Shareware Submitter

This essay is about a suggested student project in Java programming. This essay gives a rough overview of how it might work. It does not describe an actual complete program. I have no source, object, specifications, file layouts or anything else useful to implementing this project. Everything I have to say to help you with this project is written below. I am not prepared to help you implement it; I have too many other projects of my own.

I do contract work for a living, which could include writing a program such as this. However, I don’t do people’s homework for them. That just robs them of an education.

You have my full permission to implement this project any way you please.

The people who run the various shareware distribution sites have done very little to make the process convenient for the shareware author. The problems include:

Each site wants a summary of the program formatted in some unique way.
Most sites want a copy of the program, not a master URL where they can get it. If the code changes, you have to reregister the program and unregister the old one.
Winfiles.com wants a direct URL to the master download file. You thus cannot change the filename on a version change without having to reregister the program from scratch. Further, even if you updated the file without renaming it, there is no guarantee that winfiles.com would ever notice and update its distribution copy.
Other people submit your programs to sites you have never heard of. The universe becomes polluted with old versions of your programs, and there is no way track them all down and update them.

What we need is a program analogous to Register-It for registering websites. This new program will submit your shareware or freeware to all the standard distribution sites. Further, it will submit any necessary updates to all the sites with just a button click. The program keeps track of what shareware has changed and which sites need to be updated.

For each shareware package, the shareware author must write and maintain a master description file. It is the mother of all description files. It must contain sufficient information to generate any of the descriptive material required by any distribution site.

Eventually we might talk the shareware distributors into implementing the MasterDistribution.site files, or an even better variant where they are given a direct link to the mother descriptor file. From then on the distribution sites would poll periodically for updates. Then updates to all sites already carrying your product would be automatic, even if you did not do the original submission.

Here is a list of major software distribution sites. You would have to catalog the requirements of each site, and ensure whatever you submit fits, including relevancy.

Major Software Distribution Web Sites
Site	URL
1001 Downloads	http://www4.zdnet.com/pccomp/1001dl/html/1001.html
32bit.com - The 32bit OS Center!	http://www.32bit.com/
Browsers.com	http://www.browsers.com
C\|Net	http://www.cnet.com
CoolShare	http://www.coolshare.com/
Digi Safari	http://www.digisafari.com
Download.com	http://www.download.com
Filez	http://www.filez.com/
Freeware Home	http://www.freewarehome.com
Freeware32	http://www.freeware32.com
Hotlib	http://www.hotlib.com
Jumbo	http://www.jumbo.com/
Laze’s Essentials	http://www.laze.net/essentials/
LinkMonster	http://www.linkmonster.com
Lockergnome	http://www.lockergnome.com
My Shareware Page	http://www.mysharewarepage.com
NetWorld	http://www.networld.com
Nonags	http://www.nonags.com
Pass the Shareware	http://www.passtheshareware.com
Rocket Download	http://www.rocketdownload.com
Sharelook Deutschland	http://www.sharelook.de
Shareware.com	http://www.shareware.com
Simtel.Net	http://www.simtel.net
Slaughterhouse	http://www.slaughterhouse.com/
Softwareblast	http://www.softwareblast.com
Tucows	http://www.tucows.com/
Windows Magazine	http://www.winmag.com/
Winfiles.com	http://www.winfiles.com/
WinSite	http://www.winsite.com

I implemented a simple version of this project that submits XML PAD files.

	Please email your feedback for publication, errors, omissions, broken/redirected link reports and suggestions to improve this page to Roedy Green :
	Canadian Mind Products
	mindprod.com IP:[65.110.21.43]
	Your face IP:[38.103.63.16]	The information on this page is for non-military use only.
	You are visitor number 2,769.	Military use includes use by defence contractors.
	You can get a fresh copy of this page from:	or possibly from your local J: drive (Java virtual drive/Mindprod website mirror)
	http://mindprod.com/project/sharewaresubmitter.html	J:\mindprod\project\sharewaresubmitter.html