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Mac Magazin/MacEasy 19
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Mac Magazin and MacEasy Magazine CD - Issue 19.iso
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Pick-A-Winner Folder
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About Pick-A-Winner
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1996-01-29
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221 lines
Pick-A-Winner Version: 1.0 February 1996
Author: Jesse Carneiro
Micro Fox Software
Address: P.O. Box 14932 / Columbus, Ohio 43214-0932 / U.S.A.
Phone/Fax: (614) 267-8638
Internet: microfox@kagi.com (comments and support)
Web Page: http://www.infinet.com/~microfox
Shareware: US$10 (cash, US check, VISA or MasterCard) - see below
Pick-A-Winner is designed to help user groups, clubs or other
organizations automate the process of door prizes distribution
to the lucky chosen winners. Its random algorithm is more
equitable than the old "hand in the bag" method.
It can pick numbers randomly from a user-defined virtual "roll
of tickets" or it can randomly pick the winners from a pool of
names previously listed.
Distribution
Please distribute Pick-A-Winner as a complete package, including
the enclosed program "Register" and this documentation file.
Let your favorite Mac User Group know about it. Who knows, you
will be a winner.
Features
• Initially it defaults to picking numbers randomly. As such,
before you proceed, you need to create a "roll" of ticket
numbers. Click on the "New Roll..." menu item (-R) under the
File Menu to bring up a dialog. In this dialog you must enter
the number of the first ticket and the last one. There must be
at least two tickets on the roll. They also must be no farther
apart than 32000. In other words, this virtual roll can have
up to 32,000 "tickets."
• Alternatively, if you select the "Pick Random Member" menu item
under the Preferences Menu, the randomly selected names will come
from a built-in list of previously imported names (these names
can be imported from a TEXT file, one name per line, by choosing
the "Import Member List" menu item from the File menu).
• After you have created a roll, the upper part of the main window
will have information about the roll. It displays the range of
ticket numbers. This serves as a sign so as to inform that any
ticket holder whose ticket number falls outside of this range,
will not be a potential winner. If you have selected the "Pick
Random Member" menu item, this display the range of the member
list.
• Once ready to start picking winners, just click on the main button
or select the "New Winner" menu item from the Winners Menu (or
-W). The first 30 winner's numbers or names will be appended to
this menu as a historic record. You may continue to pick more than
30 winners (if more tickets remain on the roll), but they are not
recorded (or saved).
• Due to the large, high-visibility font size used to display member
names, sometimes a long name may only appear partially. However,
the full name will be displayed under the "Winners" menu. The wider
the monitor the wider will be the area to display member names.
• The creation of a new roll automatically deletes any old one.
Thus, if an error was incurred when a roll was created (maybe an
improper range of tickets or you may need to add more tickets to
it, etc.), you can go ahead and create another roll with the
appropriate range. Also, selecting "Pick Random Member" menu
deletes any previously created roll of tickets.
• By default, the program adds leading zeros to the winning numbers.
If you would like to have just the plain numbers, deselect "Add
Leading Zeros" menu item from the Preferences Menu. The change
will appear on subsequent picked numbers.
• You can export the List of Members as a TEXT file in which all
names appear in the same order as they should be brought in: one
name per line (separated by a carriage return). Conversely, any
TEXT file with a list of names separated by a carriage return can
be imported in. Importing a new Member List will override the
built-in one. The names may or may not be in alphabetical order.
• You can, for example, export the Member List, add some names to
it, and then import it back in to reflect the new addition. Or
you could use the same method to remove names from the list.
• In the name of good humor, I would suggest that you sprinkle
throughout the list, names of celebrities, famous people, actors
or actresses, politicians, media moguls, tycoons, controversial
figures, etc. In short, people that would never be expected to
attend the meetings of your group. They're bound to get a chuckle
and laughter. By default it already contains some of these
suggested names, but you may remove them or add them to your list
of names.
• If your member list has over 10,000 names (maximum is 32,000),
you should allocated more memory for the program. In which case,
just go to the "Get Info…" dialog box in the Finder (-I) and
adjust the Preferred Size to 512K or larger. By default, it is
set to 256K to save memory usage.
• If you don't have the TrueType Times font (built-in on System 7),
the numbers and names on the main window won't look as nice at
72 points.
• You can run Pick-A-Winner from a locked volume (like a CD-ROM),
but you won't be able to import a new member list because it saves
the list internally.
• After one or more winners are picked (either as winning numbers or
names), they can be saved in a TEXT file for possible publication
or some other usage you find convenient. Only the numbers or names
that appear in the Winners Menu are saved.
Note
This application was designed having in mind the audience we get at
our local Mac user group (Buckeye Macintosh Group -- Columbus, Ohio,
U.S.A.). Every so often, we have door prizes to give away to those
who come to the meetings. Since we also have a projection system, by
running the Pick-A-Winner application everybody can see their ticket
number (or their names) there on the screen. They can also be asked
to verify that their tickets are within the range of possible winners.
If your situation is similar, I would suggest two possibilities:
1. Picking Random Numbers. Have someone in charge of distributing
the tickets. Jot down the number of the first ticket. Distribute
the tickets. Figure the number of the last ticket. When is time
to pick winners, first make sure that everybody's tickets are
within range of possible winners, then pick away the winners.
2. Picking Random Members. Here you would inform the audience that
the winners will be picked from a pool of, say, club members.
This could serve as an incentive to those who are not members
to join the group and become potential winners. Prior to picking
the winners, you could optionally circulate a list of member
names so that any missing names may be added.
When picking random names from an imported list, please observe
that Pick-A-Winner program does no validation on the names in such
list. In other words, it does not ascertain that any particular name
does not repeat elsewhere on the list or that a slightly different
spelling of the same name occurs.
IT IS INCUMBENT UPON WHOMEVER OVERSEES THE USAGE OF THIS PROGRAM TO
DISTRIBUTE PRIZES, THAT EVERYONE HAS AN EQUAL CHANCE TO WIN. MAKE
SURE THE LIST OF NAMES IS COMPLETE AND THAT EACH UNIQUE NAME APPEARS
ONLY ONCE.
If you wish to display a Picture of your User Group or Club
associated with this program, or a native PowerPC version, I would
strongly suggest you send in your shareware fee and request a
version that supports it.
About Shareware
This program, Pick-A-Winner, was written to help you in any computer
chore for which it might come handy. At times this is just what’s
needed. But for that to happen, we need to encourage shareware
authors who give their time and talent in developing software to
solve real problems.
Programming a friendly interface like the Mac is no trivial task.
Nevertheless, by most accounts, only a small percentage (2% to 4%)
of habitual users of shareware send in their registration fees.
Given the small amount involved, it won't bankrupt you but it will
go a long way to help the author improve it. It will also maintain
shareware's unique viability. Please keep it alive. Don't let it die.
Towards that end, I have built-in a subtle and friendly reminder
that will appear every so often, when you run an unregistered
version of Pick-A-Winner.
For your convenience, registrations for Pick-A-Winner are handled by
the Kagi Shareware service run by Kee Nethery <kee@kagi.com>. In
addition to cash in various currencies and US checks drawn on US
banks, Kagi Shareware also accepts credit card registrations by mail,
fax, or e-mail (your card number is scrambled). For organizations,
they handle invoices and site licenses, too. For more information,
run the enclosed "Register" program. It creates a customized
registration form and tells you where to send it. Quick and simple.
Alternatively, if you choose to pay by cash (yes, some people prefer
it) or US check, you can send it directly to me at the address below.
Admittedly, many ideas you may have regarding this software may be
better than mine. Please share your thoughts. I urge you to send
your registration fee so that I may inform you of upgrades and
other interesting applications that I am writing.
Upon receipt of your Pick-A-Winner US$10 shareware fee, I will send
you the newest version with your name on it (or the name of your
group). Please send your name, address, electronic address (if any),
phone and also the version number you are using.
Note: In all likelihood, this version may already have been upgraded.
Thank you for your time and for trying Pick-A-Winner.
Write or e-mail any suggestions, comments or bugs to:
Jesse Carneiro
Micro Fox Software
P.O. Box 14932
Columbus, OH 43214-0932
U.S.A.
Phone or Fax (614) 267-8638
Internet: microfox@kagi.com (support, comments, etc.)
shareware@kagi.com (for registering)
Web Page: http://www.infinet.com/~microfox
Personal Statement
There's a force in the known universe that wants you to pick a winner.
Your life was given by the grace of God. The eternal continuation of
it is offered by the sheer belief in Jesus Christ as your saviour.
©1996 Jesse Carneiro
The usual disclaimers apply: Jesse Carneiro and Micro Fox Software
accept no responsibility for any incidental or consequential damage
of any sort as a direct or indirect result of using this software.
The software is provided “as-is,” and no warranties are made as to
its fitness for a particular purpose. I would be very interested to
hear of any problems, though.