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Macintosh Software Distribution Network Rules and Policy for Sysops and Authors Who Participate in MSDN Issue: 10 June 1991 Copyright 1991 by Duncan McNutt, all rights reserved. This document is only for the sysops and authors who participate in the Macintosh Software Distribution Network. It may be copied in whole for that purpose only. The Macintosh Software Distribution System (or MSDN for short) is a project to distribute Public Domain and Shareware files that are of interest to the Macintosh comunnity. The MSDN Policy is decided by Duncan McNutt who is the initiator and International Coordinator of MSDN. Chapters ~~~~~~~~ Introduction Sysop Information Author Information Hatcher Rules MSDN Coordinators Contact Person ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you want more information on MSDN please contact: Duncan McNutt Fido@2:243/100 BBS Number: 049-6101-41471 or Duncan McNutt Am Bier 9 D-6000 Frankfurt 50 Germany _______________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION ============ About MSDN: ~~~~~~~~~~~ MSDN is intended to distribute and popularize Public Domain and Shareware files for the Macintosh comunity. This is the first issue of the MSDN Policy, as such it will probably change substantially in future releases. However the statements herin are to be taken as written in stone until such a time as the policy is changed in future issues. It is not to be used for commercial purposes. This includes also: no distribution of commercial files, no advertisements of comercial products, free distribution of MSDN and it's files (in other words you can't charge for MSDN file access). MSDN is international, as such it's main language is English. Why MSDN? ~~~~~~~~~ A lot of very good software is out there for the Macintosh. Some of it is easily available, some of it is unknown. Further some Sysops have troubles getting quality files for thier file areas. Files can be infected with Viruses which the Sysop may not be aware of. Another problem is the amount of time a sysop has to take to maintain his file areas, keeping them up to date and properly describing the files therein. To alleviate these problems, MSDN was founded. MSDN Offers Authors ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quality and wide ranging distribution of their files. Virus free and complete transportation from one system to another (no partial files, missing manuals or registration forms). Fast distribution. Sysops who support registration and paying of shareware fees. MSDN Offers Sysops ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Easy aquisition of quality Public Domain and Shareware files. Low maintenance file areas. Automatic updates of those same files. Information on new PD/Shareware files. Quick access to the newest versions. MSDN Distribution ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MSDN is distributed in Zone 1 and 2 (North America and Europe), Zone 3 (Austrailia) will be added soon. At present it is difficult to access the exact number because it is growing daily. However not too many just yet, MSDN is only a few days old :-) How It Works ~~~~~~~~~~~~ MSDN files are distributed via the participating BBS Nodes. Any of those nodes can carry one or more of the MSDN file areas. Only the MSDN Reginal Coordinators are required to carry _all_ MSDN areas. MSDN files are put into the network via designated 'hatchers'. Hatchers are sysops within MSDN who have the permission of the MSDN International Coordinator to place files into the Network. Only a few of the MSDN sysops are hatchers. _______________________________________________________________________ SYSOP INFORMATION ================= Sysop Requirements ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sysops who carry MSDN must make the MSDN files available to users and file requestors at no cost. He does not have to carry all MSDN areas, however it is suggested that he carry the MDNADMIN area as he needs to read the policy which is distributed via that area. Handling of MSDN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MSDN file areas are just like regular file areas with two major exceptions: 1. MSDN file areas have predefined names you must use. At present these are: "Mac-SDN: Administration" MSDN Administration & Information This area is used to distribute the MSDN Policy as well as other informative documents. "Mac-SDN: Telecomunication" Files that have to do with Telecomunication are distributed here. "Mac-SDN: GAMER Project" The GAMER Project Distribution, this area contains Games and Educational files. "Mac-SDN: Programs & Utils" Files that don't presently fit into any other category. If a large amount of files for a particular subject apear in this area a new MSDN area will be made for this subject. If you can not use those names for technical reasons, then you must approximate them as closely as possible. 2. Files in MSDN areas come via MSDN only! You may not put any files in them yourself, you may not let users upload files in these areas. Only sysops designated by the MSDN-IC may put files in MSDN. You do not need to worry if you put a file in an MSDN area by accident. Just placing it there will not distribute it via the Network. It requires special software (generally called Hatch) to distribute a file via the Network. You can choose to carry only a portion of the MSDN file areas, you do not have to carry them all. It is suggested that you carry the MSDN Administration area as you should be familiar with the files contained herein. Exceptions to this Rule are the MSDN Coordinators, they have to carry all MSDN areas. To automate the process of "recieving -> placement" of files in the proper directory/folder, you should get a "Tick" program that will do that for you. Joining MSDN ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sysops who wish to carry MSDN need to find a system which already has MSDN (preferably nearby, to cut costs) and ask that system's sysop to sponser him. Sponsering just means that both of these Sysops write a Netmail to the MSDN Coordinator for that area (at the moment that is the MSND-IC Duncan Mcnutt, 2:243/100) and ask if the new Sysop may participate. The Sysop who wishes to participate has to write his system specifications as well as a few extra bits of information. The information is needed to insure that (a) MSDN stays non-commercial (legal reasons), (b) the new sysop has the a system capable of handling MSDN traffic, (c) to be able to contact the sysop easily and quickly in case of problems. All data is confidential, copies will be kept by the MSDN-Coordinators (a maximum of 3). The sponsoring sysop need only send a netmail to the IC. No further information is needed. ---------------------------------- cut ---------------------- MSDN Sysop Registration Form ---------------------------- Sysop Name : Date (DD MMM. YYYY) : Sysop's Address : : : BBS Name : Main Purpose of BBS : FIDO Address : Other Network Address(s): : BBS Computer Type : Modem Speed : Hard Disk Size : Space left on HD : The originating sysop, named above, agrees to comply with the conditions of the MSDN policy. Netmail direct to Duncan McNutt, FIDO node 2:243/100, or send via registered mail to the address given at the end of the introduction of this document. ---------------------------------- cut ---------------------- _______________________________________________________________________ AUTHOR INFORMATION ================== Author Requirements ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We would appreciate it if software authors would send us thier files directly. The advantage is that the author then controls what and in what form his software get distributed. Further we are then assured that we have the "official" release versions. We prefer new releases or updates. If your files are older, then perhaps it is time for an update? To send us files we have a registration form. It allows us to determine whether files we recieve are truely from the author and not somebody else. You send the files plus the registration form DIRECTLY to one of the designated 'Hatchers'. Ask your MSDN Node who the next Hatcher is, he has a list of all Hatchers. File Registration Form ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can send the files on a disk (uncompressed and 800 KB floppies please) or via FIDO (direct connect only please). ---------------------------------- cut ---------------------- Software Registration Form (Each piece of software must have -------------------------- it's own form.) Name of Author : Date (DD MMM. YYYY) : Password of Author : File/Product Name : Version : Shareware?, PD? : Shareware fee : Files : : MSDN Area : Keywords : Product description : Long Description : : : : Requirements to use the files : : Comments : : : : The above named person gives MSDN permission to distribute the above files via the MSDN Network. ---------------------------------- cut ---------------------- The password is secret and is used to insure that the files are truely from you. The "Files" line should have the names of the files that you send us. This is mostly for security reasons and when you send us the files on Disk so that the hatcher knows which files belong to which product. Note that we will distribute the files in the "8 . 3" format as some systems do not support more than 8 characters a dot and 3 characters (DOS for instance). Files are distributed in MacBinary format so the files inside the MacBinary 'envelope' have normal (long) names. If you send the files with normal names then we will shorten them to the proper length for the MacBinary distribution format. If have a preference what names should be used then you can put that in the comments field. Keywords are used for systems that allow keyword searches of thier files. The Area indicates which of the MSDN Areas you want the files posted in. The descriptions are a descriptive abstract of your files. This will be distributed with your files. MSDN Sysops can then post these into local areas to make thier users aware of of new files. The Hatchers may also post these abstracts into the MacFiles echo (or other suitable medium) to make the new announcement internationally known. _______________________________________________________________________ HATCHER RULES ============= Who is a Hatcher? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hatchers put files into the MSDN flow. Only sysops who have been designated as a hatcher by the MSDN-Ineternational Coordinator may do so. Anybody with access to Shareware/PD programs and acess to MSDN can become a hatcher by asking the MSDN-IC. Please send information about you and your system and why you would like to become a hatcher. Hatcher Requirements ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hatchers must follow some strict guidelines. A hatcher usually only is allowed to 'hatch' (or put files into MSDN) in certain MSDN areas. He may not hatch files into any of the other MSDN areas. Files put into MSDN must follow the following guidlines: o Only Public Domain and Shareware files are allowed. Files that use other terms for these two are of course also allowed. Not allowed are any comercial programs! Crippled or Demoware files are also NOT allowed. If you thing such a program would be interesting you must send it to the MSDN-IC to be hatched. You may not put any such files into MSDN. o Try to hatch only quality software, there is enough garbage floating around as it is. You may refuse to hatch files an author sends you if you believe it is useless. However remember that other people have other views, something you might put off as junk may be somebody elses most important utility. Refusing files for relegious reasons is not valid. If you decide to refuse a file then you have to notify your coordinator of your descision and why you decided to refuse hatching it. The Coordinator may override your descision. o Files must be compressed. Allowed formats are Compactor (and Compactor Pro), Suffit Classic (not Stuffit Deluxe) and GIF. If you want to use another format you must recieve permission by the MSDN-IC. Only packers may be self extracting! You do not have to use the packers own formatt to make it self extracting, you may pack it with compactor if you wish. o Files must be checked for Viruses! Even if you recieved them direct from the author and have no viruses on your system. Remember that people all over the world will recieve the files in MSDN. o Files must follow the following convention: 8 characters for the name, a period and 3 characters packer extension. The character count is a maximum limit, if you need less that is fine. It is sugessted to use the first 8 characters for the name and the version number if enough space is available. You may leave out any vowels and zeros to save space. After the period comes the packer extension (.CPT .SIT .GIF). Double check that you really only used a maximum of 8 (and not 9 or ten) characters for the name! o Files need to have one line comments. Further it is recommended that files get a second file (same name with ".INF" extension) that contains a descriptive abstract of that file. These information files are pure text files that are distributed together with the original file but not within the compressed package. Users can then read this file before they decide to download the actual file. o If you wish you can announce the file (after it has been hatched) in one of the file announcement conferences (such as MacFiles). _______________________________________________________________________ MSDN COORDINATORS ================= Who is coordinator ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are three tiers of MSDN Coordinators: o The International Coordinator o The Zone Coordinators o The Region Coordinators Because of the limited distribution at the moment there is only one International Coordinator and one Zone Coordinator, however this should change by the time you read this and we should have a least two or three Zone Coordinators. Zone Coordinators are designated by the International Coordinator. Region Coordinators are designated by the Zone Coodinator of that Zone. MSDN Coordinators have to carry all MSDN file areas. They do not have to be hatchers or Hubs for MSDN. Responsibilities of a Coordinator ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ o MSDN Coordinators are responsible for the smooth flow of MSDN files. o They should check that the Hatchers do thier jobs properly. o For adding new nodes to MSDN, the Coordinator should actively seek to add nodes to MSDN! o To insure that the MSDN Policy is honored. o MSDN Coordinators should answer any questions about MSDN. Future responsibilities will entail voting on the MSDN Policy and voting for Coordinators. _______________________________________________________________________ End of Text.