ZSIG Software Submission Procedures The following procedures will be used by ZSIG to govern (a) submission of software by authors and (b) evaluation of such submissions. Please keep in mind that one of the purposes of ZSIG is to encourage interactive "cross-fertilization" between Z-System programmers on every level of expertise and between users and program contributors. If the guidelines below seem a bit formal compared to the typically chaotic state of the CP/M-compatible Public Domain in general, it is because ZSIG wants to avoid the bane of multiple versions with the same revision level, trivial upgrades, non-upgrades resulting from a person's desire to spread his or her name around in someone else's source code, and outright copyright theft. It has happened. It will not happen here if humanly and legally preventable. That said, let's state for the record that we WANT your participation, we DON'T mandate that you join NAOG/ZSIG in order to be "published," and we think we will be able to help improve and focus the state of Public Domain Z-System software. We also expect to learn from our contributors and have the means to spread new and significant ideas to user community. The people behind ZSIG are software and documentation professionals with enormous respect for the creativity of amateurs and their fellow professionals. Let's work together to advance the already fine state of the 8-bit software art. Submission Of Software 1. Software shall be submitted either by modem upload or by sending a diskette. Modem uploads should be made, if possible, to the Newton Centre Z-Node (#3) in Massachusetts at 617-965-7259. Alternative submission nodes are the Lillipute Z-Node (#15) in Chicago at 312- 649-1730 or the Ladera Z-Node (#2) in Los Angeles at 213-670-9465. Non-NAOG/ZSIG-members who wish to upload to the limited-access Lillipute Z-Node should make a special arrangement by leaving a private message to the sysop or by calling NAOG/ZSIG at 215-443-9031 for a modem appointment. Software submitted on diskettes should be sent to the Software Librarian at the following address: Jay P. Sage 1435 Centre Street Newton Centre, MA 02159 IBM 8" standard SSSD or any 5" format that can be read by the Ampro MULTIDSK program or by the MediaMaster program on an IBM-PC/AT is acceptable. The 5" formats include the following and dozens more: Ampro (48- and 96-tpi) Kaypro (all) Morrow (all) Osborne (all) VT-180 Xerox (all) 2. Submissions should include source code, an object file, a DOC file, and a ZCPR3-format help file. In the event the author desires to treat the source code as proprietary, a special arrangement must be made with the ZSIG Sofware Librarian. This practice is strongly discouraged but will be permitted at the discretion of the Software Librarian under special circumstances. Also, should you be unable to include a ZCPR3-format help file, we have some members who have volunteered to prepare these files for programs submitted without them. 3. Authors shall provide their address and voice phone number for use by NAOG/ZSIG. This information will not be made public unless you indicate that you wish it to be released. 4. The Software Librarian, with the advice of the ZSIG Director, RAS Coordinator, and members of the Software Committee as it may exist from time to time, will render a decision within 3 weeks of submission. The decision shall be either to accept the submission for inclusion in a ZSIG library, to conditionally accept it, or to reject it. A conditional acceptance shall be granted when it has been determined that the program has substantial merit but needs additional work. A conditional acceptance will be changed to an acceptance only when the author provides a satisfactory response to the suggestions of the Software Librarian or the assigned Software Committee member. 5. Each submission shall bear a copyright notice of the form: "Copyright [current year] by [name of author]". While ZSIG encourages and promotes the distribution of free software, it is desirable that the author and ZSIG retain some control over modifications to a ZSIG Library program. Therefore, a check-out system will be employed, wherein any person suggesting a program improvement, whether a NAOG/ZSIG member or not, will be given a set period of time at the discretion of the ZSIG Software Librarian, who will undertake to obtain the permission of the original author to modify the program in question. Updates are subject to the same evaluation procedures as new submissions. Evaluation Of Software 1. All ZSIG submissions must be ZCPR3- and/or Z-System-oriented. ZSIG defines such submissions as Z-System applications and tools. 2. A Z-System application or tool is a program that "knows" about the ZCPR3 environment, at a minimum. It should be installable with Z3INS.COM or have equivalent access to the ZCPR3 Environment Descriptor as appropriate, and it must be able to deal with named directory and DU: forms where disk file access is required. If it is screen oriented, it must derive its terminal interface from the ZCPR3 TCAP. Wherever possible, syntax help should be available to the user with the standard ZCPR3 command line help parameter "//". 3. While Intel mnemonics are acceptable, ZSIG encourages all authors to submit programs in Zilog mnemonics. Although the Software Librarian is well equipped with development tools, the use of assembler- exclusive psuedo-ops is strongly discouraged. It is simply not that difficult to generate a source file that will assemble with M80, ZAS, ZASM or Z80ASM with at most MINOR revisions, and ZSIG wishes to encourage such a "universal" coding style. Short Statement Of Philosopy ZSIG's charter is to support the ZCPR3 and Z-System user community in the effort to find, catalog, and distribute efficient and bug-free Public Domain ZCPR3 tools and applications. In furtherance of its charter, ZSIG will create libraries of such Z- Tools and applications for distribution to the user community. Inquiries may be directed via electronic mail to NAOG/ZSIG Software Librarian, Jay Sage, at the Newton Centre Z-Node (#3), 617-965-7259 or to RAS Coordinator, Richard Jacobson, at the Lillipute Z-Nodes (#15), 312-649-1730 and 312-664-1730; by voice to the Director, Bruce Morgen, at 215-443-9031 (voice, data by appointment); or by writing to: NAOG/ZSIG P.O. Box 2871 Warminster, PA 18974 [8 Bit Lives] .