Donation Ware / Disclaimer

The applications that I have authored and presented here share a common theme besides my authorship, and that is the disclaimer and payment for use of the software.

First, let's get the disclaimer out of the way:

I wrote this stuff for a variety of reasons, one being that I needed to learn how to program particular aspects of an operating system, and the second being that I had a need for something that I had not seen in existance anywhere else. The applications I offer work on the computer(s) they were developed for, but that doesn't neccessarily mean much. The programs are provided "as-is", without warantee of any nature. I am not responsible for any damage, either real or otherwise, that may result from the use of these applications. If the application suits your needs, great; if it doesn't, I'm sorry. If you have difficulties with anything I've written, please feel free to write, and I may try to resolve those difficulties, although I reserve the right to refuse to do so. As the author of the software, I retain the rights to do with the software as I see fit.

Ok, now for payment issues.

The software presented here is donation-ware, meaning that I offer the software to the world without any form of restrictions whatsoever. If you find any application(s) useful, and would like to support my development efforts, I would welcome whatever donation you feel is appropriate. Donations (please, checks drawn on US funds) can be mailed to:

David Poole, Jr.
2044 Pineview Drive,
Spartanburg, SC 29307-3805

I considered setting up a more traditional registration scheme, where the programs would nag you or be in some other manner "crippled" until a registration fee was paid. But I realize that people who crack programs would enjoy removing that form of incentive, and it would make issues overly complicated for legitimate users of the software. Thus what is offered here is done so as to minimize the inconvience to the user. Furthermore, I realize there are people who are in difficult financial situations such as myself (I have been laid off for the last half-year; see below) and I wouldn't want to deny those individuals the ability to use my software if something there is helpful for them.

The long and short of the disclaimer and the donation ware:

I hope you enjoy the software; don't blame me if something goes wrong. You are free to use the software for personal use as you see fit; if you'd like to make a difference in my life consider sending me a couple of bucks. :-)

My employment/financial status:

I was laid off from my employer of 11 years in November of 2002; if you're interested, here is my resume. A press release issued by the company and published by the local news paper is quoted as follows:

http://www.goupstate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?SearchID=73141768589694&Avis=SJ&Dato=20021109&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=211090350&Ref=AR

Posted on November 09, 2002
Fashion Technologies in Gaffney files for bankruptcy protection

By Chris Winston
Business Editor
[email protected]

Fashion Technologies, a Gaffney-based supplier of digital design-to-production solutions for the textile industry, announced Friday it had filed for voluntary Chapter 11 protection.

Fashion Technologies operates two production facilities in Gaffney and a design studio/ sales office in New York. Fashion Technologies employs 65, of which 59 work in Gaffney.

Officials said reorganization plans are still being formulated, and no decisions have been made on how employees will be impacted.

Company officials insist customers and operations will not be affected.

"There will be absolutely no disruption in service to our customers," said Jesse Leskanic, company president. "Operations will continue as normal in both the South Carolina and New York facilities. We are confident that we will emerge from this reorganization stronger and better positioned within the industry."

Leskanic said the problem is strictly cash flow, not operations. He said the company's technology is "in place and proven," and the company's customer base is growing.

"And from a production standpoint, this quarter has been one of our most successful ever," he said.

On behalf of Fashion Technologies, the Cooper Law Firm of Greenville filed the petition in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Columbia on Monday.

As part of its restructuring process, Fashion Technologies has also enlisted the services of Jen Helke, a financial analyst with experience in the textile industry.

Helke said the company would work to minimize impact on employees.

"They are expected to focus on maintaining the quality and service needs of our customers and minimizing impact on our employees and suppliers while still meeting the cost reductions that will be essential to our successful reorganization," Helke said.

Updates on the company's progress toward reorganization will be available on its Web site, www.fashiontechnologies.com by mid-November.

Fashion Technologies is the leading independent technology and print screen provider for the textile design and printing industries.

Chris Winston can be reached at 582-4511, Ext. 7267, or [email protected].

I have unfortunately found it very difficult to find a job in the time that has elapsed from my layoff. It doesn't help matters much that my last 11 years of experience have been involved with technology in the textile industry, which reduces my marketability. I am in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and the following is a quote from the local news paper, printed Saturday, June 19th, 2003:

http://www.goupstate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030719/NEWS/307190334/1051/news01

Posted on July 19, 2003
11,660 jobless in county

By Chris Winston
Business Editor
[email protected]

There are now more unemployed people in Spartanburg County since the Great Depression, officials believe, after the unemployment rate climbed dramatically in June.

The unemployment rate in Spartanburg County rose to 8.5 percent in June from 6.7 percent in May, according to figures released Friday by the S.C. Employment Security Commission.

The unemployment rate typically rises from May to June, as recent high school and college graduates flood the market in search of jobs. Over the past five years, the rate has jumped between 0.7 and 0.9 percentage points in the month.

But this year's increase -- 1.8 percentage points -- surprised employment officials.

"I was shocked by it," said C. Ben Davis, area director for the state Employment Security Commission. "I usually judge from how busy we are with the unemployment claims process, and we've been very busy on that end for well over two years."

The number of unemployed Spartanburg County residents looking for work rose to 11,660, the most in any county in South Carolina.

Davis believes it's even more significant than that.

"You can't lose sight that this is undoubtedly the highest number of unemployed people the county has ever had," Davis said.

South Carolina's unemployment rate increased to 6.6 percent from 6.2 percent in June. Cherokee County's rate rose to 8.7 percent from 7.6 percent, while Union County's increased to 12.6 percent from 12.1 percent.

Employment Security Commission officials said construction, retail trade and leisure and hospitality industries reported normal seasonal growth in June. However, the gain in these sectors is being offset by the continuing loss of manufacturing jobs. The state has lost more than 30,000 manufacturing jobs in the past year.

It has been at least 13 years since Spartanburg County's unemployment rate was this high, but individual county statistics by month from the Employment Security Commission only go back to 1990.

Davis, who said this is the fourth recession he has seen in his position, said the area's unemployment rate probably has not been this high since 1983.

There were actually 1,020 more people employed in June than in May, but the number of people in the labor force increased 3,760.

That increase that caused the jump in unemployment rate.

Sam Bass, a Spartanburg native and recent graduate of Washington & Lee University, is one of the newest members of the local labor force who has not found a job.

The philosophy major, who has his sights set on law school in a couple of years, planned to travel to Asia following graduation to teach. The outbreak of SARS, however, put that plan on hold.

Instead, he used two separate teacher-placement services in the United States, but did not get a job offer to his liking.

Now, he is considering Asia once again and working on the family farm in his free time.

"I'm not really (surprised)," Bass said of his low number of job opportunities. "I kind of got a late start on it. A lot of my friends started early, and most of them got job offers."

In addition to recent graduates, Davis believes new entrants into the labor force also came from people in janitorial and clerical positions put out of work by schools closing for the summer. He also said many people probably saw the economy improving and decided to enter the labor force once again after being out of it.

The higher number of unemployed people is actually helping the business at Adecco Employment Services, a temporary employment agency in Spartanburg.

Jennifer Beesley, branch manager, said her office bills between 15,000 and 30,000 payroll hours each week.

She said the applicants coming to her office have higher qualifications, better skills and more marketability than in better economic times.

And she has customers whose businesses are still in need of more employees.

"We've been very lucky. We have several large customers who we are still filling orders for," Beesley said.

"We have a better pool of people and more selection. It's an employer's market."