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READ.ME
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1994-01-08
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NetBet
--------
ON-LINE HELP FILE
-----------------
Use arrow keys, page-up, page-down to view. Any key to exit.
TOPICS:
1 - NBALARM.EXE
2 - NETBET.EXE
2.1 - LOGINS:
2.1.1 - New Accounts:
2.1.2 - Existing Accounts:
2.3 - BASE SCREEN:
2.4 - SYSTEM MENU:
2.4.1 - Login
2.4.2 - Change password
2.4.3 - Configure
2.4.4 - Video
2.4.5 - Dos Shell
2.4.6 - Exit
2.5 - BETS MENU:
2.5.1 - All
2.5.2 - Current
2.5.3 - Open
2.5.4 - Closed
2.5.5 - Yours
2.5.6 - Referee
2.5.7 - Create
2.6 - BET CREATION
2.6.1 - Edit screen
2.6.2 - Referee selection
2.6.3 - Fixed odds entry
2.6.4 - Pool size entry
2.6.5 - Invitations
2.7 - BETS DISPLAY
2.8 - REFEREE A BET
2.9 - PLAYERS MENU
2.10 - HELP MENU
NetBet is a database system that allows users of a network to place
bets among themselves and to be notified when a bet is created or
settled. Accounts are maintained for each user with a hierarchy of
privilege and a modicum of security. Bets may be of binary type or of
pool type, with fixed odds or floating odds, public or private.
Multiple users can access the database simultaneously.
Of course, NetBet is intended only for funsies in the privacy of your
own LAN and not for real money gambling.
NetBet is written in Borland C++ 3.00 using the TurboVision
application framework. It runs under DOS, can use but does not
require a mouse, can use but does not require a color monitor.
NetBet is a shareware product and, as such, is provided at no charge
to the user for evaluation. If you find this program useful and
find that you are using NetBet after a 30 day trial period, you
should make a registration payment of $20.00 to the author:
Ron Mignery
85 Bartlett Street
Somerville, MA 02145
The $20.00 registration fee will license one copy for use on any one
network at any time. Registered users will receive updates
of the program on request as they become available. What a deal!
This is an intial release of the program and the author is still
struggling with TurboVision so please excuse awkward phraseologies
and interfaces. Any comments on the program would be more than
welcome. I would especially like to hear from someone conversant
with the terminology of gambling who could explain the difference
between a bet and a wager and what term applies to the amount of the
bet versus the statement of the bet, etc.
A similar product, NetElect, may be forthcoming to allow network users
to vote on issues among themselves and to be notified when an issue
is created or settled. Feedback on interest in this product would
be appreciated.
A Windows version will follow someday.
Two executables constitute the release: NETBET.EXE and NBALARM.EXE
These files must be in the execution path of all users. All users
must further have read/write access to a common data subdirectory to
which they log or to which they point with an environmental variable,
NETBET. Various data files will be created in this subdirectory
as NetBet executes.
A third file, READ.ME, (this file) should be placed in all NetBet
data subdirectories.
1 - NBALARM.EXE------------------------------------------------------
NBALARM is intended to be executed in the login script of a network
user. It scans a file of notices and signals the user when a bet
creator has issued an invitation to that particular user or when that
user has been assigned to settle a bet and the settlement date has
arrived. It also notifies the user of any wins or losses. It then
removes that notice from the file so be aware that notices are only
given once.
The user's NetBet account # must be passed as a parameter to
NBALARM.EXE. The user may also pass switches to suppress sound
generation or to require a key press after each notification.
Usage: NBALARM [-sw] <account #>
Switches:
-s No sound
-w Wait for key press
Usage example:
...inserted in login script...
SHARE
SET NETBET=C:\NETBET
NBALARM -SW 13
...
Of course, NBALARM can also be executed outside a script at any time.
When user 0 (the program manager) executes NBALARM, the notification
file is packed to remove expired notices.
2 - NETBET.EXE---------------------------------------------------------
Netbet.exe is executed by the user to place, review, create and referee
bets. DOS share.exe should previously have been executed for networks
that do not obviate its usage.
Usage: [SHARE ]
NETBET
It may be desirable to enter the program through a batch procedure
that could execute share, set the NETBET environmental variable, and
execute netbet. Multiple NetBet systems could then be installed on
a single network with multiple batch procedures (bat files), each
specifying a different subdirectory through the the NETBET variable
for data files.
2.1 - LOGINS:
Upon progam initiation, the user is requested to enter a name
(not case sensitive). The user need enter no more characters
than necessary to unambiguously identify an account.
2.1.1 - New Accounts:
If no accounts have yet been created then the first name
entered identifies the program manager account.
Otherwise, if the name entered does not match the name for
existing accounts, the user is either denied access or
allowed to create an account depending on system
configuration options available only to the program manager.
If the user then chooses to create a new account, the
program will ask for for a password (11 character maximum)
for the account.
2.1.2 - Existing Accounts:
If the name entered does match the name for existing account,
the user will then be asked for the password for the account.
2.3 - BASE SCREEN:
After the login, the user is presented with the base screen:
┌───────────┬──────────┬────────────┬─────────────────────────────┐
│System │Bets │Players │Help │
├───────────┴──────────┴────────────┴─────────────────────────────┤
│ Thurs Oct 12 10:12:03 │
│ │
│ ACCOUNT INFO for #1 Snake Smith SYSTEM INFO │
│ ----------------------- ╔╗╔╦═╦═ ----------- │
│ Amount Available : $100 ║║║╠═╠═╗╦═╦═ # Players : 3 │
│ Amount Staked : $ 0 ║║║╩═╠═╣╠═║ # Categories : 2 │ │
│ Total : $100 ║╚╝ ╠═╝╩═║ # Outcomes : 5 │ │
│ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Alt-X exit │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
The top line is a menu bar from which menus may be activated by
clicking with the mouse or by pressing the ALT key along with the
highlighted letter of the desired menu. Or F10 may be pressed and
the menu selected with the left-right arrow keys and activated by the
ENTER key.
The current user account number and name are displayed. This number
is the one to be used with NBALARM as described above.
The amount available to bet in the current account, the amount currently
tied up in bets, and the total of the two are also displayed on the left.
On the right are displayed the total number of players, number of
categories of bets and the number of bets (outcomes) currently in the
system.
2.4 - SYSTEM MENU:
The SYSTEM menu presents the following selections:
┌───────────────────────────┐
│ Login │
│ Change password │
├───────────────────────────┤
│ Configure │
│ Video │
│ Dos Shell │
│ Exit │
└───────────────────────────┘
In all menus, the mouse or an arrows key is used to selected the
desired action and the mouse button or the ENTER key is then pressed.
The ESC key aborts.
2.4.1 - Login - Presents the same dialog as for program initiation to enter
the user into another account.
2.4.2 - Change password - Presents a same dialog for the user to change
the password of the current account.
2.4.3 - Configure - Sets system options (only available to the program
manager). Presents the following dialog:
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ Options: │
│ [ ] Disallow New Accounts │
│ [ ] Create Bet Privilege for New Accounts │
│ [ ] Create Category Privilege for New Accounts │
│ [ ] Referee Bet Privilege for New Accounts │
│ │
│ Starting money: $ 100.00 │
│ │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
In all dialog screens, the TAB key is used to move between fields.
SHIFT-TAB moves backwards. When the options checkbox field is
selected, arrows move among checkboxes and the SPACE BAR toggles
the selections on and off. An X in the check box indicates that
the option is active. ENTER accepts and closes the dialog. ESC
aborts.
2.4.3.1 - Descriptions of Configure options:
Disallow New Accounts - If login name not found, program
exits rather than allow a new account to be created.
Create Bet Privilege for New Accounts - Allows a new
account user to create bets in the system.
Create Category Privilege for New Accounts - Allows a new
account user to create new categories of bets in the system.
Referee Bet Privilege for New Accounts - Allows a new
account user to settle bets in the system.
2.4.3.2 - Starting money - When the Starting money field is
selected, the manager may then enter the initial amount of
available money in new accounts.
2.4.4 - Video - Switches between 25 and 50 (or 43) line mode on VGA
displays.
2.4.5 - Dos Shell - Exits program to a shell. Entering EXIT at the DOS
prompt will return the user to the program.
2.4.6 - Exit - Exits program. Pressing Alt-X or clicking on Alt-X
on the status line does the same.
2.5 - BETS MENU:
The BETS menu presents the following selections:
┌───────────────────┐
│ All F2 │
│ Current F3 │
│ Open F4 │
│ Closed │
│ Settled │
│ Yours │
├───────────────────┤
│ Referee F5 │
│ Create F6 │
└───────────────────┘
For any selection on this menu, the user must then select a
category from a pick list of existing categories. For create a bet,
the user also has the option of creating a new category on the list.
Note that the user must have create category privilege to create a
new category and create bet privilege to create a bet.
2.5.1 - All - Scans all bets in the selected category. F2 is a hot
key for this selection.
2.5.2 - Current - Scans all bets in the selected category on which
the user has placed bets or has been invited to bet. F3 is a
hot key for this selection.
2.5.3 - Open - Scans all bets in the selected category on which bets
may be placed (later than start date, earlier than close
date). F4 is a hot key for this selection.
2.5.4 - Closed - Scans all bets in the selected category on which
bets may not be placed (earlier than start date, later than
close date).
2.5.5 - Settled - Scans all bets in the selected category that have
been settled and not yet reused for new bets.
2.5.6 - Yours - Scans all bets in the selected category for which
the user is the author.
2.5.7 - Referee - Scans all bets in the selected category for which
the user has been designated as the referee. (The program
manager can referee any bet regardless of the designated
referee.) F5 is a hot key for this selection.
2.5.8 - Create - Allows the user to create a new bet in the selected
category. (Requires create bet privilege.) F6 is a hot key
for this selection.
2.6 - BET CREATION
2.6.1 - Edit screen
A bet is created in the following dialog:
╔═[■]═══════════════════════════ Create a Bet ═══════════════════════════╗
║ Author: <account name> ║
║ Category: <category> ║
║ Outcome ║
║ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ ║
║ │<enter a description of the bet as a possible outcome.> │ ║
║ │ │ ║
║ │ │ ║
║ │ │ ║
║ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ║
║ Access Odds ║
║ [ ] Private (specify participants) () Even odds ║
║ [ ] Secret (wagers not displayed) ( ) Fixed odds ║
║ ( ) Floating odds ║
║ YYYY/MM/DD-HH ( ) Pool ║
║ Start Date: 1994/01/04-10 ║
║ End Date : 1994/01/04-10 ║
║ Settlement: 1994/01/04-10 ║
║ ║
║ OK ▄ Cancel ║
║ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ║
║ ║
║ ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
The author enters a text description of the bet as a possible
outcome to be bet on as true or false (or in the case of a pool bet,
the author describes the range of possible selections and their
numeric assignments).
The author may mark the bet as private in which case it will be
accessible only to those players specified by the author (see
invitations below) and the program manager.
The author may mark the bet as secret in which case individual
bets are not displayable for the bet.
The author must select an odds type for the bet. If fixed odds
are selected, the author must then enter the odds desired.
If floating odds are selected, then the odds are determined by the
bets placed (paramutual). These odds type are binary bets in that
there are only two recognized outcomes, true or false. In the pool
odds type, the number of outcomes is specified by the author.
The author must enter an end date after which bets cannot be entered.
The settlement date when the referee adjudicates the bet defaults to
the end date but can be edited to a later date if desired. The start
date when bets can first be entered defaults to the current date but
again can be edited to a later date if desired.
When ENTER or the OK button are pressed, the author is presented with
further dialogs depending on the nature of the bet created:
2.6.2 - Referee selection
First a pick list of players is presented for selection of the referee.
Note that a referee must have referee privilege to be eligible. The
referee will adjudicate the bet when the settlement date arrives. The
referee may also edit or cancel the bet at any time. An author can
choose him or herself as referee if so privileged.
2.6.3 - Fixed odds entry
If fixed odds are selected then a dialog is presented to enter the
actual odds of the bet. Note that payoffs are inversely related to
the odds. For example, a true outcome for which the odds are 5 to 3
for will net $3 for every $5 bet.
2.6.4 - Pool size entry
If pool odds are selected then the following dialog is presented:
╔═[■]═══════════════════ Pool Size ════════════════════════╗
║ How many outcomes are possible? (max 365) ║
║ <enter a number 1-365> ║
║ ║
║ How much is the bet? ║
║ <enter a number $XXX.XX> ║
║ ║
║ [ ] Multiple bettors allowed per outcome ║
║ [ ] Multiple outcomes allowed per bettor ║
║ ║
║ OK ▄ ║
║ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ║
║ ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
The author enters the number of outcomes and the amount of the bet.
Multiple bettors allowed per outcome may be enabled. The default
is one. Multiple outcomes allowed per bettor may also be enabled.
The default is only one bet per bettor.
2.6.5 - Invitations
Finally the author is presented with a list of all players on the
system from which players can be selected. Any players selected
will be issued invitations for that bet and will have a slot
reserved in the bettors list. If the bet was marked private, only
those invited may bet. Otherwise anybody may.
Note that for even or fixed odd types, a bet is only covered if
someone else has bet for the opposite outcome. This coverage is
provided on a first come first served basis. Invited players
with their spot in the queue reserved will be the first covered.
Also, if a bet is marked private, only invited players can
participate.
2.7 - BETS DISPLAY
Bets (other than pool bets) are displayed as follows:
╔═[■]══════════════════════════ Display a Bet ═══════════════════════════════╗
║ {Public,Private} bet <category> #<n> by <author>
║ ▓
║ Bets may be placed from <start date> to <close date> ▓
║ The bet will be settled on <settle date> by <referee> ▓
║ Bets are to be placed in support of or against the following outcome: ▓
║ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ ▓
║ │<outcome - a description of the bet as a possible outcome.> │ Wagers▄ ▓
║ │ │ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▓
║ │ │ ▓
║ │ │ OK ▄ ▓
║ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▓
║ The {fixed,floating} odds for this bet are <odds>. A winning bet of ▓
║ <amount> for or against will return <amount>. ▓
║ Lay Bets ▓
║ Bets for (<n>) totaling <amount on> have been placed, ▓
║ and bets against (<n>) totaling <amount against> ┌────────┐▓
║ You have bet <your amount on> for with <amount>uncovered. │ │▓
║ Coverage now exists for a bet of <coverage on> against. ├────────┤▓
║ You have bet <amount against> against. │ │▓
║ └────────┘
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
If the bet is open, the user may TAB to the Lay Bets field of choice
to enter a wager for or against the outcome.
The wagers button may be pressed to display a list of the bettors
and their wagers for this bet. (Not available if the bet is marked
secret and user is not program manager.)
Pool bet are displayed as follows:
╔═[■]══════════════════════════ Display a Bet ═══════════════════════════════╗
║ {Public,Private} pool <category> #<n> by <author>
║ ▓
║ Bets may be placed from <start date> to <close date> ▓
║ The bet will be settled on <settle date> by <referee> ▓
║ Bets are to be placed in support of one of the following outcomes: ■
║ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ ▒
║ │<outcomes 1-365 max - example: event will occur in n days │ Wagers▄ ▒
║ │ from the start date> │ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▒
║ │ │ ▒
║ │ │ OK ▄ ▒
║ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▒
║ Each bet is <amount>. ┌──────────┐ ▒
║ You may select {only one, multiple} outcome(s). │Slot #Bets│ ▒
║ {Only one, multiple} bettor(s) allowed per outcome. │ NO BET │ ▒
║ │01 0 │ ▒
║ <n> bets totaling <amount> have been placed. │02 0 │ ▒
║ │03 0 │ ▒
║ │04 0 │ ▒
║ │05 0 │ ▒
║ │06 0 │
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
If the bet is open, the user may TAB to the Lay Bets pick-list and
select an outcome number from the list.
2.8 - REFEREE A BET
A refereed bet is displayed with a radio button selection as follows:
() Skip
( ) True
( ) False
( ) Cancel
Skip does nothing. True pays off and notifies those bettors who
bet for the outcome. False pays off and notifies those bettors who
bet against the outcome. Cancel returns all bets. In all cases
except skip, the bet moved to the Settled list where it remains
until a newly created bet overwrites it. In the case of a pool bet,
the referee is also presented with the outcome pick-list from which
the winner is selected.
An Edit button also appears to allow the referee to alter the bet.
To settle a pool bet, the referee selects the winner from the pick-
list and presses the True radio button.
2.9 - PLAYERS MENU
The Players Menu has two selections:
┌───────────────────┐
│Display │
│Edit │
└───────────────────┘
Either presents a pick-list of all players on the system. When
a player is selected, the following dialog appears:
╔═[■]═══{Display,Edit} Player Info ════════════════╗
║ ║
║ Name : <account name> ║
║ ║
║ Password : <password> ║
║ ║
║ Privilege: ║
║ [X] Create Bets ║
║ [X] Create Categories ║
║ [X] Referee ║
║ [X] Accounts Manager ║
║ [X] Program Manager ║
║ ║
║ Cancel ▄ ║
║ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ║
║ Free funds: $ 100.00 ║
║ ║
║ Staked : $ 0.00 OK ▄ ║
║ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
All values may be altered in the edit selection but edit is available
only to accounts with Accounts Manager or Program Manager privilege.
Passwords are only displayed to the Program Manager.
2.10 - HELP MENU
The Help Menu has two selections:
┌───────────────────┐
│File F1 │
│About │
└───────────────────┘
File displays a window with this file in it. F1 is a hot key for
this selection.
About presents a window with the current version number of the program.