100% Cotton Software Association of Shareware Professionals Member RR 1 Box 1622 Hop Bottom, PA 18824 717-289-4019 CompuServe: 103051,603 Internet: tylutki@compuserve.com NFL FORECASTER 5.0 FOR WINDOWS 95 NFL CALENDAR 1.0 FOR WINDOWS 95 The following topics are contained in this file: 1. Introduction 2. Description of NFL Forecaster 5.0 3. Description of NFL Calendar 1.0. 4. Installing/uninstalling information. 5. Registration information. ----- 1. Introduction ----- NFL Forecaster and NFL Calendar are copyrighted shareware products; they are not freeware or public domain software. You can try them before you buy them and you are encouraged to give copies to others. If you use them after 30 days, you must register them. The unregistered versions of NFL Forecaster for Windows and NFL Calendar for Windows 95 are identical to the registered versions EXCEPT that the functions for preparing for a new NFL season (creating a new schedule, for example) will not save data to disk. You can, however, use them to see how they work. It's only fair that you cannot use the unregistered versions of the programs for more than one NFL season without registering them. User Groups, Computer Clubs, Disk and CD-ROM Vendors and Distributors, Subscription Services, Disk-of-the-Month Clubs, BBS SYSOPS, and other distributors should refer to VENDINFO.DIZ for complete information relating to them. ----- 2. NFL Forecaster 5.0 for Windows 95 ----- To predict the winners of football games, you must rank the opposing teams. Many elements may be taken into account, but only two things really matter: (1) a team's win/loss record which depends upon (2) the number of points scored by and against that team. USING ONLY SCORES, NFL Forecaster assigns each NFL team rankings, and uses them to predict winners and point spreads. It only takes 10 minutes a week to enter the scores and obtain forecasts! Over the previous 13 seasons, Forecaster declared only 10% of all games too close to call (even). It attempts to make a forecast for every game, not just "5-star specials" or "this week's picks." Of the 2,625 games it predicted winners for, it was correct 63% of the time and it correctly predicted the spread 58% of the times. For the 1991-92 season Forecaster hit 70% for winners and 66% for spreads. NFL Forecaster guides you step-by-step through the process of entering scores, forecasting spreads, saving data, viewing rankings and printing reports from the first game of the season through the Super Bowl. Forecaster is highly configurable and you can: open 6 different view windows; print 7 reports; print or view the NFL schedule; sort the rankings 8 ways; use team or city names. The registered version includes functions for preparing for a new season (creating a new schedule, for example). NFL Forecaster for Windows 95 is a completely rewritten version of NFL Forecaster for Windows 3.0/3.1 The prediction algorithm has been improved. Further, it is substantially easier to use: for example, new editing capabilities make it much easier to prevent and correct errors while entering scores and creating a new schedule. And an improved category rankings view enables you to highlight two teams to easily compare them in all eight categories. Users of earlier versions of NFL Forecaster should take a look at the Windows 95 version! NFL Calendar (see below) is included FREE with NFL Forecaster for Windows 95. ----- 3. NFL Calendar 1.0 for Windows 95 ----- NFL Calendar for Windows 95 is a perpetual desktop calendar that includes the current NFL schedule. Double-click on any day marked as an NFL game day and the schedule for that day pops up. You can also view and print the entire schedule or an individual team's schedule using city or team names. The registered version includes a function for creating a new schedule. NFL Calendar for Windows 95 is included at no extra charge NFL Forecaster for Windows 95. It may also be ordered separately. ----- 4. Un/Installing NFL Forecaster & NFL Calendar ----- --- INSTALLING More information about installing and uninstalling Forecaster and NFL Calendar is contained in the file INSTALL.TXT which you can read when you run the setup program (or with any word processor or editor). The setup program installs both NFL Forecaster and NFL Calendar. Files are installed only in the NFL Forecaster directory (the default directory is Program Files\Cotton\NFL), except for a single file, UNINST.EXE, which is placed in the Windows directory. UNINST.EXE is used to uninstall (see below) NFL Forecaster and NFL Calendar and other companies' products. The setup program does not make any changes to the config.sys or autoexec.bat files. --- UNINSTALLING More information about installing and uninstalling Forecaster and NFL Calendar is contained in the file INSTALL.TXT which you can read when you run the setup program (or with any word processor or editor). The uninstall program removes NFL Forecaster and NFL Calendar. It removes all files and Registry entries that were installed by the installation program (except for the uninstallation program itself; see above). It does not (cannot) remove files that were placed in the Forecaster directory after installation. The on-line help topic "Installing/Uninstalling NFL Forecaster for Windows" contains step-by-step instructions for removing NFL Forecaster and NFL Calendar from your computer system. ----- 5. Registration Information ----- You can register NFL Forecaster by mail, phone, fax or email using a check, money order, credit card or CompuServe account. The registration fee for NFL Forecaster 5.0 for Windows 95 (which includes NFL Calendar 1.0 for Windows 95) is $25.00. The registration fee for NFL Calendar 1.0 for Windows 95 (as a separate program without NFL Forecaster) is $15.00. WHEN YOU REGISTER, YOU WILL RECEIVE: 1. The latest version of NFL Forecaster for Windows 95. a. Main data file is current as of the day it's shipped. b. Does not have request-for-registration dialog box. c. The two seasonal tasks (create new schedule and zero main data file) will save the data to disk. 2. The latest version of NFL Calendar for Windows 95: a. Does not have request-for-registration dialog box. b. Create-new-schedule function will save the new schedule to disk. 3. Complete set of archive files: 10 years of scores, spreads & rankings. 4. A 25% discount coupon: toward purchase of first annual update disk (see on-line help for more information. 5. A $2.00 coupon: toward registration of any other Cotton Software product (see the file Products.txt). 6. Unlimited, life-time, free (not toll-free) telephone, email and mail support. 7. As a bonus, if you order by credit card through Public (software) Library (see below), you can save 80% on the latest PsL Shareware CD-ROM with thousands of the latest freeware and shareware programs for home and office. The CD-ROM normally sells for $30 plus shipping, but when ordering NFL Forecaster, you can get it for just $6 plus shipping with a full money-back satisfaction guarantee. 8. Teachers are over-worked and under-appreciated. Any teacher who registers directly to Cotton Software using his or her school letterhead will receive a $3.00 rebate. --- ORDERING DIRECTLY FROM COTTON SOFTWARE Send a check or money order for $25.00 (US dollars) to: 100% Cotton Software, RR 1 Box 1622 Hop Bottom, PA 18824 USA Orders from countries other than the United States, Canada and Mexico must add $3.00 for shipping and handling. There is a registration form at the end of the on-line help file. --- CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY You can order with MC, Visa, Amex, or Discover from Public (software) Library in the following ways: -- FAX: To 713-524-6398: ask for NFL Forecaster for Windows 95, version 5.0, product #11343 and please type or block print very plainly. -- Email: To PsL at "11343@pslweb.com" -- Mail credit card orders to PsL at P.O. Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705. -- Phone: PsL's operators are available from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CST, Monday-Friday at 800-242-4775 Ext. 11343 or at 713-524-6394 Ext.11343 The phone extension number above (11343) is PsL's order number for NFL Forecaster; it uniquely identifies NFL Forecaster. Be sure to use it when ordering; the order will be processed more quickly and efficiently. Be sure to tell the operator that you want the registered version of NFL Forecaster for Windows 95. --- CompuServe Account You can charge Forecaster's registration fee to your CompuServe account: - GO SWREG. - Select "Register Software." - Enter "15730" (the registration number for NFL Forecaster for Windows 95). - Select "Register." - Enter your name, address, etc. - Select "Send." CompuServe will notify us and we will ship the product directly to you (often the same day). July 1997