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The Pier Shareware 3
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The Pier Shareware Number 3 (The Pier Exchange) (1993).iso
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1993-05-27
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╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ║
║ Corporate Headquarters BBS (815) 886-3233 ║
║ (815) 886-9381 ║
║ ║
║ CD-ROM FILE DATE ANALYZER ║
║ v1.0 ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ Copyright 1993 ║
║ by Robert Neal ║
║ 317 Hickory Avenue ║
║ Romeoville, IL 60441 ║
║ ║
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
DISCLAIMER
THIS SOFTWARE AND ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS ARE DISTRIBUTED "AS IS" WITHOUT
CHARGE AND WITHOUT WARRANTY, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ANYONE INVOLVED WITH THE CREATION AND
PRODUCTION OF THIS PRODUCT BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF ANY USE THEREOF OR BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
It used to be simple, a new CD ROM Shareware disc would be released
about every 4-6 months. Now though, we have several key players in the
market, all releasing discs that overlap files with one another. Before
plunking down your cash, you ask "what's the duplication rate with brand
x disc".
I originally wrote CD-ROM File Date Analyzer for my own personal use.
I had an interest in just how "fresh" a new CD actually was. To read
some of the advertising claims, each disc release would lead you to
believe that nearly the entire disc was filled with program "just
released". As I found, these "just released" programs often meant being
dated by a year or more. I don't know about you, but I have plenty of
"last years" discs, I'm always looking for the NEW STUFF!
The original program was crude, but it did what I wanted, quickly and
easily. I, in turn, posted my "findings" in the CD-ROM conference on
RIME (a national message network). Surprisingly, I had people asking
where they could get the utility that I used to create the analysis. I
even had several CD ROM distributors contact me directly asking if I
could make the program available to them.
With all this positive feedback and encouragement on an unreleased
program, I decided to put some time behind the keyboard to polish up my
code for public release. The time spent polishing and enhancing the code
has taken more time than the original crude version. The end result is a
program that I still think is easy to use and retains it's speed. The
response to this initial shareware offering will serve as encouragement
to continue to release future enhanced versions as well as releasing
additional utilities.
WHAT THE PROGRAM DOES
Quite simply, CDFDA reads a text file listing (commonly referred to as
an "allfiles" listing) and sorts the files data into a month by month
matrix, for the years 1990 through 1993. This "allfiles" listing MUST be
in PCBoard format. Being a PCBoard SysOp, this is the format that is
common to me. If there is enough demand, additional formats may be
supported.
If you only have a listing of individual DIRxx files, typically for
PCBoard systems, these can be quickly combined into one file listing for
processing by CDFDA by using the batch file, CDLIST.BAT, included with
this program. The batch file simply performs a recurrsive loop and using
the DOS copy function, copies each DIRxx file out to a filename
CDDA.LST. This filename can be renamed by you.
After reading a file listing, CDFDA will begin to read the "allfiles"
listing, processing each record as found.
Once completed, CDFDA will create a report as indicated by you. The
following is an example of the report output:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Analysis Created By: CD-ROM File Date Analyzer
Analysis of PIER2.RPT - 05-26-1993 21:22:58
Files dated other than 1990 through 1993:
ENSIGN.ZIP 613832 01-01-99 Ensign V LIVE DEMO - stock market analysis
PT202B.ZIP 181869 04-05-94 Periodic Table 2.02 - Disk 2 of 2 Includes
File stats for 1990 and 1991:
90 File % Apx 'K' % 91 File % Apx 'K' %
== ==== ===== ======== ===== == ==== ===== ======== =====
1 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
2 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 2 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
3 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 3 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
4 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 4 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
5 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 5 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
6 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 6 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
7 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 7 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
8 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 8 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
9 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 9 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
10 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 10 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
11 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 11 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
12 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 12 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
---- ----- -------- ----- ---- ----- -------- -----
0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
==== ===== ======== ===== ==== ===== ======== =====
File stats for 1992 and 1993:
92 File % Apx 'K' % 93 File % Apx 'K' %
== ==== ===== ======== ===== == ==== ===== ======== =====
1 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 1,189 25.1% 164,895 25.5%
2 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 2 1,060 22.4% 137,095 21.2%
3 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 3 756 15.9% 112,983 17.5%
4 1 0.0% 70 0.0% 4 380 8.0% 49,440 7.7%
5 18 0.4% 1,776 0.3% 5 107 2.3% 14,749 2.3%
6 35 0.7% 5,853 0.9% 6 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
7 38 0.8% 3,394 0.5% 7 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
8 39 0.8% 3,731 0.6% 8 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
9 58 1.2% 16,792 2.6% 9 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
10 129 2.7% 15,214 2.4% 10 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
11 315 6.6% 44,243 6.8% 11 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
12 613 12.9% 75,045 11.6% 12 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
---- ----- -------- ----- ---- ----- -------- -----
1,246 26.3% 166,118 25.7% 3,492 73.7% 479,162 74.2%
==== ===== ======== ===== ==== ===== ======== =====
---- Total Files: 4,740 Total Approx 'K' Bytes: 646,057 ----
------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to preparing the file date distribution matrix, CDFDA also
will also list filedates that are outside the 1990-1993 paramter.
Please note - several, what I refer to as "low rent" discs, do not
accurately reflect file dates in the file listings. On one CD I have,
the filedates were all flagged with 04-14-93. Obviously this
vendor didn't take the time (or courtesy) to pull in true file dates.
CDFDA does not attempt to extract any further file dates as CDFDA was
written to be used as a "before the purchase" utility, giving you a
chance to determine if a CD considered for sale is worth purchasing.
I would like to mention that several CD ROM vendors do take the time to
try and properly reflect the true file date in their file listings. I
think it's the least that we, the consumer, should expect from a CD ROM
vendor. There are several vendors who go to great pains to ensure a true
file date in their discs.
PROGRAM OPERATION
Type CDFDA at the command line. You will then be prompted for the
following information:
File Listing Name - The name of your "allfiles" file list
Report Name - Name of the output report you wish to be created, may
enter LPT1 to send to printer
Include GIF's Y/N - You can choose to exclude GIF data from the
analysis. I personally find little benefit to GIF files,
and as there is no TRUE file date for these files, their
inclusion may skew the results. You can determine if
these types of files are included in your results or
not.
After you have the above information, simply press F10 and you'll be on
your way. If you leave File Listing Name blank the program will also
terminate. The program will now begin reading and processing the data,
quickly and easily.
That's all there is to it.
REGISTERING THE SOFTWARE
CD-ROM FILE DATE ANALYZER is released as SHAREWARE. You are granted a
limited license to evaluate the program. Try it out, if you continue to
use it you are required to register the program. Your registration will
serve as encouragement for me to continue to release updates and
additional programs.
You will notice that I have NOT crippled the program in anyway. I
debated on whether to restrict the unregistered program in some form and
decided to just go on the trust of users who may use the program.
PERSONAL USE
------------
To register the program send $10.00 along with your name and
address to: Robert Neal, 317 Hickory Avenue, Romeoville, IL
60441.
Special offer - register CDFDA along with another program of
mine, CD-ROM Duplicate Analyzer for only $5.00 more.
COMMERCIAL USE
--------------
To register the program for commercial use, send $20.00 along
with your business name and address to the address above.
Special offer for commercial users - register CDFDA, and you can
also register another program of mine, CD-ROM Duplicate Analyzer
for only $10.00 more.
CD vendors/distributors may send a copy of your CD disc in lieu
of payment and receive registration numbers for both programs. I
enjoy reviewing new discs and post my reviews on the RIME
message network, a large international message network with
nearly 1,000 different BBS's participating. The review can reach
a large potential group of consumers, eager to purchase your
product. Any CD's received will be reviewed on an impartial
basis. If you feel your CD is of quality, here's your chance to
get some free "promotion" for your product and a free copy of
BOTH programs to boot!
CONTACT ME FOR SUPPORT
If you encounter any problems you may contact me at Corporate Headquarters
BBS (815) 886-3233 or (815) 886-9381.
If you have any suggestions for improvements for this program, please feel
free to let me know.
VERSION HISTORY
v1.0 - Initial release