ReadMe File for
Mickiano(C) Version 1.0
A Children's Mouse Piano
Copyright Bill Buckels 1990-1999
All Rights Reserved.

Introduction
-------------

Mickiano is a musical program for children 3-93... a "Virtual" Mouse
Piano program which uses an On-Screen Piano and the PC speaker to play
Music either from Music files or from the PC keyboard and the mouse.
Activity is centered around the Piano screen, where music can be played
in 3 octaves using the mouse or 2 octaves using the PC keyboard and
"QWERTY" or "ZXCVBN" keybanks. Music files are selected from the Song
screen. Mickiano comes with over 80 musical selections. When music files
are being played back, an animated musical note on screen plays the
piano keyboard. Mickiano requires a Mouse but not a Soundcard.


Description
-----------

Mickiano's piano keyboard will accept interactive Musical entry
simultaneously from mouse or keyboard. It also plays back Disk Tunes
and internal tunes in a manner that is reminiscent of the player piano
PIANO.BAS program that IBM once distributed with IBMDOS (Circa 1981). As
a nod in the direction of this nostalgia, I included my own renditions
of the same series of tunes that were Distributed with the IBM Classic
including La Cucaracha and Funeral March of a Marionette.

The Layout for the Keyboard is Quite Similar to the Virtual Piano
written by Chris Peters in BASIC back in 1983 and which was a Part of
the Standard Microsoft Mouse programmer's toolkit for DOS (When DOS was
all that was).

The C Language source Code is included with MICKIANO, and a programmer
can customize MICKIANO if desired. (See the Licence Agreement for
restrictions.)

For the present, even though I am not lacking in imagination I simply
lack the time to make any enhancements that would make this program more
fun for Kids of all Ages.

History
-------

I originally intended to use MICKIANO only as a demonstration program
for a Shareware Mouse Programmer's Toolkit that I once produced, but for
some reason I later released MICKIANO as a Standalone Package with over
80 tunes. (I really can't remember the details anymore.)

In 1990 I pondered the possibility of extending MICKIANO's capabilities
and decided then not to include editting features or utilities for
creating custom compositions. I basically decided that there is no point
in complicating this program.

I pretty much feel still feel the same today.

Getting Started
---------------

Install Mickiano by "UNZIPPING" Mickiano.ZIP complete with pathnames to
the drive of your choice. If you decide to install Mickiano to Drive C:,
Mickiano will be installed into the directory C:\Mickiano.

To run from Windows, click on MICKIANO.EXE.
To run from DOS, type "MICKIANO" and press [ENTER]

Selecting Tunes
---------------

Click on "Songs" at the Piano Screen. The Song Selection Screen will be
displayed.

Click on "More" if you want to "page" through the songs.

Click on "Less" if you want to return without selecting a song.

Click on a the Song Title you wish to play to return to the Piano Screen
and play the song you selected.

Playing Music with KeyBoard and Mouse
-------------------------------------

The top two rows on the keyboard ("QWERTY") and the bottom two rows of
keys on the PC keyboard starting with "Z" are live and correspond to the
black and white keys on a piano.

At the piano screen, you can play music on these keys, or by clicking on
the piano screen with the mouse.

Exiting the Program
-------------------

Click on "Quit" at the Piano Screen.

Requirements
------------

IBM-PC or compatible running MS-DOS with Microsoft Compatible 2-button
mouse and CGA compatible video adapter. (Pass the Cheese please.)

Over the years, this program was enjoyably tested on XT and AT and most
recently on my AMD K6/300 running Windows 98. Even the rodent had a good
time.

Licence Agreement
-----------------

Mickiano is distributed as ShareWare.
Suggested Registration is $10.00 per family.

You are expected to register with the Author if you use Mickiano beyond
a 30-day evaluation period. Send registration in the form of cheque, or
money order to:

Bill Buckels
589 Oxford Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3M 3J2

Email: bbuckels@escape.ca
WebSite: http://www.escape.ca/~bbuckels

Registered users of Mickiano have a royalty-free right to use, reproduce
and distribute the source code (and/or any modified version) in any way
you find useful, provided you do not compete with Bill Buckels or his
agents, and that you agree that Bill Buckels has no warranty obligations
or liability whatsoever resulting from any associated loss or damage.

If you do not agree with these terms, remove Mickiano and all associated
files from your computer now.

Disclaimer and Conditions of Use
--------------------------------

Mickiano and its associated files are Copyrighted by their author, Bill
Buckels. Mickiano is not a derivative work of any other author and is
the exclusive property of its author, Bill Buckels.

The graphics and sound files used in Mickiano were produced by Bill
Buckels (the author) and as such are the author's own expression, and a
fair use of content that is believed to be in the public domain. You may
use these in any way you find useful, provided you do not compete with
Bill Buckels or his agents, and that you agree that Bill Buckels has no
warranty obligations or liability whatsoever resulting from any
associated loss or damage.

If you redistribute the Mickiano program, please distribute it its
entirety. If you are missing files, you can download a complete version
from the internet at:

http://www.escape.ca/~bbuckels/kidstuff

This program may be distributed freely. This program may not be
distributed for personal gain, with the exception of a modest
duplication fee.

End of Document
