
     PC-FasType/VGA                                              README.1ST

                  P C - F a s T y p e / V G A     Version 1.1


                          Last updated:  December 1992

                       Copyright 1992 by Trendtech Corp.
                              All Rights Reserved

                   I M P O R T A N T   I N F O R M A T I O N
                   -----------------------------------------

                           Welcome to PC-FasType/VGA
                           =========================

     NOTE: Please take a few moments to carefully read this file before
     doing anything.  This file will give you an overview of hardware
     requirements, installation instructions, and how to quickly get
     started using the program.

          PC-FasType/VGA is a typing tutorial program SPECIFICALLY designed
     for VGA quality monitors and the 101-Key Standard Keyboard sold with
     computers running under the MS-DOS operating system.  The INSTALLATION
     instructions on the next page will get you up and running quickly.


     HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS:
          PC-FasType/VGA is distributed on one 360KB 5.25" floppy, or one
     720KB 3.50" mini-floppy and requires the following minimum equipment
     to run properly:

          o  Any Intel 286, 386, 486, or compatible computer; any IBM-AT or
             IBM PS/2 - except the Model 30 with CMOSCLK.SYS
          o  512KB RAM (computer memory)
          o  A HARD DISK or high-capacity floppy disk with at least 650kb
             of available disk space
          o  MS-DOS - Version 3.3 and higher; (MS-DOS 5.0 preferred)
          o  VGA display capability - (will NOT work on EGA or CGA)
          o  At least one Floppy disk drive; 3.5" or 5.25"


                    ****   INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS   ****

          If you downloaded PC-FasType/VGA from a BBS then all you had to
     do was uncompress the files, so you can ignore this section.   If you
     received PC-FasType/VGA on a disk then please read on for installation
     instructions.

          If your PC doesn't have a hard disk please go the SPECIAL
     INSTRUCTIONS below.

          You can install PC-FasType/VGA onto a hard disk, or from one hard
     disk sub-directory to another sub-directory, from a hard disk to a
     high-capacity floppy (1.2MB or 1.44MB), or from the distribution
     floppy to a high-capacity floppy.  The easiest installation is from
     the distribution floppy disk to a hard disk sub-directory.  This can
     be done by inserting the PC-FasType/VGA Shareware disk into one of
     your floppy disk drives and making it the default drive.  Start the
     install process by typing the following at the MS-DOS prompt:

                         A>  install  <Ent>

          When you select the "Install PC-FasType" menu item from the
     Install menu list, the program will install PC-FasType/VGA and all its
     documentation files in the destination of your choice.  The default
     destination is C:\FASTYPE.  You can change this at installation time.

          IMPORTANT NOTE: PC-FasType/VGA CANNOT be installed onto a 360kb
     (low capacity) floppy disk.

          If you're installing onto a larger capacity floppy, then you'll
     only need only ONE blank diskette.  This includes any of the
     following:  720kb 3.5", 1.2mb 5.25", 1.44mb 3.5", or any of the new
     larger capacity floppies.  These disks will hold ALL of PC-FasType's
     uncompressed files.  You can label the high-capacity  disk as
     "PC-FasType Working Copy".


                           ** SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS**
                FOR PC'S WITH 2 FLOPPY DRIVES AND *NO* HARD DISK
          ============================================================
          If your  2-floppy PC has NO HARD DISK - you  HAVE  to do the
          following BEFORE you install PC-FasType from one floppy disk
          to  another  high-capacity  floppy  disk:    Make  sure  the
          distribution (source)  diskette is writeable (i.e. the write
          protect notch  is not  blocked); then  COPY the  file  named
          COMMAND.COM from  your DOS  boot  disk  to  this  PC-FasType
          distribution disk  - the  disk that you are installing FROM.
          If you  don't do  this step  - THE  INSTALL WON'T WORK!  The
          system has  to have  COMMAND.COM present  while the  install
          program is operating.
          ============================================================


                          HOW TO DO A "QUICK INSTALL"
     ======================================================================

          If you're an experienced PC user or want to get started quickly,
     or if you're still having install problems after following the above
     instructions, you can bypass the standard install program and just run
     the compressed executables and specify a target drive and
     subdirectory.  To uncompress and load all of the files onto your hard
     drive or high capacity floppy, place the distribution disk in floppy
     drive A: or B: and make it the default drive, then type any of the
     following pair of commands at the DOS prompt:

          A:> ftvga11 -eC:\fastype  <ent>  -- install to hard-drive C:
          A:> ftvdoc11 -eC:\fastype  <ent> -- install documentation

          A:> ftvga11 -eB:  <ent>  -- install to high-capacity diskette B:
          A:> ftvdoc11 -eB:  <ent> -- install documentation too.

          B:> ftvga11 -eA:  <ent>  -- install to high-capacity diskette A:
          B:> ftvdoc11 -eA: <ent>  -- install documentation too.


     and PC-FasType/VGA will be installed on your disk drive and/or sub-
     directory named after the "-e" command-line switch.
     ======================================================================


     TO RUN PC-FASTYPE/VGA:
          Before you can run PC-FasType/VGA, it must be "installed" on
     either a high-capacity floppy disk or your hard drive.  See the
     INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS above for more information.

          After you've installed PC-FasType/VGA, you can run the program by
     simply typing "FT" and pressing the Enter Key <Ent>.


     WHAT TO DO NEXT:
          PRESS ANY KEY TO GET PAST THE TITLE SCREEN AND SHAREWARE
     INFORMATION SCREEN.  After these screens are displayed and the tables
     loaded, the Main Menu will be displayed.  The menu selector bar will
     be resting on the 'Begin Typing' selection.  Just press the Enter key
     or function key F10 to start a typing drill of the HOME keys.  To
     return to the Main Menu during typing,  press the Escape key.


     WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO:
          For DRILLS:  Place the fingers of each hand on the home keys
     (ASDF JKL;) and type each letter as you are prompted for it.  The
     program selects the letters randomly.  The number of characters you
     have to successfully type is displayed at the top of the screen and
     will count down to zero as you successfully type each character.  When
     the drill is finished your WPM and other statistics will be displayed
     on a typing statistics screen.
          For EXERCISES:  lines of text will be displayed above the screen
     keyboard; type each character pointed to by the house-shaped cursor
     () and when you reach the  symbol or end of the line, press the
     enter key (for "carriage-return"), or the space bar.  When you finish
     typing the exercise your WPM and other statistics will be displayed.

          This version of PC-FasType has "SyncChek".  As you follow the
     cursor while typing exercise lines, sometimes you can be "off-by-one".
     That is, the letters you are typing don't match the letter over the
     cursor - you're "off-by-one", - either ahead or behind.  SyncChek will
     solve that problem.  This feature will detect that you're typing "off-
     by-one" and adjust the cursor's position accordingly, either one ahead
     or one behind, thus putting you back on track.  Your keystroke penalty
     for being "off-by-one" is at most two keystrokes instead of the usual
     six or seven.


     SELECTING MENU ITEMS:
          When menu's are displayed, use the arrow keys (cursor keys) to
     move the menu selector bar up and down the menu.  Select the drill,
     exercise, or option by pressing the enter key when the item you want
     is highlighted by the menu selector bar.  You can use the function
     keys as a short-cut.  In most cases, the item you select will be
     check-marked.  You must ALWAYS select BEGIN TYPING or press F10 to
     begin typing.


     WHILE RUNNING:
          MENUS:
            There are five drill, exercise, and feature selection menus and
            3 sub-menus for selecting additional keys to learn.  The
            primary menus can be displayed by pressing function keys F1 to
            F5 anytime while the screen keyboard is displayed.

          <Esc>ape key:
            Pressing the Escape key anytime during a drill or exercise will
            cause the drill or exercise to terminate and your current WPM
            to be displayed; pressing the Escape key again will display the
            menu where you started the exercise.

          QuickHELP:
            ALL menus have the QuickHELP Facility available.  For all
            menus, the function key F1 is always the HELP key.  When you
            select HELP, a QuickHELP Facility  Menu will be displayed; the
            selector bar will rest on the item matching your help request.
            Follow the instructions given on the bottom of the menu.


     EVALUATION PERIOD:
          You are licensed to operate PC-FasType/VGA on your PC for testing
     and evaluation as to its usefulness to you, on a trial basis for 30
     days.  We believe this to be a fair and equitable time period for
     evaluation and we trust your good judgement and sense of fair play in
     making a decision regarding registration.


     DOCUMENTATION:
          The PC-FasType/VGA User Guide is included on the distribution
     disk in a compressed format.  The INSTALL program will uncompress it
     and install it along with the program files.   The complete User Guide
     is about 66 pages long if you print it out, but if you register you'll
     receive a handsomely printed and bound User Guide.


     INQUIRIES:
          Inquiries can be telephoned to (201) 694-8622; if there's no
     answer, please leave a message on the answering machine along with
     your name, address and daytime phone number, the version number of
     PC-FasType/VGA you are using, and a short message.  We'll return your
     call as soon as possible.  You can FAX your question too; our FAX
     number is (201)-694-2543 and is available 24 hours a day.


     SITE AND RIGHT-TO-COPY LICENSES
          Site licenses and right-to-copy licenses are available for all
     organizations.  Educational institutions requesting "LAB-PACK" pricing
     can use our Right-To-Copy price schedule.  Read the file named
     SITELICE.DOC for licensing details and complete pricing.


     DATED SOFTWARE:
          If today's date (the date you are reading this) is a year or more
     later than the file dates on this distribution disk than please
     contact Trendtech Corporation for information about the availability
     of a more current version of PC-FasType/VGA.  Shareware tends to
     "acquire a life of its own" once it's released; not all vendors and
     BBS sysops will bother to acquire the latest version from the author.
     That is why you should only buy or download Shareware from disk
     vendors or BBS's who are authorized "Associate Members of the A.S.P."

          The "Single-User" registration fee and all site and right-to-copy
     licensing fees are guaranteed through Dec. 31, 1995.  If you're
     reading this file now and 1995 is history, chances are there's been a
     registration fee increase.  Contact us for availability and pricing.


     VIRUSES:
          You can only be sure of getting a top-quality virus-free version
     of any ASP Shareware product by obtaining your copy directly from the
     author, or from a disk vendor who is an Associate Member of the
     Association of Shareware Professionals, or from a reputable BBS
     service.  Be suspicious of any program you download from a BBS or of a
     disk obtained from a local disk vendor, whose file dates or copyright
     notices are more than two years old.  If it's a Shareware product,
     contact the author directly for information about current versions.


     TO PRINT THIS FILE:
          You can print this readme file to your printer by simply issuing
     the following MS-DOS command at the prompt:

          1. First insert the PC-FasType/VGA disk in drive A.

          2. Then make sure your printer is turned on and the paper
             is set at top-of-form.

          3. Type:
                         COPY  A:README.1ST  LPT1: <ent>


     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
          ** PC-FasType is a trademark of Trendtech Corporation, Inc.
          Copyright 1983-1992 by Trendtech Corporation, Wayne, NJ, USA
                              All Rights Reserved


     README.1ST                                             PC-FasType/VGA