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              ³ HELP FOR NEW USERS & PROBLEMS YOU MIGHT HAVE ³
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     Public domain software and shareware are actually very easy to use
if you are familiar with a few basic "DOS" commands.  Those commands are
"COPY", "DISKCOPY", "DIR", "TYPE", "MORE" & a few others.


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           ³ Making a backup of the ORIGINAL Software Diskette ³
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     The first thing to do with the original disks is to make cover the 
write protect a make backup copy with the following command:

  A:\>DISKCOPY A: B:  <enter>

     In the event that you get some sort of error message when using 
"DISKCOPY", you will then have to use the "COPY" command to make a 
backup of your original disk. You would do this by placing a
FORMATTED disk in the "B" drive and entering the following command
at the "A:\>" prompt: 
     
  A:\>COPY *.* B:  <enter> - (will copy all files from A to B)

     Now put the original disk away and use the working copy.  The next
thing to do is see what files are on the disk.  You would do this by
placing the disk in the "A" drive and enter the following command:


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                    ³ Viewing the files on a diskette ³
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  A:\>DIR <enter> - will display the filenames

     Now you will see many different filenames.  A filename consists of two
parts; the filename & the extension.  The filename will be on the left
(up to 8 characters long) & the extension will be just to the right
(up to 3 characters long).  You will be looking for certain extension
names; which will tell you something about that type of file.  

  EXE - a program file 
  COM - a command file
  BAT - a file with "DOS" commands that may call a program file
  BAS - a "BASIC" program. Needs GWBASIC or BASICA to run the file
  ZIP - a archived file - needs to be unzipped, contains many files
  ARJ - a archived file - needs to be unarjed, contains many files
  DOC - DOCUMENTATION FILE - instructions about the program - READ THESE
  TXT - TEXT FILE - instructions about the program - READ THESE 

     You may also see files like READ.ME or README.1ST or just README.
These are all instruction files that will tell you about the program or
how the program works.

              IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ INSTRUCTIONS
                 FIRST BEFORE TRYING TO RUN THE PROGRAM !!!



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                    ³ Viewing & Printing Instructions ³
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     To view a documentation file on your screen, use the "TYPE" command.
With your program disk in the "A" drive enter the following command
from the "A" drive:

 A:\>TYPE | MORE filename.ext <enter> - where filename would be README.DOC
                                        or whatever the filename is that you
                                        wish to display.

     This will display the documentation to the screen one page at a time.
To obtain a hard copy of the documentation simply use the "PRINT" command.
Turn your printer on and enter the following command:

 A:\>PRINT B:filename.ext <enter> - where filename would be README.DOC or 
                                    whatever file you wish to print.


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                           ³ Starting a Program ³
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     An "EXE", "COM", or "BAT" file extension means that when you simply 
enter the filename, the computer will do something.  For instance,
if the filename were "POKER.EXE", you would simply enter the following
at the "A" prompt:

  A:\>POKER <enter> - the poker program would now be "running" and
                       you would be playing it.  This also holds true
                       for "COM" files.  A "BAT" file may call a program
                       or it may just display a documentation file. "BAT"
                       files can do many different things.


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                      ³ Working with Archived Files ³
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     Another important file is one with a "ZIP", "ARJ" or "ARC" extension.
This means that it contains many smaller files within it.  This is a type
of file that is sent over a phone line when using a modem.  All that is
required to use the files contained inside is to extract them with a
special program.  The program most commonly used is called "PKUNZIP.EXE".
To extract files from a file called "TEST.ZIP", you would use the
following command at the "A" prompt:
     
  A:\>PKUNZIP TEST B: <enter> - this would extract all the files from 
                                TEST.ZIP and place them on a disk that
                                was in the "B" drive.  You must have a
                                formatted blank disk in the "B" drive
                                before issuing this command.  When all
                                files have been extracted you will see
                                some of the filenames mentioned above.

     If you have a hard drive you could copy the "ZIP" files & the 
program "PKUNZIP.EXE" to your hard drive & enter the following command:

  C:\>PKUNZIP TEST <enter>  -  this will extract all the files from an
                               archived state. Then will see some of the
                               different filenames mentioned above.