SoftKey Software Distribution System (SDS) By Solid Oak Software SoftKey SDS is a specialized set of programs to provide the professional software developer a secure and effective method for distribution of Shareware and demonstration programs. Q: SoftKey SDS... What ISN'T it? A: SoftKey SDS is not an installation program. There are several fine Shareware and commercial applications available that we would not care to compete with. SoftKey SDS is not a data compression program. We use, and recommend PKZIP. The compression features of SoftKey SDS are not intended to replace your current method of distributing compressed files. SoftKey SDS is not a data encryption program. While we employ data encryption methods in conjunction with our compression routines, the FBI, CIA or Secret Service would never rely on SoftKey SDS for its encryption needs. While the encryption methods we use will keep out all but the most persistent hacker, it is in no way as secure as DES or other sophisticated ciphering systems. Q: Well then what IS SoftKey SDS? A: SoftKey SDS is a combination of all three of the above. SoftKey SDS gives software developers the capability of distributing totally secure, encoded versions of their software that can be activated remotely by the developer whenever necessary. This can be especially useful for Shareware authors or whenever public electronic distribution of software is desirable or necessary. As a software developer, you can encode all or portions of the application and associated files so that you can control their use at the users site. Q: How does SoftKey SDS work? A: Basically, SoftKey SDS consists of 4 programs which are described in greater detail later in this document. First, there is a program (CANIT.EXE) to compress and encode your distribution files. You use this to prepare any files that you want to control access to (at least until you get paid). Secondly, there is a program to distribute with your application (BUYME.EXE). This program will display your customized message as well as give the user a special code that he will give to you when he orders your software. You then give him a special password that, when supplied as a command line parameter, will decode your previously encoded files and your user will have immediate access to your software! THE PASSWORD YOU GIVE THE USER IS UNIQUE FOR EACH USER AND IS ONLY GOOD FOR THE CURRENT DAY. In other words, every user will require a different password. One user’s password will not work for another user, and his password will not work tomorrow or the next day or ever again. YOU HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL. A third program (PASSGEN.EXE) generates the activation password when the customer calls. The user gives you their 8 digit numeric activation code when they order, you give that to PASSGEN, and it will give you a six character password that you will in turn pass on to your customer. Your customer types in BUYME plus the password you have supplied, and his copy of your application is ready to run. It’s really easy to use, and you maintain absolute control. There is one other program included with SoftKey SDS. This program (BRAND.EXE), is how your program becomes unique to you. Run it and it will give you an activation code. When you register SoftKey SDS give us the code, and we will give you a password that will brand the three programs mentioned above, with a code that is unique to you and only you. No other users of SoftKey SDS will have the ability to activate your programs. ALTHOUGH THIS COPY OF SoftKey SDS IS COMPLETELY FUNCTIONAL, YOU MUST BRAND YOUR COPIES OF THE SoftKey SDS PROGRAMS TO ENSURE THAT YOUR APPLICATIONS AND FILES WILL BE ENCODED SO THAT ONLY YOU CAN PROVIDE THE PASSWORDS THAT WILL DECODE THEM. Q: How will SoftKey SDS help me get more sales and registrations? A: First of all, if you have an interesting application that end users want, half the job is done. If your Shareware or demo version has limited functionality, now you can distribute a encoded version of the real thing with the Shareware or demo version, or make It available for download. Your customer will be able to activate the software on the spot and that ability alone will encourage more registrations. You might also simply encode a TRIGGER file, and distribute that with your Shareware or demo version. A trigger file might be some small file that your application examines for content, size, or feature that will tell the application whether it is a registered copy or not. This would add very little to the size of the entire application, and still give you complete control. It is a well known fact in marketing that the customers interest is at its peak when first exposed to the product. SoftKey SDS will give you the ability to give your customers the same immediate gratification they would get if your software were available in stores. Rather than pondering the purchase, they make a call and get their software. It’s as simple as that. Q: How can I register SoftKey SDS? A: We have three levels of licensing for SoftKey SDS. Shareware Developer. This category allows unlimited use of SoftKey SDS for all your Shareware applications, and allows you to distribute BUYME.EXE with your applications. The registration fee for this category is $25. Commercial Developer. This category allows unlimited use of SoftKey SDS for all your Shareware and/or commercial applications, and allows you to distribute BUYME.EXE with your applications. The registration fee for this category is $95. Publisher/Distributor. This category allows unlimited use of SoftKey SDS for all your Shareware and/or commercial applications by publishers of Shareware or demo disks, CD-ROMS, disk clubs, etc., and allows you to distribute BUYME.EXE with all applications. The registration fee for this category is $295. Please see the accompanying file ORDER.FRM for more information. PROGRAM REFERENCE CANIT.EXE Syntax: CANIT.EXE filespec This program prepares your distribution files by encoding and compressing them. It creates 1 uniquely named output file for each file matching the file specification. Each output file will have the extension .OAK. The Original input file is unchanged. Your current directory must be the directory where the input files reside. Example: CANIT *.EXE This example will prepare all EXE files in the current directory for distribution. BUYME.EXE Syntax: BUYME [password] This is the program you will distribute with your applications. When your customer decides to purchase your software, he will run BUYME.EXE and an activation code will be displayed. The activation code will consist of 4 numbers, a hyphen, 4 numbers, another hyphen, and some more numbers. Example: 1234-5678-12156 The first eight digits are a uniquely generated based on a combination of things and on the current date. The last set of numbers are sort of a check code so that you will know that the customer is activating the proper files. In the above example, the 12156 indicates that there are 12 files totaling 156 KB. By verifying the check code against your records, you prevent a customer from activating more files than he is allowed to. If you have, for instance, distributed a demo disk with several applications on it, you can verify that the customer is in fact activating the application he is supposed to. THE PASSWORD YOU GIVE HIM WILL BE TOTALLY UNIQUE AND WILL NOT WORK WITH OTHER APPLICATIONS ON THE DISK. BUYME.EXE will also optionally display your own custom message. The program checks for a file called BUYME.MSG in the current directory, and if it exists, it is displayed when BUYME is run. BUYME.MSG must be a plain ASCII file, can be on any length, 80 characters in width. If your file is greater than 20 lines in length, BUYME will pause after each 20 lines and allow the user to press a key to continue. PASSGEN.EXE Syntax: PASSGEN.EXE nnnnnnnn Where nnnnnnnn is the first eight digits of the customers activation code. This program will generate activation passwords when the user calls in to register his software. PASSGEN will give you a 6 character activation password to give your customer. That password will in turn activate your application on the customers machine. IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT ACTIVATION CODES. Activation codes are date and machine sensitive. The password you give your customer will only work for the one application, only on the customers computer that generated the activation code, and only on the date that the password is given on. The password you give your customer WILL NOT work for any other application, on any other computer, or on another day. THE DATE ON THE CUSTOMERS COMPUTER MUST BE THE SAME AS THE DATE ON YOUR COMPUTER WHEN HE CALLS FOR A PASSWORD. BRAND.EXE You will use this program when you register SoftKey SDS. When you call us to register, you run BRAND.EXE and give us the activation code. We will in turn give you a password that will uniquely BRAND your copy of SoftKey SDS. No one else will be able to activate your programs without your permission, not even us. ORDERING INFORMATION Solid Oak Software accepts Master Card, VISA, American Express, PO’s and prepaid orders. If you prepay your order, please give us a phone number and time of day when we can reach you. We will need to give you an activation password over the phone, so you will need to be at your computer, or have the activation code, generated that day, close at hand. Purchase orders must be pre-approved. For more information or to register this copy of SoftKey SDS, please call us between 7am and 4pm Pacific time, Monday - Friday. Solid Oak Software Post Office Box 6826 Santa Barbara, CA 93160 1-800-388-2761 or 805-967-9853 FAX 805-967-1614 Compuserve 75500,2610