KidStuff for OS/2

You can download an order form by clicking [HERE]

"... and now for something completely different!" As an OS/2 user, if you wanted "edu-tainment" programs for your small children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews, you had little choice other than to purchase Windows-based products.

Not any more! Aviar has launched a suite of native OS/2 programs to help bring adults and kids together in a pleasant learning environment.

"KidStuff for OS/2" has modules which demonstrate spelling, numbers, math, counting, music and storybook adventures, combined with pleasant sounds, colorful graphics and animations.

The modules include:

1. Colors and shapes
   • When the child selects the correct color, dancing shapes appear, colors change and music plays until all the objects are the same color. Then the computer spells out the color and speaks the word.

   • Teaches reading, spelling and pronunciation. Also teaches mouse manipulation.

     Click Here to see the screen.

2. Warpo the Clown
   • The child selects a word which will make "Warpo" smile or frown.

   • When you get ten words right, Warpo plays a happy tune and makes a series of funny faces.

   • Get a word wrong and Warpo makes a funny noise and frowns. You lose 1 point.

   • Teaches reading and counting.

   • You can add new "Smile" or "Frown" words in the "Preferences" program.

     Click Here to see Warpo.

3. I Can Add

   • Similar to old-fashioned "flash cards" but with a graphical and musical twist.

   • Teaches addition and counting.

   • You can change the maximum number for this program in the "Preferences" program.

     Click Here to view this program.

4. I Can Subtract
   • Similar to "flash cards" for subtraction with a graphical and musical twist.

   • Teaches the concept of subtraction.

     Click Here to see this module.

5. I Know My Numbers
   • When the child selects the correct number, music plays, the number is pronounced and spelled, and the other numbers march around in a big circle.

   • Teaches number recognition, spelling and pronunciation.

     Click Here to view Numbers.

6. My Orchestra
   • Introduces the child to the instruments of an orchestra.

   • Teaches reading, spelling and music recognition.

     Click Here to view the Orchestra.

7. My Music Machine
   • A keyboard with 2 1/2 octaves of black and white keys. Clicking a key produces a musical tone in one of 4 modalities. Your child may play tunes, save them and get them back later.

   • Teaches music. Also teaches computer "Save" and "Get" concepts.

   Click Here to see the Music Machine.

8. "The Big Umbrella"
   • A customizable, interactive storybook with graphics, music and sounds. Where was that child hiding anyway?

   • You can change the child's name and the adult's names in the "Preferences" program.

   • You can record your child's voice which will play when the story is read. You can even include your child's scanned photograph in the storybook!

     Click Here to see the Big Umbrella.

9. "The Mystery Garden"

   • A customizable, interactive storybook with music, graphics and sounds. This is meant to be read to the child by an adult, but the child can click buttons and watch what happens.

   • You can record your child's voice to play back when the story is read.

     Click Here to see a sample page.

10. Preferences

    • You can customize and personalize the whole system. You can specify your child's name, and two other people. If you have more than one young child (you have our sympathy), you can switch back and forth between them, so that each gets a turn.

    • You can edit the "Smile" and "Frown" words. For younger children, you might want very simple words, like "Sad", "Happy" etc.

    • For older children, you might add bigger words like "Pleasant", "Cranky" etc.

    • You can specify the maximum number for "I Can Add."

      Click Here to view the preferences screen.

    KidStuff for OS/2 - Plus Pak 1 consists of four (4) new and entertaining modules for young children.

    The modules include:

    1. Connect the Numbers
       • This is a variation of the classic "connect-the-dots" drawings found in many children's books.

         Click Here to view Connect the Numbers.

       • Your child chooses a drawing, numbered from 1 to 23, on the left of the screen. The lower numbers are generally easier than the higher ones.
       • Then your child selects a color from the bottom buttons. This color will determine the line color and may be changed at any time by just clicking another color.
       • The child must then click on each number, beginning at 1 and going sequentially through all the numbers to the end. Usually a colored line will be drawn from the last to the next number, but sometimes a small box will appear for lines which are not supposed to connect.
       • When the last number is clicked, a tune plays and a graphic appears. It's fun to try to guess what the drawing will be.
       • If the child clicks the wrong number, or clicks off the number, the computer beeps to indicate that (s)he missed the number and must do it again. If it doesn't beep, that means the child clicked correctly.
       • This program aids in mouse manipulation and counting. You might have to help very small children steady the mouse.

    2. I'm Different
       • This program displays four (4) pictures, three (3) of which are the same and one (1) is different in some way. Your child must identify which picture is different and click on it. Some are easy and some are subtle.

         Click Here to view I'm Different.

       • If correct, a happy tune plays and a new set of pictures appears.
       • If incorrect, a funny sound plays and the child may try again.
       • This program aids in visual perception and mouse manipulation. It is probably best for younger kids.

    3. I Can Draw
       • This is a very simple free-form drawing package.
       • Your child can choose one of eight colors, can select a size or can draw circles or star-figures by clicking the icon.

         Click Here to view I Can Draw.

       • Color buttons:
       • • These determine the next color which will be drawn.
         • It is possible to drag colors from the OS/2 color palette onto these buttons, but the changes will not be permanent.
       • Size buttons:
         • There are three vertical lines which indicate the size. These determine the line width if you are drawing lines, or the circle diameter if circles are chosen.
         • Clicking the third line keeps increasing the size so that very large circles or very thick lines can be drawn.
       • Wipe Out:
         • Asks to confirm, then wipes out the current drawing.
       • Save & Get:
         • Allows your child to save drawings for later retrieval.
         • The files will be saved in x:\KidStuff\Draw\*.KSD
       • Eraser:
         • When clicked, this icon turns green. When moved to the drawing area and clicked, it will draw a black box, anchored bottom left to the cursor. The size of the black box will be determined by the Size buttons.
         • To turn the eraser off, click the (green) eraser icon and it returns to its normal (off) color. You will have to choose a color and width before drawing again.
       • Star:
         • This icon can be used to make star-shapes, where every line connects to the center point. See for example, the included "FWorks.KSD" drawing.
         • When this icon is clicked, it turns green and the "Start" button also turns green. This means that the next click in the drawing area will be the center of the star. All other lines will radiate from this point.
         • To make a second star, click "Start" then click in the drawing area again.
         • To turn "star mode" off, just click the (green) star icon.
       • Circle:
         • Clicking this icon causes a circle to be drawn in the drawing area whose center is the cursor location at the click. The color and size of the circle is determined by the color and size buttons.
         • To turn "circle mode" off, click the (green) circle icon.
       • Undo:
         • Clicking this button "undoes" the last operation. You can keep "undo-ing" as long as you wish.
         • You can also "Save" your drawings periodically to make sure you don't mess up.
       • Start:
         • Normally, when drawing lines, the next line is connected to the previous to form a continuous set of lines.
         • When this button is clicked (green) and you are drawing lines this causes a point to be drawn which will be the beginning of the next set of lines. It will NOT be connected to the previous line.
         • When you are drawing stars, this moves the center point of the next star to the location clicked.
         • You can do the same thing by clicking Mouse Button 2 in the drawing area.
       • Printing:
         • You can use PrintScreen, if enabled, to print the drawing.

    4. What Am I?
       • The computer displays a picture. The child must type in the word which describes the picture. If the child types a wrong letter, the program beeps.

         Click Here to view What Am I?.

       • When finished, the words dance around and the picture appears while a tune plays.
       • This program teaches spelling.
       • For very small children, you can print out a "cheat sheet" supplied with the program. It contains the pictures with the proper spelling.
       • The "cheat sheet" is located at
         x:\KidStuff\BMP2\WhatAmI.htm

       • Simply drag the icon for this htm file to your Netscape or Web Explorer icon (it is not necessary to connect to the web), then you can print it off.
       • If you do not have a browser, we can send you a color copy of the "cheat sheet" for $5.00 US. Just contact us by phone or e-mail.

         IMPORTANT: If the program runs too fast, you can make changes to slow it down. Find the file

         x:\KidStuff\EXE2\Lib2.CMD

       • Open this file with the OS/2 Editor.
       • There are two statements in two different methods
         /* fastCPU = 1 */

       • Simply remove the /* and */ from these statements so they read

         fastCPU = 1

       • The program will run better.

    You must already have KidStuff installed to run the Plus Pak.

    KidStuff for OS/2 - Plus Pak II consists of three (3) new and entertaining modules for young children. This brings the total KidStuff programs to 16!

    The modules include:

    • 1.Memory Game

      This is a variation of the classic "Concentration" game.

    • 2.I Can Drive

      This program displays a car that can be maneuvered around the screen. The objecive is to avoid objects which appear at random and to get the car into the garage.

    • 3.A Visit to the Zoo

      This program has a "map" of the Zoo on the main page. You can click on various buttons; pictures of animals are displayed and animal sounds are played.

    Requirements:
    
    - OS/2 Warp version 4.0
    - Object REXX as default REXX
    - 25 Megabytes available disk space on an HPFS drive
    - CD ROM Drive
    - Pentium 150MHz or faster
    - 64 Megabytes of RAM (or more). 128 MB is much, much better
    - Standard OS/2 Multimedia
    - 800 x 600 x 65K resolution
    

    Credits:

    This entire package was developed with 100% OS/2 software.

    We used Hockware's wonderful VisPro REXX program for all the program layouts.

    We used Star Office 5.0 for all the graphical images and animations.

    We used IBM's Object REXX for the underlying programming language.

    We used Aviar's shareware "Midi Maker" program to create all the midi files.

    We used OS/2's multimedia capabilities to record and edit the WAV files.

    We used IMPOS2 to capture the above screen shots.

    Special thanks, for their input, to:

    Ruth Veneskey

    Britni Peterman

    Paul Shannon

    and ANNA Wadhwani, Executive Consultant, (Age 3 1/2) who insisted we make the buttons bigger.

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    The "translatable" version of KidStuff for OS/2, "Edu-tainment" Software for children ages 3 to 7 has been released.

    John Urbaniak of Aviar stated: "We were happy to have received so many requests from individuals in countries where English is not the native tongue and felt it was well worth the effort to add the translatable features to KidStuff for OS/2. Most of our other products are already 100% translatable."

    The format of the files was already customizable in the "Preferences" section so if you have more than one child, you can have a separate folder for each child with his or her own copy of KidStuff with that individual child's name included in the programs.

    If anyone asks, "KidStuff for OS/2" is Y2K-compliant.

    We hope you and the children you love will enjoy this product.

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    How you can order KidStuff for OS/2.

    You can download an order form by clicking [HERE]
    

    You can mail your order to: Aviar, Inc., 219 Fingal Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15211 or fax your order to us at 1 (412) 488-0190
    

    Click here to send us an e-mail.

    Click [HERE] to return to the Main Page

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