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Tahe purpose of the SSI BETAWARE^TM series is to provide program authors a secure and effective medium with putting beta versions of new software into circulation. The objective would be to get comments and suggestions from interested users and gauging the potential for formal publication and marketing. BETAWARE^TM distribution would play the same role for software publication as pre-publication of research reports serves for hard copy publication in scientific journals and monographs.

It is now a foregone conclusion that data analysis programs destined for wide use must include a user-friendly graphical interface, articulation with larger statistical systems and database programs, and rich text and graphical output. These are features that the software publisher is prepared to provide, but may be difficult for statistical and numerical algorithm authors. For them to put a program in circulation, the quickest, and most economical and portable route is still the text-based command file driven program. SSI facilitates this form of software pre-publication through its BETAWARE^TM series. It offers the following advantages to authors:

Distribution of beta software executables and applications with shrink-wrap contract that protects the author's interest in the program.
Distribution as DOS-Extender executable or WINDOWS 95 or WINDOWS-NT application.
Printing of the author's hard copy documentation supplied as camera copy or text file.
World-wide distribution with advertising in the SSI catalog.
Netpage, journal and conference advertising, and advertising by SSI associated organizations.
Author royalty consistent with very low cost to beta version users.
Access to SSI proprietary statistical and numerical programming utilities.

To publish in its BETAWARE^TM series, SSI requires the following of the authors:

Authors must guarantee their ownership of the code supplied to SSI.
Authors assume responsibility for errors in their code.
Authors will respond to tech-line inquiries passed to them by SSI.
Insofar as possible, authors will observe command file and other programming conventions specified in the SSI author's guide.
If possible, authors will prepare any hard copy documentation in the TeX or LaTeX mark-up language.

Authors give SSI right of first-refusal for publication and marketing of the distribution version of the program. (SSI publication includes development of a WINDOWS 95 interface, editing and printing of the hard copy documentation, provision of tech-line support, direct mail advertising, and possible arrangements for training sessions on use of the program. Publication also includes all features of pre-publication listed above.)

Authors who wish to pre-publish in the SSI BETAWARE^TM series should send three copies of a written description of the program, along with one copy of the program executable and one or more sample problems. If SSI judges the program to have potential for the BETAWARE^TM series it will sign a nondisclosure agreement with the author to examine the source code.

If the program appears satisfactory, SSI will enter into discussion with the author or authors on terms for inclusion of the program in the BETAWARE^TM series.