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Computer Buyer 1995 November
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SHOWCASE.ISO
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abbas
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readme.txt
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1995-06-17
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Minimum hardware requirements
The PC version needs at least a 386/33 running Windows 3.1, with 8-
bit video (256 colours), a CD drive, a mouse, and 6Mb of RAM. An 8-bit
or better stereo sound card is recommended.
Setting-up with Windows
First, use either the VGA setup or the Windows Setup Control Panel to
change the graphics driver to 8-bit colour (256 colours╤Control Panels
are usually in the Main program group). Insert the Learning Neural
Networks CD into the CD drive. Learning Neural Networks will only run
from within Windows. From Program Manager choose ╘Run╒ from the
╘File╒ menu, and use the browse facility to find the ╘abas_lnn.exe╒ file
on the CD (or just type ╘D:\abas_lnn.exe╒, assuming that your CD drive
has been assigned the ╘D:╒ location.)
Problems
Ñ If you are using one of the slower CD drives then remember to
wait after you have clicked on either the subject index or glossary, or
selected something from one of the menus. Learning Neural Networks
will immediately tell your CD drive to get the files that are needed, but
your drive needs time to do this. If you keep clicking then you are
storing up a series of commands making it impossible for your CD drive
to keep up. This can lead to problems with the sound, and sometimes
causes the application to freeze for a period of minutes while it
attempts to resolve these difficulties.
Ñ If you cannot hear any sound then check that the volume of the
sound card is not set to zero. Check that the Windows and MCS sound
drivers are installed, and that any external amplifier or powered
speakers are turned on. Try to play a sound using media player, or from
an audio CD.
Ñ If you experience problems such as images not displaying as they
should, or an error message informing you of a ╘General Protection
Fault╒, then use Windows Setup to change the graphics driver to SVGA,
256 colours, and restart Windows.
If changing the graphics driver does not remedy the problem then
you may need to alter your CONFIG.SYS and SYSTEM.INI files so as to
exclude the use of upper memory (remember to back up these files onto
a separate disk before you alter them). Although this improves
compatibility between DOS, Windows and your hardware, it has the
disadvantage of slowing your machine.
In your CONFIG.SYS file find the line that reads something like:
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE
and change it to:
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS X=A000-C7FF
In the SYSTEM.INI file find the section marked [386Enh] (or insert
one if it does not exist) and change it so it reads like this:
EMMEXCLUDE=A000-C7FF
You must restart your machine if these changes are to produce the
desired effect.
Speed
A key factor is the speed of your CD drive. While Learning Neural
Networks will work with a single-speed drive, you may find there are
gaps as the computer has to wait for files to load. A double-speed drive
or faster will help to overcome this problem. To ensure that your
machine runs as quickly as is possible:
1 Set up your operating system to be as small as you can make it.
For example, the Macintosh system has extensions that reside in the
extensions folder inside the system folder, while Windows has various
drivers called by configuration files such as WIN.INI. These drivers are
really add-on components that increase the range of tasks your
computer can perform, such as sending and answering fax messages,
displaying video, etc. Yet, the more of these that your operating system
has to deal with╤the larger it gets╤the slower it becomes. You should
remove any extensions or drivers that you do not need and restart your
machine. Remember that Learning Neural Networks does not need Video
for Windows nor Apple╒s Quicktime.
2 Make sure that Learning Neural Networks is the only software
that is running. Multitasking operating software, that allows for
example a spreadsheet and word processor to run at the same time, can
be very useful. However, the computer manages this feat by doing a bit
of processing for the word-processor, and then a bit for the
spreadsheet. If you have any other applications running when you are
running Learning Neural Networks then the operating system will keep
stopping and checking to see if any work needs to be done for the other
application.
3 Most screens can be set to thousands (16-bit) or even millions
(32-bit) of colours. However, the better this colour depth the longer it
takes your machine to draw each screen, and the slower everything
becomes. Learning Neural Networks is optimized to run under (8-bit)
256 colours. If you are using the Windows version then set your monitor
to 8-bit colour and restart Windows. The Macintosh version will
automatically set the colour depth to 8-bit, and then return it to its
previous value when you quit.
4 You can always copy the Learning Neural Networks executable file
(application) to your hard disk. When you start the application you will
be asked to find a file on the CD called ╘OPENING.DIR╒. Do not copy any
other files to your hard disk╤it can cause Learning Neural Networks to
crash, and will infringe the software licence.
5 The more memory (RAM) you can allocate to Learning Neural
Networks the easier it will be for it to run. It doesn╒t really need more
than 4Mb of RAM for itself, although giving it a bit more will not do any
harm.
6 When you are using Learning Neural Networks leaving the mouse
pointer over glossary or subject index list will slow everything down.
Short-cuts
Ñ When you first open Learning Neural Networks you will see an
opening screen followed by a copyright notice. You may wish to skip
this after you have seen it once. Press any key or a mouse button during
this opening sequence and you will be taken to the contents page.
Ñ The space bar pauses a chapter╤press the space bar again and the
chapter will restart.
Ñ Press the F key for fast forward╤or the right arrow key.
Ñ Press the R key for rewind, or the left arrow key.
Ñ Pressing the A key turns the announce feature on and off.
Ñ Pressing the S key toggles the subtitles on and off.
Ñ Pressing the P key turns the pause automatically feature on and
off.
Ñ There are small sections of music at the beginnings of all chapter
sections. Pressing the M key turns this music on and off.