Title Page
   Laughs On Demand

Version 1.0 -- March 1994

Overview	What this program is all about.

Using the controls	How to use all of the buttons.

Setup	Configuring the program to your requirements..

The JOK file format	How to make your own joke files..

Registration	How to become a registered player.

Registration Form	The form to fill out.

Other Products	View a list of other products available.


Overview

The Joker is an application that gives you a laugh whenever you need it.  Just as your day is getting completely boring, a window will appear with a joke to break the ice.  If one joke doesn't do it for you, then press the Another button for more.  Once you're refreshed, you can press the Hide button and The Joker will go away for awhile.

The program is easy to use, and once setup to your liking, it will require no maintenance.  You can load different joke files, order more from the author, and even create your own.


Controls
Using The Controls

The following controls are available anytime the The Joker window is visible. To find out what each button does, just click on it with the mouse.


Setup

The way that The Joker works can be configured.  If you press the Setup button on the toolbar, the following dialog will be displayed.

Start Minimized

If this is checked, then The Joker window will not display when you run it.  Instead, an icon will appear on your desktop.  Just double click on it to show the window.

Joke Time

Select one of these buttons to tell The Joker when to pop up from it's iconized state and show you another joke.  If you do not want the window to pop up automatically, then select Don't Pop Up.

Select File

If you want to specify a new file for The Joker to use, press this button.  A common file selector dialog will be presented and you will be able to select a file to use.  Once you have chosen a new JOK file, it will be used by The Joker from then on.

Ok and Cancel

Press Cancel to leave things as they were when you entered the Setup dialog.  Press Ok to  make the selections permanent.


Format
The JOK file format

The JOK files that are included with the shareware version of  The Joker, as well as other JOK files that I distribute are compilations of jokes that have been posted in various online humor forums on networks such as FIDO and INTERNET.  These jokes are therefore in the public domain.  This means that I don't own the jokes, only the compilations that I have built using them.  You are free to copy these jokes for any purpose you require.  The Copy button on the toolbar is perfect for this.

You can create your own JOK files.  It's easy!  All you need is a text file containing jokes and a text editor to format in the following way.  Note that the text enclosed in parenthesis is not part of the file format, but is intended to comment on the information on the line.  For an actual example of how the format works, see any of the JOK files included with The Joker.

150   ( The number of jokes contained in the file )

This is the description of the Joke file   (It is displayed in the caption of the Joker window )

***JOKE***    ( This indicates the start of a joke.  Note that there are no spaces )

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?

A: To show the skunks it could be done!

***JOKE***    ( This indicates the end of a joke.  Note that there are no spaces )

(etc....  Be sure to include a ***JOKE*** after the last joke. )

When you save the text file, be sure to give it an extension of JOK so it will be shown by the file selector dialog in the Setup function.


Registration
Registering The Joker

The Joker is copyright 1994 by Bob Dolan

The Joker is distributed as shareware.  This means that if you regularly use the product and benefit from it, you should register with the author (address below).  The software you now have is not crippled in any way.  This indicates a basic trust of the shareware concept by myself and other shareware authors who provide useful products with the hope of some type of return for their efforts.  Basic registration is $10.

Please print the registration form and fill in the requested information.

You may reach me on GEnie at the following EMail address: DOLAN

Distribution

If you distribute The Joker to friends, associates, or to a computer bulletin board system (BBS),  you may only distribute the compressed file including the copyright and disclaimer.

Disclaimer

The Copyright Owner hereby disclaims all warranties relating to this software, whether express or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The Copyright Owner will not be liable for any special, incidental, consequential, indirect or similar damages due to loss of data or any other reason, even if The Copyright owner or an agent of The Copyright Owner has been advised of the possibility of such damages.  In no event shall The Copyright Owner's liability for any damages ever exceed the price paid for the license to use the software, regardless of the form of the claim.  The person using the software bears all risk as to the quality and performance of the software.


Reg Form
Registration Form

To print this registration form, open the File menu and select Print Topic.

Mail to:

Bob Dolan

P. O. Box 16514

Rochester, New York 14616-0514

Please register me as a satisfied user of The Joker  (ver 1.0):

Amount Enclosed:

$10 [  ]  Registration	No disk included

$15 [  ]  Register w/latest version.	[  ]3.5   [  ]5.25

AND 2 extra JOK files.

$___  [  ]  Additional JOK files

A $15 registration entitles you to receive the latest version of the Joker, plus TWO full length Joke files of your choice. Just circle the ones you want from the following list:

001 The Lawyer collection.	006 Funny answering machine messages

002 Office Humor	007 G rated humor No. 1

003 Computer Humor	008 G rated humor No. 2

004 Blonde Jokes	009 R rated humor No. 1

005 Love Humor	010 R rated humor No. 2

Additional JOK files can be ordered at the following rates:

3 for $10, 5 for $15, 8 for $20

For orders from outside of the U.S., please add $3 to cover additional postage.

Can you UNZIP files?  Yes________  No________

Name:_____________________________________________________

Address:___________________________________________________

City:______________________State:_______Zip:__________________

Phone(optional):_____________________________________________

GEnie/CompuServe/Internet mail address:_______________________

Where did you get The Joker ?________________________________

Comments:_________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________


Other Products
Other Products from Bob Dolan Software

DeskMenu --  A slimmed down Program Manager for Windows

An efficient replacement or addition to the Program Manager.  Provides a menubar at the top of the Windows desktop with menu headings defined by you to represent the categories of applications you typically need to access.  A simple interface allows you to customize the look and feel of this useful system utility.

Shareware.........$10

SCAT -- A strategic and daring card game

Don't get stuck with the lowest hand!  SCAT is a card game involving four players that can be as simple or challenging as you want.  Features include defining strategy levels, setting the game speed, and leaving the cards face up or face down as you play.  This game even includes conversational chit chat between the players!  Very addicting and fun!

Shareware.........$10

WinGo! --  The classic Bingo for Windows

Finally Bingo has arrived for Windows!  You match wits with Rosie, an alert and cunning adversary.  You can play with as many cards as you can handle at the speed you like.  Fully configurable to adapt to your playing style.  The registered version includes digitized voice calling for the most realistic Bingo play possible.

Shareware.........$10

WinDial -- A  Windows Phone Book that dials

An easy to use phone book that will automatically dial any selected number as long as you have a modem.  When a busy signal is detected, you can tell WinDial to retry until someone answers.  Other busy attempts can be placed into a queue, and all will be retried in order.

Shareware.........$10

Mister Clean -- Clean up your hard drive

One of the most efficient ways to clean up those hidden but unwanted or unused files that take up needed space.  A slick Windows 3.x user interface makes this utility a must have for your toolbox.  Mister Clean finds files the you specify and sorts them by size.  You click on the ones you want deleted and then off they go, one-by-one (to be safe) or all at once.  Not sure what the file is?  Then run it right from Mister Clean and check it out before dumping it!  Truly a unique way of managing precious disk space.

Shareware.........$10

<softWAREhouse> -- A warehouse for all of your software

<softWAREhouse> provides your system with the ability to access more applications than it can hold at one time.  This is made possible by storing installed applications offline until they are needed.  When required, they are put back on the user's machine in the same condition and location as they were when originally stored.  All of this power is surrounded by an easy to use point and shoot menu interface.

Shareware.........$15

Yacht-Z  --  A dice strategy game for Windows

Yacht-Z is a version of the classic dice game.  Now, in addition to triple scoring, single scoring is included for quicker, simpler games.  Due to popular request, up to four players can now play at one time.  A new look to all dialogs gives the program new life in the world of Windows 3.1

Shareware.........$10

BattleGrid -- War in a window -- Battleship for Windows 3.x

BattleGrid is a version of the classic board game.  Play against the computer or another person.  Watch the computer play against itself using different strategies.  Several levels of a computer opponent are available, from idiot to genius.

Shareware.........$10

MagnaFile -- A DOS user interface

MagnaFile is a DOS shell which is directed at a wide range of users from the DOS beginner to the most prolific DOS power users. MagnaFile provides services to the user to simplify access to DOS.  It also increases the efficiency of doing many of the more tedious operations DOS requires.

MagnaFile commands are carried out using a one-key interface.   Most operations are associated with a very obvious key, such as <C> for the Copy command.

The most useful utilities provided by MagnaFile are:

        For Single Files or Groups of Files:

            Copying

            Moving

            Deleting.

            Attributes

            Printing

        File Descriptions (40 characters)

        File Viewing & Editing

        File execution

        Disk navigation

        File & Directory Renaming

        File Archiving, Unarchiving, and Archive viewing

        Command line interface

        Mouse handling

        Screen saver and password protection

        Run programs from a smart menu interface

MagnaFile is similar to Norton Commander(NC). Users of this product say that MagnaFile will be an important tool on your computer, no matter what level user you are.

Shareware..........$20

Smart Solitaire -- The Smart way to play Solitaire

A text mode klondike solitaire card game which uses the mouse.  Features BOSS mode and smart playing features, such as automatic card placement in obvious situations.  Very addicting and fun!

Shareware.........$10


HS_Another
Another

Press this button to show another joke.  You can press it as many times as you need to!


HS_Hide
Hide

Press this button when you've seen enough.  The window will be reduced to an icon at the bottom of the desktop.  To show the window again, just double click on the icon.


HS_Close
Close

Pressing this button shuts down the Joker.


HS_Setup
Setup

To change the way that the Joker works, press this button.


HS_Copy
Copy

When you press this button, all of the text in the Joker window will be copied to the Windows clipboard.  You may then paste the text into another application.  To copy portions of the text to the clipboard, highlight the text you want using the mouse, and press Control-C.


HS_Help
Help

This is the button that you pressed to get into this online Help.


HS_About
About

If you press this button, you will see information about the program, such as the version and the author's name.  In addition, you can enter your registration number by pressing the Register button.