NETPIC Version 3.02 README
    ==========================

    JIM TUCKER þ SOFTWARE
    4/635 Brighton Road, Seacliff, South AUSTRALIA 5049
    Internet: jtucker@byron.apana.org.au +61 8 377 1175

    For a quick start do this:

        NETPIC SAMPLE
        Run SAMPLE.COM (it will display a picture)
        Edit SAMPLE.NPX (a text file) and display the same picture

    The program is free with only two restrictions (1) You cannot sell 
    it (2) You cannot use it for commercial purposes. You can register 
    ($20) and get a GIF picture of yourself (or anything else) and a big 
    collection of GIF pictures suitable to NETPIC and email. The 
    registered version also includes information on using Image Alchemy 
    to scale pictures. Thank you.

    This packages contains:

         NETPIC.TXT      This file
         NETPIC.COM      The program
         NPX2GIF.COM     NETPIC to GIF
         *.GIF           Sample GIF files

    The file NETPIC.DOC is contained in NETPIC.COM. To extract it simply 
    enter NETPIC -DOC. Enclosing the documentation in the program serves 
    several purposes. (1) It can't get lost. (2) You can mail the 
    program without worrying about extra files (3) It saves space (the 
    documentation is compressed).

    NPX2GIF.COM
    ===========

    This is new with vesion 2.0. The name describes it. Feed it a NETPIC 
    file and it spits out a GIF file. Enter NPX2GIF for instructions. 
    (Version 2.00 will convert both 3->4 and 4->5 encoded files).

    THE SAMPLE GIF FILES
    ====================

    JIMBO.GIF : I have edited this picture to fit in the small NETRUN 
    email package. The picture started life as a 250K PCX image.

    PANIC.GIF : A tiny file with a message, ideal for e-mailing to both 
    friends and enemies.

    SAMPLE.GIF : This picture was cropped using Neopaint. The original 
    is on SimTel /gif/parrot.gif.

    COMPARE.GIF : Here's the difference between simple reduction and 
    quantizing. The registered version of NETPIC uses Alchemy to produce 
    quantized scaling.
    
    JIM.GIF : Me! The original is a 640x768 PCX image which has been 
    cropped and converted to GIF using GWS. The words were added with 
    Neopaint.

    CHANGES TO VERSION 3.02
    =======================

    NETPIC (when registered) includes quantized scaling using ALCHEMY 
    from Handmade Software, Inc. It uses the free demonstration version 
    of Alchemy which is available at many ftp sites, including SimTel. 

    NETPIC will also read GIF files with the extension .NIF. These are 
    the same as GIF but this allows you to keep a high-resolution 
    version and a 320x200 version of a picture with the same filename.

    Removed -U (UN-encode) option. The -U functions is fully implemented 
    in NPX2GIF. The -U option now UUEncodes a file.

    The -df (display with filename) option now displays the dimensions 
    and file size.

    Added extended help for options when keying the option without a 
    filename.

    -X and -Y now do intelligent color blending. You may specify the 
    range. This prevents white pixels replacing black and produces a 
    much better image.

    NETPIC now handles wildcard filenames by passing a command line to 
    COMMAND.COM. This is virtually the same as keying:
    FOR %N IN (filespec) DO NETPIC -options %N \TARGET_PATH\

    Changed the decode header. All lines are now 64 characters wide. 

    CHANGES IN VERSION 2.00
    =======================

    This is the first release using 4->5 encoding. Previous versions 
    used 3->4 encoding similar to UUE where three bytes = four ASCII 
    characters. UUE increases a file's size by 35 percent. 4->5 encoding 
    uses lower case and increases the size by only 27 percent. (Purists 
    might like to know it is really bit stream mod 91 which is even more 
    efficient than 4->5). NETPIC 4->5 will now handle GIF files of ~50K 
    (previously 45K).

    For those who truly believe 3->4 UUEnocding is more reliable it is 
    retained using the -3 option. NPX2GIF will decode both.

    CHANGES IN VERSION 1.4
    ======================

    NETPIC now detects if Windows is running. It provides an appropriate
    message instead of flashing the help screen and returning to Windows.

    CHANGES IN VERSION 1.3
    ======================

    -z   Option added (omit header from NPX files)
    -i   Added information (display size, converted size etc)
    -u   UN-decodes (extracts) COM files from NETPIC (NPX) files
    -w -e  Options deleted

    This version of NETPIC will not convert COM files to executable 
    text files. This option is now available in a separate program 
    (where it really belonged in the first place). The program is NETRUN 
    and available on ftp and BBS sites where you find UUEncoders. It is 
    better than NETPIC 1.0 because it will convert EXE files as well as 
    COM files. It can also be used as a self-extracting file. It is the 
    same price as NETPIC. Free. 

    -s Scaling option deleted

    This version of NETPIC automatically scales a picture larger than 
    320x200. The code for scaling was originally written in C. It is now 
    in assembler (thereby reducing NETPIC by about 30K!)

    HINTS
    ~~~~~
    NETPIC can be used to view your 320x200 GIFs. For a smooth display 
    use this: NETPIC -DV *.GIF >NUL  After processing NETPIC will check
    the video mode and reset it to text if necessary. You can use -DnnV 
    to time the pictures. Ctrl-Break to abort.

    
    FTP SITES
    ~~~~~~~~~
    Don't forget you will find the latest version of NETPIC and NETRUN 
    and other programs: ftp://kludge.byron.apana.org.au/pub/jtsoftware
    All bug reports and suggestions welcome: At this time I have two 
    email addresses: Mail to jtucker@adam.com.au is valid but forwarded 
    to: jtucker@byron.apana.org.au.
    
    JT - 28 May 1995