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README.1ST
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1992-05-19
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Welcome to HYPERGEO and the realm of the fourth dimension!
In HYPERGEO you have acquired a graphical research tool for the
investigation of the nature of the geometry of hyperspace. With this
software and your personal computer you will have the ability to
envision objects that are inaccessible to normal human perception. The
insights that may be obtained into the shape and structure of the
mysterious universe of four-dimensional hyperspace should prove
fascinating to a wide range of computer users, from the beginning
or casual student of geometry and algebra to the advanced scholar. All
that's needed is a measure of mathematical curiosity and the
intellectual openness to be intrigued by the subtle complexities of
nature. In addition to its usefulness as a serious mathematical
program, HYPERGEO can be enjoyed solely for the visual, aesthetic value
of its intricate geometrical displays.
This "read me" file is meant to be the first thing you look at when you
receive your copy of HYPERGEO. It contains enough information for you
to get the program installed on your system and to try an initial
execution. It also describes the software distribution method known as
"shareware" and gives details on the registration process.
The full documentation of HYPERGEO is contained in the file HYPERGEO.DOC
which is included in the set of files that accompany the program; that
documentation is where you should ultimately look for a complete
understanding of HYPERGEO and how to use all its features.
Both this README.1ST file and the documentation file, HYPERGEO.DOC, are
formatted for direct output on any line printer. You can make copies of
them by using the DOS COPY command. For example,
C> COPY HYPERGEO.DOC PRN
Note: If you have more than one printer on your system, use the
appropriate LPTn device name in place of PRN.
HYPERGEO is a program for the IBM PC and compatible machines. It was
developed under PC-DOS 3.3 and MS-DOS 5.0, and should run under earlier
DOS versions as well. The system should have a minimum of 256K bytes of
memory; more may be required when using the program to study larger,
more complex geometrical objects. Either an EGA, VGA, or Hercules
display device must be present. A mouse is useful but not required. A
math coprocessor (such as an 80287 or 80387) is very desirable to
improve the computer's performance but is also not required. There is
currently no special version of HYPERGEO for either Windows 3.x or OS/2;
this version should run without problems as a full-screen DOS program
under both environments.
Section 1. Files Distributed with HYPERGEO
The material you received with your HYPERGEO distribution set should
contain all of the following files:
README.1ST - This file.
HYPERGEO.EXE - The actual executable HYPERGEO program.
HYPERGEO.DOC - The full user's guide and program reference manual.
REGISTER.FRM - A file that can be printed to create a blank form for
registering a shareware copy of HYPERGEO.
HYPERGEO.ICO - An icon file for use under Windows 3.x.
HYPERGEO.PIF - A Program Information File for running HYPERGEO as a
full-screen DOS application under Windows 3.x.
5CELL.GEO - Geometry definition files that describe various
16CELL.GEO geometrical objects that can be viewed and studied
24CELL.GEO using HYPERGEO.
BLOCKS.GEO
CUBE.GEO
DODECA.GEO
HG.GEO
HYDODECA.GEO
HYICOSA.GEO
HYOCTA.GEO
HYPRCUBE.GEO
HYTETRA.GEO
ICOSA.GEO
OCTA.GEO
STELLA.GEO
TETRA.GEO
If you did not receive all of these files, you do not have a correct and
legal copy of HYPERGEO. You should contact the distributor from whom
you obtained the program.
Depending on how you got HYPERGEO, you may have some additional files
other than those listed above. Software distributors often include such
things as file unpacking utilities, installation utilities, and general
informational files with their releases.
Section 2. Installing HYPERGEO
HYPERGEO does not have any complicated installation requirements.
Basically, it is designed to be executed from a single directory, and
all of the program material (including data files) should reside in that
directory. The directory for the program should be created using the
DOS MKDIR command. For example, to create a directory named HYPERGEO at
the root level on drive C:, use the command:
C> MKDIR C:\HYPERGEO
Of course, you can use whatever hard disk drive and directory name you
wish.
It is possible that you received HYPERGEO through a software distributor
who has packaged the program in a compressed form. This is commonly
done to save diskette space for mail-order shipments, or to minimize
telephone connect time for direct down-loading of the program via a
modem. If this is the case, there will be an unpacking procedure that
must be followed to extract the individual files that comprise HYPERGEO
and that are listed in Section 1. The software distributor should
supply complete instructions for performing this unpacking step. Once
it is run, you should have the full HYPERGEO program file set on your
system. The only additional step needed to complete installation is to
copy the HYPERGEO files into their final target directory; if the
unpacking was already done into the target directory, the installation
is complete.
If you received HYPERGEO on a diskette and the files do not require any
special unpacking, all that's needed is to copy them onto your system.
To copy the HYPERGEO files from a diskette in drive A: to the directory
created in the example above, you would use the DOS COPY command:
C> COPY A:\*.* C:\HYPERGEO
If you are one of the vanishing breed who do not have a hard disk in
their system, you will need to run HYPERGEO from a diskette. If you
received the program material as normal, uncompressed files, you can
use the diskette directly as is (you should probably make a duplicate
copy of it first for back-up). If your distribution diskette is
compressed, the special unpacking procedure supplied with it should tell
you how to unload the uncompressed HYPERGEO files onto a working
program diskette.
Section 3. Getting Started
Sooner or later you should read the full program documentation which is
contained in the file HYPERGEO.DOC. However, if you'd like to take an
immediate look at HYPERGEO without totally understanding what you're
doing, this section will guide you through a quick trial run using a
handful of the program's key features.
First, be sure you are in the directory with the HYPERGEO program files.
To use the example directory from the previous section, C:\HYPERGEO, you
would use the DOS CD command:
C> CD \HYPERGEO
Only two files are absolutely required to be in this directory for
HYPERGEO to start up: 1) the executable program file itself,
HYPERGEO.EXE; and 2) the geometry definition file for the hypercube,
HYPRCUBE.GEO. (The geometry definition file is the basic input to
HYPERGEO. It contains a description of the structure and size of the
geometrical object to be viewed.)
To run HYPERGEO, you simple type the name of the executable program file
(the .EXE extension may be omitted):
C> HYPERGEO
As described in the documentation, there are a number of command-line
options that could be used here to select various features of the
program, but since this example uses no options, HYPERGEO will apply all
of its defaults; in particular it will use the default geometry
definition file which is HYPRCUBE.GEO, the four-dimensional hypercube.
The program should take a few seconds to read the data from the file
HYPRCUBE.GEO and to create the initial display. The HYPERGEO
Information Window will then appear in the center of the display. This
gives a summary of the topology of the current object being examined -
in this case a hypercube - plus some additional display parameters.
Press any key to remove the Information Window. You should see what
looks like a perspective view of a cubical outline. This cube is the
three-dimensional shape that results from slicing the four-dimensional
hypercube with a three-dimensional hyperplane.
The primary means of examining a hypergeometrical object is to rotate
it and view it from all angles. HYPERGEO allows you to do this. Try
pressing the various function keys F1 through F6. These produce
rotations in each of the six planes determined by pairs of the four
coordinates of hyperspace. You should notice that some rotations cause
the cubical shape to change; its corners may become flattened, and new
edges may appear in the faces. This shows different perspectives of
the hypercube as it is intersected by the hyperplane at varying angles.
If you have a mouse on your system, you can use it to perform the same
rotations invoked by the function keys F1 through F6. Move the mouse so
one of the selection boxes labelled YZ, XZ, XY, XW, YW, or ZW is
highlighted. Hold down either the right or left mouse button. The
hypercube will rotate in hyperspace, and the shape of the 3-D
intersection displayed on the screen will change accordingly.
The mouse allows you to continue to rotate the geometry as long as the
button is held down. The same effect can be achieved with the function
key rotations by combining the keystroke with the Ctrl key (for example,
first press and hold down Ctrl, then press one of the function keys F1
through F6 once). This causes the selected rotation to continue
automatically until it is halted by pressing any key on the keyboard.
By default, HYPERGEO starts up in what is called "perspective display
mode"; this is what produces the perspective view of the cube's outline.
There are five different display modes that can be selected by pressing
the appropriate key (after first stopping any automated rotation by
pressing any key):
Key Display Mode
--- --------------------------------
A Stereoscopic anaglyph
H Hidden-line
O Orthographic
P Perspective
S Solid
Try pressing each of these five keys to view the different display
modes.
Note: The stereoscopic anaglyph mode requires special red-blue "3-D"
glasses to view. A pair of 3-D glasses is included with every
registered copy of HYPERGEO.
Another default parameter of HYPERGEO causes it to start up using one of
the two available forms of 4-D geometry imaging, in particular,
intersection with a three-dimensional hyperplane. This is indicated by
the entry "4-D Section" under the GEOMETRY heading in the menu area.
The other possible technique for geometry imaging is projection onto a
hyperplane; the 'G' key toggles between these two alternatives. When
you select 4-D projection imaging, the GEOMETRY entry in the menu area
changes to "4-D Project". With 4-D projection imaging only three of the
five display modes are available: stereoscopic anaglyph, orthographic,
and perspective.
There is on-line help available that gives a quick description of each
of the commands that can be used to perform interactive manipulations of
the geometry in HYPERGEO. You can bring up the on-line help screen by
pressing '?'. Feel free to experiment with any of the commands listed
there, but remember that the documentation file HYPERGEO.DOC should be
referred to for a full understanding of the features of the program.
To exit from HYPERGEO and return to DOS, press 'Q'.
Section 4. Registering a Shareware Copy of HYPERGEO
HYPERGEO is not public domain or free software. It is a copyrighted
computer program that is made available and distributed as "shareware".
Shareware is a method of releasing commercial software products that
eliminates some of the problems that arise from traditional methods of
retailing. In particular, it allows the prospective customer who is
interested but hesitant an opportunity to try out the program and
evaluate it for free (or after paying at most a nominal fee for the cost
of the diskettes and their shipping). The recipient of a shareware copy
of a software product is licensed to use the program for a limited time
(typically 30 days) for the purpose of deciding whether or not it is
worth purchasing. At the end of that evaluation period, to avoid being
in violation of United States and international copyright laws, the user
is obliged to do one of two things:
1) cease using the program and never, ever use it again, ever;
or
2) send money.
Anyone receiving a complete and legal shareware copy of a software
product is free to (indeed, is encouraged to) make additional copies of
the product and distribute them to other prospective customers.
The registration price of HYPERGEO is $20. By paying this amount and
becoming registered customers, users of HYPERGEO will receive the
following benefits:
1) They will be shipped a copy of the latest version of HYPERGEO;
this is liable to contain fixes and features that are not yet
available in the shareware version.
2) They will receive a pair of red-blue "3-D" glasses that can be
used with the program's stereoscopic (anaglyph) display mode. The
glasses are of reasonably high quality plastic and are considerably
more comfortable and durable than typical cardboard 3-D glasses.
They are also considered more fashionable in most social circles
than Scotch-taping pieces of colored cellophane to your eyebrows.
3) Registered customers will receive priority treatment when
requiring technical support. In particular, any registered customer
who reports a major bug will receive a free fix as quickly as I can
program it.
4) Registered customers will be placed on the HYPERGEO mailing list
and will be notified of forthcoming upgrades to the program.
5) Registered customers will all have clear consciences and will
sleep like logs.
The file REGISTER.FRM, which is included with the HYPERGEO distribution
material, can be printed to create a blank form to use in registering.
(This form is also contained as an Appendix in the main documentation
file HYPERGEO.DOC.)
The $20 registration fee includes free shipping (U.S. mail) within the
U.S. and Canada. Massachusetts residents should add 5% for the state
sales tax. Payment should be made by check, payable to my name, Stuart
Esten. Cash is also OK.
For all orders outside the U.S. and Canada, add $5 for shipping.
Payment should be via an International Money Order denominated in
dollars. Cash is also acceptable for foreign orders; use the current
exchange rate as published in a major and reliable financial newspaper
and round up.
Section 5. Technical Support
I am currently unable to offer telephone support.
The quickest way to contact me is through my Compuserve address,
70521,1036. Messages posted there will usually be received daily.
General comments, suggestions, complaints, and miscellaneous
communications (not to mention registrations) can also always be sent by
mail to:
Stuart Esten
33 Banks Avenue
Lexington, MA 02173
USA