PICTURES ABC Distribution Version Copyright (C) 1991 Vantage Software Co. INTRODUCTION ------------ PICTURES ABC is a children's education program running under Microsoft Windows 3.0. It is designed for children from 2 to 6. The purpose of the program is to teach children the association between alphabets and words through the usage of pictures and voice. This distribution version of PICTURES ABC is functionally identical to the registered version of PICTURES ABC. However, it only contains a small sample of the pictures available in the registered version. All of the sample pictures are in the default animal category, and they should give you a taste of how you can teach and enjoy this program with your children. If you find this program to be a fun and effective teaching tool, please register to obtain the remaining 91 pictures for your children. You are welcome to share this distribution version of PICTURES ABC with your friends provided you do not alter the contents of this program. Only the distribution version of PICTURES ABC can be treated as public domain software. You may not distribute the registered version of PICTURES ABC. FILE LIST --------- The distribution version of PICTURES ABC contains the following files PICABC.EXE - the main executable PICABC.TXT - this readme file DOVOICE.DLL - PC speaker sound DLL A.SPK - PC speaker voice file All of the above files should be located in the same sub-directory for the program to operate properly. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ------------------- Since PICTURES ABC operates under Microsoft Windows 3.0 environment, the following system configuration is recommended for PICTURES ABC to run effectively. - PC/AT 286, 386, 486, or better computer operating at speed greater than 10 MHz - Microsoft Windows 3.0 or later operating environment - Mouse pointing device - EGA, VGA, and XGA display system INSTALLATION ------------ To install PICTURES ABC, just copy the files stated in the FILE LIST paragraph above into a sub-directory of your choice. Then, you should activate the Microsoft Windows 3.0 environment. Next, select the "RUN" option under the "file" menu item of your Windows 3.0 Program Manager. This will result a dialog box appears on your screen. Under the "Command Line" input, type in the directory path of PICTURES ABC and PICABC.EXE to execute the program. If you want to permanently install PICTURES ABC in your Program Manager, please refer to Windows 3.0 User's manual for the procedures to adding icons within Program Manager. PROGRAM OPERATION ----------------- Upon activating PICTURES ABC, it will undergo an initialization process for a period of 15 seconds. During this time, a message box will be displayed on the screen, and the mouse will be disabled. When the mouse is re-enabled, you may click on the "OK" bottom to enter the main program. After initialization, PICTURES ABC displays the twenty six alphabets with four selection categories. The categories are: animals, foods, people, and things. Each category is identified by a graphic symbol displayed in the blue rectangular area. The default category is animals. You may select the category by clicking the mouse on the category symbol, or use the left and right arrow keys to high-lite the desired category symbol. However, only the animals category contains pictures and voice in the distribution version. After the selection has been made, you may start to enter any one of the twenty six alphabets. This can be done by either pressing the letters on the keyboard or using the mouse to click on the alphabet button displayed on the screen. When an alphabet is entered, a picture will come up with the word associated with the alphabet written on top of the picture. As the picture appears on the screen, the PC speaker will generate the voice to pronounce the word. Entering any other alphabet will cause a new picture to appear and the old picture to disappear. Clicking on the picture or pressing any non alphabetic key will make the current picture disappear. This process may be repeated until you wish to terminate the program. For the ABC PICTURES distribution version, only the first thirteen alphabets of the animal category generate pictures and voice. All other will generate registration messages. FUTURE FEATURES --------------- PICTURES ABC is capable of incorporating additional categories to the basic four categories on the current version. If you like to have your child learning a particular category of words, we welcome your suggestion. Just put the category name and words associate with the category in the registration form, we will consider it in the expansion kit of PICTURES ABC. Also, if you have other ideas and suggestion to PICTURES ABC, we also like to hear it. Again, please write them down in the registration form, and we will consider it as future enhancement of PICTURES ABC. LICENSE AGREEMENT ----------------- The distribution version of PICTURES ABC is a freeware. It serves as a demonstration for the registered version of PICTURES ABC. However, it is copyrighted material, and it is protected by the copyright laws of the United States. You may not alter, decompile, nor disassemble the program for any purpose. We encourage you to share this distribution version of PICTURES ABC with your friends. REGISTRATION ------------ To register and obtain version 1.0 of PICTURES ABC software, please fill out the form below and send it with $20.00 registration fee to VANTAGE SOFTWARE CO P. O. BOX 612631 SAN JOSE, CA 95161-2631 (408) 248-4751 Upon receiving your registration form, we will send you the PICTURES ABC version 1.0 within three weeks. DISCLAIMER ---------- Vantage Software Co is not responsible for any damages or loss of data due to usage of PICTURES ABC distribution version. ========================================================================== PICTURES ABC REGISTRATION FORM Name:________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________ City:________________________ State:_________ Zip:___________ Telephone: (________)-_______________________________________ Disk size: ________360K ________720K________1.2M________1.4M Display type (VGA, EGA, etc.):_______________________________ Source of PICTURES ABC distribution version: _____________________________________________________________ Suggestion and Comments: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________