***** MicroQwk ver 1.2 ***** Offline Mail Reader copyright 1993 by Joe Hardy Microduc Software 2111 38th St Des Moines, Iowa 50310 MicroQwk version 1.2a release date : October 31, 1993 MicroQwk ver 1.2 page : 1 *** SHAREWARE NOTICE *** MicroQwk and its associated files are not free. They are distributed under the Shareware concept. You are hereby granted a limited license to try this software for a period not to exceed 30 days. If you find it useful and wish to continue to use MicroQwk, you must register it with Microduc Software (see REGISTRATION). Otherwise you must delete the program and its files. You are encouraged to distribute this program to as wide an audience as possible, as long as all files are included and in their original, unaltered form. MicroQwk may not be sold or bundled with any commercial program without permission from Microduc Software. Microqwk is distributed as is. Microduc and it's suppliers disclaim all other warranties, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, with regard to the SOFTWARE and any accompanying written materials. NO LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. In no event shall Microduc or it's suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever (including without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or any other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use this Microduc product, even if Microduc has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Because some states/countries do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitation may not apply. ** Use of this software implies acceptance of the terms of this agreement.** MicroQwk ver 1.2 page : 2 ** Operation of MicroQwk ver 1.2 ** *** System Requirements *** 1. Requirements for this program are an IBM compatible AT or better and an EGA/VGA video system displaying 16 color or b/w, 80 column, 25 line text. 2. A Microsoft compatible mouse is optional, but recommended. 3. This program has been tested with DOS 5.0 and above. 4. Microqwk version 1.2 does not operate under Microsoft Windows. NOTE : MicroQwk may not run on all Systems that conform to the above requirements. *** MicroQwk must be configured in order to operate properly. *** Configuration Though Microqwk will operate without a configuration file, you will not have access to all of it's features if you don't configure. You should confirm all default settings or change to a specific configuration of your own before you attempt to open and read mail. ― Directories MicroQwk uses the startup directory as your default download, work, reply, and save areas. Please note that if you decide to change these default settings, Microqwk will not create your directories for you, they must exist. However, Microqwk supplies the name of a temporary work directory that will be created in the work area when you run this program and removed when you quit the program. When a mail packet has been opened, you may not change either the work area or the work directory, however all other directories may be modified. This will allow you to acquire Qwk packets from different directories without having to restart your program. ― Compression Presently, Microqwk offers three choices of compression programs that may be used: PKZIP, LHA, and ARJ. These programs must be included in a directory that is specified in your AUTOEXEC.BAT PATH statement. PKZIP is the default compression program and is noted in the menu. ― Editor Microqwk uses DOS's EDIT as the default editor. Should you decide to change this default setting, your Editor must be included in a directory that is specified in your AUTOEXEC.BAT PATH statement. Your Editor must be able to accept a command line that specifies a file to edit. MicroQwk ver 1.2 page : 3 Configuration Continued ― Terminal A terminal progragm may be specified in the Terminal Configuration section, enabling you to call your BBS directly from MicroQwk. It requires a command statement and the path where your terminal program may be found. If you have configured a terminal progarm and wish to automatically go to your terminal program when you start Microqwk, include "/t" or "/T" to your startup command. ( eg. MICROQWK /t ). ― Tagline You may edit and save a single tag line that will be appended to all messages you compose in Microqwk. ― Quote Style When you reply to a message, Microqwk will quote the previous message. There are two different styles of quotes that you may choose from: Initials are probably the most widely used style, and is the default style for Microqwk. ( eg. JH> ) An Outline style is also available: ( eg. ΝΝΝ quoting [Sender] ΝΝΝΝ ΥΝΝΝΝΝΝ to [Recipient] ΝΝΝ Ÿrom a message on 10-22-93 " ΝΝΝΝΝΝ ³ ³ ΤΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝ " end of quote ΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝ ) ― Color Choose Color or B/W screens. Defaults to B/W. ― Saving Your Configuration Choosing Save from the configure Menu allows you to save your current configuration to MicroQwk's start up directory. This configuration file will be read and your settings made useable every time you run Microqwk. MicroQwk ver 1.2 page : 4 Main Menu Bar ― using the Keyboard To access any of the options from the Main Menu Bar press the Alt key plus the first letter of the option. Alt-F for the File option, Alt-M for Mail and so on. On drop down menus use the arrow keys to hilight the option, press to select. Press to cancel any operation. ― using a Mouse To access any of the options from the Main Menu Bar position the mouse on your selection, and click the Left Button to hilight. Double-click to select. For drop down menus, you may select an option by positioning the mouse cursor on your selection, and clicking the Left Button to hilight that selection. Double-click to select the option. On some selection menus there will be an Ok and Esc button which you may select by Left clicking on them. Clicking the Right Button represents an escape, canceling the current operation. File Menu ― Open You must Open a Qwk packet before you can read messages that it contains. You will be able to choose from files with a .qwk extension that are currently in your download path. If you have a reply packet in your save area that corresponds to the BBS packet you are opening, you will be asked if you would like to add new messages to it. Press to add new messages to the saved reply packet, or press any other key to start a new reply packet. ― Close Open Qwk packets will be closed when you open a different packet, when you choose Close, or when you quit Microqwk. Any reply messages will be gathered, packed with the current compression program and placed in your Save area where they may be uploaded to the BBS. ― Opening Screen Many BBS's send their Opening screen with the Qwk message packet. Choose this option to view the Opening screen. If the file is an ANSI screen you will need to have the ANSI system loaded in order to view the screen properly. ― Bulletin Screen Many BBS's send a Bulletin screen with the Qwk message packet. Choose this option to view the Bulletin screen. If the file is an ANSI screen you will need to have the ANSI system loaded in order to view the screen properly. ― Closing Screen Many BBS's send their Closing screen with the Qwk message packet. Choose this option to view the Closing screen. If the file is an ANSI screen you will need to have the ANSI system loaded in order to view the screen properly. MicroQwk ver 1.2 page : 5 File Menu Continued ― Shell to Dos In order to do file maintainence it is sometimes necessary to go to the DOS prompt. Choose Drop to Dos to go to the Dos prompt. Type "EXIT" to return to Microqwk. ― Exit Quit Microqwk. Mail Menu ― About QWK Mail The QWK_format, copyright 1987 by Sparkware, has become a widely used standard for transfer of message base information. MicroQwk Reader ver 1.1 utilizes this format to allow reading and sending messages to both local and networked boards that also support the QWK format. ― Qwk Mail Choose Qwk Mail to read and reply to the mail in your open Qwk Packet. Options while in Qwk Mail F1 Help screen F4 Export message as a text file F5 Send a message to any conference F6 Reply to the current message (up and down arrows) Scroll through the current message (left and right arrows) Scan to next or previous message ESC Quit to Choose Conference Using a mouse in Qwk Mail When using a mouse, you may use the button bar at the bottom of the screen. Position the cursor on any of the features noted on the button bar and click the Left Mouse button. For all mouse operations clicking the Right Mouse button represents an escape, and will remove you to the Choose Conference Menu. Special Spitfire BBS Feature while in Qwk Mail MicroQwk now supports the "Delete Previous" feature, an exclusive feature of Spitfire Bulletin Board Systems copyright by Buffalo Creek Software. If Microqwk detects that the current Qwk packet is from a Spitfire BBS, the user will be asked if they would like to delete the "previous" (reference) message that they are replying to. This feature only applies if you are replying to a message, and is not available when you choose to "Send" a message. MicroQwk ver 1.2 page : 6 Mail Menu Continued ― Send a message Messages may be sent from the Mail menu without having to first choose and enter Qwk Mail. You will need to choose the conference that the message will be posted, then enter the name of the person that you wish to receive the message and the subject of the message. When you have completed your message and saved it you will be asked if you want the message to be marked "Public" or "Private" or whether you would like to cancel the message. If you decide to send the message you will also be asked if the message should be marked as "Local Echo" or "Net Mail". ― Read Text As an alternative to the Qwk Mail option, you may convert the entire Qwk Packet to a text file and view or edit it with your editor. ― Save Text This option allows you to save a Qwk packet that had previously been opened and converted to a text file, or to convert and save an open Qwk packet in one operation. ― Terminal A terminal progragm may be specified in the Terminal Configuration section, enabling you to call your BBS directly from MicroQwk. It requires a command statement and the path where your terminal program may be found. If you have configured a terminal progarm and wish to automatically go to your terminal program when you start Microqwk, include "/t" or "/T" to your startup command. ( eg. MICROQWK /t ). Instructions for Text Entry For any text entry operation : Ctrl-X - Clear entire entry Backspace - Delete last entered character - Confirm entry - Cancel operation For Mouse Users In text entry mode pressing the Left Button accepts the entry, the Right Button cancels the operation. MicroQwk ver 1.2a If you are a registered user please include all information that might be relevent to the problems you are encountering with MicroQwk. You should include this list when you request support. System Software and version Number: ______________________________________ Type of Computer: _____________________________________________ Memory installed: _____________________________________________ TSR's: _____________________________________________ Type of Monitor: _____________________________________________ Video Card: _____________________________________________ Editor you Use: _____________________________________________ Terminal Program you Use: _____________________________________________ Problems that occurred when you used this program: Suggestions for improvements or additions: Thank you... Messages can be sent to me on Buffalo Creek BBS, on CircuitNet or by slow mail: Joe Hardy Microduc Software 2111 38th St Des Moines, Iowa 50310 Registration for Microqwk Offline Mail Reader ver 1.2 TO: FROM: Microduc Software Name: __________________________________ 2111 38th St. Des Moines, IA 50310 (Company): __________________________________ (Title): __________________________________ Address: __________________________________ City,State: __________________ _____ _________ Zip Code Country: _________________________ Phone Number: _________________________ Fax _________________________ *** MicroQwk version 1.2 *** Registration Fees * 5.25 Diskette with Documentation for one computer ...... $5. ______ ( add $1 extra per 3.5 diskette ) ______ * Commercial site license for the use of MicroQwk (Includes 3.5 and 5.25 diskette with programs & documentation files.) 2 to 15 computers ... at $4 each # computers ___x 4 ______ 15 to 49 computers ... at $3 each # computers ___x 3 ______ 50 or more computers... at $2.50 each # computers ___x 2.50 ______ plus Shipping and Handling.. $ 4.00 Total ................. $ ______