This ReadMe file describes new features which are not included in the handbook, and some features which operate differently from the descriptions given in the handbook. The system requirements to run the Kids Multimedia Encyclopedia on CD ROM and some guidelines for trouble shooting follow.
Please read on!
Shortcuts
The following shortcuts have been incorporated into this release:
* on the article screen, simply typing the name of another article automatically opens the Letter tab and moves to that article;
* clicking the right mouse button while pointing at the Backtrack icon opens the Backtrack list;
* clicking the right mouse button while pointing at the Bookmark icon opens the Bookmark list.
The Search box
In order to help younger users to get good search results more easily, whole words is now the default Find... option.
In other respects, the Search function works as described in the handbook.
You are strongly recommended to experiment with media searches. Try some of these in addition to the examples suggested in the handbook:
* battles (compare the different results you get with picture, sound and video searches) or search for individual battles (Battle of Wagram, Battle of Lepanto etc)
* sport (a picture search is great, but would you have thought of making a sound search?)
* art (or narrow it down by asking for paintings, drawings, cartoons, frescos, sculptures...)
* look for Words that contain... the letters iformes (what can you deduce from the results box about the meaning of words which end with iformes? which part of the articles will tell you more?)
* try any search which could reasonably be expected to have an associated picture, movie or sound: you might be surprised at the results you get.
The following hints may be helpful in understanding how search results are obtained:
* in the media column of the Search box, ticking the Text button searches the text of articles which are not biographies: to search the text of all articles, you must tick both the Text and Biographies buttons;
* because the text of some diagrams is linked with the media search, you may on rare occasions find that the results of a 'picture' search include an article where there is no picture, or where the pictures do not seem to match the search: if this happens, look in the diagram text to find the match (for example, a picture search for Mary Queen of Scots finds the biography which contains her family tree).
Using copyright material
For copyright reasons many of the media items (for example, photographs and maps) in the Encyclopedia may not be dragged into applications other than the Notebook.
Copyright media items dragged into the Notebook will only be seen when the Encyclopedia CD is in the drive.
Copyright material may be printed for personal use only.
Timelines
Click anywhere on a timeline chart to call up the slider, then click on the chart or drag the slider to point to different periods.
Keyboard alternatives
It is possible to access many of the Encyclopedia's functions without using the mouse.
Basic keyboard operation
Each screen is divided into 'tab groups'. Pressing the Tab key cycles a red tab-spot from group to group. The cursor arrow keys move the red tab-spot from item to item within a tab group.
The Return key selects or opens the item marked with the tab-spot. Open lists and boxes can be closed with the Esc (Escape) key.
The main icons at the foot of the article screen form a tab group, but they are also assigned to function keys:
* F1 is the standard Windows context-sensitive Help key.
* F2 to F9 access the Backtrack, Search, Brain game, Help, Notebook, Printer, Explorer and Bookmark respectively.
The Backtrack list can be opened with the backslash key (next to the Z on the keyboard).
The Bookmark list can be opened with the forward-slash key (on the same key as the question mark).
Turn pages in articles, captions or fact boxes using either the up and down cursor arrows or the PgUp and PgDn keys.
Playing movies and sounds
Movies and sounds can be played using the < and > keys (on the comma and full stop keys respectively). Use the forward-arrow > to play and pause the player bar. Use the backward-arrow < to rewind.
The Search box
In the Search box, the Tab and cursor arrow keys can be used to set all options with the exception of the boolean operators. The boolean operators normally show 'and'.
To select a different operator:
* tab to the text slot next to the operator;
* if you want to change the operator you must do this with your next keystroke;
* select the operator by pressing SHIFT in conjunction with the standard keyboard symbol for the operator you want. The three symbols are: the ampersand (= AND, on the same key as the number 7), the broken vertical line (= OR, on the same key as the backslash), the 'corner' symbol (= NOT, on the key to the left of the number 1). For example, SHIFT + the broken vertical line selects the operator OR.
* now type the word or phrase you want to search for in the text slot next to the operator you have chosen.
Notebook
In the Notebook, the Tab key performs its normal wordprocessing function.
Press the Alt key to switch between the buttons and the wordprocessing screen.
When the buttons are selected, use the left and right cursor arrow keys to move through the active buttons sequentially.
Functions not available through the keyboard
The following functions can not be accessed through the keyboard in this release:
* The Explorer
* Scrolling pictures and maps
* Dragging items to the Notebook
* Selecting text for the Notebook
* Opening a dictionary definition
* Hot links to other articles
* Moving open windows (for example, the Search and Bookmark boxes).
System requirements
486 processor (Pentium recommended)
30MB free hard disk space (50MB recommended)
Windows 95 with 16MB RAM
Windows 3.1 or 3.11 with 12MB RAM
Video display 640 x 480, 256 colours (thousands recommended)
