VENDINFO v1.30 Improves Handling of SDN, ASP CD-ROM Distribution

Parker, Colorado -- July 7, 1995 -- Rams' Island Software today releases
version 1.30 of its VENDINFO tools. This version corrects a problem
associated with product distribution via the Software Distribution
Network, improves the preparation of CD-ROM submissions using VENDINFO,
and adds several new operating systems to the VENDINFO file standard. New
versions 1.30 have been released for the VENDINFO Basic Toolkit, the free
VendView viewer for end users, and the VENDINFO utilities package.

The Software Distribution Network (SDN) is a popular BBS file- distribution
network. When an author submits a shareware or freeware package for SDN
distribution, a file called SDN.ID is created or modified and placed in
the package. VENDINFO's package integrity testing detects changes in
product packages and reports them to users and distributors. In previous
versions of the VENDINFO tools, the changed SDN.ID file was reported as an
error, or possible violation of the author's copyright. The new versions
of these tools treat SDN.ID as a special case, and do not report problems
associated with this file.

VendEdit, the editor used by authors to create VENDINFO files, has
improvements which help the author test the content of the special
VENDINFO.DOZ files used in connection with submissions for the ASP CD-ROM
and other CD-ROMs. The new version also contains several minor bug fixes
and convenience improvements.

The new tools add DOS 7.0, Windows 95, and OS/2 Warp to the platform
requirements information that VENDINFO files can carry.

VENDINFO is a system for conveying software product information and
distribution permissions from the author to distributors and users. A
standard file format allows a VENDINFO.DIZ file to carry extensive
information in a compressed, efficient form. VENDINFO provides
unprecedented capabilities for

    o  Communication of product information and distribution policies
       from author to distributors and users.

    o  Enforceable distribution policies.

    o  Automation of many aspects of package handling by shareware
       distributors of all types, including sysops, disk vendors, and
       CD-ROM publishers.

Basic VENDINFO packages (shareware and freeware) include:

    VNDINF10.ZIP -- VENDINFO.DIZ standard and information
    VNDNFO13.ZIP -- VENDINFO Toolkit (editor, processor)
    VNDVUE13.ZIP -- VendView end-user's viewer.
    VNDUTL13.ZIP -- Utilities and frequently-updated data files.

VENDINFO information and tools are available electronically from Rams'
Island Software (see below) and from many other sources, including:

    CompuServe ASP (lib 5), UKSHARE (lib 12), and EDFORUM (lib 2)
    Ziff-Davis Interactive
    Public Brand Software BBS
    ASP CD-ROM, PsL CD-ROM, SDN and ADN BBSes

Rams' Island Software    Member: ASP ESC STAR
7644 E. Lakecliff Way
Parker, CO 80134-5904    CIS:  76244,324   BBS: 303-841-6269
USA                      Fido: 1:104/333   RIME: 1235
                         Inet: ramsisle@abwam.com
303-841-2848             FTP:  ftp://ftp.abwam.com/pub/ramsisle
303-841-6269 (Fax)       WWW:  http://delta.com/ramsisle/ramsisle.htm
 
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