Thank you for your interest in Mr. Phelps !

   This file contains a description of the files distributed in the 
zip file along with installation instructions, an introduction to the 
product, a list of the files in the demonstration directory which 
install.exe will create, and finally, an explanation of the 
demonstration programs.

1) CONTENTS OF THE ZIP FILE

* readme.txt - this file.

* dn1.if, dn2.if - installation files encapsulating the content of 
each of the demonstration files. Extracted by install.exe.

* install.exe - windows-based installation program. When run, prompts 
for the name of the directory into which you would like the 
demonstration files copied. Suggests c:\phelps_fw, and will create 
the directory finally specified if it does not exist. Best results 
are obtained if a full file spec is given, ie: "c:\phelps_fw" rather 
than something such as "demos\phelps". After extracting the 
demonstration files, will attempt to create a windows group entitled 
"Mr Phelps - Freeware V1.4", and add two items, phlpscnf.exe and 
windemo.exe to this group.

2) INTRODUCTION TO Mr. Phelps

   Mr. Phelps is one object-oriented module, shipped with full source 
code, providing C/C++ programmers with the functions of Copy 
Protection, Installation, and Trial-Basis Disabling for only $99. 
Several supporting utilities are also supplied which perform such 
operations as configuration and password determination. Complete 
example programs for both MS-Windows and MS-Dos are also included. 

   Mr. Phelps implements copy protection mechanisms  which will cause 
automatic deletion in any of three different circumstances. Renaming 
or moving the executable can be guarded against, with the movement 
gauged relative to the installation, distribution (run only from a 
diskette) or a fixed position. Attempts to alter the executable 
binary file can be turned back through the use of a file-wide 
checksum.

   With Trial-Basis Disabling, you can place limits on the use of 
your product by specifying the number of runs or the length of time 
for which your program is valid. The time limit can be computed 
relative to first use, or be specified as an absolute cut-off date. 
On an expiration condition, you have a choice between program 
deletion or password protection activation. These feature are most 
commonly used by programmers working on specialized, one-time 
distributions for demonstration purposes, and by shareware 
developers.   

   Password protection can also be required  independent of an 
expiration condition. These passwords can be varied according to date 
and used to activate or deactivate nearly all of the security 
options. When you provide a user with a password, you have the option 
of activating or de-activating security features. Distribution of an 
application via the internet or a bulletin-board on a trial basis is 
just one example of the many options that this feature provides. When 
you make the sale, your trial version becomes your finished product, 
and you save on shipping and production costs.

   When one of the installation options is activated,  password 
protection can be added pre or post usage of the resulting installer. 
In addition to password protection,  installers may be set to self-
delete upon completion,  or require that the target product be un-
installed before they operate again after the first successful 
install. Mr. Phelps can produce two types of installers :  self-
extracting single executables, or setup programs that extract 
multiple files from groups of binary files which are each sized small 
enough to fit onto a single diskette.

   See the last section in this file for ordering information.   

3) CONTENTS OF THE INSTALLATION DIRECTORY

. phlpscnf.exe - Utility to configure the Phelps options in the 
windemo and dosdemo executables.

. phlpsdef.dat - Initialization settings for phlpscnf.exe.

. windemo.exe - Demonstration program with Mr. Phelps linked-in and 
ready to be configured using the phlpscnf Utility.

. win-bak.exe - A back-up copy of windemo.exe.

. *.dll - Dynamic link libraries used by phlpscnf and windemo.

. dosdemo.exe - Dos version of windemo.

. dos-bak.exe - Back-up copy of dosdemo.


4) EXPLANATION OF THE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS

   The interface to Mr. Phelps is via a single function, which may be 
called more than once during execution. windemo and dosdemo are 
executables which contain a call to this function, sandwiched between 
two hello-world type output messages.

   Assuming that no installation options have been enabled, the exact 
behavior of these programs depends upon the settings of the 
configuration parameters. Generally however, the following will 
happen :

   1) The first message will be displayed.

   2) A determination of whether an enabled security option has been 
violated will take place during the call to the Phelps interface 
function. Some options will cause output messages regardless of 
whether a violation has occurred or not (every Phelps output messages 
is separately configurable). If a breach is detected however, one of 
two things will occur, depending on the setting of the Disable Via 
option : the program will self-destruct, or a password entry dialog 
will appear.

   3) If no security violations exist, the second message is 
displayed.

   Use the phlpscnf.exe utility (burning diskette icon) to configure 
the security options you are interested in seeing at work. If a test 
results in the self-destruction of the target demonstration 
executable, replace it with the corresponding back-up copy : win-
bak.exe for windemo.exe or dos-bak.exe for dosdemo.exe. The original 
copies of windemo and dosdemo have a single Trial-Basis Disabling 
option enabled : Max Number of Runs == 12. The original copies of 
win-bak and dos-bak have no Phelps options enabled, resulting in the 
simple display of the two output messages.

5) HOW TO ORDER MR. PHELPS

   The price of $99 (U.S.) includes a royalty-free copy of the 'C' 
source which performs the security and installation functions, along 
with all necessary utilities, printed documentation and a complete 
set of example programs. Outside the U.S. and Canada, the price is 
$118.

Call 1-800-638-7250

Or write to:
   
   Lever Software Systems
   19 Clinton Place
   Utica, New York 13501
