Gold Fish 1/GoldFishApril1994_CD2.img/d4xx/d410/generalinfo

Text File | 1990-11-23 | 9.2 KB | 234 lines

                Introducing the Amiga

           Freely Redistributable Software Library


What's Available

    There are "do-nothing-useful" examples of various capabilities of
    the AMIGA, real development tools, editors, languages, games, and
    other odds & ends.  Also included are machine readable form of many
    of the examples (received directly from C-A sources) out of the
    official AMIGA manuals, including the ROM Kernel Manual.


How To Obtain Disks

    First, check with your local dealers and user groups.  Most already
    have many of the disks.  Since these disks can be copied freely,
    and widespread distribution is encouraged, they propagate out to
    central distribution points fairly quickly.

    If you just can't wait, or can't find copies locally, I am willing
    to make these disks available for the cost of media, duplication,
    mailing materials, postage, and miscellaneous expenses (like wear
    and tear on my drives).  Naturally, you are encouraged to make
    copies for your friends, local user groups, dealers, etc.  My goal
    is to get as much software as possible into the hands of people that
    can use and enhance it, and make the AMIGA the success it deserves
    to be.

    Generally, each disk contains all source necessary to recreate the
    executables provided.  Programs are compiled with the latest Lattice
    C compiler (and/or Manx C compiler) available at the time of
    release.  In a very few cases (usually noted in the description) the
    code will not compile or run for some reason, but was considered
    interesting enough to include anyway.

    Disks are typically 85 to 95 percent full.


How to Order

    To order, send a list of the disks you want, and payment in U.S.
    funds to:

        Fred Fish
        Amiga Library Disks
        1835 East Belmont Drive
        Tempe, Arizona  85284
        USA

    The per disk fee as of October 1990 is as follows:

        1   to 9 disks        $6 per disk
        10  to 49 disks        $5 per disk
        50  to 99 disks        $4 per disk
        100 or more        $3 per disk
        complete library    $2 per disk    (see note below)

    The price includes cost of media, mailing materials, and first class
    domestic postage.  Overseas orders add $5 per order for air mail.
    Time and other jobs permitting, all disks will be mailed within
    5 days of receipt of order (most are filled the next day).

    The above prices and address are current as of October 1990.  If
    the per disk charge in effect at the time your order is received
    is less than the amount stated above, you will be charged the lower
    rate, and an appropriate credit for the difference added to your
    account.  It is highly unlikely that the per disk charge will be
    higher (it has always decreased, reflecting my decreasing cost for
    disks since beginning distribution of the library).

    Feel free to order more than the current number of disks available.
    Excess funds will be placed "in escrow" (refundable at any time)
    and drawn against for automatic mailings of future disks as they
    become available.  These disks will be charged against your account
    at the per disk charge in effect at the time they are shipped.
    I hope to add at least four to six disks per month to the library.

    The "complete library" price ($2 per disk) applies only to orders
    of a complete set of all disks in the library at the time of the
    order.  The funds cannot be applied towards disks not yet completed.
    This offer is intended to provide a relatively low startup cost
    for new user groups, dealers, or other users, to obtain a complete
    library set.


Notes

    Please keep in mind that most of the materials in this library are
    intended for use by experienced programmers, or at least experienced
    Amiga users.  Many are runnable only via the CLI user interface, as
    they contain no icon files (particularly the early disks).  If you
    are inexperienced with the Amiga CLI interface, you may need the
    assistance of an experienced user to make use of some of these disks.
    I do not provide telephone support for instructions on how to
    run specific programs from the library.

    I do not guarantee the performance or usability of any of the
    materials in this library.  I will replace or rewrite, at no
    additional charge, any disk ordered from me which turns out to be
    defective or unreadable.


Catalog Disk

    Because the current library has grown so large, it is no longer cost
    effective to distribute a printed catalog.  Therefore, the catalog
    disks replace the printed catalog, and will be updated at each new
    release of disks to reflect the current state of the library.  It
    currently takes two disks to hold a complete catalog.

    There is no duplication fee for the catalog disks.  To receive the
    latest available catalog at any time, simply return the original
    disks, or send two blank disks, to:

        Fred Fish
        Catalog Disk Update
        1835 East Belmont Drive
        Tempe, Arizona  85284
        USA

    Please enclose sufficient postage for 3 ounces First Class mail.

    Note that you can always obtain the latest catalog automatically
    by following the above procedure but specifying that you want
    the disks to be held until the next update.


Library Submissions

    If you have written a program that you would like to see appear
    in the library, I encourage you to submit it on disk directly to
    me, along with a letter indicating you would like to see it
    included in the library.  You can increase the chances of your
    submission being accepted by following a few simple guidelines:

    (1)    Don't submit bootable disks or disks with any other
        proprietary material included, since I then have to
        go examine each file to decide if it is distributable
        or not, and if not, what effect removing it might have.

    (2)    Organize the distribution in a manner similar to the
        library disk organization.  I.E., place all files
        related to a particular program under a single directory
        on the disk.  If there is more than one program per disk,
        place each one in its own directory.

    (3)    Try to write a simple entry for the "Contents" listing
        that summarizes your submission.  It should be about
        3-10 lines, and include the current version number, the
        version and disk number of the most recent version
        (if any) that was last included in the library, whether
        or not source is included, and an "Author" list.

    (4)    Ensure that your submission will run correctly from
        its subdirectory and that it does not depend upon the
        name of the disk.  If necessary, supply a script
        runnable from workbench (via c:IconX) that makes all
        necessary assigns, copies fonts and libraries, etc.


CAT FISH Catalog Listing

    A complete catalog over 320 pages and full of interesting
    information of the entire library cross-referenced by file name
    and subject area is available from the ASCITEC AMIGA User's Group
    now for $20.00.  These listings are made using a laser printer
    on double-sided three-hole punched paper for a quality binder
    reference and contain information on disks currently available
    in the library.  Some of the contents include:

        Complete listings of all disks and file descriptions
        (README and CONTENTS files) with disk numbers and page
        numbers for each file.  Currently over 230 pages.

        An alphabetic sorted file name cross-reference listing
        with disk and page numbers given for each file.  Duplicate
        file names are sorted with the most recent listed first.
        Currently over 34 pages.

        A subject category sorted file name cross-reference listing
        based on a three page 17 point major subject category
        outline with disk and page numbers given for each file.
        Currently contains 123 total categories and over 40 pages.

        CLI notes for accessing any public domain disk file for
        reading, copying, and execution of files on the disks.

    Future upgrades are easily obtained by mail at a low cost.

    The complete CAT FISH library listings cost $20.00.  Future
    upgrades will cost $7.00.  USA taxes and mailing costs are
    included.  Mailing outside of the USA  and Canada will cost an
    additional $5.00.  Other information will also be included in
    future upgrades based upon prompt user suggestions and feedback.

    To order, make checks payable to "ASCITEC" or "THE AMIGA CLASS"
    at the AMIGA Science and Technology User's Group address given
    below.  Address all orders and questions regarding CAT FISH to
    this address:

        ASCITEC
        CAT FISH Listing
        P. O. Box 201
        Los Altos, CA  94023

CAT FISH Catalog Disk

    These materials are also available from ASCITEC on disk for $10.00
    with the explicit agreement that:

        They will not be copied and
        they will not be placed upon any User Group or computer
            Bulletin Board.

ADOC Documentation

    The documentation files corresponding to the most popular FD files
    are also available from ASCITEC on either double-sided three hole
    punched paper or on disk for $10.00.  This provides users with a quick
    reference for the most used files in the library.  The documentation
    files include the most recent versions of the following files:

    ASDG, Aquarium, Berserker, CLICon, ClockDJ, Conman, DiskTalk,
    DPlot, DMouse, DPSlide, Echo, Find, GPrint, Graph, HeadClean,
    Iconizer, IconMerger, IffLib, JPClock, LabelPrint, Mackie,
    MakeIcon, Marge, MG1B, MRPrint, MouseCoords, MuchMore, PcView,
    Plot, Plot.MultiPlot, Plot.ThreeDPlot, Plot.Translate,
    PowerPacker, PrintSpool, Print1.2, RunBack, Scripit, SetFont,
    SlideMaster, SlideShow, TaskX, TextDisplay, VCheck, View,
    VirusControl, VirusX, Vlt, WBRes, XenoZap, XHair, Xicon,
    ZeroVirus, and Zoo.