Paul Mayer

Paul Mayer, President, was the forum manager of the Shareware Forum on the Microsoft Network On-line from when it started in 1995 through 2000 when they closed down. Paul is a Past President of the Association of Shareware Professionals and the President of a shareware company, ZPAY Payroll Systems, Inc. which markets its products through Shareware. Paul is also a Freelance Web Designer who's designed pages for the Microsoft Network and the Government as well.

Paul has been involved in shareware since the early days of the on-line services. Actually, Paul started in shareware before it was known as shareware. He was a computer hobbyist who built his first computer from a Heathkit H-8 computer kit. Paul wrote a number of Freeware programs in the 1970’s for the Heathkit computers under HDOS and CP/M operating systems. Paul ran the first BBS ever on a Heathkit computer by converting the famed CBBS and BYE software in Chicago. This system was named the HBBS and received calls from all over the world from Heath users.

The Heath Company held annual Heath User Group (HUG) Conventions and Paul always had a booth to sell his payroll software for the Heath computers. As a side venture, Paul sold collections of Freeware programs on 5.25 disks, making him one of the earliest "shareware vendors" known. Paul recalls looking back to those days and tells of a red bearded gentleman doing the same thing. The gentleman turned out to be Bob Ostrander, the founder of Public Brand Software. PBS was purchased from Bob by ZIFF Davis, those wonderful people that brought us PC Magazine. After a number of years as mail-order shareware and freeware disks, it became ZDNet on-line when the Internet started.

Paul joined the ASP shortly after it was formed. Becoming involved, Paul became the second Author Membership Chairman of the ASP. During the next two years, Paul was responsible for reviewing all new applicants to the ASP. A job that is now done by a large committee. Afterwards, Paul became the first Vendor Member Compliance Chairman. This was when the ASP started accepting shareware vendors for membership. After building the new position, Paul was elected to the ASP Board of Directors and a year later he was elected as President of the ASP.

Paul has been creating Freeware and Shareware since the 70’s and has been a full time shareware author since 1991.