The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 31

28 THI AQE TUESDAY 30 AUGUST 1 994 8 COMPUTER AGE Ancient Egypt brought to Adding a new dimension to reading RDM life on Microsoft's CD- Broderbund's Living Books Framework is an excellent teaching aid. Bruce Dixon reports. KB? I Win a CD-ROM disc Eim I Mrj? 1 P7 It) lfM THERE has been a lot of talk about the Living Books series from Broderbund ever since the first title, 'Grandma and Me', was released on CD-ROM nearly two years ago. The medium gave children's stories a whole new life, and has caused both teachers and parents to reflect on the value of such a format for books. The idea of presenting a book in an identical format on a computer screen was ambitious enough in itself, but to then give it -interactivity together with sound and music was a whole new idea that left many unsure as to its soundness.

Some people saw it simply as a form of interactive cartoon, while others have described the Living Books series as little more than a talking book. The reaction from teachers has been equally mixed, ranging from those who thought it added another dimension to literature, to those who believed buying a class a set of each of the titles would have been cheaper and more worthwhile. I think the latter view is certain- ly a little harsh, and certainly the ongoing release of new titles in the Living Books series, and their respective sales, are probably a testament to the view that the majority of users believe they do have something to offer our young readers. Since 'Grandma and Me', Broderbund have released 'Arthur's Teacher Trouble', 'The Kid on the Block' and, most recently, 'The Tortoise and the Hare' and 'Little Monster at School', as part of the Living Books series. The format with all these is similar: they are based on a well-known children's picture book, recreated on a CD-ROM, which llows for user interaction.

They are all now available for both Mac and Multimedia PCs and sell individually for $89.95. )ust recently though, Broderbund have taken the educational aspects of the packages a step further and produced a substantial set of supplementary material for teachers called the Living Books Framework. This is a collection of integrated teaching materials for each of the first four Living Books titles, presented in a handy three-ring binder. The collection also includes each of the'; a COMPUTERS SYSTEM NETWORK original picture storybooks, several other books, and a tape of the author of 'The New Kid on the Block', Jack Prelusky, reading the poems from that The Framework kit commences with articles listed under "a Book Lover Approaches the and explores a number of issues that teachers and parents raise in relation to this approach to learning. While I would have thought that many of the topics raised, particularly those pertaining to thematic units and the like, would be almost foreign to American teachers, such an approach is very popular in Australian schools.

The ongoing popularity of adventure games such as the Carmen series, Flowers of Crystal and Dragon World are evidence of that, which is why 1 suspect The Living Books style of book will become very popular in Australian classrooms, once schools have regular access to CD-ROMunits. Each of the sections relating to each of the four books com- mences with technical tips and tricks for teachers, a curriculum matrix, thematic unit, and a range of classroom activities for areas such as language arts, reading, writing and maths. The activities are quite structured and would be welcomed by teachers just starting out. More competent teachers might want to simply pick up some of the key concepts and build their own lessons. Technical tips cover some previously undocumented features of the program, such as the ability to switch between languages while running the packages by simply pressing 1 for 2" for Spanish or 3 for Japanese in 'Grandma and It also explains how the individual screen can be captured and then to 8 2 3e IJ 6 positions.

SENIOR an For please way they create a new dimension to children's literature. I also think there are some quite different things we could be doing with these sorts of packages, but our training and upbringing is probably stopping us from thinking laterally enough. I'm our kids don't suffer from the same problems, given easily exported into packages such as Kid Pix. Overall the Framework kit would be as good an investment for any school, as the individual packages would be for a home machine. Whether at home or school, if you've got a CD-ROM unit and you haven't already bought a Living Books title, do so soon.

I'm sure they more than educate, Jbut either first use of Arthur, when she immediately jumbled the words on the page to click out sentence "the teacher was a The Living Books Framework is available either with the four CD- ROMs for $489.95 or without for $1.79.95, and can be ordered from your local educational reseller. For further details, phone Dataflow, on' 02 310 2020 ot vii foll-j free fax IN DAYS gone by, women of ancient Egypt used to place cones of perfumed animal fat on their heads that would slowly soften and ooze into a mucky clump of sweet-smelling hair and grease. How delightful. About the same time, and in the same place, people were given the death sentence for killing cats. To the.

Egyptians, cats represented gods. What an awful lot of terminated careless drivers we would have on our hands today if we still treated pussy cats with the same lack of respect. Such was life in Ancient Egypt, and this is portrayed so vibrantly in Microsoft's newest Home brand title, Ancient Lands. The life and 'times of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome are cleverly catalogued on this CD-ROM which, although it may suffer from hyperlink overkill, certainly gives you every opportunity to ex-, plore all the nooks and crannies, without losing your plate. If you go into one area and want to explore one of six hyper- 1 links on screen, your first screen remains in the backgrpund at all times, unless the hyperlink re-' quires you to exit the area alto-, gether and go somewhere new, at which point, it asks your permission to do so.

And rightly so. How many times have 1 led myself down a garden path of inquiry, only to find my steps irreversible and have to start again from the beginning of the maze. Lots. Microsoft animates this into history by use of narrators people of the times who' happen to speak modern-day American. You can have a guided tour of any land, given from the perspective of say, an Egyptian boy, an em-balmer's daughter, or Hatshep-sut, the matriarch of radical ferrii-nism and the first woman pharaoh.

If you prefer to explore alone, the application is divided into three main categories: monuments and mysteries; people and politics; work and play. There is an index to help you shuffle through the plethora of facts and trivia covered, but the index tends to cover general topics like "Growing up in Egypt" under the listing, instead of listing panic-. ular names or places or things. Each screen is well illustrated using the earthy colors of the times and there are plenty of sound clips to help with pronunciation of "words and special Animations are used to demon strate things like how to draw "Egyptisuf are. included whereever Among the video clips you win find footage of the Queen of the aka Elizabeth Taylor, in her role in the Hollywood movie, 'Cleopatra'.

j. Ancient Lands is priced at $115 and is available from retail stores that stock the Microsoft Home brand. Lisa Mitchell Also in The Age EVERY Thursday, The Age offers yet another window on the fascinating world of computing in The Green Guide. Don't miss it for news of home computing, small business operations, and what's going on in the world of multimedia entertainment, games and much else. This is the place to get the smartest cheats in computer games through the Phyllida Fit-Gerald's Game Buster column.

There's nothing better to get you right up in the mega-scores. with Peter Smith Box Alice Bonny Chios Daisy Eliza Freda NECKTOP sound and animation into programs. The book covers the entire Windows Multimedia API and explains how to write and code for accessing multimedia' features It also reveals how to create special effects and develop cusT-tom VBX controls. The CD-ROM included contains the source code and executables featured in' the book, special evaluation. copies of Microsoft Viewer 2.0 and Asymetrix Multimedia Book, sample multimedia con- trols and Video for Windows' run- lime files.

'Ray Tracing World with POV- Ray' (White Group Press, $89.95, -ISBN 1-878739-64-6) provides a glimpse at how the experts make photorealistic scenes come to life' on your PC. Included on two-ac-. companying disks is the latest version of the popular freeware POV-Ray 2.2 ray tracing, plus the. Moray wireframe modelling program. For the Mac 'How Desktop Publishing Works' (ZD $49.95) is one of the beauti- fully illustrated 'How it -series from Ziff Davis (others include 'How Macs Work' 'and 'How Computers Work').

This book is an excellent reference for libraries and schools or organisa-i-tions whose staff are involved in; the various aspects of desktop" publishing. Desktop publishing, as it points out, started in 1985, with the con- -vergence of the Macintosh, the' LaserWriter, PostScript and PageMaker. Vk. The main sections of the book cover page layout and. type, graphics, color, hardware and pre-press.

Much of the informal; tion (produced on Macintoshes) can be gleaned from the lavish il-. lustrations, which are more like; hand-colored art than Illustrator, drawings. -r Peter Green You can win a copy of 'It's-Time to Clean Your Windows' by completing the Necktop puzzfe-below ana sending it off to Peter'-Smith. COMPUTEBU Mouitim a ctMeurTiM ChariM Wright chartes9theage.com.au CompuServe 75300,2714 Use MttcheH lmitchUioage.com.au CompuServe' 76711,1215 rodtheage.conS.au Jd6owtM ''r-' Jededna.vut.edu.au CMwrsurf cvbersurftheage.com.au George Skartwk gskarbeHmelbpc.org.au Ash NaNawalla ashrtjelbpc.org.au Bnjc) Dixon CompuServe 100026,2146 PhMp Bortolus CompuServe 100236,2752 Scott Petty scottcomtech.ct.oz.au NaN Stokes reptilevnet.ibm.com Peter Westmore vmugpzonllne.com.au Brian Livingstone vmugozonllne.com.au Me Tnscowthlck CompuServe 100012,3353 Stove PoMt polakacdeakin.edu.au Dorian Black s9101524tiger.vut.edu.au Paul-Michael Agapow agapowlatc8l.oz.au Jason Romnay jromneywerple.apana.org.au 1. Each hen laid a different number of eggs.

2. Freda was the only hen to lay the same number of eggs as her box number. 3. No eggs were laid by the hen to the right of Eliza. 4.

Bonny laid more eggs than Alice and Eliza combined. 5. Daisy was on Chloe's right, Chloe was three nests to the left of Bonny. 6. Alice was the next left to Eliza, and laid one more egg than Eliza.

Hint Right is as you face the nests. Thank you id all the readers who take the time to Write. The volume of responses makes it impossible to reply individually to all of you. Last week's results Last week's winner was Peter Dove from Mitcham. Solution The cow Is of the bovine Qk; i One end is moo, the other milk; ON POSITIVE NOTE OUR, HEADCOONT EXPENSES ARE TRENDING DOWNWARD." ocrrrrn Cl A CONSULTANT Long term contract available for an experienced person, Executive Contracts to worK tor a leaning venoor company-Required sound Unix 0S knowledge system admin, and network experience HP-UX knowledge customer focus Interesting and rewarding position for a well-presented professional.

tf you are intereited, please fai your resume to Marie Richmond on 103) 820 1342, or phone (03) 820 9433 for We have one copy of Ancient Lands, courtesy of Microsoft, to give away. Address entries to the Ancient Lands Competition, cl- Computer Age, 441 St Kllda Rd, Melbourne, 3004 by this Friday, Include your name, address, and day-time telephone number on the back of the envelope. The 'winner will be announced In this section of next week's Computer Age. Last weeks winner of the Rock Rap'n Roll CD-ROM from'Sega Ozlsoft Is D. Clark of Ashburton.

'It's Time to Clean Your Windows' (John Wiley Sons, $89.95. ISBN 0-471-60668-5) may sound like spring house cleaning but the subtitle 'Designing GUIs That Work' puts you on the right track.1 This is a book for programmers and multimedia developers who are interested in designing "functional, picture-perfect" GUIs. The author, Wilbert O. Galiti, described On the book jacket, as an ergonomics expert, explains now tne eye reacts to colors, cascading windows, overlays and text placement. Using examples of both well-designed and poorly designed screens, he shows what works in screen what does Galitz's previous books were itt.

rtrrz 'a 1 i and i'User-Irrterfate Screen. Design, 4th Edition V. "i 'Multimedia Developer's Guide' (SAMS Publishing, $109.95, ISBN 0-672-30160-1) acts as a tutorial for programmers who want to know now to turn Windows ,3.1 programs into multimedia applications. It demonstrates, by example, how to put 4 A 1 i 'tHIWV r.f.?:r Presenting a clearer view for programmers. USING just your personal neck-top computer, and a few minutes of your tea or coffee-breaks, you could win this week's copy of 'It's Tune to Clean Your Lucky Clucky Farmer Joe has six hens, each with her own nesting box.

One morning, he noticed that they had produced IS eggs between them. One hen had laid only one, a double-yolker. Which hen laid it, and where was it found? MAYBE 100 SHOULD BE A LITTLE. MORE. OP BEAT IN TOUR.

REPORT. EMPHASIZE the positive in -is further information. 3S 2 2 PROJECT MANAGER months Fujitsu to IBM conversion. CONSULTANTACCOUNTANT Experience implementing financial packages. Contract and permanent PROJECT MANAGERS Manufacturing experience, formal methodology.

Open eystems knowledge advantage. Large new project. further information in strict confidence, telephone Tim Stevens on (03) 623 6666. If you prefer, forward a brief resume to our Melbourne office on fax (03)6291141. my nve-yeai-oio reaction ji her as400 ANALYSTPROGRAMMERS $40,000 $60,000 PA Wa have a variety ol exciting position! offering ntw development and rewarding career opportunrV ties in exceptional AS400 site.

Pleas cmil John Hamilton In confidence (03)8661866 561 5106 (AH) Computer Careers U31 St. Klldt Rd Uelb 3004 par IT ISN'T called 'might compulsive version which is Computer It and times computer. want to popping The more suggests your break. the keyboard time off. We're My agent, United 0011 1 314 Stickies! of your screen The Lite notes, each with for each scroll bar.

I've found upgrade ,30 active MAPI on a automatic low-windows Registration the Lite Pro version. Glass NY, or Incidentally, and EaacuttnSriKtlonSSurch ue.ri Laval 2, 4S9 Colllnt Malb. Ptl 623 6666. Fa 6291023 Kerridge is a software company, based in the CBD, specialising in the marketing, development and support of application software for the transport, leasing and fleet management industry. We need a person who has Experience in BASIC and structured programming Solid working knowledge of SCO UNIX or AIX Significant experience with DOS, Windows EXCEL Sound grasp of computerised accounting systems University degree in mathematics or computer science Knowledge of vehicle leasing or fleet management Ability to travel interstate and overseas We will offer a very attractive and flexible remuneration Sackage to the right candidate.

Send applciations to Mark ernard, PO Box 283, Market St, Melbourne 3000 quite shareware, but a product WinBreak Pro costs only $19.95 and help save your sanity if you're' a computer user. It's a more powerful of a product calied WinBreak Lite, distributed with the Word for Windows utilities programs, WOPR ($90 from My Company, phone 02 565 1991. automatically watches your keystrokes how long you've been using your You program in how frequently you take a break, and it alerts you either by up or by playing a file mine declares emphatically. powerful commercial version also exercises for you to try out during It can also be programmed to lock and mouse to force you to take That bit I think I definitely need! trying to source the Pro version, because Computer Company, listed as an denies any knowledge of it, as does the States agent, on (fax) 966 1833. We'll keep you informed.

Lite version 2.5 is the little brother which allows you to post an electronic version of those yellow Post-It notes on in Windows. version allows you to have up to 12 of which can be titled and configured, different font and colour selections note. They can also have alarms and a them very handy, but I'll probably, to the Pro version, which allows notes, storage for one million notes, support so you can post a note to user MAPI-enabled system, sound effects, timed backup of active notes and a resource alarm. costs for version, and another $US15 for the Further information from Looking Technologies, PO Box 8636 Endwell, CompuServe 71055,1240. if you use them to log ideas events, you might not know that you can also use a little-known feature of the Windows Notebook.

If you type (which must be in capitals) on the first line of the file, then hit return, and save the file, whenever you open the file it will automatically go to the bottom of the file and insert the time and date, which beats scrolling down, and hitting the F5 time and date stamp. Charles Wright For the Mac If you feel like you're drowning in all the plug-in modules for your applications, then Plug-In Manager is exactly what you need. Plug-In Manager will let you enable or disable combinations of plug-ins for any software that you use (such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, QuarkXPress, Aldus PageMaker, Deneba Canvas, Microsoft Word and so on). Plug-In Manager also provides a way for you to launch applications directly from the settings dialogue box. Eject Disk Ejecting a floppy disk from the Macintosh is a two step process, first you have to highlight the disk by clicking on and then either drag it to trash or press command-Y.

Eject Disk is a small extension that allows you to dismount any floppies in your drive by simply pressing F15 on extended keyboards or Command-Escape on normal keyboards. Michael Scheurer. 77ie shareware catalogue Explorer is now available from the Victorian Macintosh User Group on 654 7322. MJLDARA LIMITED The Information Technology team of MILDARA BLASS, located at Merbeln Victoria, is responsible for the development end effective operation of computing facilities at our sites throughout Australia. To help manage IT direction In our rapidly expanding company, we seek the following professionals.

Analyst Programmer We are looking for an enthusiastic Analyst Programmer to work In a development role, assisting our existing team in new and ongoing projects. Specific duties will Include: Development and modlf icetlon of application software using Define, PI Open and Universe, Interpreting Programs, Datsbese analysis and Interrogation, Progrem Testing, Provision of Management Tools to the user bese. Natwork Administrator In this role you will have key responsibility for the maintenance and support of the local and wide area networks, the configuration and installation of DGUX, Cray Multiplexors and PC's. Your skills, although not ell are essential, should include an indepth understanding of both LANWAN networks, TCPIP, DCX, Modems, Novell, X.2B, ISDN and voicedata Integration. Good verbal communications, a service orientetion and en ability to work as part of a small team are essential.

This role will provide an exciting challenge for a young and enthusiastic communications specialist. An attractive salary package will be negotiated to secure a candidate of the highest calibre. Written applications should be sent to Computer Systems Manager, Mlldara Bless Limited, PO Box 396, Merbeln Vic. 360S. IOCD PICKSBUMX PROGRAMMERANALYST Clegg Drlscoll Consultants is an industry leader in systems Integration and the supply of Pick solutions to the Open Systems market.

A competitive salary will be offered to a PickUnix professional who Is looking to join a dynamic Australian software house enjoying business growth. The successful applicant must possess strong communication skills and solid experience In many of the areas listed below. Pick: Unix, SB Clegg Drlscoll has offices in each state and this opportunity exists at our Melbourne Office. If you have the necessary qualifications, please fax your resume in strictest confidence to: Mr. Chris Kennett Telephone (03) 699 2466, Facsimile (03) 699 2583 Clegg Drlscoll Consultants Ply Limited 1 80 Albert Road, South Melbourne, Vic 3205 DILBERT by Scott Adams PROTECT STMUS'.

UE ACCIDENTAlTf DESTROYED THE FRENCH SATELLITE AND ARE NOliJ AT LOAR WITH FRANCE. A.