Gene.Zeak@p0.f219.n137.z1.fidonet.org (Gene Zeak) (07/25/90)
Index Number: 9512 What follows is NOT a plea for anyone's pity, but the honest facts. From previous postings, you may already know that I am a person disabled with Multiple Sclerosis. I want to suppliment my meager fixed (SSDI) income ( which typically runs out the 3rd week of the month) by writing shareware. The type of shareware I'd most like to write is on-line help manuals using hypertext technology (DISKREFS). Why? There are two reasons really. One is that before the MS, I was deeply involved in electronics, computer control, and technical writing. Also, hypertext captures my imagination. Hypertext is sort of like embedding the index (references) into the text so the user (reader) can jump to a reference from where he is. I've contacted (and arranged with) Neil Larson of MaxThink in CA so that I can do this without violating any copyright laws. DISKREFS would be compatible for use with screen readers as no graphics would be involved. The Hypertext reader I would use (and include with DISKREFS) will contain its own character handler, so a user won't have to have ANSI loaded. Now, I know that among all the type of sharware that's available, this type (...information...) is probably the hardest to get paid for...so, I need some feedback. The question is, "Is there any interest in this sort of thing to the point of financial support through registration?" I plan to publish many different DISKREFS...all registrations priced at $15.00...one for Telix, one for SALT (the Telix script language, one for Norton's Utilities (through version 4.5), and one for Telemate; among others. Traditionally. something extra is offered for those who register. Not being one to break tradition, I'll offer a very well put together index file for those who send in their $15.00. The index file lists virtually EVERYthing you might want to look up (by name, of course) and tell you what file(s) it's in. Not only that, but you can jump directly to it from the index. Other shareware I have out is T-FIG, an interactive Telix Tutor program that runs within Telix. I just updated it and renamed it TF312 to reflect the update to include features of Telix through version 3.12. I also wrote two programs grouped together in an archive called SHIFNSHO (distributed on SDN as SHIFTKEY). One of the programs is SHIFTKY,COM, a program that "remembers" that a shift (Ctrl, Alt, Shift) key was pressed and acts like it's being held down until the next key is pressed. Great for those who can type using only one hand. The other program included is SHOWCAP.COM. All it does is change the cursor from a line to a block when the CapsLock key is engaged. Keeps THIS FROM HAPPENING... ..so, I hope y'all the users of this echo) will take the time to offer the feedback I need...thanks in advance. Later, Gene... -- Via Opus Msg Kit v1.11 -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!137!219.0!Gene.Zeak Internet: Gene.Zeak@p0.f219.n137.z1.fidonet.org