
                          * * *  My Little Realm, v2.0  * * *

                                  -  Read More/sa  -
          ____________________________________________________________________
          
                                 General Information
          ____________________________________________________________________

                                      Important

          This is the evaluation version of Read More/sa.  It is a fully
          functioning, full-featured program that comes with a trial-size file 
          of 100 book titles so you can test the look and feel of the program.

          The Registered version of Read More/sa comes with more than 1,500
          book titles!  For readers from ages six months (they might need a 
          little help with the program and the reading) to young adults ... 
          and even those who aren't so young.  Note:  The registered version 
          of Read More requires approximately 250 KB of disk space and 364 KB
          of RAM.

          Thank you for trying Read More.
          ____________________________________________________________________

                                     Introduction

               Note:  Read More is quite useful to readers of all ages.  
               For literary focus, however, this document is addressed 
               to parents of young readers.

          The Read More goal.
          Read More/sa entices and encourages young readers by helping them 
          keep track of those books they've read.  This provides positive 
          reinforcement to children by giving them tangible proof of their 
          accomplishments.  Read More lets readers select and print out those 
          titles that they'd like to look for at their favorite library or 
          bookstore.  Then, after they've read their books, readers can check 
          them off and a smiley face will be displayed next to the titles.

          The titles offered in the Read More program are to be read for pure
          enjoyment.  When reading is fun, interesting, and exciting, young 
          people will simply want to read more.  Who doesn't?  Most kids lose 
          interest because the only works they're exposed to are those that 
          are foisted on them by their teachers.  Quite frequently, these are 
          works the kids just don't understand until their teachers explain 
          them.  

          There is nothing wrong with those intellectual works, but a steady 
          diet of forced reading material quickly dulls the literary appetite 
          of many a young reader.

          Summer vacations, long weekends, and lazy holidays are great times
          for pleasure reading.  Don't feel your children have to be brought
          up on a regimen of the literary luminaries found on their teachers'
          recommended reading lists.  Everyone needs a little play time ... 
          for the body and for the mind.  And once your children get hooked
          on reading, even a teacher's recommended reading list won't diminish
          their new-found passion.

          Encourage your young readers to read for fun.  The more they read,
          the more proficient they become at it, and the more they retain.  
          Without even realizing it, they'll absorb more of what they read for 
          school simply because they'll be better readers.  A goal all parents
          share.
          ____________________________________________________________________

                                   The Interface

          Windows.
          Read More's screen has three types of windows:  a Working Window, a 
          Viewing Window, and an Options Window.  If you are using a color 
          monitor the Viewing Window is always green, the Working Window red 
          and the Options Window blue.

          You choose processes (such as printing a list of titles) in the 
          Options Window.  You respond to Read More's queries in the Working 
          Window, and you find your book title records in the Viewing Window.
          When you use the Help EPO, <?>, Read More tells you if you're in 
          the Working Window or in the Options Window so you'll know which
          EPO's are accessible to you at that moment.

                             ----------------------------

          Extended processing options.
          Several processing tasks, called extended processing options or 
          EPO's, are not listed in the Options Windows because they are 
          functions that only occasionally need to be performed.  EPO's are
          used to "extend" a program's power and functionality.

          To find out what EPO commands are employed by Read More/sa, enter 
          <?> (the question mark) in the Options Window.  The EPO's of Read 
          More are defined near the end of this document.
                             
                             ----------------------------
          
          Quickeys.
          The Quickeys for Read More are the names of the young readers who 
          will be using the program.  Up to six are allowed and the maximum
          length of a name is twelve characters.  
          
          Associated with each reader's name is a code called a Drop Factor.  
          It tells Read More if it should display the entire file, or just a 
          portion of it.  This allows the more advanced readers to skip the
          book titles whose age group categories are inappropriate to their 
          reading level.  The next section explains how to set the Drop 
          Factor.
          ____________________________________________________________________

                                     Getting Started
          
          Creating the Quickey name list.
          When you start Read More the very first time, it will know that 
          there are no reader names in its Quickey list.  Before you can 
          continue, Read More will ask you if you want to create the Quickey
          list.  Press <Y> or <enter>.  When you finish creating your Quickey 
          list, press <esc>.

          Logging on.
          Read More will then display the following prompt in the Working
          Window:

                      ____________________________________________
                     |                                            |
                     |                                            |
                     |       Enter your Reader Quickey:  _        |
                     |                                            |
                     |____________________________________________|


          The Reader Quickeys and their respective names will be displayed in
          the Reader ID Box on the lower right side of your screen.

          Once you have identified yourself to Read More, called logging on, 
          it will set up the files it needs as they pertain to the identified 
          reader.  This is important to understand.  As an example, suppose 
          Quickey 1 is for Bob (who is 5 years old) and 2 is for Paula (who 
          happens to be 14).  If Paula logs on, only her records will be 
          accessible.  Bob will have to wait his turn to peruse the book title 
          file or update his records.  

          So when can Bob log on?  When the cursor is in the Options Window
          for Paula, press <esc>.  Read More will ask for the next reader's 
          Quickey.  Enter <1>, and Read More will create the necessary arrays 
          specifically for Bob.  
          
          To exit the Read More program, press <esc> when the cursor is in 
          the Options Window and once again when the cursor is at the "Enter 
          your Reader Quickey" line.

          How can you tell who's currently logged on?  In the Reader ID box 
          on the lower right side of your screen, Read More identifies the 
          reader who is using the program.  It will also display the Drop 
          Factor, if that user has specified one.

          Okay, you've logged on and you're in the Options Window.  What now?

          Install color mode.
          The very first thing you'll want to do is enter the pound sign, <#>,
          in the Options Window if you have a color monitor.  That installs 
          the color mode.  If one of the readers in your realm prefers to work 
          in black and white, entering the <#> EPO again will restore the b/w 
          mode.

          Why Read More?
          The driving force behind the development of Read More was the
          desire to encourage young readers to read more.  Hence the positive
          refinforcement in the form of smiley faces displayed next to the
          titles of those works you and your children have read.  A secondary
          goal was to entice the children at the very earliest ages.  To this 
          end, Read More has been made as easy to use as possible.  
          
          There are basically three functions in Read More.  The first is to 
          select and print those titles you and your children would like to 
          look for in your favorite libraries or bookstores.  The second is 
          to check off those books you've read so that Read More can keep 
          track of your children's accomplishments.  The third function lets
          your children view their accomplishments.

          Option # 1, printing title selections.
          Press <1> in the Options Window.  Read More will display those 
          titles that fall in the range defined by your Drop Factor, if you
          have specified one.  Use the directional keys, <pageup>, <pagedown>,
          <home>, and <end> to peruse your Book Title file.  When you find a
          title that looks interesting, enter its record number and Read More
          will highlight that entry.  Choose as many titles as you want.  If 
          you inadvertently highlight the wrong title, enter its number again 
          and Read More will turn off the highlight.  After you've chosen 
          those you want to look for (at your library or bookstore), press 
          <enter> or <esc>.  Read More will display the following prompt in 
          the Working Window:

                      ____________________________________________
                     |                                            |
                     |   Press <enter> to confirm your print.     |
                     |   Press <esc> to abort the print function. |
                     |   Press <backspace> to recheck selections. |
                     |____________________________________________|

          Press <enter> to print your listing, <esc> to return to the Options
          Window without printing the selected titles, or <backspace> to
          change the selections you made.

          Option # 2, checking off the titles you've read.
          Once a reader has finished a book, press <2> in the Options Window.
          Using the same technique as described above for printing your 
          selections, highlight the titles of those works you've read.  Press
          <enter> or <esc> to end the selection process.  
          
          Read More will display a prompt in the Working Window that is 
          similar to the one shown above.  Press <enter> to confirm your 
          selections to update the file (that is, to "check off" those titles 
          that have been read), <esc> to return to the Options Window without 
          updating the Book Title file, or <backspace> to change any of your 
          check off selections.  
          
                    Note:  The smiley face will not appear next 
                    to the titles until after you have left the 
                    Check Off function.

          Option # 3, viewing all of the records in the Book Title file.
          Press <3> in the Options Window.  Every title is displayed.  You
          can highlight titles by entering their record numbers if you want
          to focus on them.  
          
          This function is handy for advanced readers who might want to take 
          a quick look at the dropped categories to look over their prior 
          accomplishments.  It's also useful if you feel your child is too
          young to use options 1 or 2 since the printer could accidentally
          be requested or the Book File altered by an inadvertent keypress.
          Letting a child view its own records in option 3, however, is
          perfectly safe.  Just restrict them to the directional keys, <home>,
          <end>, <pageup>, and <pagedown>.  
          
          To return to the Options Window, press <esc> or <enter>.

                               -------------------------

          Setting the Drop Factor.
          Drop Factors can be set for each reader.  A Drop Factor tells Read 
          More that it should ignore the specified and all preceding levels 
          in the Book Title file when setting up the program's arrays for the 
          logged on user.  
          
          After Read More is started the first time, the identified readers 
          are each given a null Drop Factor.  That tells Read More to display 
          the entire file to each reader listed in the Quickey name file.

          If a reader is beyond the A and B categories of book titles, he can 
          instruct Read More not to display them when he is using the program.  
          To adjust the Drop Factor, press <-> (the minus sign) in the Options 
          Window.  It's one of Read More's EPO's.  Read More will tell you
          the current Drop Factor for that reader if he has one and ask for 
          the new Drop factor.

          Refer to the age groups below.  There are seven:

                                 Age Group     Category

                                    0 - 2          A
                                    3 - 4          B
                                    5 - 6          C
                                    7 - 9          D
                                   10 - 12         E
                                   13 - 15         F
                                   16 - 18         G

          If a reader's age group category is C, entering a Drop Factor of B 
          tells Read More to ignore all of groups A and B.  You can only 
          enter Drop Factors of A through F.  A thirteen-year-old reader
          would be in category F.  By specifying a Drop Factor of E, he can
          instruct Read More not to show him the first five categories of
          titles.  By doing so, he doesn't have to wade through all of the
          works that are not of interest to him or are inappropriate for his
          age.

          To delete an old Drop Factor without entering a new one, press 
          <enter>.  This is equivalent to the null Drop Factor that is 
          associated with a Reader's name when Read More is first started.  
          All book titles will then be shown.

          Returning to our earlier example, Paula, who is fourteen, would be
          in the "F" group and would enter a Drop Factor of "E".  Bob, who is
          five years old, would be in the "C" group and would enter a Drop 
          Factor of "B".

          Remember, Read More already knows who is currently using the 
          program when you invoke the Drop Factor function, so the Drop 
          Factor can only pertain to the user who is currently logged on.  
          So, if Paula is using the program, Bob can't set his Drop Factor, 
          and vice versa.
          ____________________________________________________________________

                                  Program Information
          ____________________________________________________________________
          
          Parents of young readers frequently find it difficult to come up 
          with new books and authors for their children.  Read More attempts
          to alleviate that problem by offering a large list of titles and
          authors from which you and your children can choose right in the
          comfort of your own home.  (You won't have to go to your local 
          library and roam the stacks anymore.)

          Read More lets you highlight the books you've chosen to look for 
          at your library or bookstore and to print the selections you've made 
          in checklist form.  Take that form to your library or bookstore when 
          you and yours visit the library so you don't forget what you're
          looking for.

          Once you and your children have read a book, you can check off that 
          title in Read More, and Read More will display the title with a 
          smiley face next to it.  Young readers can keep track of the books
          they read this way and actually feel a sense of accomplishment as 
          they watch the smiley faces add up.

                               -------------------------
          
          The Options Window.

                         ______________________________________    
                        |                                      |
                        |  1  Print selections                 |
                        |  2  Check off titles     Choice:  _  |
                        |  3  View all titles                  |
                        |______________________________________|
          
          
          You have two EPO's available from the Options Window and two from
          the Working Window.  Refer to the section entitled "Extended 
          Processing Options" at the end of this document.
          ____________________________________________________________________

          Option # 1, printing a list of book selections.

          Young readers are given a chance to browse through the Book Title
          file and highlight those titles they would like to look for at 
          their library or bookstore.  
          
          When they leave the Print Selections function, Read More asks if 
          they would like to print a checklist of the book titles they have 
          highlighted.  They can then take this checklist to their library or 
          bookstore to help them find their selected titles.

          Select titles.
          To highlight a particular title simply enter its record number 
          (shown on the left side of the Viewing Window) when Read More asks:
          "What is the record number of the book you wish to print?".  (Don't
          forget to press <enter> after you've typed in the record number.)
          If you hightlight the wrong title, reenter the record number to turn 
          off the highlight.

          Confirm print.
          To end the Print Selections function, press <esc> (or you can press
          <enter> without keying in a record number).  Read More will then
          display the following confirmation prompt in the Working Window:

                      ____________________________________________
                     |                                            |
                     |   Press <enter> to confirm your print.     |
                     |   Press <esc> to abort the print function. |
                     |   Press <backspace> to recheck selections. |
                     |____________________________________________|

          To print your highlighted selections, turn on your printer and press
          <enter>.

          If you decide you don't want to print out your highlighted 
          selections after all, simply press <esc> to return to the Options
          Window.

          Should you decide to delete one of your selections or add another, 
          press the backspace key, and Read More will allow you to make the
          necessary changes.
          ____________________________________________________________________

          Option # 2, checking off the books read.

          Select titles.
          Highlight those titles you (or your young readers) have read by 
          entering the record numbers of the works you've finished.  Press
          <enter> without entering a record number when you've finished.  
          
          If an incorrect title is highlighted, the highlight can be turned 
          off by reentering the record number, as in the preceding option.
          
          Confirm checkoff.
          Press <esc> (or <enter> without entering a record number) to advance 
          to the next phase of the Check Off function.  Read More will display 
          the following prompt in the Working Window:

                      ___________________________________________
                     |                                           |
                     |  Press <enter> to confirm your updates.   |
                     |  Press <esc> to abort the update.         |
                     |  Press <backspace> to recheck selections. |
                     |___________________________________________|


          If you don't need to change any of the titles you've highlighted, 
          press <enter>.  Read More will update them accordingly.

          If you want to exit the Check Off function without making any
          updates whatsoever, press <esc> to return to the Options Window.

          Finally, if you find you've highlighted the wrong title or left
          one unhighlighted, press the backspace key and Read More will let
          you correct the problem.  Then press <esc> (or <enter> without
          keying in a record number) to return to the confirmation box 
          described above.
          
          Smiley faces will be displayed next to the appropriate titles after 
          the file has been updated, which is when the reader exits this 
          function.  To see the smiley faces, then, bring up any of the 
          functions in the Options Window after you have left the Check Off
          function.  (Option # 3, View All, is safest for young readers.)

          Erasing a smiley face.
          On occasion, an enthusiastic young reader might put smiley faces
          on a great many more books than he or she has actually read.  If a 
          smiley face appears next to the title of a work that the current 
          reader hasn't read, it can be removed by highlighting that title 
          before he or she leaves the Check Off function.  When Read More 
          updates its records, it will see that the book had been highlighted,
          and since the work already has a smiley face next to it, Read More 
          will assume it is to remove the smiley face this time.
          ____________________________________________________________________

          Option # 3, viewing all the titles in the Read More file.

          This option allows any reader, regardless of Drop Factor, to peruse
          the entire Read More file.  To return to the Options Window, press
          <esc>.  You can highlight titles by entering their record numbers if 
          you want to focus on them.  
          
          This function is handy for advanced readers who might want to take 
          a quick look at the dropped categories to look over their prior 
          accomplishments.  This is also the safest function for very young
          fingers since no printer can be called up or the Book Title file
          altered should nimble, inquisitive fingers stray beyond the 
          directional keys.
          
          To return to the Options Window, press <esc> or <enter>.
          ____________________________________________________________________

                                Extended Processing Options

          EPO       Definition

          <\>       Change the Reader Quickey names for Read More.  Do not
                    enter this EPO in the Options Window, but rather, in the
                    Working Window when you log on (i.e., when Read More is 
                    asking "Please enter your Reader Quickey ==>".  Once 
                    logged on, you (as the reader) are put in sole control of
                    your portion of the Read More files.  
                    
                    You can tell when someone is logged on in two ways:  the 
                    Options Window's commands will be displayed and the Reader 
                    ID Box will contain the name of the current user.  In 
                    between logon sessions, when you can enter the <\> EPO, 
                    the Options Window is empty.

                    Reader names can be twelve letters long.


          <->       Set Drop Factor.  Enter this EPO (the minus sign) in the 
                    Options Window.  
                    
                    In the Working Window, Read More will display the 
                    following information:

                             ______________________________________  
                            |                                      |
                            |  You currently have no Drop Factor.  |
                            |  Drop Factors range from A to F.     |
                            |  Indicate new Drop Factor:  _        |
                            |______________________________________|
          
                    Refer to the age group listing below.  To determine your
                    Drop Factor, find your age group.  Then note the category
                    associated with your age group.  Your Drop Factor is the
                    category immediately above yours.  For example, if you are
                    twelve years old, you would be in the 10 - 12 age group
                    and your category would be "E".  Your Drop Factor would be
                    "D".  [Note:  You can set the Drop Factor to whatever you
                    wish.  You are not required to observe the guidelines
                    listed here.]

                                 Age Group     Category

                                    0 - 2          A
                                    3 - 4          B
                                    5 - 6          C
                                    7 - 9          D
                                   10 - 12         E
                                   13 - 15         F
                                   16 + up         G

          
          <=>       Display the abbreviations used in the book title file.          
                    
                    The titles used on children's books tend to get a trifle
                    long, especially those works with a popular heroine or
                    hero.  Titles can sometimes get longer than the eighty
                    characters to which most computer screens are limited!
                    Only six popular names have been abbreviated to date.
                    They are:

                                   BT  Bobbsey Twins
                                   EB  Encyclopedia Brown
                                   HB  Hardy Boys
                                   HH  Happy Hollisters
                                   ND  Nancy Drew
                                   TB  Trixie Belden

                    Press any key to return to the Options Window after 
                    you've finished the abbreviations.

          
          <!>       Reset a reader's array.  This EPO is accessible from
                    the Working Window (when no readers are logged on).  
                    It is used to erase the smiley faces from all of the 
                    titles a reader has marked as read.  You can erase 
                    the smiley faces one by one using option # 2 in the 
                    Options Window, but if there are a lot of them, that 
                    method takes considerable time.
                    
                    The <!> EPO is handy when there is a change of readers
                    for a given Quickey.  The first reader may have read
                    dozens of the works.  Enter <!> in the Working Window
                    and give Read More the Quickey of the reader whose
                    titles you want to clear.  Read More will ask for
                    confirmation.

          
          <$>       Print an order form for the registered version of the
                    Read More/sa program.  This EPO is only available from 
                    the Working Window.

          
          <?>       Display EPO's for the Read More program.  May be entered
                    in either the Working or the Options Window.
          ____________________________________________________________________
          
          About the Book Title file.

          Every effort has been made to compile a useful listing of titles
          for readers of all ages.  However, the author can in no way assume
          liability should you be unable to procure or borrow any of the 
          listed works.

          Some of the titles might be out of print, but they should be 
          available from most libraries.  If you can't find a listed book, ask 
          your librarians for help.  They might know of inter-library loan 
          programs that you could use to acquire it.

          Many of the books for very young readers can also be purchased from
          stores that sell such works.  They don't have to be bookstores.
          Ofttimes department stores and even large grocery stores will sell 
          a wide variety of books for children who are so young they would 
          rather devour them literally than literarily.

          Typographical errors are sure to creep in, as well, although  the
          titles and authors' names have been double and triple checked.  
          
          Age group classifications are highly subjective.  What one person 
          reads at age nineteen, another might read at age fourteen.  Please 
          understand that the classifications are estimates only and are 
          intended to simplify the use of Read More.  They are not an 
          indication of the reading ability of the reader.  
          
          After a time, you will find that your very young children will want 
          to reread books that you used to read to them ... only now, they'll 
          want to read to you.  Encourage this behavior.  Repetition is the 
          best way to learn at that early age.
          
          Ask your kids to read to you once in a while.  Even if they can't 
          read the words, they'll be able to "read" the pictures.  You'll be 
          surprised by how much they retain.  Don't forget to remind them on 
          occasion that as soon as they can read the words, they'll have an 
          even better idea of what the pictures mean since the words help
          to explain the pictures.

          And finally, remember that Read More is just the beginning.  There
          are millions of works out there for everyone, covering every subject
          and fulfilling every need.  Use Read More as a launching pad.  If 
          you find an author whose works you like, try to find more of that 
          person's work in your local libraries.

                                   _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
          
          Is our file missing some of your old favorites?  We've tried to 
          include a wide variety of books, but we're sure to have missed
          a good many of your favorite titles and authors.  If you'd like 
          to send us a list of your favorites, please include their titles, 
          authors, and the approximate age groups of the intended readers.
          We'll try to include them in our next release of Read More.
          Thank you!          

          Mail your list to:

                              My Little Realm Enterprises
                              The Read More Program
                              22 Church Street #103, Suite 376
                              Ramsey, New Jersey 07446

          ____________________________________________________________________

                                  +  +  The End  +  +
          ____________________________________________________________________

          (c) Copyright 1992 John L. Salisbury
