The ActiveX SDK licensing rules are designed to minimize the initial cost to the developer who may be evaluating or investigating COM-based applications with A-Shell, and to maximize their ability to do so.

From a technical viewpoint, the following should be noted:

• All version of A-Shell for Windows from 4.7 and onwards are capable of being automated by external application with a standard A-Shell license key.

• All versions of A-Shell for Windows from 4.7 and onwards are capable of calling Visual Basic or other COM-based XCALL routines. However, without a COM XCALL-enabling A-Shell license key, the first such XCALL made while A-Shell is running will cause the A-Shell session to drop back to demonstration mode.

From the business viewpoint, the following guidelines should be noted, although particular details may vary according to circumstances:

• The cost of an A-Shell COM-XCALL license is only very slightly higher than for a standard license. The cost of upgrading a license is also minimal.

• If an AlphaBASIC application is developed which takes advantage of Visual Basic or other COM-based XCALLs while running under A-Shell for Windows, then all end-user installations of A-Shell for Windows which use the application need to have an A-Shell COM XCALL license.

• The A-Shell ActiveX SDK license allows COM-based applications and XCALLs to be developed for A-Shell and then sold on. There is no technical enforcement of the license, and charging will typically be deferred for a period of time. However, purchase of an ActiveX SDK license is mandatory prior to the first purchase of an A-Shell COM-XCALL license, which will be required to run the application at an end-user installation.