Cream of the Crop 21/Cream of the Crop 21 (Terry Blount) (October 1996).iso/educate/wordy442.zip/READ.ME

Text File | 1996-07-22 | 11KB | 194 lines

January 1994 - July 1996


Dear Word Game Player,

This is finally version 4.42 of the WORDY package.    I programmed the first
crude version of the WORDY game  some 6 years ago  using the old  Mix C (tm)
compiler.    That version  worked only with a  monochrome monitor,  had very
limited features, and was buggy. This version is written in Borland C++ (tm)
ver. 3.1 and TASM (tm), ver 3.0.  None of the specific C++ language features
are used with the exception of the double backslash remarks.

WORDY 4.42 will work with either  color or monochrome monitors (use the  file
WORDYM.EXE for mono  systems).     The  word validity  checking is enormously
improved,  using a binary search algorithm to  check entered words  against a
100,701 word dictionary that's compatible (but for legal reasons, not totally
identical) with the 3rd edition of the OSPD (tm).  This makes WORDY ideal for
practicing the word construction  and pattern recognition  skills used in the
Scrabble (tm) game.   The master word list, WORD.LST, has been completely re-
edited for  improved  accuracy   (estimated fewer than  5 errors total)   and
updated to conform with the final release of the *OSPD3*, which has been val-
id as of February 1, 1996.

The user interface and   the display, although  still    confined    to ANSI
graphics, are much improved.  The game is  easier and  more fun to  play and
most all of the bugs from the first version have been eliminated.


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WORDY is no longer just a game.     It is now a complete practice system for
serious Scrabble (tm) and similar word game competitors.  WORDY is very pos-
sibly the best tool  available for tournament players  to hone  their "edge"
prior to competitive play.     Word list generation for study is no longer a
lengthy and tedious pencil-and-paper operation.

Included in this package is  a  standalone SEARCH  utility that  permits the
user to check whether any particular word is in the game dictionary.     See
the SEARCH.DOC file for usage instructions.

Also included is an ANAGRAM utility.     This permits entering a letter com-
bination and finding all valid words contained in it ("wild cards" or "blank
tiles" are permitted).    An INSET utility lets the user generate word lists
with exact in-order letter patterns.

Some new inclusions after version 2.6  are an XFIND   word pattern  matching
utility to help crossword puzzle solvers  find the missing letters  in words
they are seeking and an  UNSCRAMBLE utility  to help solve  jumbled-word  or
"Scramblegram" puzzles such as those found in newspapers and magazines. Also
an XTRACT utility to help Scrabble (tm) players generate lists of words with
specified letter patterns has been added.

Version 2.9 added  a utility to reformat the output  of the  other utilities
for ease in hard copy printouts.   Version 3.0 was finally "compatible" with
the 2nd Edition of the OSPD (tm).  Version 3.10 added "wild cards" or "blank
tiles"  as an option  to the ANAGRAM utility,  and there is now even a BINGO
utility.    Version 3.11 has some minor bug fixes  and a modification in the
BINGO utility. Version 3.12 added "intelligence" to the RF reformat utility.
Version 3.13  features a 20% speedup  on the utilities  (they now execute in
under four seconds on a 486DX66).   Version 3.15 gives the WORDY game a "new
look".      Versions 3.60 and up have a corrected master word list, enhanced
functionality of some utilities, and offer a registration bonus of a supple-
mentary 171,000 list of 8+ letter words that the utilities work on.  Version
4.42 updates the master word list to be compatible with the  *third* edition
of the OSPD (tm), adds a new utility, and improves the WORDY game. The WORDY
package may now be the most effective computer aid available for the serious
Scrabble (tm) player to hone their competitive edge.

WORDY has grown into a complete word game study system, complete with its own
built in word game to practice on.   The tournament Scrabble (tm) player will
find no better resource to sharpen his/her playing skills with, and in a com-
petitive situation that can mean extra money in the pocket. Even neighborhood
Scrabble (tm) tournaments often have prizes running up to $100 or more, not a
bad windfall for the practiced player.      [My stepson and I once "looted" a
local tourney in Baltimore, taking home $35 cash, a book and some nice cups.]

Newly added to the WORDY system  are details of and support for the bold new
Scrabble (tm) variant, 1DIF.  See the file 1DIF.TXT for a description of the
rules and play of 1DIF. 1DIF.EXE is a list generating utility specially made
for 1DIFfers.

This game is Cheapware.  I  am asking for  a  voluntary   contribution  of a
very modest $2. If you don't feel that the results of my many hours of labor
merit $2, or if you truly cannot afford it (hard to believe), well, I  can't
prevent you from using and enjoying the system  all the same.    If you  use
WORDY and fail to send me a contribution, I will not put a curse  upon  you,
nor will I even feel   particularly bad about  it, much less  hold a grudge.
Feel free to send me  suggestions  for improvement,     criticism,   advice,
encouragement, brickbats (but no proposals of marriage, please), even if you
have not enclosed the MODEST (hint, hint) contribution.

A slightly larger $3.50 contribution will get you the next major update sent
to you at no extra charge. A huge $5.00 contribution gets you all the source
code, compilable in Turbo C  and  TASM,  for you  to modify to your  heart's
content,  the next update, and registration and a copy of all my other soft-
ware.    *And now* registered users will receive as a bonus an extra 171,000
list of words  over 8 letters long  that the WORDY utilities can operate on.

At some point in the future, I intend to release WORDY as  "freeware"  under
the GPL (General Public License) as defined by the Free Software Foundation.
This would mean that WORDY could be freely distributed, copied, and used but
that the distributors could not restrict anyone else's distribution and  use
rights.   At this time, I still need to ask for  "contributions"  from WORDY
users.  It costs me approximately $1.00 in materials and postage to send out
an update to a user, not to mention the 15 minutes of my time.     The total
cost would come to about $6.00, if I wished to charge that much,  which I do
not.   As is, I am about breaking even - the shareware "fee" / user contrib-
utions just about pay for the costs of my programming "hobby".    If, in the
future,  I can afford to subsidize WORDY,  I will be happy to do so and will
make it totally "free" under the GPL.

This is "open architecture" software.    In the spirit of the pioneer micro-
computer hobbyists  of the 1970's,  the source code  of all the utilities is
included for  tinkering with and "improving".     I ask only that you do not
distribute a modified version of any of my code without permission.   Let us
go back to the Ethic of an earlier time, a more Moral time, when no one made
the arrogant assumption that writing a line of code gave the author absolute
ownership and mastery of it forever.   Does anyone remember a time when PC's
were the gateway of liberation and empowerment  (Ted Nelson, COMPUTER LIB!),
rather than a "productivity tool" and yuppie toy?

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Now for a commercial for myself.   If you are at all impressed with the pro-
gramming effort,  not to mention style poured into this software, and if you
know of any  career  opportunities for an  intermediate-level C  programmer,
please let me know.  I have been unhappily slaving at a non-computer related
trade for eons and would welcome the chance to career-change  to programming
or any other  computer-related profession  (I proudly mention that I have NO
professional credentials...    I'm self-taught).   You would earn my undying
grati