Seraline Screensaver(TM) v4.0 ============================= Copyright 1995,1996 Seraline Pty. Ltd., Sydney, Australia All Rights Reserved. CONTENTS -------- What is Seraline Screensaver Installation Setup Options Password Protection Runtime Options Saving Images ImageVote(TM) Displaying Bitmaps Registration & Benefits Credit Card Payments On-line Registration Temporary Registration License Customer Support Availability Version Number Explanation Known Problems History Uninstall ASP Ombudsman Statement Disclaimer WHAT IS SERALINE SCREENSAVER ---------------------------- Seraline Screensaver is a screensaver for Windows 3.1 and Windows 95. Seraline randomly combines an extensive range of graphic effects to produce its images. Some are fast, some slow. Many of the resulting images are strikingly beautiful, but some may not appeal. You can just let it run, and it will continue to change, or you can press 'c' to restart the graphics. You can also press '1', '2' or '3' to change the speed and type of graphics. A huge variety of images are produced over time, so please try it for at least a few days. Supports 16 color VGA, 256 color SVGA, and 24-bit color. INSTALLATION ------------ Windows 3.1 1. From the directory you have decompressed into, copy the file seraline.scr to your windows directory, usually c:\windows. 2. Run Control Panel from the Main group in Program Manager. 3. Double click on the Desktop icon. 4. In the Screen Saver Section, under Name, select Seraline. 5. Press Test to run the screensaver. 6. Press Setup to display registration and support details, and access configuration options. Windows 95 1. From the directory you have decompressed into, copy the file seraline.scr into your windows\system directory, usually c:\windows\system. 2. Click on Start, then Settings, then Control Panel. 3. Double click on the Display icon. 4. Click on the Screensaver tab. 5. In the Screen Saver list, select Seraline. 6. Click Preview to run the screensaver. 7. Press Setup to display registration and support details, and access configuration options. Once you have Seraline running, you do not need to keep the other files on your system. i.e. you just need seraline.scr installed in your Windows or Windows\System directory. SETUP OPTIONS ------------- Configuration options are available from the Control Panel/Desktop/Setup screen by pressing the Options button. Available options: SPEED 1 Slow Mode - Displays full screen fractals and similar designs, less 'messier' than other speeds. 2 Normal speed - uses all drawings. 3 Fast Mode - uses just the faster drawings, changing more often to make it more watchable. SAFE MODE Select this option if Seraline occasionally crashes with a General Protection Fault, or hangs. When selected, Seraline will avoid graphics which have caused problems with some video drivers. Safe Mode is ON by default. You can de-select it and see if Seraline runs without any crashes or hangs on your machine. If there are, then you should re-select Safe Mode. REGISTERED VERSION OPTIONS -------------------------- HIDE MOUSE Selecting this option means the mouse cursor will disappear while the screensaver is running. STAY ON TOP This is useful when you have a menu bar, clock, or other program which normally stays visible over all other windows, including screensavers. Select this option to have Seraline cover these windows. Its use is not recommended if you have other programs running which can periodically display a message (such as Mail, a Reminder or other scheduled program), as you will not see these messages. Also in these cases, the other program will have control of the keyboard, even though it is not visible, so pressing Escape will clear the message rather than stopping Seraline, and you will not get to see the message. IGNORE MOUSE FOR WAKE-UP Selecting this option means only use of the keyboard will stop the screensaver. It's useful if your mouse likes to move of its own accord, or is easily bumped. Not recommended if you are also using Stay on Top. IGNORE VOTES Useful when you may have been controlling Seraline through a series of votes (see below), but you would temporarily like Seraline to run in default mode. USE SERASPEL SeraSpel(TM) is a spelling unchecker, which makes mistakes in the spelling of text messages as they are displayed. Why? Wel, wyh nog? TEXT MESSAGES You can have your own messages periodically displayed by entering a series of phrases, each separated by a semi-colon, such as "text=My message;Second message;Third;fourth". The messages are displayed at random, and not necessarily immediately or every run. PASSWORD PROTECTION ------------------- Password protection is only available in this version for Windows 3.1, because under Windows 95, Control+Alt+Delete allows Seraline to be cancelled. The 32-bit version of Seraline allows passwords under Windows 95. Warning: the security of your machine is not guaranteed when using the Seraline password protection because due to the complexity of the screensaver and different machine configurations, there is the possibility that Seraline may crash and leave your machine available. RUNTIME OPTIONS --------------- While the screensaver is running, the following keys can be used: 1,2,3 Selects the speed, as described above under Setup Options. f The current drawing will Finish. Useful if it appears to be stuck or you want it to move on. So you use it when you want Seraline to do something else and you don't want it to wait until it's finished whatever it's currently doing. c Similar purpose to the 'f' key. Seraline will be re-started, and also the Colors being used are changed and the screen is cleared. k Keeps running with the current colors, & avoids clearing the screen so that the image builds on itself as much as possible. (Registered version only) o Displays an order form, which can be printed (Unregistered version only). p Pressing p will cause Seraline pause at the end of the current drawing, and not continue until you press 'p' again. This is useful, for example,if Seraline is drawing something slowly, and you would like to see how it ends up, but you have to leave the room for a while. Or if you would like the chance to copy it to the clipboard when it's finished before it gets overwritten. It doesn't pause immediately, but at the end of the current drawing. When you have finished with the paused screen, press 'p' again to start Seraline off again. (Registered version only) SAVING IMAGES ------------- Pressing the PrintScreen function key will copy the full screen to the clipboard, and you can then paste that into a paint program and save the image. You can then cut an area from the image and use it as a background on a Web page. IMAGEVOTE (Registered Version Only) --------- Press the following keys while Seraline is running to bias it towards images you prefer: F4 Press F4 to vote FOR an image you like. F5 Press F5 to vote AGAINST an image you like. Shift+F5 resets to the system defaults. Voting is a gradual process - it provides a general guideline only to Seraline, such as more or less text, faster or slower drawings. Colors are not included in the voting. Seraline keeps track of the last few drawings done, and votes are allocated with the later drawings receiving (or losing) more votes. So at times you may be voting for something you may at other times be voting against, but over time, it is expected that the items you prefer will become more prominent. So, for example, if you like fractals, when you see one, press F4, and Seraline will do fractals slightly more often. You would continue to vote for fractals when they appear so that they appear more & more often. Similarly, F5 is used to reduce the frequency of the drawings which were used to produce the screen that is showing when you press F5. Pressing F4 can also be used to increase the display frequency of your text messages. DISPLAYING BITMAPS (Registered Version Only) ------------------ Bitmap files created with PaintBrush, or other paint programs, can be displayed periodically by Seraline, and then they are merged and colored with the other graphics. For example, you can have your company logo or other advertising material displayed, or perhaps a multi-line name & address which is too long for the text-message-display option. Having scanned photos displayed and distorted can also be fun, particularly portraits. The Options screen contains a button which brings up a Bitmap entry screen, which lets you enter the name of a disk directory. Any bitmap files in that directory will be displayed at random. Only files with the extension ".bmp" are shown. When running in 256 color mode, the bitmaps will be displayed using the colors Seraline is using at the time, and may appear quite different to the original. To To display the bitmaps using their own colors, you must run in 32K, 64K or 16M color mode. The bitmap screen also has an option called "Show Often". This will cause Seraline to use the bitmaps in every run. REGISTRATION & BENEFITS ----------------------- Seraline Screensaver is "try before you buy" software, and is provided with a free 14-day evaluation period. When you register Seraline, it will * display its full range of graphics over time * allow the use of run-time keystroke options listed above * allow password protection (Windows 3.1 only) * enable the mouse options * display your own text messages * use ImageVote to bias Seraline towards images you like * allow you to display your own bitmaps, such as logos & photos * remove registration reminder messages... The screensaver occasionally displays registration reminder messages like "Please register Seraline". On receipt of your registration fee, you will be mailed, faxed or emailed a code which will remove these messages. This registration code is entered into the Registration field on the Setup screen. Your support through registration is appreciated and will encourage the development of additional graphics and features. If you continue to use Seraline after 14 days, please send a cheque for US$14.95 (or its equivalent in your currency) to: Seraline P/L, P.O. Box 282, Ryde, NSW 2112, Australia. Other currencies: Australian Dollars: $19.95 United Kingdom: 9.95 pounds. Personal or company cheques in your own currency are accepted. Please make cheques payable to Seraline Pty Ltd. Checks must be in your country's currency. US Dollar checks must be drawn on a US Bank. EuroCheques must be in your own currency, not $US or Australian. See below for credit card payments. A printable order form in MS Write format is in the file order.wri. An order form can also be displayed and printed from the Control Panel Setup screen, or by pressing 'o' while Seraline is running. See the following section regarding temporary registration if you are mailing your payment. Alternatively, you may register Seraline on-line on Compuserve. After logging on to Compuserve, enter GO SWREG, and request ID 4667. In order to keep the cost of Seraline low, diskettes are not mailed as part of the base registration. The latest version is available on various on-line services as described below. These prices and conditions are valid until 30th June 1997 for this version, and are subject to change with future versions. If you have already paid a fee to others (eg disk or CD vendors) to obtain this evaluation copy, that fee was for their copying and distribution services, rather than a payment for continued use of the program, and the software author does not receive any part of that fee. CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS -------------------- Credit card payments may be made using VISA, Mastercard, or Australian Bankcard. A printable order form in MS Write format is in the file order.wri, which can then be faxed or mailed to Seraline. An order form can also be printed from the Control Panel Setup screen, or by pressing 'o' while Seraline is running. The details required are your name, Credit Card type, card number, card expiry date and your signature. These details can be mailed, or faxed to Seraline in Australia +61-2-9879-4481. Note that credit cards are billed at exactly $19.95 Australian. For other currencies, the amount appearing on your card will depend on the foreign exchange rate at the time. For example, at rates current in June 1996, this converts to an amount varying around US$15. ON-LINE REGISTRATION -------------------- The only way we can accept payment over the internet is by email. But due to the number of different computers messages pass through on the internet, email security can be a concern. We support PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption for sending credit card details securely by email. To receive our public key, send an email message to porum@ozemail.com.au with "send public key" as the subject. On receipt of our key, create a text message containing your name, credit card type (VISA, Mastercard, or Australian Bankcard), credit card number and expiry date. Use the separately available PGP software package to encrypt the message, and email it to porum@ozemail.com.au. If you don't have PGP, you may like to split the details over several email messages. Avoid mention of words like "credit card", and use an abbreviation for the credit card type, eg V for Visa or M for Mastercard. Send the expiry date in a separate message, and split the card number over several messages, but ensure there is some sequence number that makes it obvious to us what the sequence is. Emailing credit card details using any method is at your own risk. TEMPORARY REGISTRATION ---------------------- Another way to be registered quickly is to mail us a check, and at the same time, send an email message to porum@ozemail.com.au letting us know you have sent a check. A temporary code which expires will be promptly emailed back to you. When your payment is received, a full registration code will be sent. LICENSE ------- Seraline Screensaver is NOT a public domain program. It is copyrighted by Seraline Pty Ltd. This software and accompanying documentation are protected by Australian copyright law and also by international treaty provisions. The registration fee will license Seraline Screensaver for use on any computers in your home, and on one computer at work on which you are the main user. Seraline Pty Ltd grants you a limited license to use this software for evaluation purposes for a period not to exceed fourteen days. If you continue using this software after the fourteen-day evaluation period, you MUST make a registration payment to Seraline Pty Ltd. You may not use, copy, rent, lease, sell, modify, decompile, disassemble, otherwise reverse engineer, or transfer the licensed program except as provided in this agreement. Any such unauthorized use shall result in immediate and automatic termination of this license. Registered users will be licensed to use, free of charge, any version 4.nn of Seraline, and they will be notified by email of any significant 4.nn updates. Registered users will also be advised by email when the major upgrade to version 5 becomes available. Distribution license details for vendors are in the accompanying file VENDINFO.DIZ. Seraline Pty Ltd may revoke any permissions granted here, by notifying you in writing. All rights not expressly granted here are reserved to Seraline Pty Ltd. CUSTOMER SUPPORT ---------------- Seraline provides its registered users with free support via email. If you have a question, please send an email message to: Internet: porum@ozemail.com.au Please note that although Seraline is released with no known defects that cause crashes, because of the extensive calculations and graphics and many permutations, it may still crash occasionally due to incompatibilities with video drivers and fonts. You should use the evaluation period to check that Seraline does not cause problems with your system. See KNOWN PROBLEMS below for some work-arounds. If it crashes each day, there may be an incompatibility, although this shouldn't cause any other problems apart from stopping the screensaver. If it crashes Windows, stop running Seraline. AVAILABILITY ------------ The very latest version is available on Seraline's WWW Home Page: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~porum. Compuserve: Library 20 (Screensavers) in the WINAV Forum, file name SERA16.ZIP, or SERA32.ZIP for the Windows 95 version. Internet: Available on WinSite and its mirrors in the directory win3/desktop, file name s16ss40.zip. FTP from ftp.winsite.com, directory /pub/pc/win3/desktop, file s16ss40.zip. VERSION NUMBER EXPLANATION -------------------------- Seraline's version number is in four parts: A.B.C.D A The major version number - changed for major upgrades. Notification is sent by email to registered users. B Minor version number - changed when there have been significant enhancements to the graphics. C Minor changes to the graphics. Usually only uploaded to the Web page. D Minor changes to the documentation. KNOWN PROBLEMS -------------- Crashes or hangs are unlikely, but there are a lot of permutations, and Seraline Screensaver is not guaranteed to never crash. Some video drivers seem to get a GP Fault when too much stretching or shrinking is applied to fonts or images. If you find you get several GP Faults, then try selecting Safe Mode on the Options screen under Control Panel/Desktop/Setup. Any screensaver as calculation-intensive as Seraline may slow down other running tasks such as printing or faxes. If there is such a problem with printing, you can try increasing the priority of the printing by running Print Manager from the Main group in Program Manager, and selecting the menu Options/Background Printing, and select High priority. HISTORY ------- v3.1 Feb 95 First Shareware release as Frenetic Screensaver. v3.2 Apr 95 Minor changes to graphics. All options and registration now available through the Control Panel/Desktop Setup screen. Workarounds for some incompatibilities. More frequent yielding of the CPU to background tasks. Faster waking-up when exiting the screen saver. v3.3 Jun 95 New graphics. Added Pause button. v3.4 Aug 95 New graphics. Support for 24-bit color. v3.5 Oct 95 New graphics Password protection (Windows 3.1) v3.6 Jan 96 New graphics Name changed to Seraline Screensaver ImageVote Display your own bitmaps v3.6.7 May 96 32-bit version released for Windows 95 Stay on top Ignore mouse Ignore votes v4.0 Jul 96 SeraSpel Slow Mode displays full screen fractals UNINSTALL --------- To uninstall Seraline, delete the file seraline.scr from your Windows or Windows\System directory. ASP OMBUDSMAN STATEMENT ----------------------- This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442-9427 USA, FAX 616-788-2765 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. DISCLAIMER ---------- SERALINE SCREENSAVER IS SOLD "AS IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OR MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. BECAUSE OF THE VARIOUS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ENVIRONMENTS INTO WHICH THIS PROGRAM MAY BE PUT, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED. IN NO EVENT SHALL SERALINE P/L OR ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CREATION, PRODUCTION OR DELIVERY OF THIS SOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE SERALINE SCREENSAVER. IN NO EVENT SHALL SERALINE P/L'S LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES EVER EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR THE LICENSE TO USE THE SOFTWARE, REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF CLAIM. THE PERSON USING THE SOFTWARE BEARS ALL RISKS AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NSW, AUSTRALIA, AND ANY ACTION BY EITHER PARTY SHALL BE BROUGHT ONLY IN A COURT LOCATED IN NSW, AUSTRALIA.