PROGRAM JOURNALISM: MARKETING COMPUTER SOFT WARE

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There's another factor to consider in choosing your slice of the software business pie: There is no universal computer language. Now most programs are written in some form of BASIC (which is currently the most commonly used and easy-to-learn computer lingo, although others are already catching on) . . . but BASIC varies from one firm's computer to another. For instance, if you write a program in Apple BASIC, the same program won't—without some revision—run in a TRS-80 . . . because even though that TRS-80 computes BASIC, it computes only TRS-80 BASIC. This fact is unfortunate in some ways, but it does mean that you can broaden your base of operations by learning to translate from one sort of BASIC to another and selling that service as well.

ALL DRESSED UP AND NOWHERE TO GO . . .

When your program is documented and recorded (it's a good idea to photocopy a practice printout to show a buyer . . . as proof that your system works), you're ready to try to sell the package. And if you keep up—as any freelance program writer should—with computer magazines (Personal Computing, Popular Computing, Byte, and others), you'll probably be able to locate a lot of software markets by simply perusing the ads in such periodicals.

In fact, you might want to take out an advertisement in one of these magazines yourself, and try to sell your product directly to users through the mail. The cost for ad space varies with the different publications, so be sure to compare rates.

Of course, if you do choose to take the mail order route, you'll be responsible not only for copyrighting your work (if you decide to attempt to protect it . . . something fewer and fewer programmers are bothering to do), but also for making as many copies of the manuals and tapes or disks as you think you'll need to fill your order. Still, if you don't mind the small financial risk and the trouble—and if you're patient and persistent—selling firsthand (with no middleman except the post office) could be the way to go.

SECURITY SOFTWARE

If, however, you'd rather not handle individual orders, you could attempt to market your computerware either to software companies (new ones are springing up daily) or to computer manufacturers (they're constantly trying to keep their hardware customers supplied With new software). Both of these potential groups of buyers advertise in computer magazines . . . so leaf through a few issues to find the names and addresses of companies you might like to deal with. Then contact the firms to inquire about their rates and such.

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