DOODLE GARDEN SCREEN SAVER INTRODUCTION Doodle Garden Screen Saver uses a technique called Genetic Programming to evolve new drawings ("doodles") from a basic set (screen). A small computer program draws each doodle. The screen saver mutates (randomly changes) a doodle program, or crosses programs (attach part of one to part of another) with interesting results. When the screen saver is activated, it automatically generates new doodles every few seconds by mutating and crossing the doodles that make up the base screen. By selecting your favorite Doodle Garden Screen, you are exploring Genetic Programming and a fascinating visual space. Doodle Garden Screen Saver is copyright (c) 1993 by Creation Mechanics, Inc.; all rights reserved. INSTALLATION Doodle Garden requires Microsoft Windows. Copy the program file (DOODSAVE.SCR), the info file (DOODSAVE.WRI) as well the assortment of screen saver files (with the extension .SCN) into your Windows directory. To Activate: 1. In Program Manager, double click on the Control Panel icon (normally located in the Main program group). 2. Double click on the Desktop icon, or select Settings | Desktop from the menu bar. The desktop dialog box will appear. 3. Approximately in the middle of the dialog box are controls grouped together under Screen Saver. Choose Doodle Garden from the Name drop-down listbox. (You may also adjust the duration of inactivity before the screen saver kicks in.) 4. Select the Setup button. The Doodle Garden Configuration dialog appears. Set the parameters as desired, and select OK. 5. If you wish to test the screen saver, select the Test button. Once you move the mouse or press a key, the screen saver stops and the "shareware irritant" dialog box appears. Select OK to remove the dialog box. (Info displays this file.) 6. If you wish to experiment with the behavior of the screen saver, or change the screen used, repeat steps 4 and 5 as often as you like. 7. Once you're satisfied with the screen saver and configuration settings, select OK in the Desktop dialog box. The Doodle Garden Screen Saver is now active, and will automatically run once the delay time has passed without mouse movement or keyboard activity. UNINSTALLATION To Uninstall, delete from your Windows directory DOODSAVE.SCR, DOODSAVE.WRI, and *.SCN. REGISTRATION Doodle Garden Screen Saver is distributed as shareware. You are free to use it and enjoy it, but if you pay for a registered version, you get something even better. You get Interactive Doodle Garden. GIVE AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE IN ABUNDANCE. Interactive Doodle Garden gives you a manual and the following features: * Interactive doodle evolver for point and click creativity * Dozens of additional screens and doodles * No dialog box on exiting the screen saver * Full featured genetic programming language with interactive editor and programmer's reference. * Introductory essay on genetic algorithms, genetic programming, and the 'mechanics of creation'. * $100 reward offer for best new doodles submitted by users The cost of registration is $39.00, which includes all shipping and handling. TO REGISTER: Send a check, money order, or Visa/Mastercard number for $39.00 to: Creation Mechanics, Inc. PO Box 248 Peterborough, NH 03458 or call Phone: (603) 563-7757 Fax: (603) 563-7758 CONFIGURATION SETTINGS The Screen Saver Configuration dialog box changes allows you to adjust the timing, display and screen used when animating.. Refresh Delay is the number of seconds between screen generations. As you increase this number, the display changes less frequently. Reverse Video will give you a black background for the animated doodles. Random Order causes the doodles to be displayed in random order rather than top to bottom, left to right. Hide Parents will hide the doodles which are mutated and cross-bred during animation. If this is not checked, the display mode will be Normal. There are four different types of display modes: Normal will display each doodle in a separate frame. Overflow will allow doodles to overflow into neighboring frames. Solo will display one large doodle at a time. Graffiti will display as Overflow, but doodles drawn will not be erased when a screen is completed; the next set of doodles will simply be drawn on top of the previous screen. There are four different types of All Cross will Cross on every screen, with no Mutation screens. Half Cross will Mutate and Cross on alternate screens. One Cross will Mutate each parent, and then Cross once. No Cross will Mutate each parent and then start over, with no Cross screens. Finally, you may choose the Screen Saver file that is used as the base screen for animation. Each contains one or more doodles that are then mutated or cross-bred with another doodle to produce interesting variations. You can use SCN files created by other users with your screen saver. Interactive Doodle Garden, the registered version of Doodle Garden, allows you to evolve your own screens and save them as screen savers. DISTRIBUTION If you distribute Doodle Garden Screen Saver to anyone--friends, enemies, business associates, or a computer bulletin board system (BBS)- -you must distribute all files, including this one, with the software. 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.