README CONTENTS PLANETWATCH 2.0 SHAREWARE                       May 25,1994

  What is PlanetWatch?
  System Requirements
  Registration
  Changes since version 1.0
  PlanetWatch Package Contents
  Installation
  In case of problems
  Known bugs
  Legal Mumbo Jumbo (Must read!)
============================================================================
WHAT IS PLANETWATCH?
PlanetWatch is a reference program that combines animated maps, color
photographs, and planetary information into an easy to use desktop atlas/
simulation of our Solar System.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
PlanetWatch 2.0 shareware requires an IBM compatible 286 or better, running
Windows 3.1, and at least an vga display.  (A 386-33 and a svga display are
recommended.)  To install and run properly, a minimum of 2mb of ram and
1.5 mb of hard disk space is also required.  (note: PlanetWatch 2.0 will
run in Windows 3.0 but Help and Atlas sections are unavailable)

REGISTRATION:
PlanetWatch 2.0 shareware has not been limited in any manner, there are no
time limitations or nasty "begware" requests.  All I ask is if you like it,
consider ordering the enhanced "Pro" version.  PlanetWatch 2.0 Pro has a
larger 256 color set of photo images, an enhanced atlas, and you also will
receive a "mini-manual".  Cost is $20 U.S. (includes shipping).  Online
registration will also be available via CompuServe.  GO SWREG and and
select id# 2693.

CHANGES SINCE VERSION 1.0x:
Several major additions and changes have been made since version 1.0:
A new "toolbar" user interface has been added, plotting of the Moon and
phases, an option which remembers your window size/position preferences,
international date formats are now supported, a new "status-bar" help
feature and more!  All of this and memory usage has also been trimmed and
PlanetWatch now requires much less disk space!  The installer has also
been dropped from the shareware distribution to make PlanetWatch smaller
and cheaper to download from CompuServe or other bbs.

PLANETWATCH 2.0 (SHAREWARE) PACKAGE CONTENTS:
In the zipped distribution you should find the following files...
earth.bmp	jupiter.bmp	mars.bmp	mercury.bmp
moon.bmp	neptune.bmp  	plnwch.exe	plnwch.hlp
pluto.bmp	readme.txt	saturn.bmp	sun.bmp
threed.vbx	uranus.bmp	vbrun200.dll	venus.bmp

Note: vbrun200.dll may not appear in all distributions of the PlanetWatch
shareware.  Some bbs's will assume you have vbrun200.dll and remove it to
make the distribution smaller.  PlanetWatch will not run without
vbrun200.dll installed.  You should be able to find it from wherever
you downloaded this distribution, ask your sysop if you cannot locate it.

INSTALLATION:

1) Unzip the PlanetWatch files to a directory called "PLNWCH" on your hard
   drive.

2) If it you don't already have it, copy the file VBRUN200.DLL to your
   \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory (if you are on a network you may not have a
   SYSTEM directory in which case you put it in your \WINDOWS directory).

3) If you don't already have it, copy the file THREED.VBX to your
   \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory (if you are on a network you may not have a
   SYSTEM directory in which case you put it in your \WINDOWS directory).

4) Install the PlanetWatch icon with the Windows Program Manager.  To do
   this, click on the group box you want to put PlanetWatch in.  Next select
   "File" from the Windows Program Manager menu, then select "New...".
   Click the button labeled "Program Item" then click the "OK" button.  A
   new dialog box will open, click the "browse" button, use the file dialog
   to find PlanetWatch (if you copied it to your c: drive and used the
   PLNWCH directory I suggested above then your path should be
   "c:\plnwch\plnwch.exe").  When you've located the file "plnwch.exe"
   highlight it and click "OK".  The PlanetWatch icon should now be
   installed in the group box.

5) Double-click the PlanetWatch icon to start PlanetWatch.

IN CASE OF PROBLEMS:
If you experience system lockups or other problems when attempting to run
PlanetWatch, check the following:

* Is your cpu a 286 or better?
* Are you using a VGA (or VGA compatible) graphics card?
* Are you using Microsoft Windows 3.1 or better?  The program itself will
  run under Windows 3.0 but the Help and Atlas will not display.  Behavior
  under Chicago(Win 4.0), Windows NT or OS2/Windows is unknown at this time.
* Are you using MSDOS 3.X or later?  (DRDOS behavior unknown at this time)
* Do you have at least 2mb of RAM memory installed?  4mb or more is better.
* Is Windows running in either STANDARD or ENHANCED mode? - check the
  Program Manager About box (within the Program Manager Help menu) - it will
  say what mode is being used (PlanetWatch will not run properly in Windows
  3.0 REAL mode).
* Are all PlanetWatch files in the appropriate directories?

Although every effort has been made to eliminate program bugs, there is
always something I may have overlooked.  I would appreciate your help in
making PlanetWatch better by reporting any problems you encounter.

Please contact me either via email or direct mail if you experience problems
with PLANETWATCH...

Internet:  galenr@hpgrla.gr.hp.com
Compuserve: 73717,510

Galen Raben
Raben Software & Graphics
P.O. Box 3317
Greeley, CO. 80633 USA

KNOWN BUGS
No known catastrophic bugs - depending on your configuration you could
see one of the following "odd behaviors"...  :-(
* With some 16-color display drivers, the PlanetWatch "diagnostic" help
  function may report "0 colors".  Although this report is incorrect, it
  does not affect normal operation of PlanetWatch in any way.
* It might be possible PlanetWatch could have problems discerning a custom
  international date format.  In this case it will default to "year month
  day" format.  At this time . - and / are not displayed in the date, this
  was intentional - perhaps next release?
* threed.vbx - there are several versions of this vbx out there, some of
  which may cause ODD 3-d shading effects within PlanetWatch dialogs and
  windows.  I'm looking at several fixes for this (and maybe eliminate
  using this vbx).
* During Beta testing, PlanetWatch showed some intermittant
  "forgetfullness" in the saved window sizes/positions with some fast
  486's.  I've reworked the code to try to fix this but it was terribly
  rare to begin with.  If you see this, try setting the window size and
  location and see if it occurs again.
  
NOW FOR THE (ACK! GAG!) LEGAL MUMBO JUMBO:
SOFTWARE LICENSE - Please read before using PlanetWatch!

You may use and distribute the shareware version of PlanetWatch as long as
you observe the following conditions...

PlanetWatch shareware must be distributed with all files complete, intact,
and unaltered (see the README.TXT file for a listing of files).

You may not distribute any part of the files and materials received in the
Pro version of PlanetWatch without the express written permission of the
author (Galen Raben).

No fee, charge, or other compensation may be requested or accepted beyond
reasonable cost for duplication without express written permission of the
author.

No one may modify, or patch the PlanetWatch files in any way, including but
not limited to decompiling, disassembling, or otherwise reverse engineering
the program.

No version of PlanetWatch may be distributed in conjunction with any other
product without a specific license to do so from the author.

PlanetWatch copyright (c) 1993,1994 by Galen Raben/Raben Software & Graphics
VBRUN200.DLL copyright (c) 1987-1992 Microsoft Corporation, Windows 3.0
and Windows 3.1 are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
 
A limited license is granted to distribute the shareware version of
PlanetWatch for trial use by others, subject to the above limitations.

LIMITED WARRANTY
In a nutshell you use this program at your own risk.

No warranty for PlanetWatch 2.0 Shareware is given or implied.  Galen Raben
(the author and his company) assumes no responsibility for any damage, loss
of data, or loss of income (including without limitation damages for loss of
business profits, business interruption, loss of business information and
the like) arising from the use or inability to use this product even if the
author has been advised of the possibility of such damages. In no event will
the author be liable for any amount exceeding the fee paid directly to the
author for this program, if any.

Use of this product for any period of time constitutes your acceptance of
this agreement and subjects you to its contents.
