by Jim Kieran
There are 2 methods of delivering your product to the customer. By CD ROM or over the Internet. Both ways have their advantages and disadvantages.
Delivering your product on a CD ROM is the most common way to get your product to the customer. Most programs are to large to run directly off the web. If your program is small, floppy disks may also be an acceptable alternative. DVD's will soon replace the CD in many computers. A DVD holds much more data than a CD ROM which makes it a good choice if your program spans several CDs, but at this point not everyone has a DVD player yet. Before you burn your disks you should make sure as many people as possible have access to your program files. Some people may suggest distribution on a Zip disk or other removable hard drive. Not everyone has a compatible computer for this type of disk, so unless the program involves that type of drive, it is not a good choice for delivery.
Often the subject comes up of delivering on several types of media. (Such as on CD ROMs and DVDs) This can be very expensive and you should check how practical of a solution this really is before committing to it.
It is a bad idea to give customers Re-writable CDROMs because some older CD drives can not read the disk. The cost for burning CDs can add up rather fast. Most larger CDROM burning companies require a minimum amount of CDs to be burned. (Around 250) If you plan to mass produce the CDs the cost per a CD will drop the more CDs you have burned at one time. However since the price of CD burners has dropped quite a bit, several small producers have opened shop. If you only plan to sell a few copies of your CD, you may want to burn them yourself. However I would stress that if you plan to sell over 100 or so copies, you should think about getting a company to do it for you.
If you want your customers to take you seriously. Don't get cheap! I'm not saying that you should go with the highest priced guy out there, I'm saying don't look cheap. Gold CDs look cheap. (They are a softer metal than the silver/aluminum CDs that are distributed by the large corporations.) People equate them with the cheap dollar/disks they buy for their own CD burners. If you have to go with the gold disks, make sure there is a label on it. Many smaller program developers just write the name on the CD with a marker. This gives the wrong impression to your clients. If they are paying hundred or even thousands of dollars for a CD, you don't want them to even think they made a mistake buying your software before they even load it on. Despite how much your client paid for the software, if he or she is unhappy with it, the disk will just collect dust on the shelf with no hope of a repeat sell.
You will be asked if you want to distribute the CDs in CD envelopes or in plastic jewel cases. This is entirely up to you. Both are considered professional. If you go with envelopes, make sure all the information that the customer needs is on the CD label. (Loading info, copyright, product name - Yes its sometimes forgotten, logos, requirements, etc.) If you prefer a jewel case, you will need more artwork for the cover or inside book. Find out if there are any limitations, such as 4/16 color printing, that must be addressed.
The difference between the Internet and an Intranet is minor. But it can be confusing if you are new to the subject. An intranet is a network of computers within a company that can pass information back and forth to each other. Unless granted permission an outside computer can not access the Intranet. The Internet is a world wide network of computers. Most information place on the internet, can be accessed. You accessed the Internet to get to this page.
It seems everybody, wants to put everything on the Internet these days. You can find everything from Aunt Bertha's favorite cooking web sites to a large corporation's unvisited E-commerce page. So why shouldn't you put your multi-million dollar software on the web?
First you must ask yourself some important questions. Do you have the security in place to make sure unauthorized people can't use your software anytime they want? Do you have the web knowledge to get it up there in the first place? Does the program run over the net or is it downloaded onto your computer?
At this point you have decided on a tool and have already started to develop your program. Get a web address or a spot in the company network and start to test. Get a good grasp of how the authoring tool works on the net. Do not wait for the last minute. Everything on the web involves multiple program languages (Your product may be in Authorware and shocked for the web, but you still need the HTML to make it work.) Although your first tests may seem to work just fine, unexpected things start to happen the closer you are to your due date. Two days until its due is a bad time to start to learn the difference between a Windows and UNIX server.
Is the program located on your server or is it located on a client's Intranet? If any Intranet is going to be involved, or even if it isn't planned, make sure your program runs from multiple locations properly. If your program is designed to run on a client's Intranet you have little control over many variables. All it takes is for one unseen line of hard code, to take down the entire system. Test the speed of the system. Can it handle any video or audio that you have included. If not are these really necessary? Do any plug ins act funny or need special tailoring to make them work?
If your program is on the Internet, then you probably need to set up a password to block out unwanted users. You will need an HTML-Java expert to set this up. You should decide if each customer gets their own password or use a universal one the gets changed on a regular basis. Individual passwords are usually a better choice, this way you can block out one unpaid customer and not bother your other clients. Security is a primary issue when dealing with the web. You should not only worry about your security, many plug ins have settings to protect the user's hard drive from unwanted use. This can be a real problem if you need to write a student file or cookie.
Although I have used a free web hosting service, I would not suggest using a free service if your business depended on it. My last web host just went bye bye one day and I had to use my backup files to create my new pages. ALWAYS MAKE BACKUP FILES I CAN NOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!! If you pay for hosting then as their customer you are protected against certain problems. (Although by no means immune to them.)
When testing, decide if there should be a minimum limitation for the modem. Your program could work great on a cable modem, but that doesn't mean it will work on a 56 K modem. Performance limits may dictate that you cut back on some features. Although there have been break throughs in streaming video and audio, it may be difficult to get an acceptable feed to the user.
When dealing with the internet/intranet traffic, computer speeds play an essential part in your program's performance. These are things you may not have control over, but you should definitely be aware of how they effect you.
Side Rant:
It all comes down to what are your needs? Using a CDROM gives you better control over your environment, while using the web may give you more access to users. Many companies create two versions of their software, one for each. You may make a program that can't run on the web but that doesn't mean it can't be distributed that way. Many companies create demo versions of their software, that are downloaded free of charge. Once the customer decides they can use the software, they purchase a full version that is sent to them on CD.
Do not get caught up into internet hipe. Decide what is the best thing for you and go with it. Remember your goal is NOT to just put a product out, but to put a good quality product out. So many of us forget that. Without the quality you shouldn't expect your customers to stay customers.
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