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JCSM Shareware Collection 1996 September
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SDNMAKER.TXT
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1996-04-26
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SDN INTERNATIONAL(sm)
The Shareware Distribution Network
SDNmaker(c) revision April 20th 1996
(c)Copyright 1996 by Ray L. Kaliss as The SDN Project
http://www.pcnet.com/~kaliss/sdn.html
The SDN Project BBS 1-203-634-0370
Fidonet 1:141/840
kaliss@sdn.com
SDN International(sm)
SDNMaker(c) Utility
Version 1.0
For Commercial Distribution Services Submissions
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SDNMaker is Copyright 1996 by Ray L. Kaliss as The SDN Project.
All rights are reserved. SDNMaker may be distributed as a whole
and complete package and is intended for preparation of shareware
programs for submission to SDN International's Commercial
Distribution Services.
LIMITED LICENSE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shareware authors and publisher are allowed a limited license to
use SDNMaker to prepare shareware programs for submission to SDN
International. It is a violation of copyright license to use
SDNMaker for any other purpose. SDNMaker and it's information is
periodically updated, authors should inquire for updates before
using. By submitting through the use of SDNMaker, the author
agrees to current distribution fees and policy as posted at The
SDN Project BBS in Meriden, Connecticut, U.S.A. Data
1-203-634-0370.
Use of SDNMaker contitues agreement with the criteria of the SDN
Author Kit guidelines for submission to SDN.
C O N T E N T S
---------------
CONTENTS CHAPTER
-------- -------
Purpose......................................... 1
Password............................... 1.1
Operation....................................... 2
SDN.ID................................. 2.1
VENDINFO.DIZ.......................... 2.2
Price List and Fees............................. 3
Submitting To SDN............................... 4
Postal Mailing......................... 4.1
Direct Uploading....................... 4.2
FTP Incoming........................... 4.3
Fidonet File-Attach.................... 4.4
Confirmation.................................... 5
Obtaining Current Information................... 6
..................................................
1. PURPOSE
~~~~~~~~~~
SDN International(sm) is the Shareware Distribution Network. With
the cooperation of amateur and commercial networks, online
services, and electronic media, SDN is the worlds first shareware
distribution network. SDN is designed to aide the new shareware
author who does not have the means for significant world wide
marketing and distribution, and the experienced author managing
out-sourced distribution as part of a successful shareware
business plan.
Unless an author has no-charge access to online services, long
distance calls, dial up service providers, satellite services, and
thousands of bulletin boards world wide, SDN distribution is less
expensive than an author's own distribution efforts, and far more
effective.
SDNMaker packages the shareware author's program, allows site
selection, records distribution information, and allows an author
to submit electronically. The result of SDNMaker is an encrypted,
secured and authenticated package to be submitted for processing
distribution.
SDNMaker should be used to prepare all submissions to SDN except
public service submission limited to Fidonet.
1.1 PASSWORD
~~~~~~~~~~~~
SDNMaker uses a verified password, assigned by SDN International.
If this is the first time you are using SDNMaker and do not yet
have an assigned password, you should enter '?' at the password
prompt and print the short application form. Fill out the form
picking a password and recording it, then return to processing.
Enter the password you have chosen at the prompt. Copy the
resultant (your-filename).SDN package onto a 1.44k disk, and
postal mail it to us along with your password application and
payment. The name and password you put on the form and use with
SDNMaker should match exactly, case is significant.
NOTE: The password you may be using at The SDN Project BBS is not
necessarily the same as used for SDNMaker.
2. OPERATION
~~~~~~~~~~~~
SDNMaker is a DOS utility. It will run under DOS 3.x or higher.
It has been tested in the OS/2 and Windows DOS 'box'. It makes
calls to PKWare's pkzip.exe program on 'path' to function properly
and will abort if pkzip.exe is not on the environment path.
SDNMaker will query the author for a SOURCE drive and directory,
and a TARGET drive and directory.
2.1 SDN.ID
~~~~~~~~~~
The SOURCE directory should contain only two files, an SDN.ID and
the author's program, zip compressed in the file name it is to be
distributed as.
2.3 VENDINFO.DIZ
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to the cooperation of Ram's Island Software's VENDINFO
System, SDNMaker can create an acceptable SDN.ID from information
contained in a VENDINFO.DIZ readable header. The resultant SDN.ID
created should be edited with a plain ASCII text editor by the
author.
An example SOURCE directory for XWORD Editor, version 2.10.
SDN.ID (or VENDINFO.DIZ)
XWRD210.ZIP
With today's high speed modems and error correction, downloadable
files can be larger than in the past. Most programs should be
compressed into one .zip file. If the program is so large as to
need more than one .zip file, a set, SDNMaker must be run on each
.zip individually with SDN.ID files for each. SDN's flat
distribution fee is for the program version, not the number of
.zip files, however there is a reasonable limit of 3 megs zipped,
per program.
Information needed for distribution to various sites will be taken
from the SDN.ID and used when possible. The SDN.ID, in form and
format, not content, is copyright to SDN International and may be
distributed with the final archive to identify to the public the
origin of the distribution and the assurance of our verification
and security features.
The author will be presented with all sites that will accept the
specific type of software being processed.
If special forms are required by any sites, the author will be
prompted to complete the forms through SDNMaker and they will be
included in the final package for use during processing and
distribution.
3. PRICE LIST and FEES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Commercial Distribution Services by SDN are currently flat fee
based and apply to the distribution service itself, there are no
individual site fees. This allows us to expand or change sites to
match the dynamics of the online world. The fee schedule and
current distribution sites, which is a companion document for
SDNMaker, is PRICE.LST and is updated by SDN periodically.
PRICE.LST is published and posted at The SDN Project BBS
203-634-0370. The current PRICE.LST superceeds all lists of
earlier date or in circulation.
The definition of 'site' for distribution purposes often
designates a gateway. For example, Fidonet is considered one
site, yet it is composed of 30,000 plus individual bulletin boards
world wide of all sizes, SDN probably reaches 10-15,000 of these.
4. SUBMITTING TO SDN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SDNMaker creates an archive package in the TARGET directory. The
package is named with the name given to your original .zip file,
but given a .SDN extension (your-filename.sdn). It is uniquely
encrypted for security and origin verification, it is what you
submit to SDN.
There are three basic methods to send the .SDN package to SDN for
submission.
4.1 Postal Mail
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you do not already have an approved password, your submission
must be Postal Mailed to us on a 1.44k disk. Include the password
application form that SDNMaker will allow you to print out, and
your payment in money order, or credit card information. Personal
checks can only be accepted if drawn on United States banks.
4.2 Direct Uploading
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors in the United States and Canada, please upload directly to
our BBS. The parameters are 8,N,1. Our 28.8k modem
(V.Everything) will attempt to connect at the highest speed with
your modem. Once on our BBS, go to Main Menu, then to the Files
Section and upload into Files Area (3). All uploads are hidden.
Leave a message upon logoff that you have uploaded so we can look
for your submission.
4.3 FTP Incoming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SDN maintains an incoming ftp site at ftp.sdn.com (alternative
address ftp.pcnet.com) for incoming .SDN files. We prefer to
leave this way open for our international authors, but if this is
your most convenient way, just be sure you don't forget to do a
binary transfer. Once connected, change directory as follows.
ftp.sdn.com /users/sdn/incoming
ftp.pcnet.com /users/sdn/incoming
Binary transfer and then send email to kaliss@sdn.com and tell us
what file and program you have submitted. The only files we will
accept are SDNMaker (filename.sdn) packages, all others are
deleted.
4.4 Fidonet File-Attach
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few authors have Fidonet capability, for these, crash
File-Attach your .SDN file to 1:141/840 with a netmail message.
4.5 Internet Email MIME Attach
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is a limit on what POP3 and SMPT can handle with MIME
attaches. This can be an unreliable method. If you need to, give
it a try. Send to: kaliss@sdn.com
5. CONFIRMATION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SDNMaker will ask you if have an Internet email address. If you
do, enter it and you will be sent an automatic confirmation
message when your submission is processed. Don't forget, if you
are a member of an online service that is connected to the
Internet, you automatically have an internet address of your login
name and online service (SDNInter@aol.com).
6. OBTAINING CURRENT INFORMATION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SDN policy, the SDNMaker utility and PRICE LIST are revised
periodically to reflect the changing online world. Please be sure
you are up to date. SDN's Commercial Distribution fees and
available distribution sites are updated in PRICE.LST. The fees
and sites in the current PRICE LIST prevail. Below are various
methods to obtain current information.
Download
~~~~~~~~
The SDN Project BBS 1-203-634-0370
FTP
~~~
ftp.sdn.com /users/sdn
ftp.pcnet.com /users/sdn
World Wide Web
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.pcnet.com/~kaliss/sdn.html
Internet Return Email
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Information can be return reply requested through Internet email
by entering key words in the Subject: line. No message body is
needed. In all cases the "To:" address is the same...
Example:
To: kaliss@sdn.com
Subject: Mailer! Current
WHAT SUBJECT LINE TO USE WHAT IS RETURNED
------------------------ ----------------------------
"Mailer! Current" Current list of all items
"Mailer! Price List" Current Price List
"Mailer! SDNMaker" Current SDNMaker utility
"Mailer! Author Kit" Current SDN Author's Kit
"Mailer! SDN.ID Format" Current SDN.ID Format
"Mailer! SDNTest" SDN security seal test utility
Fidonet File-Request
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fidonet capable authors can file-request from 1:141/840 using
file-request magic names. They are, "Current", "Sites",
"SDNMaker", "Postal", "Kit", "SDNID", and "Fidonet".
/eof