This document contains information not found in the Thinkin’ Science User’s Guide.
Memory
Thinkin’ Science requires a minimum of 4100K available RAM. (Available RAM is RAM not used by other applications, extensions, or control panels.)
To check the amount of available RAM, quit all open applications and select “About This Macintosh” or “About This Computer” from the Apple menu. Note the number next to “Largest Unused Block.” This number must be greater than or equal to the minimum amount of available RAM recommended for your computer (in this case, 4100k).
You can make additional memory available by disabling non-essential Extensions and Control Panels (stored in the Extensions folder and Control Panel folder within your System Folder). To disable a specific Extension, place it in a folder outside your System Folder or—if using System 7.5 or higher—use the “Extensions Manager” Control Panel. (See the “Extensions Manager” Section, below, for details.)
Do not disable any of the following extensions which are required by Thinkin’ Science:
• Sound Manager (if present)
• Apple CD-ROM (or any other third-party CD-ROM extension)
If you are experiencing difficulties launching Thinkin’ Science, use the Memory Control Panel to choose the following settings:
• RAM disk: Off
• 32-bit addressing or Modern Memory Manager (if displayed): On
• Cache Size: 96K or lower
• Virtual Memory: On (if desired). Virtual Memory allows you to use unused hard drive space as RAM. If you are using System 7.5.5 or higher, choosing a Virtual Memory setting that is 1 or 2 MB larger than your physical RAM improves overall application performance. However, using Virtual Memory with an earlier system version may affect video and sound quality. You can find your system version number in the “About This Macintosh” or “About This Computer” window (accessed from the Apple Menu).
Consult your Macintosh User’s Guide for more information.
Extensions Manager (System 7.5 or higher only)
NOTE: The procedures below may be necessary for Thinkin’ Science to operate properly on some Power PC Macintosh computers with 8 MB of RAM and System 7.5. You may also find them helpful for ANY computer using System 7.5 or higher.
Many Extensions and Control Panels are not needed for normal use, and turning them off can free a significant amount of memory in your system. The Extensions Manager provides a way to create special sets of extensions. You can create a minimal set of extensions to use with Thinkin’ Science or other memory-intensive applications, while keeping your current extensions set to use when needed.
System 7.5+
1. Save your current set of extensions.
• Open the Extensions Manager Control Panel (found in the Control Panels menu under the Apple Menu).
• Choose “Save Set…” from the Sets menu.
• Type “Full” as the name of your full set of extensions, and click “OK.”
• Your full set of extensions is now saved. You can use this set at any time by choosing “Full” from the Sets menu.
2. Create a new, minimal set of extensions.
• Open the Extensions Manager Control Panel.
• Choose “All Off” from the Sets menu.
• Enable (turn on) the following Extensions and Control Panels by clicking them. (NOTE: Your system may not contain all of these extensions.)
Extensions
Apple CD-ROM
AppleScript™
Sound Manager
Control Panels
General Controls
Memory
System Folder
KidDesk INIT (only if you are using KidDesk)
• Turn on any extensions required for your printer (for example, StyleWriter II).
• Choose “Save Set …” from the Sets menu.
• Type “Minimal” as the name of your minimal set of extensions, and click “OK.”
• Your minimal set of extensions is now saved. You can use this set at any time by choosing “Minimal” from the Sets menu.
3. Use the minimal set of extensions whenever you run Thinkin’ Science (or other memory-intensive applications).
• Open the Extensions Manager Control Panel and select “Minimal” from the Sets menu.
• Restart your Macintosh in order for the new set of extensions to take effect.
• Launch Thinkin’ Science.
4. Add to the minimal set of extensions as necessary (i.e., if your computer is missing some desired features when using the minimal set of extensions).
• Open the Extensions Manager Control Panel and select “Minimal” from the Sets menu.
• Enable (turn on) extensions whose names describe the features you are missing.
• Choose “Save Set…” from the Sets menu.
• Type “Minimal” as the name of your revised minimal set of extensions, and click “OK,” then click “Replace.”
• Restart your Macintosh in order for the new set of extensions to take effect.
• Repeat as necessary until the desired features reappear.
5. You can always return to using the full set of extensions if you experience problems with the minimal set, or whenever you want to take advantage of all of the extensions’ functions.
• Open the Extensions Manager Control Panel and select “Full” from the Sets menu.
• Restart your Macintosh in order for the full set of extensions to take effect.
System 7.6+
Consult your Macintosh User’s Guide for more information.
Sound
Use the Thinkin’ Science Adult Options to change the sound volume. (To enter Adult Options, hold down the Command and Option keys and press “A”.) This way, you can change the volume in Thinkin’ Science without affecting the volume in other applications.
Special Features & Functions
If desired, the activities radar screen can be locked into place. To do so, enter the Adult Options by holding down the Command and Option keys and pressing “A”. Choose the “Grow Slides” tab and then click on the box labeled “Freeze Radar Screen.”
Edmark Technical Support
If, after consulting this document and the Thinkin’ Science User’s Guide, you still experience difficulties, please contact Edmark’s Macintosh Technical Support department.
Telephone:
(425) 556-8480
Fax:
(425) 556-8940
24 hours a day
Internet e-mail:
mactech@edmark.com
Or visit our World-Wide Web site at http://www.edmark.com
