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7. Free Distribution

Raven can be distributed as shareware.

7.1 Mirror Sunsite (current "published" home)

You can find Raven on sunsite.unc.edu in the docs directory.

You may mirror it verbartim, or individual files from the ./Raven/ftp/. directory.

If you mirror sunsite en-masse, do so! No problem.

You must remain up-to-date, and after 1 year you MUST either delete the files or move them to ./old-Raven/.

The package must remain intact, you can un-tar all the files for use, you can export (all) the files over ftp or www, you must not modify them.

Note that the packages are modular by Issue, so that's easy.

You must make it clear that this is shareware, and that you don't (or do!) arrange payment for it (implicit to most ftp servers).

(A sample cover page link might help here?).

7.2 put Raven on your BBS or CD

You can make Raven Issues publicly available on the Internet or other BBS systems. It may be included on CD's. Please notify me by email, and only distribute recent "official" versions (not the previews).

7.3 put Raven on your NFS, FTP or WEB server

If you wish to offer your users access to the HTML pages, you may do so by installing to a directory like:

7.4 put Raven on BBS nodes, or floppy disk sets

I think you get the picture, if you re-distibute for Free, there is no charge for doing so, however you MUST STILL APPLY TO DO SO.

When I understand a bit more (than nothing) about the FIDO-NET, ie when I can automatically update, or withdraw a distribution, I will do so, but until then simply "apply" by email to carry Raven.

NOTE the following about commercial BBS's:

7.5 Commercial BBS's -- VITAL NOTE -- !!!

If you offer your customers the service of paying the registration fee of any package, you must offer the SAME SERVICE for Raven, even a single issue.

You may charge a fee, and make a profit, and add that to the price the customer pays.

7.6 Commercial BBS's -- VITAL NOTE -- !!!

If you use a toll-call system, (in the UK that's an 0891 number), or if you typically sell (other) packages for more than the raw price of a single Issue, you must take responsibility for collecting the cover price, and forwarding it to me, along with sufficient details about the customer, that they could later claim that purchase.

For "typical package distribution cost" take a simple site average, and include any membership fee, or BBS subscription fees.

If you do so, you may advertise that the cost already includes the full registration.

This appears to go against the tide of try-before-you-buy, but hopefully, there will be few un-happy customers, and those who require their money back (upto 28 days after purchase), get it.

They should send their request to either/both of us, preferably with a brief note why (for QC).

7.7 Commercial BBS's -- VITAL VOTE -- !!!

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Commercial BBS's, and shareware is central to BBS's, and this is shareware, but even so the try-before-you-buy rule doesn't apply! You can make this clear to the Customer.

Instead the money-back-guarantee applies, with bundled convenience of pre-paid purchases, and peace of mind (one stop shop).

The reason for this is the low unit cost, and the other general availability of Raven (eg CDROMS).

7.8 Commercial BBS's -- VITAL NOTE -- !!!

If you think your "typical package cost" falls below the threshold, and do not want the administrative overhead that this involves, but you are uncertain, please send me a sample price list by email, and get clarification.

7.9 NO Printing!

You may NOT print out the magazine unless you have paid for it.


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