Technical Information

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Viewing Requirements

All of the HTML information on Dave Taylor's African Safari CDROM are viewable with any World Wide Web browser that supports HTML 3.2. However, this CDROM was specifically designed for use with either Netscape Navigator 4.0 or later or Internet Explorer 4.0 or later.

The content on this CDROM is designed to be viewed locally. That is, you DO NOT need an active Internet connection to view the HTML files contained herein. You DO need to use a web browser program that supports HTML 3.2 to view the files. The difference is that the files are stored on this CDROM not elsewhere on the Internet. When you use your browser to view files stored on your computer, you are "viewing a local document". When you use your browser to view files NOT stored on your computer, you are "viewing a networked document."

Web Browsers are easy to obtain if you do not have one already. Often, they are made freely available when their use will be restricted to educational purposes. This is the case with the above browsers. In fact, Microsoft has promised that its Internet Explorer browser will always be free! Clicking on either name above will take you to the download instructions page for that browser. You will be assured of getting the "latest and greatest" version.

Adjusting Fonts in your Web Browser

Your display resolution can be set to 1024x768 or 800x600 or 640x480. The information on this CDROM was specifically designed to be viewed at ANY of these resolutions. In any event, you might wish to adjust the base font size so that the text is easier to read. If you are using Netscape Navigator, you can use the following hotkeys to change the base font size: to increase the size of the font, hit Ctrl-] or to decrease the font size, hit Ctrl-[. You can also access these commands via the pull down menu under View.

If you are using Internet Explorer, then you need to locate the Font button on the tool bar near the top of the screen. A menu of possible font sizes will appear below if you click this button.  "Medium" is the default and is recommended for viewing the CDROM.

Using the "ead to Me"  Feature
(in the Primary Books)

To use the "read to me" feature in the primary versions, simply click on the yellow button that precedes the text. A small audio window will appear on your screen with special controls.  The text will be automatically read to you.  You must have an audio card and speakers to use this feature (see Multimedia Requirements below). You can play, pause, or stop the audio by using the controls in the window. You can also play the audio as many times as you wish.  When you are finished listening to the text, close the window by hitting Alt+F4 or, in Windows95, click the "X" in the upper right-hand corner of the window.

Multimedia Requirements

Minimum Requirements

Using the Multimedia PC Working Group specification guidelines for multimedia PCs (MPC), your computer must be at least MPC2 compliant to use the LifeStories CDROM. You can certainly access the information on the CDROM using your browser without being MPC2 compliant, but you might not be able to access certain elements, such as audio for the "EAD" feature in the Primary versions.

MPC2 compliant computers meet the following specifications:

Processor	486 25MHz or compatible
RAM	4 MB
Display	VGA, 16-bit color
CDROM Drive	2X (300 KBps)
Sound board	16-bit
Speakers	yes

For Best Results...

Please keep in mind that an MPC2 compliant computer meets the minimum requirements for viewing the LifeStories CDROM. Here is what we recommend for best results:

Processor	486DX133 or Pentium Class
RAM	16 MB minimum
Display	SVGA, 16-bit color
CDROM Drive	8X minimum; 24X on a network
Sound board	16-bit
Speakers	yes

Adjusting Color Depth

Although the visual information on this CDROM is viewable using 256 colors (8 bit), recommended color depth is 65536 colors (16 bit) or more to ensure maximum image quality. The make and model of your monitor and display adapter determine the maximum number of colors that can appear on your monitor at one time. Therefore, you might be limited in the number of colors you can display. Check the control panel settings of your operating system for your display properties.

  
  Copyright © 1999
  Dave Taylor & James Cash
  All rights reserved.

Netscape Navigator is a trademark of Netscape Communications Corporation.
Internet Explorer is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.