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Introductory Information
MacEmatics is a Macintosh education program designed to teach basic mathematics skills to children in grades K-6. The program is also highly useful for evaluations of basic math skills in any non-school setting.
Requirements
MacEmatics requires a 68020 based Mac or better with color quickdraw ROMS. This means a Mac II/LC class Mac or higher. It also works on Classic II and Color Classic computers. It is perfectly stable on PowerPC based Macintoshes. MacEmatics requires 1 MB memory in standard mode. Standard mode is when the monitor is set to 256 colors and sounds are on. MacEmatics is fully System 7 savvy and will not run on System 6.
If you run in a higher bit depth, you will need to increase the memory size MacEmatics uses to about 1800 K for 16 bit color and around 2800K for 24 bit color. See the Macintosh online help system or the manuals for information on doing this. If you wish to run in a minimal setup, switch to 1 bit color and have no sounds to play. Now you will be able to use the minimum memory listed in the Get Info window.
MacEmatics fully supports the Speech Manager. To use voices, you need to have the Speech Manager extension installed and any extra voices, too. See the Speech Manager documentation for information on installation.
Brief Introduction on Usage
The program is set up in a question and answer format. The program maintains a "high score" list. You provide initial setup information to allow the program to design a test that suits the requirements you set forth. Upon entering the basic information, the program begins by presenting the first problem for you to answer. You type in the answer and MacEmatics judges its accuracy. There is instantaneous feedback to you of the veracity of the answer. Upon completion of the test, MacEmatics checks the high score list and informs you if you are to be placed on it. The program then displays a listing of all the questions and answers (correct ones and the yours) and other information pertinent to the particular testing conditions (timed test? percent right? define own bounds?, etc.). At this time, the you may print this sheet out or continue on to another test, or quit.
The program is supplemented by the use of the Apple Speech Manager to read out questions, colorful graphics, digitized sounds for correct and incorrect answers, and minimal animations.
Just run the application. It's really easy to use!
Help
Online help is provided directly via a button on the main screen. Select this and you will be presented with a window that will allow you to see various help topics. The online help provides most of the documentation for the program.
Audience
Specific
The target audience consists of children in grades K-6. This target audience also includes adults in GED programs and any person needing to maintain or gain skills in the areas that MacEmatics provides.
Reason For Existence
The consumer edutainment marketplace is still in a growth stage, although new entries are coming in all the time, while the early ones hang on and enjoy the growth in the market. The school-based education market, however, is largely untapped and that void is being filled by products which do not tackle the problems that schools would like. A program which, by its nature, is not a game is sure to be embraced by many school systems that still adopt the value of learning over having a fun experience of gaming. The market is not just for children, though. The applications of this program can exceed this in adult education centers or training systems. Even job placement offices can use it to test an applicant's basic math skills. Because of the flexibility this program offers, there is little it can't do.
History
This program has had history and help in its design. The original version of this program (and the two subsequent ones) were inspired by an idea my brother, a certified teacher, had to aid students in learning math skills. This simple version handled arithmetic only with cute sounds. Over the past few years, this program has generated numerous comments from the public, but no shareware registrations (although two school districts asked me about site license availability and costs). After consulting with my brother, many of these suggestions became integrated into the program I have been working on. Beta testers of this version have provided valuable information on making MacEmatics a better program for children and for learning.
This C/C++ language version of MacEmatics was designed for simplicity for the user and still make it more fun. Having spent over a year being written and re-written and listening to the comments of children and parents alike, I believe this program fits the needs of the people very nicely.
History
MacEmatics originally had provisions for 6 levels of difficulty with the ability of the user to change parameters at will. Those versions also could only handle addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Reason For Creation
MacEmatics is an education program. It is not an edutainment program. Currently in the marketplace for general consumers there exists software (specifically games) that sneaks in learning. While this may be fun for the children in a home setting, it leaves a void to be filled in the educational world of public and private schools. Few programs are in that field as many are marketed inappropriately, or just poorly designed. This program is an attempt to bridge the gap by providing a learning experience that is not boring.
Beta Testers
This program wouldn't be where it is today were it not for the help of these people:
Bruce Schulman - After all, it was his idea to begin with back in 1992
Thomas McLean - A wonderful guy who helped me with the hypercard versions and the 3d b&w look
Chris Thomas - Movable modal code and a lot of sharing of ideas
Theresa London - For help with aesthetics on 12" monitors and grammer [sic <g>]
David Bowling - For letting me use his PowerMac as a guinea pig for compatibility. Sorry for the crashes...
Suzy Armstrong
Susan Watters
Jane Sprando
Tim Bivens
Randy Hengst
Bob Kierski
and all their children who ran this!
About The Programmer
This program has been designed and programmed by Neil Schulman. I am a 1995 graduate from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. I have been programming for over five years and programming on the Macintosh for the past two. I currently work for Perceptics/Westinghouse as a Software Developer and spend time computer consulting and writing software (aka no life).
I have produced a number of shareware and freeware applications for the Macintosh community including the widely downloaded Frosty, an Adobe Photoshop filter, and MacPredictions, an freeware game. I'm about to also release another photoshop filter soon, called TypeCaster.
Contacting the Author
I can be reached consistently at nwcs@delphi.com. I will respond to any inquiries. I may also be at nwcs@usit.net. If you send a letter to the address of registration, expect a delay in response, unless it is regarding registration.
License
By running MacEmatics the first time, you are acknowledging your consent to this license agreement. If you do not wish to agree to this license and its terms, you may destroy all files related to MacEmatics and you will be free of the license, except for one clause (explained in next sentence), and its terms. However, if (like it would happen╔) something happens to your computer, either real or imagined, prior to, during, or after deletion of MacEmatics and its files, you agree to the provision of the license holding Neil Schulman and any agents not responsible.
Terms
You are licensed to use MacEmatics for thirty days after receipt of the program. After this time, if you wish to continue using MacEmatics, you must purchase your copy. This will disable the annoying reminder screen permanently. See the "Registration" file for a sheet you can print out and send in. There are absolutely no exceptions to this license.
Notification of Limitation of Liability, legal and in plain terms
Neil Schulman, or any agent of his, is not liable for any damage or presumed damage caused by, or presumed to be caused by, MacEmatics or any related file in the MacEmatics package. Any alterations of this program or documentation or any other part of the original components and files automatically nullifies any claim against Neil Schulman or any agent.
In other words, you agree by using this software that Neil Schulman and any agents are not responsible if an outside party tampered or otherwise changed any part of the software or documentation. You also are agreeing that you are prevented from seeking relief from Neil Schulman or any agents in a court of law by using this software. If you do not agree to the terms, you must destroy all components of MacEmatics including documentation.
Registration does not change the conditions of the license, however registration does guarantee technical support via the methods provided on the registration sheet to be mailed by Neil Schulman or agent upon receipt of payment.
