Introduction to the OpenVMS Freeware Submissions ------------------------------------------------ OpenVMS Engineering is again sponsoring an OpenVMS Freeware CD-ROM collection. The specific schedule for release is to be determined. The OpenVMS Freeware CD-ROM contains "public domain" and "freeware" software which runs on OpenVMS VAX, OpenVMS Alpha, OpenVMS I64, and selected tools specific to the interoperation of other systems with OpenVMS systems. The purpose of the OpenVMS Freeware CD-ROM is to provide OpenVMS customers with easy access to public domain software, to various otherwise unreleased tools and software developed within HP, and to provide a channel for HP to release retired products. The guidelines for the software to be contained on the OpenVMS Freeware CD-ROM are the following: o The software must be free and access unencumbered. No license fees shall be requested of or required by the customer for its use. GNU, OpenBSD or or similar open-source licenses may (or may not) apply. If specific licenses apply and are not already widely available and widely known, please include the license(s) within the kit. o If a product authorization key (PAK) or similar key mechanism is required, an unrestricted PAK or other key (with no termination!) must be provided with the submission. If a PAK is not provided, HP may (at its sole discretion) elect to provide a PAK or other similar key to fully enable the Freeware submission. o The software must run on OpenVMS VAX and/or OpenVMS Alpha and/or OpenVMS I64, or for other platforms with direct relevance (or "Affinity") to operations with OpenVMS systems. o Neither HP nor the submittor(s) warranty this software in any way. It is provided as "as is" software. Use At Your Own Risk. o HP will not provide service for this software, test the software, review the software or the source code, fix the software, or warranty that it works correctly or at all. Individuals and vendors that have submitted packages to the Freeware may explicitly elect to provide additional services, testing, enhancements, updates and/or specific warrantees for submissions -- beyond "none" -- but no such statements should be expected nor assumed. o Customers are free to adapt and change the sources for their needs. o HP products on the Freeware may or may not provide source code, but -- and at the discretion of HP -- all other submissions are expected to provide full source code. o The OpenVMS Freeware is not intended for use as a commercial software distribution channel, though its use for the release of retired commercial products is appropriate. o Submissions that are regulated under US export controls will not be accepted. As binary submissions cannot be verified for export compliance, the submission of binary kits is generally discouraged. Acquiring a Copy of the Freeware CD-ROM kit ------------------------------------------- The OpenVMS Freeware CD-ROM will be distributed in conjunction with the standard OpenVMS operating system software distribution kits. It will also be made available for anonymous access from the OpenVMS Website: http://www.hp.com/go/openvms/freeware/ The Freeware CD-ROM kit may or may not be separately orderable. Creating a Kit for Inclusion on the Freeware -------------------------------------------- Please carefully follow the following simple steps to ease the job of packaging the wealth of software submissions onto the Freeware CD-ROM kit: 1: Build the software into a saveset or ZIP kit. Each product must be in a DIFFERENT directory, or in a separate saveset or ZIP kit. If the sources are included, place them in a subdirectory called [.SRC]. If executable or shareable images are included, place them one or more architecture-specific subdirectories, and preferably named [.VAX_IMAGES], [.ALPHA_IMAGES], and/or [IA64_IMAGES]. You must to supply two files (and optionally two others) in each top-level directory: - FREEWARE_RELEASE.TXT This is a software distibution release. See below for details. - FREEWARE_README.TXT This file must have the following format for the FIRST line: PACKAGE_NAME, CATEGORY, ONE_LINE_DESCRIPTION for example: INTOUCH, LANGUAGES, High-performance 4GL for VAX and Alpha... The one-line descriptions will be truncated to 60 characters. This will allow them to display nicely on the selection menus later on. Spaces are not allowed in the kit name or the category name, and exactly two commas (delimiters) can exist within the entire string. (If you have questions on the format, the current processing for this is listed over in [FREEWARE]CREATE_FREEWARE_PACKAGE.COM.) The list of categories to choose from are: BUILD_TOOLS Source code build-related tools DECWINDOWS X Windows, CDE, and Motif tools (and toys) FREEWARE Reserved for Freeware-specific files GAMES Games GRAPHICS Graphics tools and utilities LANGUAGES Compilers, assemblers, and language-related MISCELLANEOUS Or ask for a new category MULTIMEDIA Multimedia Tools and Utilities NETWORKING Networking and network-related tools PROGRAMMING Tools of interest to OpenVMS Programmers SOFTWARE Random Software Packages, Retired Products SYSTEM_MGMT Tools related to system managment, security, etc STORAGE_MGMT Tools related to Storage and Storage Management UNKNOWN Reserved; assigned to submissions lacking ReadMe files UTILITIES Random Utilities not related to other categories MS_TOOLS Interoperation with Microsoft Windows systems WEB_TOOLS CGI and HTML tools, web servers, etc HP OpenVMS Engineering may choose to reset the category to match one of the above categories, or to modify the requested category to a more appropriate category. Petitions for the creation of new categories or for the retirements of old ones gladly accepted. Any additional lines of text in the FREEWARE_README.TXT file will be displayed to the user from the MENU SYSTEM, if they choose this package from the menu. - FREEWARE_DEMO.TXT file (optional file) The FREEWARE_DEMO.TXT file is text that can explain how to try this software...or explains what the FREEWARE_DEMO.COM file will be showing the user. Depending on the volume of software submitted, these demonstrations may require the end-user unzip the distribution. - FREEWARE_DEMO.COM (optional file) If the user selects this package from the menu system, the FREEWARE_DEMO.COM file will be executed. Depending on the volume of software submitted, these demonstrations may require the end-user unzip the distribution. 2: Each directory should contain VAX, Alpha and/or IA64 executables (if possible), help text or help libraries, documentation, source file(s) (preferably in a [.SRC] subdirectory) and then anything else you wish to include. If the kit contains objects or executables or multiple platforms, consider using subdirectories [.VAX_IMAGES], [.ALPHA_IMAGES] and/or [.IA64_IMAGES]. Also consider providing object files, for those potential users that might lack particular tools, compilers or certain OpenVMS versions. If the software is already kitted as a VMSINSTAL or PCSI kit, that is quite acceptable. Just put the kit(s) in the directory, along with the installation instructions and a basic introduction. Depending on the volume of software submitted to the Freeware, these installation kits may be left available directly, as well as residing within the zip archive. (Source code may or may not be compressed into zip archives, as well, depending on the submission volume.) 3: PLEASE make sure that the .txt and .com files are easy to read and to understand -- introduce the tool to those that are not familiar with it. The more friendly your instructions and directions, the more likely that others will want to try to use the tool. 4: In order for the software to be considered for inclusion on the freeware CD-ROM, the attached FREEWARE_RELEASE.TXT release form MUST be submitted with the software. Electronic copies of the signed release form are acceptable. The release form itself will not be included in the distribution. How to Submit a Kit ------------------- Once the software is packaged, you can submit it on a tape, floppy disk or other common media to: HP OpenVMS Engineering Freeware Submissions Mailstop: ZKO3-4/S23 HP 110 Spitbrook Road Nashua, NH 03062, USA If you have Internet access, you can attach and mail the kit or can send a pointer to the location of the kit or can otherwise request an FTP transfer by sending mail to: openvms.freeware<--at-->hp.com and HP will transfer the kit electronically. Kits can be submitted as zip kits or as BACKUP savesets, as mail attachments, and can be base64 or uuencoded, and can be downloaded via FTP or via a link at a specified website. Other kit formats may be acceptable by prior arraignement. The HP OpenVMS Development group is looking forward to your submissions... - FREEWARE_RELEASE.TXT (required; not shipped) RELEASE FORM ------------ OpenVMS Freeware CD -------------------- DEVELOPER RELEASE FORM: As the owner/developer of this software, I have read and understand the submission documentation, and I release the package to be included on the next OpenVMS Freeware CD-ROM. I expect no remuneration and no payments for the use of this software from HP nor from HP's customers. _______________________ Developer/Owner Name