

Sensi(tm) Japanese Language Series, A Classical
Dreams Production!(tm)

System Requirements:
   WorkBench 1.3 or 2.0, 1 Meg ram, speakers for
sound.
Recommended:
   Flicker free display as this program uses the
hi-res interlaced mode for it's main screen.


What it is:
  This is the demo version of the Hiragana learning
module.  As a demo version, it is slightly crippled in
that only the top ten characters are responsive to
the user.  This module allows the user to see the
strokes used in the proper order to write each
Hiragana symbol, as well as hear a digitized
pronunciation of the syllable, and a word actually
using that symbol.  Seeing the strokes actually 
preformed while practicing them greatly reduces the
time needed to learn to read and write them.  These
modules are not intended to be a total substitute
for a teacher of Japanese but to be an aid to
learning.  Please note that writing in Hiragana is
much like writing in English in that one person's
handwriting will be different from another.  Do not
make the mistake of trying to duplicate the strokes
exactly.


Hard Disk Installation:
   To install this program on hard disk, copy all files
and drawers into a sub-directory.  You can name this
sub-directory anything you want except "Japanese". 
The program assigns a path to itself when you start
the program, and removes this path when it is
finished.  Also, the sub-directory name cannot have
any spaces in it.


The buttons:

   In the upper left-hand side of the main screen
there are two boxes that specify if a sound or word
will be played or not.  Just left-click to toggle
these options.

   The character boxes are divided in two.  Left
click in the upper half of a character box and that
character will be drawn in the big box on the right
side of the screen.  Sounds and phrases will be played
according to the selections marked in the two upper
left-hand boxes.  Left-click in the lower half of
each character box and the sound and word will be
played without re-drawing the  character.  (Note-
whatever was drawn in the large left-hand box will
remain unchanged when you click in the bottom half
of the character box, so if you click in the upper
half of one box, then the lower half of another box,
the sound you hear will not match the character
drawn.  The main purpose of letting you hear the
sound and word without re-drawing the character is
to let you hear the sound more than once without
having to wait for the character to be re-drawn
every time.)

   On the left-hand side of the screen is a box that
initially says "Pencil On".  Click in this box to turn
off the pencil if your computer draws the strokes too
slow.  The speed of the strokes depend on the speed of
your Amiga, how much ram you have, and how many other
programs you may have running at the same time.


   The "About" box brings up this document.

   The "Quit" box does what it says.  It quits the
program.


Further info:
  The Japanese use three types of symbols for their
writing system.  
They are:
    1: Hiragana (This module)
    2: Katakana
    3: Kanji
  Kanji is based on the Chinese characters that have 
been adapted by the Japanese, and is the topic of a
future module.   Hiragana and Katakana are the
phonetic symbols used by the Japanese. 
One symbol represents one syllable of a word, and
several symbols together represent a word, unlike the
much more difficult Kanji in which one symbol
represents (usually) a complete word.
  In one sense the difference between Hiragana and
Katakana is that between our own cursive and
printed forms of writing.  In a bigger sense, Hiragana
is the basic structure of their writing system, and
Katakana is used for words from foreign sources, as
well as names of things like plants and animals.



Multi-tasking:
  This program will happily multi-task with most other
programs.  To switch screens with your other applications,
use the "Left-Amiga/M" or "Left-Amiga/N" key combinations.


Legal considerations:
  This demo version is released to the public and is
freely distributable as long as it remains unchanged
and this documentation accompanies it. 
This demo, and the actual registered version remains
the copyright of Wayne Quigley Sr. and Classical
Dreams!(tm)
  This software is released "As Is" and the author is
not responsible for any problems, damages, or other
legal stuff that may occur as a result of using this
software.  (Sorry, but some people would sue anyone
for any reason, or no reason at all.)


Registration:
   Registered users will receive the fully working
version in which all Hiragana characters, sounds, and
words are fully functional.  Further, registered users
will receive at no additional charge a demo disk with
future modules when it becomes available.  Future
modules may include:
    1: Katakana (similar to the Hiragana module)
    2: Kanji (several disk set containing several
       hundred Kanji characters, with more to be 
       added as they are developed.
    3. Japanese words and phrases.
    4. Possible modules using other languages,
       such as French, Spanish, Esperanto, German,
       ETC.


  The "Japanese words and phrases" mentioned above
will contain words, phrases, and complete sentences. 
It will show the phrase in English, Romaji (Japanese
words written with English letters), and
Hiragana/Katakana/Kanji.  If you have ever tried to
listen to a cassette tape to learn a foreign
language, then you know how frustrating it is to try
to rewind the tape to just the right spot 
to hear the phrase repeated.  With this module, all
you will have to do is click on the phrase, and it
will be played for you.  You can play it as many
times as you want!  A "Snapshot" of the screen used 
for this module can be viewed by clicking on the box
in the upper left-hand corner of the main Hiragana
module.  To return to the main module, just left
click the mouse anywhere on the screen.
  I hope to have this module available sometime in
mid to late 1992.



**********************************************
*                                            *
*     ALL WORDS, PHRASES, AND SOUNDS ARE     *
* DIGITIZED FROM HUMAN VOICES!  THEY ARE NOT *
* REPEAT NOT FROM THE AMIGA'S BUILT IN VOICE *
*                 SYNTHESIS.                 *
*  I HAVE LIVED IN JAPAN FOR THE PAST SIX    *
*   YEARS AND BELIEVE THAT BY HEARING HUMAN  *
* VOICES SPEAKING THE WORDS AND PHRASES THAT * 
*      LEARNING WILL BE GREATLY ENHANCED.    *
*                                            *
*    Special thanks to Miyoko Foutch for     *
*   allowing me to digitize her voice for    *
*         usage in this program.             *
*                                            *
**********************************************


These programs are written using "CanDo"tm.
(Invotronics).  
Voices are digitized using "Perfect Sound"tm. (SunRise
Industries)
The demo, as well as the release version, have been
crunched using PowerPacker (Nico Francois & Power Peak)
The main improvement in this demo, as well as the release
version is that the variables used to define the strokes,
as well as the images used, were compiled in prior to
being crunched, resulting in reduced disk space, and
faster operation.  Also, a couple of minor, annoying bugs
were swatted.

  To register:  Registration for the fully working
version of this module is only $10.00 in US Funds. 
This includes shipping, as well as a free demo disk of
the above listed modules as they become available.
  I am not writing these modules to make a living.  I
am writing them to assist people who want to learn
Japanese.  The registration fee is minimal by
ShareWare standards.  Some ShareWare writers
charge as much as a hundred bucks for a program.


To register:
  Send check or money order for $10.00 payable in US
funds to:

     Wayne Quigley Sr.
     PSC 473 Box 1457
     FPO AP 96349-5555


  The above address is a military address and will be
valid until sometime in 1995, or longer.  Hopefully
when I transfer the U.S. Snail service will forward
my mail.

  Money orders will be filled within 24hrs of receipt.
Personal checks will be filled as quick as the check
clears the bank, usually no more than ten days
maximum.


  Suggestions, comments, complaints, bugs, etc. should
be addressed to me as listed above.  If you want a
personal reply, please include a stamp. (and your
return address would be very helpful.)


World's most liberal upgrade policy:
  I hope that this program will not need any major
improvements, but I am always open to suggestions, so
therefore:
  "If you are the first person to make a suggestion
for improvement in the program that I implement,
you will receive the upgrade free.  Other registered
users may upgrade by returning their original
registered disk and $2.00 for the latest version."






