America Online's New ASP Forum Helps Members Locate and Use Shareware Programs.MUSKEGON, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 2, 1996--The Association of Shareware Professionals See ASP. (ASP asp, popular name for several species of viper, one of which, the European asp (Vipera aspis), is native to S Europe. It is also a name for the Egyptian cobra (Naja haja). ), an international trade organization representing authors, publishers, vendors, and on-line distributors of shareware Software on the "honor system." The concept is that users try a product, and if they like it, they voluntarily pay a set registration fee or make a donation to the program's creator. There are tens of thousands of shareware programs; some fantastic, some awful. products, today announced the opening of the ASP Forum (Keyword: ASP) in the Computing computing - computer and Software Channel on America Online See AOL. . Shareware is a means of marketing software that allows consumers to try a program before buying it. The ASP Forum consists of eight main areas: shareware programs uploaded from the ASP's CD-ROM CD-ROM: see compact disc. CD-ROM in full compact disc read-only memory Type of computer storage medium that is read optically (e.g., by a laser). and individual ASP members; product reviews; a gallery of authors and shareware luminaries; support forums for ASP member programs; "Search for Shareware"; resource centers for users, authors, and vendors; shareware on the web; and the message center. More than 1,600 shareware programs representing just about any computing need one can imagine can be downloaded by ASP forum visitors. Each program bears the ASP's logo. This logo tells consumers that a program has been produced by an ASP author member, has been thoroughly tested by him or her, contains complete documentation, and can be fully evaluated. The reviews section offers evaluations of these newest, feature-rich shareware programs. Mike Callahan, a shareware industry pioneer known worldwide under the trademarked name "Dr. File Finder," will prepare these reviews. Users can click on a button next to a review if they wish to download the program being discussed. The shareware gallery includes photos and biographies of individual ASP members. Programs created by these individuals, product descriptions, a message area for questions, and other information are available in support forums, which can be reached by clicking a button next to the author's biography. "We've organized the ASP forum into these areas to help the typical AOL (A division of Time Warner, Inc., New York, NY, www.aol.com) The world's largest online information service with access to the Internet, e-mail, chat rooms and a variety of databases and services. member find shareware, meet the people who create it, and get ideas on how to make most use of programs they have downloaded," said Dan Veaner, forum manager. The ASP promotes the use of shareware as a software marketing method and assists its 1,000 members with marketing information and distribution. The organization is located at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442-9427; 616/788-5131 phone, 616/788-2765 fax. The ASP operates a World Wide Web home page (http://www.asp-shareware.org) and forums on CompuServe (GO ASPFORUM) and Microsoft Network See MSN. Microsoft Network - The Microsoft Network (GO ASP), in addition to America Online. CONTACT: Association of Shareware Professionals Dan Veaner, 607/533-4685 ASPDan@aol.com or Mitchell Friedman Communications Mitchell Friedman, 415/824-1466 mfctalk@aol.com or America Online Tanya Mazarowski, 703/918-2885 TanyaMaz@aol.com |
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