CompuServe Messages

Steven: Then I'm afraid I have bad news for you. UPC's are not in a central repository. Each vendor gets a list of valid codes, and he applies the numbers to his products. The numbers are significant only between the vendor and his distributor (and, of course, the retailer). There is no mandatory reporting of such products to any agency but the Library of Congress. LC records are skeletal and frequently behind the curve in processing. Producers report their products to PhonoLog, Schwann and the rest in order to get exposure, but those companies own the info they collect. If you want the info in your product to be as current as possible, you may want to do the deal, even tho it involves licensing. And, even tho it's none of my business, such a product sounds like it might have good commercial potential; why would you want to make it "shareware?" Good luck, and keep me posted. I want to help if I can! Rich Bowers