Details and technical assistance for the PC User Offline CD-ROM
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Disclaimer
============
We have tested this CD-ROM extensively and taken every care to scan for viruses and to ensure all the programs work properly. However, in the wonderful world of computing, with thousands of differently configured systems out there, we're afraid we can't make guarantees. In particular:
* Australian PC User can't guarantee that all the software on the CD will install and run. Some games, in particular, can be finicky about what hardware and operating system they work with.
* Australian PC User can't be held responsible for any damage to your system caused directly or indirectly by any software or tutorials on the PC User Offline disc.
* Australian PC User can't provide tech support for any of the third-party software on PC User Offline.
* Users follow the Internet links on the CD-ROM at their own risk. Australian PC User takes no responsibility for any offensive sites or damaging files or advice that the user might encounter.
About our CD-ROM
==================
The PC User Offline CD-ROM runs entirely from a Web browser. You do not have to be on the Internet to use a Web browser and therefore view the contents of the CD and install the CD's software. You don't even have to have Web browser installed on your computer as a version Microsoft's Internet Explorer has been pre-installed directly on the CD.
However, If you already have Internet Explorer 4.0x installed on your computer we recommend you open the file INDEX.HTM in the OFFLINE folder on the CD, and add this to your Favourite Places. You can then use this for all our cover discs. You may follow the following instructions to install icons for the Readme and Contents text files, but you can remove the PC User Offline Icon that is installed.
Wherever possible hotlinks are provided that allow you to install or run the software directly from the browser interface -- if you are using a recent version of Microsoft Internet Explorer (unfortunately, Netscape Navigator currently does not allow this).
As well as the 600Mb or so of software on this CD, we have provided a sneak preview of our Web site. From these pages, you can go to PC User Online or one of the many other Web sites hyperlinked on the CD for the latest information (if you have an Internet connection, of course).
System requirements
====================
The PC User Offline CD-ROM will run on any computer that reads DOS discs and has a CD-ROM drive.
However, to run PC User Offline comfortably you need at least a 486DX2/66 with 8Mb of RAM, a double-speed CD reader, video running at 640 by 480 or 800 by 600 resolution at least at 256 colours (16-bit or 24-bit colour is recommended), and running Windows 3.1x or 95.
The Web pages on PC User Offline are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or later, and have also been tested with Netscape Navigator 3.0. We cannot guarantee it will look good in any other browser.
Individual programs and demos included on the disc have their own system requirements, which may be higher.
Installation
==============
Windows 95 users:
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If you already have Internet Explorer 4.0x installed on your computer we recommend you open the file INDEX.HTM in the OFFLINE folder on the CD, and add this to your Favourite Places. You can then use this for all our cover discs. You may follow the following instructions to install icons for the Readme and Contents text files, but you can remove the PC User Offline Icon that is installed.
All other users:
-------------------
Select Run from the Start button menu, then Browse and locate your CD-ROM drive. Double click the file SETUP.EXE in the root directory of your CD-ROM drive (usually D:).
Now select Full Install, and leave the installation path as your WINDOWS directory.
This will install a `PC User Offline' icon in a Windows 95 Start button folder or in a Windows 3.1 Program Manager group. This is the only file installed on your hard disk.
Double-clicking on the PC User Offline icon will load the pre-installed version of Microsoft Internet Explorer on our CD, which in turn will automatically load the `home page' on our CD.
Windows 3.1 users:
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Select Program Manager's File menu, then Run, Browse and locate your CD-ROM drive. Double click the file SETUP.EXE in the root directory of your CD-ROM drive (usually D:).
Now select Full Install, and leave the installation path as your WINDOWS directory.
This will install a `PC User Offline' icon in a Windows 3.1 Program Manager group. This is the only file installed on your hard disk.
Double-clicking on the PC User Offline icon will load the pre-installed version of Microsoft Internet Explorer on our CD, which in turn will automatically load the the `home page' on our CD.
When you first run the CD you may be asked "Do you want to make this your default browser?". Select NO to this question, and uncheck the box marked "Ask this question every time".
Previous PC User Offline users
-------------------------------
If you have already installed a PC User Offline icon from one of our March 1997 or later CDs, you don't have to run the Setup routine again. The PC User Offline icon will allow you to browse this and future PC User CDs at any time.
If you have installed one of our CDs from February 1997 or before, you will need to re-run the Setup routine as per the above instructions. This is because we changed the interface for browsing our CDs. (We thought the previous version was great but it was a little too unreliable).
First-time users
===================
Once you've installed our icons, just click on the PC User Offline icon to launch our on-disc Web browser. You can then navigate our Web pages by clicking on our menus and many other highlighted words and graphics. Whenever your mouse cursor turns into a pointing finger you can click on that item to go to a relevant page, either on our CD or -- where you see a full Internet address -- on the Net (if you have Internet access, of course).
For more navigation hints click on the Help button, available on all of our Web pages.
Installing software on the CD
------------------------------
Wherever possible we have unzipped all software and provided a hyperlink that will run its setup program directly or even run the actual program straight off the CD -- if you are using the CD's default browser or another recent version of Microsoft Internet Explorer. (Netscape Navigator users see Using your own browser, below).
For further software installation instructions click on the Help button, available on all of our Web pages. Also, please read any specific installation instructions contained in our Web pages carefully before installing the software. Although all the software on our CD has been tested, they are created using all sorts of programming tools and by all types of people. Following the instructions of our testers will help you avoid problems.
Using your own browser
========================
The PC User Offline icon installed on your system runs an on-CD version of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) so that you don't have to install a Web browser on your hard disk to use our CD. This is the latest 16-bit version of IE for Windows 3.1 and will therefore run under Windows 3.1, 3.11 or Windows 95.
However, you may want to use another browser:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 for Win 95 or later.
If you use Windows 95 you may want to use the 32-bit version of IE for even better performance. Here's how you can do it.
1. Install Internet Explorer 3.0 or later. This is available for installation from our CD.
2. Once you have Internet Explorer installed, open Internet Explorer and select the File, Open menu.
3. Select the Browse button then find the file INDEX.HTM in the \OFFLINE folder of your CD drive (usually D), and load it. You can then add this to your Favourite Places and it will work with this and future CDs.
Netscape Navigator 3.0 or later
---------------------------------
Any of the recent versions of Navigator will view the pages on the CD just fine. However, Navigator currently will not execute the EXE files on the CD, so you will not be able to install or run any software directly from the Web pages.
If you're still keen to use Navigator, we have provided the path to each program's main EXE file in each review so that you can use a file manager such as Window 95's Explorer to install or run the program.
Once Netscape is installed, use Navigator's Open menu command to launch the INDEX.HTM file in the OFFLINE directory on our CD, then Bookmark this file for future use.
Having said this, we still recommend that you use the on-CD version of IE -- you'll find installing software much easier. Remember, IE is not installed on your hard disk. Just select `No' when asked whether you want IE as your default browser, and you can keep Navigator as you Web browser.
Other browsers
================
Well, you may be able to use an older browser at a pinch, but our pages won't look good, and, with the on-CD version of IE so easily available, why would you bother?
Experienced Users
===================
In the root directory of the CD you will find the file contents.txt. This provides a listing of all the software on this month's CD. This text file can be loaded into any Word processor, Windows Write, WordPad or Notepad, and printed out as a hard copy record of the CD's contents.
If you want to bypass our browser interface and simply explore the CD using a File Manager or Windows 95 Explorer, the contents.txt file can be used as a guide . But be warned: this file may not contain all the installation tips and warnings of the Web pages, and you may inadventently damage your system or have other problems because of this.
Known problems
================
Okay, here's where we come clean. Here are the potential problems with our CD-ROM that we know about:
* Many readers have reported various problems when installing Internet Explorer 4.01. Things such as their saved e-mails being deleted (if using Outlook Express), or their Windows desktop behaving erratically and not displaying things correctly, to their system simply not shutting down properly. This happens if you are 'upgrading' from an earlier version of IE - including v4.0.
If you want to try installing IE 4.01, and already have an earlier version of IE installed, we recommend you first backup any existing email messages and Favourite locations (you will find these in the favourites folder under your Windows folder; just copy this to a backup location on your hard drive). Then Uninstall Internet Explorer from your system before installing the latest version off our CD.
If you choose the full installation, including the desktop enhancements, and then find it misbehaving. Open Control Panel/Add-Remove Programs and choose to Uninstall Internet Explorer 4. You will be asked what you want to remove. You can select here to remove only the desktop enhancements but keep the browser. We have found the browser alone work fine once installed.
* If you click an image thumbnail to view the full size version, but receive an error message that the path is incorrect and the file cannot be found, this may be because your CD-ROM drive is too slow for the on-disc browser to load the image. In this case we recommend you install the appropriate version of MS Internet Explorer (for Windows 3.1 or Win95) to your hard disk and use this. You will find these in the Online Tools page of Software section on the CD.
A note about viruses
======================
Some virus scanners are ultra sensitive and may report virus-like activity when installing certain software. Rest assured, however, that we always scan the software on this disc and during testing with the latest versions of three different virus scanners, before creating our master.
Beta testers, please!
======================
We've worked hard testing and retesting this CD-ROM, however we won't pretend that it's perfect. Software can always be improved -- and we'd like to do so as soon as possible. Please contact us if you've found a problem, or even if you have some suggestions.
Tech support, broken discs, etc
=================================
What we can help you with
---------------------------
We are happy to provide written technical support for the software on the CD that is created by Australian PC User, but unfortunately we cannot provide telephone support or any support for the third-party software on the disc, including Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. PC User software includes the PC User Offline Web pages and the files in the PC user Interactive
section.
Third-party software
---------------------
If you need technical support for any of the third-party software you will need to contact the developer of that program. You will find details about the developer either in the program's Help menu or a document file (usually named Readme) accompanying the program.
Damaged discs
--------------
We will, of course, exchange damaged discs. Just send the disc and a note with your name and postal address, to PC User Disc Exchange, GPO Box 4088, Sydney NSW 1028.
Contact information
--------------------
For suggestions and technical support of PC User software, contact our Electronic Publishing Editor:
E-mail Philip Moore at pmoore@acp.com.au
Fax Philip Moore at (02) 9267 4909
Post to Philip Moore, PC User, GPO Box 4088, Sydney NSW 1028.
Please include full details about your system and any error messages you have encountered while running our disc.
