davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (Wm E. Davidsen Jr) (06/30/91)
Many people who submit stuff to cbip use a format which either takes a long time to process or causes me a lot of work. In almost every case it's because they don't quite know how to do it, even after reading the "how to post" posting. Therefore I thought I'd propose a form to hang on the first part of a posting, in order to make life easier for the good people who share things with us, and also for me. In most cases posting rather than mail would be best, since I am trying to help the submitters, and if people see this as "one more thing to do" rather than a simple way to do all the things which are needed for a posting, then I'll forget it. Note that I'm adding a section on hardware requirements, so that I can inform the readers what is needed before they download. The only machines I use for testing normally are 386, big memory, VGA, two serial and parallel with printer. If the author doesn't tell me something special is needed I might miss it. ________________________________________________________________ Please replace all occurences of XX with information. When standard answers are needed they are listed, select one. Submission to comp.binaries.ibm.pc 1. Select one of the following, use the abbreviations if you want: Shareware(SW) - payment is requested or required for use Non-Commercial(NC) - fee must be paid for business use, free or optional for private use. Source Available(SA) - free, but source is sold separately Freeware(FW) - copyright, but freely usable without fee Public Domain(PD) - no restrictions Category: XX 2. Submission is a uuencoded archive of type: ARC - SEAware arc v5.x ZOO - Rahul Dhesi's zoo v1.41 up to 2.10 ZIP - PKware v1.02 or v1.10, info-zip v1.0 or later LZH - lharc v1.x (not lha, which is 2.x) Submission form: XX 3. What the program does, in a single paragraph. Do not put many lines of advertising or readme here, this is what tells other uses why they want to bother downloading the program. XX 4. if this program is available from ftp sites, please list the name of the site(s) here: XX 5. if the latest, most current version of this program is released frequently on a BBS, please list the name and phone number here. This is not for the name of your favorite BBS, but a special source which the suthor has designated as the official site. Name: XX, number: XX 6. if this program runs in any mode other than 80x25 text mode, please list the video requirements from the list. If a program will run on Hercules and EGA or better, use a slash, like HGA/EGA. If there's something special, like odd modes, just write that in. CGA - any color HGA - Hercules EGA - EGA VGA - VGA Video requirements: XX 7. CPU needed. ANY - any 8088 or better 286 - 286 or better 386 - 386 or better CPU: XX 8. memory, note the minimum requirement. If the *free* memory needed is more than 512k, please specify. 256 - 256k free or less 512 - 512k free or less ### - specify the memory needed as a three digit number XMS - extended memory with XMS management (say how much) EMS - LIM 3.2 or 4.0 expanded memory (say how much) EXT - uses unmanaged extended memory (say how much) memory required: XX 9. Other hardware. Specify serial or parallel ports, special printers, special cards (example: Soundblaster), or other requirements (example: Hayes compatible modem). Please put none if nothing special is needed, so everyone will know you saw this. Special hardware: XX 10. Notes: anything potential users should know *before downloading*. This should be any odd thing about the program which makes it more or less desirable to a users. Special notes: XX ________________________________________________________________ -- bill davidsen - davidsen@sixhub.uucp (uunet!crdgw1!sixhub!davidsen) sysop *IX BBS and Public Access UNIX moderator of comp.binaries.ibm.pc and 80386 mailing list "Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me
chaz@chinet.chi.il.us (Charlie Kestner) (07/01/91)
It'd be NICE, if they'd ALSO include a filesize, so potential users can get an idea of just how LARGE a given archive will be.