Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP) Announces New Author Standards.

MUSKEGON, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 7, 1995--The Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP), an international trade organization representing authors, publishers, vendors, and on-line distributors of shareware products, today announced new standards for ASP authors and ASP-compliant software.

The new standards, approved by more than 85 percent of voting ASP members, allow authors to use limiting measures to encourage shareware users to register products. ASP also is offering new assurances to consumers who evaluate ASP-compliant shareware programs before making decisions about which products to buy.

"The influx of new computer users coming online means ASP has to better explain what shareware is, highlight quality control and customer support, and inform consumers about their responsibility to pay for products," said George Campbell, chairman of ASP's board of directors. "By achieving these objectives, our new author standards should lead to increased product sales for ASP members."

In the past, users evaluating shareware programs were unsure about their responsibilities to register and pay for products they continued to use after an evaluation period. Under the terms of ASP's new standards, shareware authors can use reasonable measures to assist users in understanding license requirements. These measures include time or usage limits, with products scaling down features, increasing the number and duration of Registration Reminder Screens, or, in some cases, disabling the program after the evaluation period expires. In all cases, users must be notified on screen well in advance of limitations taking effect. Limitations also must be explained in product documentation.

The new ASP Author Standards also provide additional assurances to shareware users. All ASP-compliant product features, including registration enhancement, must be fully documented. New version releases will explain how to safely uninstall the product. ASP authors also will be required to conscientiously test software, and ship products that cannot damage hardware or data if properly used.

In addition, ASP-compliant software also must offer the paid registered user a minimum of three months of support without extra charges. Some form of access to significant user-entered data cannot be prevented even after the evaluation period ends.

The complete text of the ASP Author Standards is attached, and can be downloaded or viewed on-line as ASPAS.TXT in Library 2 of the ASPFORUM on CompuServe.

The Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP) currently has more than 1500 members worldwide who are committed to providing high-quality, professional software products that consumers can "try before they buy." The ASP's primary goals are to promote the use of shareware as a marketing method for computer software, and to assist its members with marketing information and distribution. For more information about the ASP, contact Jan Abbott, ASP Executive Director, 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442-9427 [phone] phone/[phone] fax, or visit the organization's CompuServe forum (GO ASPFORUM). -0-

Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP) Author Standards Adopted 7/30/95 by 85 percent of voting ASP members

1. ASP-compliant products are shareware products, produced by ASP Author Members or published by ASP Publisher Members, that satisfy all the requirements in this document. Only ASP-compliant products may use the ASP logo or Ombudsman statement. Only ASP-compliant products may refer to the ASP -- whether in the product, documentation, or marketing materials -- in any way that might reasonably be interpreted as suggesting ASP compliance. ASP-compliant shareware products must be created and marketed in a professional manner. ASP Author and Publisher Members must treat the user of the product and the concept of shareware with courtesy and respect.

2. An ASP-compliant product may limit the user evaluation period. If such limitation is used, the product must allow users access to the features customary or reasonable for that type of product for a time period or number of uses sufficient to allow adequate evaluation by the user. An ASP- compliant product may also use other limiting measures. Such measures must not unduly interfere with the evaluation of the product. Users must be notified, while using the program, of the impending expiration of the evaluation period. This notification must occur well in advance of any disabling of features or cessation of program operation. All limiting measures must be documented, and such notification must refer to that documentation. Users obtaining the shareware version of an ASP-compliant product from any source approved by the author must be able to install and use the product for the full evaluation period.

3. Registration Reminder Screens may be used in an ASP- compliant product. Such Registration Reminder Screens must not unduly interfere with the evaluation of the product during the initial evaluation period.

4. An ASP-compliant product must be substantially complete, and accurately represent the registered version, except in cases where a substantially complete product would provide little or no reason for the user to register and pay for the product. Examples include some games, source code for programmer's tools, electronically published books, fonts, and clip art collections. In those cases, a portion of the product allowing adequate evaluation of the product may be distributed. A Non Shareware Version (NSV) of an ASP- compliant product, which includes advanced features, may also be offered, in addition to the normal registered version.

5. When, during evaluation of an ASP-compliant product, a user creates data that have substantial independent value, the product shall not prevent some form of access to those data even after the expiration of the evaluation period. Such access may or may not require further use of the product itself.

6. An ASP-compliant product must include some form of documentation sufficient to allow thorough evaluation of the product's features. Such documentation must explain how to register and pay for the product and define the benefits of payment and registration. It must also describe any evaluation limitations and differences between the shareware and registered versions. This documentation must also describe support policies, and include the current ASP Ombudsman statement.

7. An ASP-compliant product must offer some documented method or instructions for safely removing the product from the user's computer.

8. An ASP-compliant product must include reasonable technical support for a minimum of three months after the purchase of the registered version of the product, without additional payment.

9. An ASP-compliant product must be conscientiously tested by the author, and should not be harmful to user data or hardware when properly used on a typical computer.

10. All ASP Author and Publisher Members must market and distribute at least one ASP-compliant product. They may also market and distribute products which are not ASP- compliant, subject to the limitations of Item 1 of this document.

11. Authors and Publishers applying for membership in the ASP shall submit a product for examination by the ASP Author Membership Committee. This product must meet all requirements in this policy before membership is granted. Negative decisions of the Author Membership Committee shall be automatically reviewed by the ASP Board of Directors, whose decision is final. An author whose application is rejected may reapply at any time.

12. All products marketed as ASP-compliant must meet the requirements of this policy. The ASP Author Compliance Committee (ACC) is entrusted to make the sometimes difficult judgments involved in enforcing these requirements. If the ACC finds that an ASP member's product violates these requirements, that member must modify the product to comply, or must remove all indications of compliance. If the member refuses to make these changes within 30 days (or a longer alternate period set by the ACC), the ACC may recommend to the Board of Directors that the member's ASP membership be terminated.

13. The ASP Board of Directors may not materially change items in this policy, but may, from time to time, explain, interpret, or clarify these policies.

14. The author will keep the ASP apprised of changes in mailing address and of any changes in the status of his/her programs.

CONTACT: Association of Shareware Professionals

George Campbell, 805/528-1759

[e-mail]

Richard Harper, 616/832-3328

[e-mail]