The program is a very simple to use HyperCard stack. To start, just click on 'Spin' on the first screen that comes up, and you should see the numbers change. These figures are random numbers between 1 and 49, for you to write down, or print out, and take along to your nearest British National Lottery retailer. Copy the numbers on to one of the boards, and hey presto - you've had a go at the National Lottery the Mac way!
One of the more sophistcated features is the way in which you can combine several spins into a table of popular random numbers (PRNs) of which you can choose those which you feel are most likely to win. Once you've pressed 'Spin', then click on 'Update' to store the six numbers in a list. Click again on 'Spin' and again on 'Update' for as many times as you want. You may find that there is a delay between updating the list and being able to spin again. Please be patient - this is only HyperCard, after all.
When you've decided to stop updating, click on the left or right arrow at the top of the screen, and you should see a screen of boxes. This is the list of your spun, random numbers. The top box of each pair shows the number (from 1 to 49) and the one below it shopws the number of times it appeared in the number of spins that you did. The exact number of spins (updated or not) can be found at the top right corner of the screen.
To start your list of PRNs again, just click on 'Clear' and the left or right arrow, to return to the starting card.
If you click on 'MultiSpin' on the first card, you will be presented with the option to automatically spin and record your results 10, 50 or 100 times. This may help you to get a better balance of spread or PRNs, and thus find the 'luckiest' ones. This button saves time in clicking and updating, and you will be warned by bleeps when the spins are complete. You can see how many spins have been performed in the box which pops up during a MultiSpin.
You may find that the same number crops up twice in one spin. I've tried to prevent this, but it still ahppens from time to time. If you can tell me how to fix this (or how to avoid having to use hundreds of lines of code, when I'm sure just a few would do the job better) please write and tell me. That way, I'll be able to write even better programs in the future. Also, please notify me of other bugs, incompatibilies, etc..
Unlike some shareware authors, I feel that the interface is important - after all, that's what the Mac is all about. I hope that you find the interface of 'Lottery Lolly!' pleasant, write and tell me if you do, so that I can write more decent-looking programs!
I hope you find the program useful - if you do, and especially if you win anything, please send me a donation, so that I can continue to write useful little programs for the Mac. Just send a donation of whatever you can afford (I'm only a humble 15 year old student) to:
Stéphane Gray
c/o William Parker School, Parkstone Rd, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 2NS, England
This program is just a fun means by which you can have a flutter. I do not in any way imply that gambling of any kind is recommendable or otherwise, and I disclaim any gains or losses which users of the program might make. The author is not responsible for any damage that this program may do, but promises that initially, it was purely a virus-free, fun program.
If you can't afford to give me a donation, please write to me, or send me a disk of shareware (I'm especially looking for 'MacCurveFit' and language programs), old Mac related stuff or anything else that you might think would interest me. Good luck!
• Incidentally, the first time that I used this program, I matched three of the main numbers, which, had I got a ticket, would have made me £10!
