README.TXT FILE March 31,1995 REGISTRATION MANAGER for WINDOWS (RMW) (and registered customer DATABASE manager) ****************************************************************************** This README file contains important information. You should take the time to review all sections prior to running any of the programs. This file contains the following sections: 1. A list of the files that should accompany this program. A list of the programs that should appear in the REGISTRATION MANAGER for WINDOWS (RMW) program group in your windows program manager. 2. What this program is (and isn't) 3. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS 4. INSTALLATION 5. CUSTOMER SUPPORT 6. ERRATA: Corrections and last minute notes that did not make it into the help files 7. OTHER StanBrite PRODUCTS. ****************************************************************************** 1. The following files are part and parcel of this version of REGISTRATION MANAGER. All files must accompany this program in their original, unaltered form. TOOLS.EXE VALIDATE.EXE VALIDATE.HLP UNINSTALL.EXE LOCK.EXE LOCK.VLD UNWIN.$$$ VALID.EXE VALID.VLD UNWIN2.$$$ README.TXT VALIDATE.MDB SBLOGO.BMP CONFIGUR.VLD REPAIR.EXE (15 Files Total) \DEMOWIN CONFIGUR.EXE CONFIGUR.VLD DEMOWIN.EXE DEMOWIN.C (4 Files Total) The following programs appear in the REGISTRATION MANAGER group in your windows program manager: TOOLS This is the first program you should run and will be used by you to customize and prepare the files that will become part of your distribution package that provides the registration and validation interface for your users. It is also a "product" database manager. VALIDATION You will run this program to record your customers who register, and to generate validation tokens for the purpose of validating their license to use your software. It is also a "customer" database manager, where you can keep track of you customer base and their purchase records. DEMOWIN ASKS A very simple program that demonstrates a windows program prepared by the TOOLS program that presents the user with a window suggesting registration and contains the information required to obtain a validation token from you. The user can choose not to register, nor receive a validation token, but will encounter this window every time he runs the program. Registration/Validation will cause this screen to disappear. You may validate this program to demonstrate that the "request for validation" window disappears after registration. This demo program does nothing more than display one messages: "THIS PROGRAM IS RUNNING SUCCESSFULLY." UNINSTALL We have provided this program as a courtesy. It will completely remove all associated files of this program from your system, and remove all traces of RMW from AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI REG MGR HELP The help utility for REGISTRATION MANAGER READ ME 1st This file (you are now looking at it). CrazyHorse You may have a complimentary copy of our popular game called CrazyHorse. If you do, you will have a game icon, and a readme file that contains the instructions on how to play this game. ****************************************************************************** 2. What this program is (and isn't) REGISTRATION MANAGER for WINDOWS (We'll refer to it as RMW from now on) is a product designed, produced and marketed by StanBrite SOFTWARE, using "shareware" distribution channels. The program is designed to be used by software authors, publishers and distributors as a utility to facilitate and encourage the registration of software. RMW presents the end user with a window for preparing registration information and for obtaining validation tokens all by the remote control operation of passing validation tokens. RMW also maintains a database of your registered users and can keep track of any demographic information that you collect on your customers. Before expanding on the features and benefits of RMW as outlined in the TUTORIAL, we will take a moment to explain the "shareware" concept. If you got REGISTRATION MANAGER from XYZ software house, (one that advertises great software for $5 per disk), and you are now confused as to your rights, you might ask the following: QUESTION: "What's going on here? Have I already bought the program, or what?" ANSWER: Well, no, not exactly. You've bought a disk that has great software on it; (unless you legally purchased the registered version of RMW), you haven't bought the software yet. RMW, like most major software offered by the $5-per-disk distribution houses, is free-distribution software (also known as "shareware", or "user-supported software"). This means StanBrite retains the rights to RMW, but we choose to let people pass the evaluation copy around. We have no business relationship with any distribution houses in the U.S.; We do not get a penny of the $5 (or whatever) you paid them for the disk containing RMW. So we need and expect to be paid by you, if you use RMW beyond the 30 day trial license, because we make our living out of making and supporting shareware products. Some distribution houses do a pretty good job of revealing the shareware nature of the software they sell. However, if the company you purchased RMW from did a poor job of informing you; and if you thought you had purchased the software free and clear, you might feel justified in being angry with them for having misled you. But we hope you'll take the time to consider everybody's role in the shareware marketing scene; if you do, we think you'll conclude that although you may have been misled, you haven't really been cheated out of anything. Shareware is great for authors like us, who have spent all our years in our computer holes, learning to be great programmers, (and no time in business school learning marketing and distribution techniques). We simply cast our programs to the winds. They are distributed at practically no cost to us. That's why we can charge a lot less than the cost of commercially produced software. Shareware is also great for customers like you. You can try out the software before paying for it. You'll know that a successful shareware product is good, because only satisfied customers pay for it. The existence of shareware infuses healthy competition into the entire software market, for both price and quality. In the case of RMW, we are utterly convinced that you'll never find a better value for a registration/validation utility. Finally, let's consider the distribution houses. They provide a legitimate service, for which they charge a reasonable price. The best houses act as librarians, evaluating and cataloguing software. Most pay thousands of dollars for advertising. Their cut is far less than the distributor's cut for "commercial" software (they prosper because their volume is bigger and their support responsibilities are smaller). Most customers for the distribution houses are repeat customers, who are aware of, and happy with, what they are getting. If it weren't for your XYZ House, you might never have heard of StanBrite, or might never have figured out where to obtain RMW. So we hope you'll be happy with shareware, and actively desire to support it. You'll feel good about promoting a healthy situation for everybody. And you'll encourage the best programmers in the world to keep writing for you, instead of for the big corporations. (Thanks to Mr. Eric Isaccson, a rather successful shareware programmer, for providing the ideas for the above explanation). ****************************************************************************** 3. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS System 386 CPU or Higher RAM 4MB (Increased RAM = Increased Performance) Hard Disk Required Space You will need at least 3MB of free hard disk space to install REGISTRATION MANAGER and run it effectively. System files will take 1.5MB Video EGA or Higher (CGA not supported) Windows Version 3.1 or higher Mouse Required ****************************************************************************** 4. INSTALLATION REGISTRATION MANAGER must be installed from windows. Run SETUP.EXE from either the windows Program Manager or from File Manager. If you are installing REGISTRATION MANAGER for the first time, please install all of the files as indicated below. During subsequent installations, you can select the files to install. Please refer to the below. It represents a window you will see during the installation process. > Visual Basic .DLL and .VBX files > Reset the configuration file > Install Default database > Install the TOOLS program > Install the VALIDATE program > Install the DEMO programs > Install Auxilary files ****************************************************************************** 5. CUSTOMER SUPPORT Currently StanBrite SOFTWARE will give registered users free support for a period of six months from the date of registration. Registered users shall have access to StanBrite via telephone; fax; mail; CompuServ and E-Mail. We will use every effort to answer questions and pledge to immediately fix any reported bugs of a serious nature. A serious bug that is isolated to a particular system may be fixed at StanBrite's option, or the purchaser shall be refunded the purchase price. StanBrite can be reached via: Mail: StanBrite SOFTWARE 124 Country Club Stansbury Park, UT 84074 USA Phone: (801) 882-3546 Fax: +801-882-3017 CompuServ: 72723,1157 E-Mail: John.Poulson@ATW.COM (Internet) ****************************************************************************** 6. ERRATA <> ********************************************************************** 7. OTHER StanBrite PRODUCTS REGISTRATION MANAGER for WINDOWS PROFESSIONAL EDITION (RMW PRO) If you need to increase registration rates (up to 100%), or if you sell into foreign distribution channels, ask us for the professional edition --- REGISTRATION MANAGER PRO. A very sophisticated copy protection utility using REMOTE CONTROL TECHNIQUES. Allows for various types of licenses. You can grant your user a trial license, a limited use license, an unlimited license or a site license all by the remote control operation of passing validation tokens. RMW PRO presents the end user with a window for preparing registration information and for obtaining validation tokens that allow for various types of licenses. CopyCop for WINDOWS A very sophisticated copy protection utility. There are areas in the world and markets in the USA where copy protection is essential to protecting your profits. If you produce software for a vertical market and have noticed a lot of unregistered users calling for support, you need this program. CopyCop PLUS A even more sophisticated copy protection technology utilizing unique distribution diskettes containing secret copy protection magic. KeyChart This is a special utility for anyone dealing in multilingual programming. This utility allows you to design keyboard templates to represent any style physical keyboard and match that keyboard to any international language font. If you have say a DANISH keyboard and prepare documents in RUSSIAN, SPANISH and LAOTIAN, you will love this utility. CrazyHorse A light hearted game heavy on the intellectual challenge of moving a chess like horse over a grid (designed by you) with the goal of landing on each square on the grid.