Table Of Contents

Welcome to Living Numbers version 1.0!  We hope your child enjoys this demo.

For information about playing or ordering click one of the following topics:

About LarKen Software

How to Play

Technical Support

Ordering Information

Other Products by LarKen


Other Products by LarKen
Other Products by LarKen Software

Currently we have 1 additional product on the market.  "Living Letters" is a pre-school alphabet and basic phonics program.  It's design is similar to Living Numbers.  Each letter is a cute cartoonish looking character with eyes and a mouth.  The children click on buttons to bring up vivid 256-color photographs of objects that start with each letter.  Then the word is spelled out for the child and the phonetic sound of the first letter is just a click away.  A couple of activities ("find the mixed-up letter" and "click on the missing letter that starts the word") keep small kids amused and learning.

A demo version of this program can be found on: America On-line, Compuserve, Prodigy, and various internet sites.  Or if you'd like a demo version mailed to you, for an extra $1 we'll include one with your order for Living Numbers.


About LarKen Software

LarKen Software is a small company of professionals devoted to the pursuit of quality, affordable, non-violent educational software.  We develop this software in our spare time (which means we have other jobs), but hope to someday soon move full-time into this effort.  LarKen was founded both in response to the large number of low quality, high priced products currently on the market and because of our love to be creative.

Our goal is to create quality wholesome software that both teaches and entertains.


How to Play

Living numbers was designed to be highly interactive for children.  They are much more likely to learn by doing, rather than just watching.  We designed the program for the non-readers, making it easy enough for a 2 or 3 year old to operate themselves, but some children may require occasional directions from parents.  Encourage them to freely click and move the mouse, but don't show them everything about the program the first time.  Each time they learn something new about the program, they'll have a renewed enthusiasm to play and learn.

The opening screen presents balloon buttons to take the child to 3 different activities: Counting, Dot-to-dot, and Mr. Number Head.

Counting Objects Game:

Usually when a young child first learns how to count, all they are doing is memorizing the words.  They have no concept of what they're actually saying.  The counting screen of Living Numbers was carefully designed to not only give the child number recognition, but to provide a concrete concept of what the numbers mean.  When the child clicks on the "camera" button, a group of pictures are displayed.  The group corresponds to the currently visible number.  As they click on each picture it is counted and moved down to the number line area.  The number line area gives them a second visible representation of the number.  By repetition, a very young child will master both number recognition and counting (with understanding).

Dot-to-Dot:

The Dot-to-Dot screen gives children an opportunity to practice counting to numbers higher than 10.  Repetition is the key to understanding.  The full version of the program includes numerous dot-to-dot pictures and a utility to add your own.

Mr. Number Head:

The Mr. Number Head screen gives children an opportunity to create an almost unlimited number of goofy looking numbers.  They can select whatever eyes (more than 2 if desired), mouths, hats, etc. and dress up the numbers to their liking.  This is just one more activity to keep childrens interest in the program for a longer period of time.


Technical Support

If you are having problems running Living Numbers the information contained here should help.  The problems is probably either a missing file (see list of required files) or equipment configuration.

The answer to some commonly asked questions are given below.  If you are unable to resolve your problem with Living Numbers assistance can be obtained via E-mail or US mail.  Please give us an opportunity to help solve your problem, our customers satisfaction is important to us.

1) How come I don't see anything after completing the dot-to-dot?

2) The music button doesn't do anything?

3) How come the music drowns out the sound of the rest of the program?

4) What is the minimum equipment requirements for Living Letters?


internet	larkensoft@aol.com

compuserve	75023,647


LarKen Software

PO Box 465

Silverdale, WA

98383


dotbase.dll

dotmod0.cfg

dotmod0.dll

dottodot.ini

intro.mid

live123.exe

live123.hlp

moon.dll

order.wri

resource.dll

sky.dll

song01.mid

song03.mid

song04.mid

song06.mid


You probably don't have sufficient video memory to display a full colored bitmap this large.


In order for the music to play, you must have a sound card that is capable of playing MIDI files.  Any windows compatible card should work.  You also must have the MIDI Mapper installed in your control panel.  If you have a sound card capable of MIDI, check the installation manual to make sure everything was installed.


Your sound card should have come with a "mixer" or "control" program that has volume adjustments.  The music is controlled by your MIDI volume.  Try adjusting these levels until the desired level is achieved.


386 processor,  4M RAM,  MS Windows 3.1 or higher,  windows compatible sound card (a speaker driver may work with some success),  256-color VGA (with 1M).


Ordering Information

The size of the full version of Living Numbers (nearly 10 Mbytes uncompressed), is too large to distribute intact via shareware.  But we desired to give the customer a good product for a minimal fee (without distributors fees and store mark-ups).  Thus, we chose to distribute this demo version via shareware channels.  We hope we have included enough of the program to give the flavor of the real thing.

Money Back Guarantee:

We are so confident that you'll be satisfied with Living Numbers that we are providing a full 30 day MBG.  If for any reason you are not satisfied with the complete version of Living Numbers simply return the discs and documentation to us for a full refund.  No questions asked.  This guarantee is good for 30 days after you've received your full working version.

{With a guarantee like that why not register today?}

Features of Full Version:

- All numbers from 1 to 10

- Four sets of objects for counting practice

- Additional hats, arms, etc. for dressing up Mr. Number Head

- More background music files (with the ability to add your own)

- Numerous cute Dot-to-Dot pictures

- A utility that lets you add your own pictures to the Dot-to-Dot

For your convenience, Living Numbers can be ordered in one of three different ways.

Ordering by Mail is the least expensive method for both LarKen and you.

Ordering through compuserve

Ordering with credit card


Ordering By Mail

To order by mail send this order form (click on Print Topic in the File pull-down menu or print ORDER.WRI) and a check or money-order (US funds or equivalent foreign funds) to:

LarKen Software

PO Box 465

Silverdale, WA

U.S.A. 98383

Living Numbers 1.0 Order Form

Software license

Living Numbers single user License ($16)                       = _______

Living Letters Demo disk

$1 for handling                                                = _______

Shipping & Handling

$4 in USA, $6 Canada, $8 overseas)                             = _______

Sub-total:                                                   = _______

Washington state residents add 8.1% sales tax                  = _______

Total:                                                       = _______

Name: _______________________________________      Date: _______________

Organization: __________________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip: ______________________________________________________

Where did you find Living Numbers: _____________________________________

E-mail: ____________________

Comments:


Ordering By Compuserve

For many, compuserve may be the best way to order.  Foreign orders are automatically converted to US dollars and the hassle of getting a money order is avoided.  Ordering by compuserve will result in your compuserve account being charged for the cost of the program.

Compuserve charges a 15% fee to LarKen Software for the use of their registration service.  To help offset our expenses (we really aren't trying to get rich, but we need to eat) purchases through compuserve will cost an additional $2 above the cost of mailed orders.

Living Numbers 1.0

$18 plus shipping & handling ($4 US, $6 Canada, $8 overseas)

Registration ID # 11074

To order by compuserve:

GO SWREG


Ordering By Credit
Ordering By Credit Card

For those customers who don't want the hassle of writing a check and mailing the order form we've contracted with Public software Library (PsL) to provide 1-800 credit card ordering services..PsL charges LarKen Software a $5 fee (plus the 4% credit card charge) for each order.  To help offset our expenses (we really aren't trying to get rich, but we need to eat), purchases through this service will cost an additional $4.00 above the cost of mailed orders.

Living Numbers 1.0

Product ID# 14577

$20.00 plus shipping & handling ($4 US, $6 Canada, $8 overseas)

CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY -

You can order with MC, Visa, Amex, or Discover from Public (software) Library by calling 800-2424-PsL or 713-524-6394 or by FAX to 713-524-6398.  You can also mail credit card orders to PsL at PO Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705.

THE ABOVE NUMBERS ARE FOR ORDERS ONLY

Any questions about the status of the shipment of the order, refunds, registration options, product details, technical support, volume discounts, dealer pricing, site licenses, etc. must be directed to LarKen Software via E-mail or US mail.  To insure that you get your order promptly, PsL will notify us the day of your order and we will ship the product directly to you.