  The USER MENU lets you type in the unique astrological data
required to compute the horoscope and save/load this information
from disk. Before any horoscope can be computed, you must either
LOAD someone's astrological data from disk, or type in NEW
information.
  The NEW USER option pops open a window which prompts you for
such information as the user's name, date of birth, time of birth,
longitude and latitude of birth, and the current date and time.
  On MOUSE systems, simply click the mouse button when the 'arrow'
is on top of the data 'field' you wish to change. If you click
inside the NAME box, you can then proceed to type in the user's
name. Or if you click on the birth year (eg. "1965"), that field
becomes highlighted and you can increase the year by clicking the
LEFT mouse button (and holding it down) and you can decrease the
year by clicking the RIGHT mouse button (and holding it down). The
other fields can be changed in the same way. You also have the
option of using the keyboard as described below.
  On KEYBOARD systems, simply type in the user's name then hit the
ENTER, right arrow key, or TAB key. To move from field to field,
press the right arrow and left arrow keys. To increase or
decrease a field, press the up arrow and down arrow keys.
  The MAP button pops up a map of the USA which you can click
(with a mouse) or press the ENTER key over to obtain the longitude
and latitude of the birth place (not available in CGA). Then
select the CITY NAME button and then type in the name of the city
where you were born, and the program will give you the precise
longitude and latitude of that location.
  The DONE button signals that you are finished entering data. You
will be asked whether you wish to save this data to disk.
  The LOAD USER option allows you to retrieve previously saved
user data. Simply select a name (using the arrow keys on keyboard
systems or the mouse) from the list of names. The database
accommodates up to 99 users, so feel free to fill it with your
friends, family, and co-workers. On keyboard systems, you page 
down to more users (if there are more than can fit on the screen 
at a time) by using the Pg Dn and Pg Up keys. Mouse users can 
click on the up and down arrows. When you load user data from
disk, the data appears in a screen window. You may want to change
some of the information (especially the current date and time).
When satisfied with the data, you select the DONE button.
  The DELETE USER option allows you to purge the database of
unwanted data. Simply select a name (using the arrow keys on
keyboard systems or the mouse) from the list of names. On keyboard
systems, you page down to more users (if there are more than can
fit on the screen at a time) by using the Pg Dn and Pg Up keys.
Mouse users can click on the up and down arrows.

  The CHART menu gives you statistical information about your
chart, either in the form of tables or a graphic plot of the
planets for a given time. It is divided up into four categories.
  The NATAL DATA option computes the positions of the planets
when you were born, and depending on which charting system you
select, computes the House Cusps, Aspects, Elements, and
Modalities. Astrology texts can give you more background. This
information is presented in tabular form and may be printed.
  The NATAL SKY MAP option displays the positions of the planets
when you were born in graphics mode.
  The DAILY DATA option computes the positions of the planets for
both the present and the birth date, then computes the House Cusps
and Transits. This data is also presented in tabular form. Consult
an astrology text if you wish to explore these concepts further.
  The DAILY SKY MAP displays the positions of the planets for the
current date set by the user.
  The HOUSE SYSTEM option toggles between PLACIDUS, EQUAL HOUSE,
and KOCH systems. A horoscope calculated with the Placidus system,
for example, will be slightly different than a horoscope
calculated with the Equal house system.
  PLACIDUS HOUSES is the most common astrological system for
calculating the cusps of the 12 houses. It dates back several
centuries. It employs a unique method of trisecting the diurnal
semi-arc (arc around the horizon) in order to compute the
longitudes (and resulting zodiac signs) of the house cusps.
  KOCH HOUSE system is a relatively recent system for computing
house cusps and may be growing in popularity. It also employs a
method for trisecting the diurnal semi-arc.
  EQUAL HOUSES is the simplest and most ancient system for
calculating the longitudes of the house cusps. In this system, all
house cusps are 30 degrees apart.

  The HOROSCOPE menu creates the actual horoscope! You can see
either your natal horoscope, or today's horoscope.
  The NATAL HOROSCOPE option computes your natal (birth) horoscope
and displays it on the screen in a text window which you can
scroll through, page through, and print (if you have a printer, of
course). The Natal horoscope describes the general life patterns
and potential of an individual.
  The DAILY HOROSCOPE option tells you how the planets and stars
affect you TODAY (or whatever you set the current date to). Fast
moving planets (with respect to the Earth) such as the Moon,
Mercury, & Venus tend to have profound yet fleeting effects on the
horoscope, while planets further away, such as Uranus, Neptune,
and Pluto will have long lasting and subtle effects. Note that we
use the term planets very loosely to include the Sun & Moon.

  To install the Visions program, type 'visions /install'. If you
have a VGA system but would prefer the bigger print of EGA, type:
'visions /EGA' to start the program in EGA mode. This program
(visions.exe) works on CGA, Hercmono, EGA and VGA systems with a
keyboard or with a microsoft compatible mouse (and already loaded
driver).
  The program uses 'Pull Down' windows which are easily accessible
with a MOUSE. Just press the LEFT mouse button over a menu title
at the top of the screen, and HOLD the button down. Don't release
the button until the menu option you want is highlighted.
  In general, you 'exit' a window by clicking outside of it. For
example, to escape out of the new user window, just click outside
of the window rectangle.
  In the NEW USER window, you increase a field (for example, the
year of birth) by clicking (and holding down) the LEFT mouse
button. You decrease a field by pressing the RIGHT mouse button.
To move to a new field, click a mouse button on top of it.

  Astrology has been practiced by man for thousands of years; it
is one of the world's oldest religions. For millennia, man has
looked to the heavens for insight into his troubles and for
meaning in his life.
  Perhaps the earliest horoscope (2767 B.C.) was cast by Egyptian
named Imhotep, the architect of the Great Steppe Pyramid at
Saqqarah. Astrology was practiced by the Greeks, Babylonians,
Indians, Chaldeans, and Chinese. Many early astronomers, including
Ptolemy, Kepler, Copernicus, and Nostradamus, also practiced
astrology.
  The Natal (or birth) Horoscope is based on the relative
positions of the 10 planets at birth (in astrology, the Sun and
Moon are considered 'planets') with respect to each other and with
respect to the 12 house cusps and the 12 zodiac signs. The
ecliptic, or imaginary circular band in the sky around the Earth,
is divided into 12 regions (each of 30 degrees of arc). Each
region has its own zodiac sign. The 12 signs of the zodiac are
Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio,
Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. As the planets move
across the sky, they move from one zodiac region into another. The
12 house cusps are similar to the zodiac regions, but where the
zodiac is the same for all people, the location of the house cusps
varies from one person to the next.
  The Daily Horoscope is based on the positions of the planets
TODAY relative to both the positions of the planets at birth and
the user's house cusps.
  NOTE that while the position of the planets is always changing,
the planets furthest from the Sun (like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
Neptune and Pluto) take a long time to move discernible distances
on the daily chart. Thus, their effects on the horoscope are more
longer lasting and more subtle than the inner planets, (like
Mercury, Venus, and the Moon), whose effects are fleeting but
quite intense.

  JULIAN DAY is the number of days since the beginning of the
Julian calendar (noon 4713 B.C. Astronomical calculations are
based on this calendar system.
  LONGITUDE is the number of degrees east or west of Greenwich,
England and pinpoints the user's place of birth. Lines of
longitude run from the North to South pole.
  LATITUDE is the number of degrees north or south of the equator
and also pinpoints the user's place of birth. Lines of latitude
are parallel to the equator.
  GMST stands for Greenwich Mean Sidereal Time and specifies the
user's time of birth relative to Greenwich, England.
  LMST or Local Mean Sidereal Time is the solar (sidereal) time
for the user's birthplace and time. LMST is used in planetary
calculations.
  GEOCENTRIC LONGITUDE relates the position of the planets in the
sky relative to the Prime Meridian (which is an imaginary arc
across the sky which bisects the North and South Celestial Poles.
  ASPECT is the angular difference between the longitude of two
planets which has astrological significance. Five aspects have
significance: CONJUNCT (difference = 0), SEXTILE (difference = 60
degrees), SQUARE (difference = 90 degrees), OPPOSITE (difference
= 180), and TRINE (difference = 270).
  ORB is the difference between the angular longitudes of two
planets and the angular difference of a particular aspect. Thus,
if the Sun is square Moon with an orb of 1.5 degrees, the Sun is
within 1.5 degrees of being exactly 90 degrees away from the Moon.
  TRANSIT occurs when a planet's longitude today creates an aspect
with a planet's longitude at the time of your birth. Thus, Sun
conjunct Sun means that the Sun's longitude today is conjunct
(the same as) its longitude at the time of your birth. Each type
of transit (conjunct, sextile, square, opposite, trine) has a
unique astrological significance.
  ASCENDENT is the zodiac sign that was on the eastern horizon at
the time of birth. It is very important to the horoscope as it
represents a the user's personality.
  MIDHEAVEN (MC)  is the zodiac sign at zenith (directly overhead)
at the time of birth.

  Jeff S Smith received his B.A. in Physics from the University
of Virginia in 1987 and currently resides in Virginia Beach.
Jeff became interested in ancient religions (including astrology)
during college. Jeff's hobbies include computer art, bicycling,
astronomy, tennis, travel, vegetarianism. His favorite computer
program (besides his own!) is F-19 Stealth Fighter. His favorite
writers are Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and James Michener.
  Jeff Benegar received his B.A. in Environmental Sciences from
the University of Virginia in 1987 and currently resides in
Fairfax, Virginia. He is a computer systems engineer for an
environmental consulting corporation.
  Leigh A Cooke is studying computer programming and currently
resides in Clearwater, Florida..
