STATUS REPORT ON THE VENDINFO PROJECT
                    (still in "alpha-test", 8/31/93)

 Brief Project Description

   VENDINFO is a system for conveying software product information
   and distribution permissions from the author to distributors.
   A standard (public) file format will carry extensive information
   in a compressed, efficient form.  The associated toolset will aid
   the author in constructing the record, and will allow the
   distributor to extract portions of the record, or to make
   distribution decisions based on its content, in a highly auto-
   mated way. VENDINFO will allow automation of many operations now
   performed manually by BBS Sysops, disk vendors, etc.

 VENDINFO Project Status and Plans

   On 8/31/93, a minor revision of the VENDINFO file-format
   standard (alpha-test version 0.90) was released for study and
   comment.  As development of the toolset has progressed, a number
   of minor errors were found.  There was also a substantive change
   in the "Required Hardware/Software Platform" area, and a small
   number of minor adjustments.  Such changes will probably continue
   at least through the alpha-test period.

   Tools development has been slightly slower than projected, but
   we still hope to start the tools alpha-test in September (this
   should be the final test phase for the standard itself).
   The basic tools involved in this testing will be the VendEdit
   editor, the VendPrcs processor, and the software developer's
   library.

   Upon completion of this toolset, work will begin on the (free)
   VendView viewer for end-users, and the Product Registry will be
   opened.

 Availability of Concept Paper and Draft File-Format Standard

   A package containing the VENDINFO Concept Paper and the draft
   file-format standard can be obtained from the SHAREWARE forum on
   CompuServe (lib 0, VNDINF.ZIP); the UKSHARE forum on CompuServe
   (lib 11, VNDINF.ZIP); by download or FidoNet/RIME file
   request (as VENDINFO.ZIP) from the Rams' Island Software BBS
   (see below); or from various other sources.  If absolutely
   necessary, hardcopies are available for mailing within the
   United States upon receipt of $3.00 U.S. and a mailing label.
   A complete set of VENDINFO information, including some material
   not available electronically, can be obtained for $5.00 U.S.
   and a mailing label.

 Trade Groups Which Have Endorsed VENDINFO

   The following shareware trade groups have formally endorsed the
   VENDINFO file-format standard as a means of conveying product
   and product-distribution information from authors to users and
   distributors.

      Shareware Trade Association and Resources (STAR)

 Products Now "Committed in Principle" to Support VENDINFO

   The following software manufacturers are "committed in principle"
   to "support" the VENDINFO standard.  That is, subject to our
   development of a satisfactory standard and software developer's
   library, these manufacturers agree to extract relevant product
   description information directly from the VENDINFO record, much
   like today's use of FILE_ID.DIZ.  They have not been asked to
   make any direct use of the distribution policy information in the
   VENDINFO record.  That is the function of a separate tool,
   optionally available to the Sysop.

   BBSes
      PCBoard, Clark Development Co.
      Wildcat!, Mustang Software, Inc.
      Major BBS, Galacticomm
		RBBS, RBBS Development Team
      Searchlight BBS, Searchlight Software
      TBBS, eSoft
      Auntie BBS, Wes Meier
      Executive Host BBS, Steve Wood
      MainLine BBS, Scott Green, City Limits Software
      OmegaComm BBS, Larry Loiselle
      PowerBBS for Windows, Russell Frey
      ProBoard BBS, Philippe Leybaert
      Sapphire BBS, Pinnacle Software
      Tinyhost, Bruce Krobusek
      UltraBBS, UltraBBS Software
      Windowed Modem Environment, Jason Fesler

   File Upload Processors
      CatScan, Mike Ortiz
      CheckZip, Bill Hull
      DIZIT, Robert Neal/CorpSoft
      HoboScan, Floyd Hobson
      TransScan, Craig Dunstan

   Other Products
      Colorado Utilities Disk Manager, Micro Systems Solutions
		SmartCat Disk Cataloger, Oakley Data Services


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