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USA BESTSELLER Vol 1-95 (Hepp-Computer)(1995).iso
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e065
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readme.doc
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1994-04-22
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
PURPOSE OF THE MIRAGE GRAPHICAL DATA ANALYSIS FOR WINDOWS SOFTWARE
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This software product is intended to work as a supplement to a
spreadsheet or a database package. It is designed to provide the
tools to gain a quick and intuitive graphical insight into the
information that is stored within a table of data. The data has
preferably been already created within a spreadsheet or a database.
Spreadsheets are excellent for creating a table of data but they are
lacking in the tools that are necessary to obtain the insight from the
different perspectives that is usually required of the information
contained in the table. For example, suppose you are shopping around
for a computer and you have compiled a list of information for about
30 of the most appealing models. How can a spreadsheet help you
make a decision based upon the attributes of each model as contained
in the table of data that has been compiled ? The answer is that it
cannot do so very easily and I doubt that even if you wanted to write
time consuming and sophisticated macros, you would not get very far.
In this case you need such tools as an easy to set up and utilize
expert system where you can create If-Then rules. The expert system
that Mirage contains requires absolutely minimal typing to utilize.
Most of the work in setting up the rules is pointing and clicking.
One last point about the expert system is that it is an optional
feature and that this program's graphical analysis features can still
be utilized for basic data analysis without it.
Moreover, the graphical tool that is incorporated in this software
is different from what you will find in most spreadsheets. The
graphical tool that a spreadsheet has is usually line charts, bar
charts, etc with each line position or bar size denoting the
quantitative value of a cell. In Mirage, the emphasis is on dynamic
data analysis which in particular means that the user has the
capability to analyze a row of information in the context of the
rules that he has set up and that during the analysis he can move from
row to row and watch what the values of particular attributes
are in relation to a specified minimum and maximum. It is possible to
create new variables which are then affected by the course of the logic
contained in the rules that have been created. The graphical tool that
is contained in Mirage consists of mini-windows for particular
variables ( or combinations of attributes each assigned a particular
weight). The value of the attribute in a spreadsheet package is reflected
in the size of a bar, for example, in a bar chart. In Mirage, the
value of an attribute is reflected in the color of its corresponding
mini-window. Specifically, the color of the window moves from reddish
to greenish to bluish ( RGB spectrum) as the value of an attribute
increases. In the context of dynamic analysis, what this translates
into is a quick and intuitive realization of what the data contained
in a row within a table really means from your perspective. Moreover,
Mirage offers the flexibility to change values in the data table during
the analysis so that it can help facilitate what-if analysis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
MIRAGE SETUP PROCEDURE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The setup procedure is a 3 step process :
1. Insert the Mirage diskette into the A: drive and then run the
install.bat file by typing install
The install.bat file will create a c:\mirage directory along with
the example subdirectories and copy all the files. If you want to
install Mirage into another directory, then you will need to edit
the install.bat file.
2. Copy the mirage.ini and grid.vbx files from the a:\ directory in
the diskette to your windows directory ( the windows directory is
usually C:\WINDOWS ).
3. The third step is to create a group window in the Windows Program
Manager for Mirage. From Program Manager's File menu, select New. Next,
select Program Group. Enter the text "Mirage" (without quotes) for
description and mirage.grp for group file. Then click on OK. With the
Mirage program group window selected in the Program Manager, click on
New again from the Program Manager's menu and this time select Program
Item. For Description, enter Mirage. For the Command Line prompt, enter
C:\MIRAGE\MIRAGE.EXE and for the Working Directory prompt enter
C:\MIRAGE (substitute for C:\MIRAGE if you had specified a different
directory in step 1). Then select the Change Icon button and select the
file mirage.ico which is in the C:\MIRAGE directory. Select OK to come
out of the dialog box.
Note that the size of the sheet within Mirage on which the table of data
resides is 30 columns X 100 rows. If data entry into the table becomes slow
on some lower end 386 machines, then copy the mirsmall.exe file to the
mirage.exe file. mirsmall.exe has the same functionality as mirage.exe
except that the sheet size is 20 columns X 50 rows.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
GETTING STARTED
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In order to be exposed to all the basic features of this program it is
ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to go through the tutorial contained in the
mirintro.doc file. The tutorial contains information about the program
some of which is NOT DUPLICATED elsewhere. It is meant to be used
in conjunction with the examples that come with the program. Also,
do not forget to utilize the context-sensitive help that is available
when going through the tutorial.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ORDERING INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you find this software package to be of value to you and you utilize it
from time to time, then the author requests that you send in a donation in
the amount that you feel the program to be of worth to you.
The program and the tutorial have been designed so that the expert sytem
and its associated functionalities need not be utilized for basic data
analysis. However, you will need to read the Mirage User's Manual in order
to perform more sophisticated data analysis and indeed use this program to
its full potential. For all donations of $27 or more, the author will
immediately send you a hard copy of the Mirage Version 1.0 User's Manual
( send the order.doc form with check or money order). Here is the table of
contents from the manual:
. Adding a new attribute to the data sheet
. Modifying Extra variable or attribute names
. Manually mapping numerical display variables
. The Map Numeric Display Variable dialog
. Rules structure
. Data type consistency in rules
. Including ANDS in the IF clause
. Indirectly including ORS in the IF clause
. Utilizing Extra variables in the expert system
. Creating Extra variables
. Creating new rules with the new rules dialog
. Setting rule position to end
. Exchanging rule positions
. Deleting a rule
. Error messages in the graphics window
. House purchase example
In order to become a registered user, send $42 in check or money order
to the author ( see the order.doc file ). Registration includes the
following advantages:
. Mirage Version 1.0 User's manual ( mailed immediately)
. One free update directly from author
( Version 2.0 release expected late 94)
The update includes 3.5" diskettes plus hard copy documentation.
Currently, the author's list of planned features for Version 2.0
include the following:
. Input from registered users who are encouraged to send in
ideas and a brief explanation of exactly how the program is
helping them and how additions to the program might help.
. inclusion of Object Linking and Embedding features so that
interface to a spreadsheet or database will be much smoother
and there will be no need to import and export via .txt files
. support for Microsoft's ODBC technology to access SQL
databases
. increase the table sheet size, increase program speed, and
add other types of data analysis features.
. Although the author has no current plans for help support on version
1.0, this is subject to change. For version 2.0, at the very
least, if the author does not directly set up a help plan, he
will try to contract a third party for help support. Registered
users will be kept up to date on this matter.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
WARRANTY DISCLAIMER FROM AUTHOR
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The author does not warrant that the licensed software will
meet your requirements or that the operation of the software will
be uninterrupted or error free.
The warranty disclaimer set forth above is in lieu of any and all other
expressed or implied warranties, whether oral, written, or implied,
and the remedies set forth above are the sole and exclusive remedies.
The author, Al Khan, is not responsible for any problems or damage
caused by the software that may result from using the
program. This includes, but is not limited to, computer
hardware, computer software, operating systems, and any computer
or computing accessories. End user agrees to hold the author
harmless for any problems arising from the use of the software.
The author, Al Khan, SHALL NOT IN ANY CASE BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL,
INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT OR OTHER SIMILAR DAMAGES ARISING
FROM ANY BREACH OF THESE WARRANTIES EVEN IF THE AUTHOR OR
HIS AGENTS OR DISTRIBUTORS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
SUCH DAMAGES. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation
of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or
exclusion may not apply to you.
------------------------------------------------------------------
MIRAGE DISTRIBUTION
------------------------------------------------------------------
Mirage MUST be copied in an unmodified form and MUST contain the
following files:
install.bat
mirage.exe
mirsmall.exe
mirage.ico
order.doc
mirintro.doc
readme.doc
grid.vbx
mirage.ini
mirage.hlp
all files in the examples sub-directories
No fee, charge or other compensation may be accepted or requested by
anyone without the express written permission of the author Al Khan.
Public Domain Disk Vendors may not charge a fee for Mirage itself.
However you may include Mirage on a diskette for which you charge
a nominal distribution fee. The purchaser of said diskette must be
informed in advance that the fee paid to acquire the diskette does
NOT relieve said purchaser from paying the Registration Fee for
Mirage if said purchaser uses Mirage.
Operators of electronic bulletin board systems (Sysops) may post
Mirage for downloading by their users without written permission only
as long as the above conditions are met. A fee may be charged for access
to the bbs as long as no specific fee is charged for downloading Mirage
files without first obtaining express written permission from
the author, Al Khan, to charge such a fee.
Distributors of public domain and user supported software, such as disk
vending services, may not charge a fee for Mirage itself. However you
may include Mirage on a diskette for which you charge a nominal
distribution fee. The purchaser of said diskette must be informed in
advance that the fee paid to acquire the diskette does NOT relieve said
purchaser from paying the Registration Fee for Mirage.
Software Development: AL KHAN
P.O. Box 646
Flanders, N.J. 07836
Administrative Assistants: Billie Khan
Aisha Khan
Sheena Khan