document is SSISASxx.ZIP, where
       xx is a number representing the month of release,(e.g.
       SSISAS01.ZIP is January).  A copy of this document will be sent
       to each participant in this service.

                               LATEST NEWS

       If there is sufficient interest shown, we will also make a Disk
       Mailing Service to ASP BBSes available, let us know what you are
       interested in.

       Through a special arrangement, SSI is offering the Programmer's
       Productivity Pack (ProPak) for only $49.00 plus $4.00 shipping
       and handling.  This product normally sells for $79.00!  ProPack
       is a software package designed to provide the utilities and
       reference tools most frequently needed by programmers.  Each
       individual tool or "attachment" within ProPack was designed to
       be the best, most powerful, most flexible, and easiest to use in
       its category.  Features include:

       Programmer's Calculator that works simultaneously in decimal,
       binary, hexadecimal, and octal.

       Addition, subtraction, multiplication, integer division, and
       modulus mathematical functions.

       SHL, SHR, ROL, ROR, SAL, SAR, RCL, RCR bit manipulation
       functions.

       AND, NOT, OR, and XOR logical functions.

       MUCH, MUCH, MORE!  TOO much to list here.  Available as
       shareware, look for PPP261.ZIP.  Call 800-622-2793 to order.

                            BBS UPLOAD SERVICE

       SSI offers a BBS Upload Service at a very reasonable cost.  We
       currently upload to 150+ BBSes.   Your program will be uploaded,
       and you will receive a list of the BBSes to which your program
       has been uploaded, so when someone would like to download your
       program, you can give them the number of a BBS near them.

       The cost is $.25 per 70k increment per BBS, plus a $5.00 set-up
       fee. We require a deposit for 100 uploads and will invoice you
       for the number exceeding 100 (we will accept an order for less
       than 100 uploads, but this must be paid in full at the time of
       the order).  For example, 153k archived version of your program
       uploaded to 125 BBSes will cost $93.75 plus the $5.00 set up fee
       for a total of $98.75.

       We also have 20 UK BBSes available for uploads at $.25 per 70K
       increment, plus a $10.00 set up fee.

       You may tell us where we can download your program (first-time
       calls only), you may mail it to us with the check, or you may
       upload it to Runway BBS, Conference 77.  In the case where we
       pick up the program, you must provide us with credit card
       details, which are subject to a 4% surcharge.

                        DISK VENDOR MAILING SERVICE

       The Disk Vendor Mailing Service is also an inexpensive method
       for shareware authors to increase the distribution of their
       products.  It is divided between non-ASP vendors, ASP vendors,
       and U.K. vendors.

       The charge for this service is $.70 per disk per vendor in the
       US and Canada (non-ASP and ASP) and $1.75 for U.K. vendors.
       This includes disk duplication, label, paper sleeve, and of
       course shipping.  If you want to provide your own label, feel
       free (no change in price), but you must provide the proper
       amount.  We will print out labels with the program name, version
       number, and your name on a laser printer.  If you want to
       include a flyer with your program, you may provide us with the
       proper amount or we can copy them for an additional $.06 each
       single sided or $.12 double sided.  These flyers will be folded
       to fit in the disk sleeve.  We will combine and print the
       program description files (of programs without flyers) into a
       mini-catalog for each vendor.

       The full fee must be included with the order.  We will be
       shipping every two weeks; the sooner you get your order in, the
       sooner your disk will go out.

       You must provide SSI with a master 5 1/4" diskette, the master
       flyer, or the appropriate number of copies of the flyer, the
       appropriate number of labels if you want your own label on the
       disk, and a check or credit card details for the proper amount,
       (don't forget the 4% surcharge for credit card orders!).

       Your program will be shipped to the requested number of vendors
       and you will receive a disk containing the list of the vendors
       shipped to, and of course a printed receipt.  Well, who knows
       what other goodies we might send you too!

       For multiple disks, you may subtract $.20 for the second and
       subsequent disks.  This applies to all of the vendors, non-ASP,
       ASP, and U.K. vendors.  The charge for 720k disks is $1.50 per
       vendor for US disk vendors, and $3.60 for U.K. vendors.  All
       other aspects of the mailing remain the same.

       NON-ASP VENDORS  (US and Canada)

       We use Jim Hood's $hareware Marketing $ystem for our base
       mailing list for non-ASP Vendors.  The minimum requirement is a
       mailing to 200 vendors, and then in increments of 100 to a 500
       vendor total.  This, we believe, is the vast majority of the
       "quality" disk vendors.

       ASP VENDORS (US and Canada)

       Each month, we will be updating our list of ASP vendors with
       information directly from the ASP.  Each month the number will
       be going up, so you must make sure you have the current version
       of this document. Currently, the number of ASP vendors (US and
       Canada ONLY) is 233.  You must either ship to the entire list of
       ASP vendors or none of them.  As above, you will receive a disk
       with a list of the vendors shipped to, and a printed receipt.

       U.K. VENDORS

       Two things differ for the U.K. Disk Vendor Mailing - the cost,
       and the number of vendors.  The cost for each vendor is $1.75,
       and the number of vendors is 50.  You must ship to all or none
       of the U.K. vendors.

                         PUBLISHING YOUR PRODUCTS

       Shareable Software International is also a shareware publisher.
       We will take your program on a royalty basis.  This varies from
       product to product.  If we (or you) are not comfortable with the
       royalty basis (ie, percentage of the registration fee) our
       services are available on a pay-as-you go basis.  This includes
       800-number order taking, credit card orders, product shipping,
       manual production, technical support, and pretty much anything
       you need.

                MASS-MEDIA & OTHER WRITING-RELATED SERVICES

       SSI has arranged for its customers in the shareware industry to
       receive promotional and additional writing-related services from
       one of the most active authors in our field at discount rates.
       This individual has been a nationally-published author since
       1973 and has simultaneously provided writing, phototypesetting,
       graphic design and related services to private  clients since
       1978. Currently, he also writes his own columns and additional
       articles for the leading shareware publications in North
       America, the U.K. and Australia. He also understands our
       industry from the inside, having created shareware, public-
       domain and commercial software since 1985.

       Services are generally contracted on an hourly basis (currently
       $36/hr. to SSI customers--a full 25% discount over commercial
       rates!). Services include (but are not limited to) the following
       areas. Inquire about others.

       1. MASS-MEDIA RELEASES, COMPLETE MASS-MEDIA KITS AND MASS-MEDIA
       CAMPAIGNS  If you already have a "press release" or kit, it will
       be evaluated and professionally edited for a flat, one-hour fee.
       Alternately, if the evaluation indicates significant rewriting
       or redesign is appropriate, you will receive a critique with
       which you may revise the materials yourself or contract the work
       from SSI's author. If you don't currently have a release or kit,
       one can be developed for you on an hourly basis.

       If you have limited understanding of what an effective media kit
       should contain or its proper format and would like to develop
       your own, consultations are available. Similarly, if you have a
       limited understanding of the unique value of a media campaign
       (properly coordinated mailings), our author can perform this
       service for you or consult with you about establishing your own
       campaigns.

       If your product warrants, the SSI author may publicize it in his
       magazine columns or articles without charge. Important: To
       maintain his professional credibility, published reviews are
       never based upon his private services for you; they're based
       solely upon his determination of product merit. However,
       products for which he provides private services have the
       distinct advantage of receiving our author's attention, unlike
       the large volume of otherwise-unsolicited products he receives
       on a continual basis. Where else can you received guaranteed
       evaluation of your product by the leading shareware publications
       around the world?

       2. MASS-MEDIA MAILINGS SSI's author will mail your kits to his
       select "insider" list of media contacts. Rates vary depending
       upon quantity of material mailed, number of recipients you
       desire (approximately 1,000 available) and country or countries
       to which you desire your kits mailed.

       3. PRODUCT DOCUMENTATION The SSI author can edit, write or
       consult on your product's on-disk or printed documentation.

       4. PRODUCT EVALUATION SSI's author is uniquely situated to
       critique your software product. In his role in the industry, he
       receives and evaluates thousands of products from around the
       world. Let him advise you to best develop and position your
       product among them.

       5. GRAPHIC DESIGN, PHOTOTYPESETTING & PRINTING Our author owns a
       professional phototypesetting machine (interfaced with his
       computers) and design studio and has produced materials ranging
       from business cards and disk labels to full-length books. He can
       produce your materials whether or not he has written them on
       your behalf and maintains trade discounts with a variety of
       printers best suited to any type of printing product. Often he
       can subcontract your printing with just the right printer for
       your job at rates you won't find yourself. He can receive your
       materials in virtually any DOS, Mac, CP/M or typesetting file
       format because of a commercial typesetter conversion program he
       markets. He also can scan and typeset from your hardcopy and--of
       course--directly keyboard text.

       SUBMISSION DETAILS

       To obtain any of the above services, send all related materials
       (including a copy of your software) and a one-hour initial fee
       to SSI. If your needs don't fall within the above categories,
       you may contact SSI first with an inquiry. But please understand
       that due to the nature of the work in these areas it generally
       is not feasible to estimate total charges without the initial
       evaluation of your materials.

       With our author there are no surprises and you are never locked
       into extended contracts. After the initial critique, you may
       submit as much or as little of a deposit as you desire based
       upon the mutually-agreed services to be performed on your
       behalf. You will be kept advised of the status and may continue
       to seek additional services to the degree you desire through
       subsequent deposits. You may terminate services at any point,
       obligated only for services provided to that time. (Any unused
       deposit will, of course, be refunded.)

                                      COST CHARTS


       BBS UPLOAD SERVICE
       ARCHIVE SIZE                            PER BBS

              0-70K                             $0.25
             71-140K                            $0.50
            141-210K                            $0.75
            211-280K                            $1.00
            281-350K                            $1.25
       CONTACT US FOR LARGER THAN 350K ARCHIVES
       REMEMBER $5.00 SET-UP FEE FOR EACH ARCHIVE, $10.00 FOR U.K.


       NON-ASP DISK VENDOR MAILING SERVICE

       PER DISK
       YOU PROVIDE                        EACH
       THE FLYER                 FIRST    ADDITIONAL
                                  200     100
       360K DISK                $140.00   $70.00
       ADDITIONAL 360K DISK     $100.00   $50.00
       720K DISK                $300.00   $150.00
       ADDITIONAL 720K DISK     $260.00   $130.00


       PER DISK
       WE COPY                            EACH
       THE FLYER                 FIRST    ADDITIONAL
       (1 SIDED)                  200     100

       360K DISK                $152.00   $76.00
       ADDITIONAL 360K DISK     $112.00   $56.00
       720K DISK                $312.00   $156.00
       ADDITIONAL 720K DISK     $272.00   $136.00


       PER DISK
       WE COPY                            EACH
       THE FLYER                 FIRST    ADDITIONAL
       (2 SIDED)                  200     100

       360K DISK                $164.00   $82.00
       ADDITIONAL 360K DISK     $124.00   $62.00
       720K DISK                $324.00   $162.00
       ADDITIONAL 720K DISK     $284.00   $142.00

       ASP DISK VENDOR MAILING SERVICE

       PER DISK
       YOU PROVIDE
       THE FLYER                CURRENT
                                  233
       360K DISK                $163.10
       ADDITIONAL 360K DISK     $116.50
       720K DISK                $349.50
       ADDITIONAL 720K DISK     $302.90


       PER DISK
       WE COPY
       THE FLYER                CURRENT
       (1 SIDED)                  233

       360K DISK                $177.08
       ADDITIONAL 360K DISK     $130.48
       720K DISK                $363.48
       ADDITIONAL 720K DISK     $316.88

       PER DISK
       WE COPY
       THE FLYER                CURRENT
       (2 SIDED)                  233

       360K DISK                $191.06
       ADDITIONAL 360K DISK     $144.46
       720K DISK                $377.46
       ADDITIONAL 720K DISK     $330.86
       U.K. DISK VENDOR MAILING SERVICE

       PER DISK
       YOU PROVIDE
       THE FLYER                CURRENT
                                  50

       360K DISK                $87.50
       ADDITIONAL 360K DISK     $77.50
       720K DISK                $180.00
       ADDITIONAL 720K DISK     $170.00


       PER DISK
       WE COPY
       THE FLYER                CURRENT
       (1 SIDED)                  50

       360K DISK                $90.50
       ADDITIONAL 360K DISK     $80.50
       720K DISK                $183.00
       ADDITIONAL 720K DISK     $173.00


       PER DISK
       WE COPY
       THE FLYER                CURRENT
       (2 SIDED)                  50

       360K DISK                $93.50
       ADDITIONAL 360K DISK     $83.50
       720K DISK                $186.00
       ADDITIONAL 720K DISK     $176.00


       MASS-MEDIA & OTHER WRITING-RELATED SERVICES
       HOURLY RATES FOR MOST SERVICES:    $36/HR.
       MASS-MEDIA MAILING SERVICE:  (varies--see text and call)
       INITIAL REVIEW/CRITIQUING:    $36.00 accompanying your materials

                                ORDER FORM

                            BBS UPLOAD SERVICE (US)

     ARCHIVE SIZE OF _____ ($.25 per 70K) IS $____ X ____  BBSes =  $______
                                                        SET UP FEE  $______
                           BBS UPLOAD SERVICE (U.K.)

     ARCHIVE SIZE OF _____ ($.25 per 70K) IS $____ X  20  BBSes  =  $______
                                                        SET UP FEE  $______

                      NON-ASP DISK VENDOR MAILING SERVICE

     FIRST 360K DISK TO 200 = $140.00                               $______
     FIRST 720K DISK TO 200 = $300.00                               $______
     ADDITIONAL 360K DISK TO ____ VENDORS = $____                   $______
     ADDITIONAL 720K DISK TO ____ VENDORS = $____                   $______


                        ASP DISK VENDOR MAILING SERVICE

     360K DISK TO 233 = $163.10                                     $______
     720K DISK TO 233 = $349.50                                     $______
     ADDITIONAL 360K DISK TO 233 = $116.50                          $______
     ADDITIONAL 720K DISK TO 233 = $302.90                          $______

                       U.K. DISK VENDOR MAILING SERVICE

     360K DISK TO 50 = $87.50                                       $______
     720K DISK TO 50 = $180.00                                      $______
     ADDITIONAL 360K DISK TO 50 = $77.50                            $______
     ADDITIONAL 720K DISK TO 50 = $170.00                           $______


                               COPYING OF FLYER

     NUMBER OF VENDORS _____ X $.06 SINGLE SIDED =                  $______
     NUMBER OF VENDORS _____ X $.12 DOUBLE SIDED =                  $______


                 MASS-MEDIA & OTHER WRITING-RELEATED SERVICES

     INITIAL REVIEW/CRITIQUING AT $36.00                            $_____

                                                       SUB TOTAL    $_____

                                     ADD 4% IF USING CREDIT CARD    $_____

                                                           TOTAL    $_____

       End of Press release.

       The last few issues of Shareware Magazine from PC-SIG offer some
       interesting opportunities. In the Nov-Dec 1991 issue publisher
       Richard Petersen offers a FREE six month Shareware Magazine
       subscription to any business person who might be interested in -
       or need convincing of - the advantages of shareware. A second
       offer from Petersen is ONE FREE PC-SIG DISK of your choice for
       every name and address you provide of anyone interested in
       software or owning a PC.

       Petersen poses questions to readers (and shareware authors) and
       would like to personally hear the answers from you. Consider and
       send along your comments on Petersen's questions: Do you buy
       disks from PC-SIG. Why or why not? Where do you obtain
       shareware? What is your opinion of Shareware Magazine? What
       should be added or subtracted from Shareware Magazine? Do you
       register your own shareware and why? What sort of programs
       should be developed which are not now available. Does your
       company use shareware? What are your areas of expertise if you
       are interested in becoming a shareware reviewer? Final offer
       from Petersen in the Nov-Dec issue: tell him what programs
       you've registered and receive a free disk for each one
       registered.

       By the way, the same Nov-Dec issue provides a fascinating list
       and review of foreign shareware vendors as well as domestic US
       vendors. The writer of the foreign vendor article URGENTLY
       requests press releases, product announcements events and trends
       plus new foreign shareware vendor addresses. Pertinent to all
       shareware authors. Contact Jerry Olsen. 1130 S. Michigan Ave,
       Ste 1816, Chicago, IL 60605 (voice) 312/939-3300 (modem)
       312/939-4411 (compuserve) 70322,3160. Jerry's company, Advocate
       Enterprises, also provides services for shareware authors
       including diskette and mailing label design, copywriting,
       ghostwriting, software design, documentation and media kit
       distribution.

       Continuing with a different editorial from Richard Petersen in
       the Sep-Oct 1991 issue of Shareware Magazine, obvious and not so
       obvious observations pop out. According to Petersen successful
       shareware seems limited to PC compatibles. Successful shareware
       disks tend to be first in a particular area. Windows is hot. The
       ASP is a good place to share experiences and swap marketing
       information but has had limited impact on public awareness of
       shareware. More commercial programs are popping up in shareware
       versions. Foreign shareware marketing in growing. Visibility of
       shareware to the broader market of computer users is still low.
       Petersen even suggests creation of an association for the
       purpose of promoting the concept of shareware. Something beyond
       the ASP.

       That last statement seems to indicate the achilles heel of the
       shareware industry. Visibility remains surprisingly low despite
       larger vendors, despite the ASP and despite the vast numbers of
       PC clones. I think this may change slowly this year as industry
       giant Ziff-Davis gradually brings Public Brand up to marketing
       speed. Another surprisingly interesting venue that may change
       shareware perceptions is that gradually more sellers of PC's are
       incorporating shareware on the hard drive with every computer sold.

       By the way, one of my industry sources says that despite high
       circulation claims (inflated by including total printing and/or
       news stand circulation), ACTUAL paid subscriptions to Shareware
       Magazine may be in the region of about 17,000 to 20,000. This is
       not meant as a negative insight about the magazine, which is
       excellent and IMPROVING under new Editor-in-Chief Michael
       Callahan, but rather a reaffirmation that shareware visibility
       in the larger public arena is still low.

       Software U.S.A. passes along this press release which is
       reprinted verbatim as supplied by company president Justin
       O'Neal:

       If you're a shareware buyer, vendor, or author then SOFTWARE
       U.S.A. of Tulsa, Oklahoma has a service that meets your need.
       SOFTWARE U.S.A. carries a complete line of shareware programs.
       Each has been thoroughly tested and is of the utmost quality.
       In support of the shareware idea, SOFTWARE U.S.A. will even pay
       10% of the registration fee (not to exceed $10).  They also
       carry a full line of commercial programs and hardware
       accessories for the IBM, Macintosh, Apple, Commodore, Amiga,
       Atari, Nintendo, and many more. SOFTWARE U.S.A. also has an
       unbeatable diskette replication service.  Charges are only 15
       cents per disk, and there are no set-up charges.  Minimum of 50
       diskettes.
                          ATTENTION SHAREWARE AUTHORS

       SOFTWARE U.S.A. has a service that will knock your socks off.
       It's called Direct Diskette Distribution (DDD for short). Here's
       how it works>>>

       SOFTWARE U.S.A. takes your program and places it on their
       catalog disk.  When they mail their catalogs, your program goes
       right along.  This means that everyone who receives a SOFTWARE
       U.S.A. catalog, receives your program. This dramatically
       increases circulation of your program and your chances of people
       registering.

       Catalogs are bi-monthly and are mailed to approximately 1200
       people in that time frame.  Charges are $40 per 500 persons
       mailed or 8 cents a name.  Minimum reservation is 500 catalogs.
       Guaranteed returns at 2.5%.  In other words:

       If your registration fee is $15, and you reserve a complete bi-
       monthly mailing (app. 1200 catalogs), and you receive a 2.5%
       response (1200 * 2.5%), you can expect dollar returns of $450
       (minimum).

       They can also mass mail your programs to selected target areas
       for a very reasonable cost.

       In addition, SOFTWARE U.S.A. has formed a new subsidiary company
       called VECTOR PUBLICATIONS.   A mail list management firm that
       is devoted to bringing the best leads to people at the best
       prices.  Below is a short price list.  Other categories are
       available.  These are the highest quality of names VECTOR
       PUBLICATIONS offers.  No name is over 30 days old.

         Category:  Shareware Users
            Class:  A (Hotline names)
       Min. Order:  200 names.

        Prices>>>  200 names..............$20.00
                   500 names..............$30.00
                  1000 names..............$50.00
                  2000 names..............$90.00
                  3000 names..............$140.00
                  4000 names..............$185.00
                  5000 names..............$230.00
                 10000 names..............$450.00

       *Large quantity orders (5-10 thousand) may take up to 7 days
       extra to process.  Names are cycled, and no two orders within 90
       days will ever have the same names.

       Below is a listing of the SOFTWARE U.S.A. departments with their
       respective addresses.  Also is a listing of the department
       heads.

       SOFTWARE U.S.A.-  Technical Services & Customer Support
       3717 E. 82nd Ct. Suite #217,  Tulsa, OK 74137

       SOFTWARE U.S.A.-  Main Office (located in the Fountain Plaza)
       4845 S. Sheridan, Suite #505, Tulsa, OK 74145

       SOFTWARE U.S.A.-  Orders and inquiries
       P.O. Box 471883, Tulsa, OK 74147

                 PHONE        OPEN 24 hours a day.        FAX
             918-481-6533                             918-622-7889

         Justin O'Neal       President
         Bradley McClure     Vice President, Author Services
         Joel Henshaw        Vice President, Customer Service
         Jeff Woods          Operating Director, Vector Publications

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       Please note that older material from previous SMS newsletters,
       containing HIGHLY valuable marketing information, has been moved
       to the SMS archives disk which is available from SMS. Consult
       the GOODIES section of SMS for information on ordering this
       archived material if you do not have previous editions of SMS.

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