Note: Industry members other than developers must follow these standards instead. Additionally, all members may optionally include the ASP Ombudsman Statement in their documentation, catalogs, and web sites.

These standards from the previous WA corporation have been referred to the Membership Standards Committee on 2/12/2005 for possible inclusion in a single document which applies to all ASP members.

Adopted December 16, 1998.

1. ASP Developer Members are not required to produce an ASP-compliant program. However, when a Developer Member chooses to mention the ASP in their program, they are obligated to make that program fully ASP-compliant.
2. ASP-compliant products are shareware products, produced by ASP Developer Members, that satisfy all the requirements in this document. Only ASP- compliant products may use the ASP logo or Ombudsman statement. Only ASP-compliant products may refer to the ASP -- whether in the product, documentation, or marketing materials -- in any way that might reasonably be interpreted as suggesting ASP compliance. ASP-compliant shareware products must be created and marketed in a professional manner. ASP Developer Members must treat the user of the product and the concept of shareware with courtesy and respect.
3. An ASP-compliant product may limit the user evaluation period. If such limitation is used, the product must allow users access to the features customary or reasonable for that type of product for a time period or number of uses sufficient to allow adequate evaluation by the user. An ASP-compliant product may also use other limiting measures. Such measures must not unduly interfere with the evaluation of the product. Users must be notified, while using the program, of the impending expiration of the evaluation period. This notification must occur well in advance of any disabling of features or cessation of program operation. All limiting measures must be documented, and such notification must refer to that documentation. Users obtaining the shareware version of an ASP-compliant product from any source approved by the developer must be able to install and use the product for the full evaluation period.
4. Registration Reminder Screens may be used in an ASP-compliant product. Such Registration Reminder Screens must not unduly interfere with the evaluation of the product during the initial evaluation period.
5. An ASP-compliant product must be substantially complete, and accurately represent the registered version, except in cases where a substantially complete product would provide little or no reason for the user to register and pay for the product. Examples include some games, source code for programmer's tools, electronically published books, fonts, and clip art collections. In those cases, a portion of the product allowing adequate evaluation of the product may be distributed. A Non Shareware Version (NSV) of an ASP-compliant product, which includes advanced features, may also be offered, in addition to the normal registered version.
6. When, during evaluation of an ASP-compliant product, a user creates data that have substantial independent value, the product shall not prevent some form of access to those data even after the expiration of the evaluation period. Such access may or may not require further use of the product itself.
7. ASP-compliant product must include some form of documentation sufficient to allow thorough evaluation of the product's features. Such documentation must explain how to register and pay for the product and define the benefits of payment and registration. It must also describe any evaluation limitations and differences between the shareware and registered versions. This documentation must also describe support policies, and include the current ASP Ombudsman statement.
8. An ASP-compliant product must offer some documented method or instructions for safely removing the product from the user's computer.
9. An ASP-compliant product must include reasonable technical support for a minimum of three months after the purchase of the registered version of the product, without additional payment.
10. An ASP-compliant product must be conscientiously tested by the developer, and should not be harmful to user data or hardware when properly used on a typical computer.
11. All products marketed as ASP-compliant must meet the requirements of this policy. The ASP Author Compliance Committee (ACC) is entrusted to make the sometimes difficult judgments involved in enforcing these requirements. If the ACC finds that an ASP member's product violates these requirements, that member must modify the product to comply, or must remove all indications of compliance. If the member refuses to make these changes within 30 days (or a longer alternate period set by the ACC), the ACC may recommend to the Board of Directors that the member's ASP membership be terminated.
12. The ASP Board of Directors may not materially change items in this policy, but may, from time to time, explain, interpret, or clarify these policies.
13. The developer will keep the ASP apprised of changes in mailing address and of any changes in the status of his/her programs.