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How many minutes to write a simple readme file?

by Istvan Horvath
5 replies
Don't be lazy!

If you distribute a zip file with some templates or any other files for that matter - ALWAYS include a brief readme file (.txt) reminding the recipient what they can do with those files.

I was putting together a short tutorial "How to ..." and I figured I could also give away a few sample templates.

Quick search on my hard drive for the file/template name - and I've found more than 20 template files. Sometimes I know who originally gave them away because I saved it like "johndoe-templates.zip". In other cases I just know they were from the War Room because they were saved in the "warr00m" folder in my HD, but without a name... Other times they are just in a folder called "free-stuff".

Now the problem is I have no idea what can I do with those (template) files. Personal use only? Most likely... but how to know for sure?
There is no copyright notice, there is no readme or license file - there is nothing. Maybe there was a note on the download page but who can remember it?

All I have now is a big zip file saying "templates.zip" and inside it 13 folders, like "template_01"; "template_02"...

I managed to track down one source and on the download page it says 'do whatever you want with them, you have plr, mrr... everything'. But, obviously, I cannot find the source page for all of them.

I hate when people steal my stuff. I don't want to do anything that would infringe a fellow marketer's rights. Therefore, I ask you:

INCLUDE A README+LICENSE FILE IN YOUR ZIP FILES!

Have a nice weekend with less frustration than I have now
#file #minutes #readme #simple #write
  • Profile picture of the author Tina Golden
    I have had the same issue, but I finally solved it. Now when I download a WSO or freebie out of the War Room and find no rights file in it, I screenshot the thread if the rights are in the post or I ask the OP what the rights are and then screenshot after they reply. Just tuck that screenshot into the downloaded file folder.This not only gives me the rights but now I have who I got it from, where and when.
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    • Profile picture of the author Colin Y
      This is great idea Tina. I recently got rid of a lot of PLR on my hard drive because they did not have a read me file and license.

      Originally Posted by Tina Golden View Post

      I have had the same issue, but I finally solved it. Now when I download a WSO or freebie out of the War Room and find no rights file in it, I screenshot the thread if the rights are in the post or I ask the OP what the rights are and then screenshot after they reply. Just tuck that screenshot into the downloaded file folder.This not only gives me the rights but now I have who I got it from, where and when.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Collins
    Hi Istvan

    I feel the same, include a simple ReadMe txt. What I do is I have folders by name. Folders A-I, J-R, S-Z. Then inside a folder for each person and each product and add the rights to the name. Like folder: Istvan Horvath - Squeeze Pages PLR, MRR, RR or PUO (personal use only). Inside that folder I have another folder sp (for saved pages) when I get something I "Save Page As" any web pages leading to, and the download page into the sp folder. Like main sales page, oto, download page. So I have everything. If there are rights on one of the pages I will copy them into a text file so they are easier to find and view and put the URL's to the actual pages at the beginning of the txt file. I also create a text file when someone sends me something to download in an email. I copy/paste the email into a txt file and put that in the folder. That way I don't have to search for the original email which I also keep.

    It sounds like a lot (just my obsessive compulsive kicking in) but it really only takes minutes once you do it a few times. Plus I have a record of the "rights" from the web page if the person tries to give different "rights" in the ReadMe file. Like when the webpage lists unlimited PLR but the ReadMe file has limited PLR rights listed instead.

    Doing this also makes everything searchable. I can search the person's name, or product (like Squeeze) or type of rights - PLR.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tom B
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath View Post

    Don't be lazy!

    If you distribute a zip file with some templates or any other files for that matter - ALWAYS include a brief readme file (.txt) reminding the recipient what they can do with those files.

    I was putting together a short tutorial "How to ..." and I figured I could also give away a few sample templates.

    Quick search on my hard drive for the file/template name - and I've found more than 20 template files. Sometimes I know who originally gave them away because I saved it like "johndoe-templates.zip". In other cases I just know they were from the War Room because they were saved in the "warr00m" folder in my HD, but without a name... Other times they are just in a folder called "free-stuff".

    Now the problem is I have no idea what can I do with those (template) files. Personal use only? Most likely... but how to know for sure?
    There is no copyright notice, there is no readme or license file - there is nothing. Maybe there was a note on the download page but who can remember it?

    All I have now is a big zip file saying "templates.zip" and inside it 13 folders, like "template_01"; "template_02"...

    I managed to track down one source and on the download page it says 'do whatever you want with them, you have plr, mrr... everything'. But, obviously, I cannot find the source page for all of them.

    I hate when people steal my stuff. I don't want to do anything that would infringe a fellow marketer's rights. Therefore, I ask you:

    INCLUDE A README+LICENSE FILE IN YOUR ZIP FILES!

    Have a nice weekend with less frustration than I have now
    I copy and paste the rights from the sales page and add it to the same folder as the zip. I don't worry if it is included because, like you said, it doesn't take much time to do.

    Maybe you can relieve your own frustrations.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeff Henshaw
      I do the same as Tina and Thomas. With regards to adding my own readme file however, if it involves a statement on rights, which is akin to a license; I always use a pdf, rather than a text file, as they are less easy to alter by the unscrupulous.

      Just my thoughts,

      Jeff.
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