@database 00131100-0
@$VER: 1.0
@remark Created with Heddley v1.1 (c) Edd Dumbill 1994

@node "Main" "This is the Contents Page. Really. No, really."

                          @{b}@{u} Matrix Generator V2.0@{ub}@{uu}

                          @{b}@{u}(C) 1996 Mathieu Dhondt@{ub}@{uu}




  @{"  " link "LegalMumboJumbo" 0} >>>>>[Legal Stuff]<<<<<

  @{"  " link "WhatUseHasThisCrapThing" 0} >>>>>[What the hell is this?]<<<<<

  @{"  " link "Use" 0} >>>>>[How to use it]<<<<<

  @{"  " link "BUGS you f*ckwad" 0} >>>>>[Bugs]<<<<<

  @{"  " link "ItsAboutMe!" 0} >>>>>[The Author]<<<<<

  @{"  " link "Stillhecantshithistrap" 0} >>>>>[Addendum]<<<<<
@endnode

@node "LegalMumboJumbo" "Legal Cack"

Matrix and Shadowrun and all relevant logo's, etc. are all (C) @{fg shine}FASA@{fg text}

Matrix Generator V2.0 is copyright @{b}@{fg shine}Mathieu Dhondt@{ub}@{fg text} 1996.

Matrix Generator V2.0 was written using @{u}AMOS Professional@{uu}.

This archive is provided as is; if your computer blows up in your face,
don't blame me. If anything else happens, describable as "not exactly funny"
(the program not included), don't blame me either.

I hereby solemnly grant permission to everyone to copy this, to use it, etc.
as long as you don't say you wrote this yourself. Aminet, Fred Fish, and all
other CD (or any other storage method for that matter) compilation creators
may, nay, must!, use this in their collection. @{b}ON ONE (sorry, two) HEFTY
CONDITIONS:@{ub}

            1. The archive must not be changed. In any way.         
            2. You must notify me if the archive is to be used in any
               collection. (See "The Author")

Ah, and if you intend to sell this archive (in the case of PD librarians,
etc.), don't charge more than a reasonable price, ie the price of p&p and
the media the archive is stored on. If anyone bought this from a PD library
and thinks he has paid too much, do contact me (see "The Author"). Then I
will post a letter-bomb to the PD library in question. (The letter will
carry the name of the person who thinks he paid too much, ofcourse)
@endnode

@node "WhatUseHasThisCrapThing" "Wtf IS this?"

@{b} What the hell is this?@{ub}

Err. Well. If you don't know what @{b}Shadowrun@{ub} or @{b}Matrix@{ub} is, then I'm afraid
you have been fooled. You should have read the readme file, anyway. Ofcourse
it could also be that you've read some cyberpunk novels (esp "Neuromancer")
and recognised the word @{b}Matrix@{ub}, and thought that this is a game offering you
a true 3D texture mapped sight of the@{b} Matrix@{ub}, etc, then you are fooled as
well. But then, you should have read the readme file more carefully anyway.

And for all you chummers out there, who are well aware of what the @{b}Matrix@{ub}
is: this is a Security DataSheaf Generator for the second edition of the
Shadowrun Matrix rules. (I know, I know, the name of the program isn't
exactly correct, but you'll have to admit it sounds more appealing than
"Security DataSheaf Generator" (which would probably lead to even more
misunderstandings).

Now, go back to @{"<contents>" link "Main" 0} and learn how to use it.
@endnode

@node "Use" "Agreed. Now I know what it is, but I cannot use it."
 "Help! Help! I don't know how to use this thing!"

Hmmm. Either you're a complete fool, or the program simply doesn't work.

In case you really are a fool (sorry - but according to scientific
measurements, you really are if you don't understand how to use this¹), here
goes a

                                 @{b}@{u}TUTORIAL@{ub}@{uu}

@{u}1. Starting up.@{uu}

   Go to wherever you've unpacked the archive to and type
   'MatrixGeneratorV2.0', omitting the quotes.

@{u}2. Using the program.@{uu}

   A nice soundtrack is provided to let you make use of the program under
   the least stressful conditions as possible (I know @{b}Shadowrun@{ub} GMs suffer
   from a great deal of stress - I'm one myself). Breath in and out some
   ten times. Now hold your breath for about 5 seconds, while closing your
   eyes. Think of something cozy and warm. Now you will sleep... sleep...
   sleep... It dawns on you that whoever created this must be a very good
   person, someone who deserves to be praised and rewarded for his work.
   You get in your car and drive to the bank. You ask the person at the
   counter to withdraw all your money from all your accounts and send it 
   to the author of this masterpiece. 

   @{b}NOW WAKE UP@{ub}. *snap*

   Ok. Now, press the relevant number as shown in the menu (you know, 1 for
   an easy system, etc. YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE YOU NUMERIC KEYPAD AS WELL AS
   YOUR KEYBOARD FOR THAT. (I'm quite proud of this astonishing programming
   feat. Did you know your keypresses are checked EVERY FIFTIETH OF A
   SECOND? Hah!²) Then do that again, to choose the security colour of the
   system (again, you can choose between keyboard or numerical pad input),
   then sit back and enjoy the half of a second it takes to compute the
   Sheaf and watch the data fade onto your screen in all it's glory.
   
   Then, just press P (or p) to print out the sheaf (MAKE SURE YOUR PRINTER
   IS ACTIVE AND CONNECTED) or to export the data to a file (the
   computer will ask you to enter a filename. Just press <RETURN> to print
   it), or ANY OTHER KEY (or any other key) to rebuild a system) or Q (or
   q) to quit, upon which your Amiga will almost overheat, and eventually,
   after a long and hazardous journey through databuses and silicon
   streets, it will put you back to wherever you jacked in in the program
   from.

   Well, that's about it I guess. Oh, yes: the program has only been tested
   on a stock A1200, so if there are any problems with compatibility,
   contact me. But I won't be able to do anyhting about it, because
   incompatibility is probably AMOS' fault.



¹ See: "How to recognise a fool", by Crusty J. Ester (1952), pp 84-85: "One
of the easiest ways to find out if someone's a fool is to give them a copy
of Mathieu Dhondt's Matrix Generator V2.0. If the patient is unable to work
with the program, don't bother trying the other tests out on him/her, for
he/she is an utter fool. And if the patient remarks that he doesn't like
Amiga at all, and that Win95 is far more better, user friendly-wise  and all
that cack, lock him up for good, and congratulate yourself for  making the
world a saner place."

² Just kidding.

@endnode

@node "BUGS you f*ckwad" "Bugs... Or how to recognise a truly great piece of software."

@{b}@{u}Bugs!@{ub}@{uu}

"What bugs?" - The Author.

I have found a whole lot of bugs myself:

@{b}1. The Lapping Water.@{ub}

   A bug intended to make you relax. And no, you can't put it off, unless
   you rip open your machine and destroy exactly those parts of the
   motherboard that take care of the sound, or if you tone down the volume.

@{b}2. The Green Monochrome Colour.@{ub}

   A bug intended to relax your eyes and make you think you're working on a
   PC. (This can lead to serious shock, hence the sound of the water, in 
   order to cool you down). And no, you can't turn it off, unless you
   connect your Amiga to a real monochrome monitor, in which case it'll be
   gray-shaded.

@{b}3. The Enormous Noise Of The Printer.@{ub}

   A deal I signed between the manufacturer of your printer and me, so that
   I would get more r3sP3[7 !n [)a sc3n3 d0o[) make da scene think I can 
   actually mess up your printer.

@{b}4. Hey! Wot a lousy programmer you are! It doesn't make it's own PartyIC.@{ub}

   Yes yes, ok, I know. Maybe I will, one day, include a IC constellation
   constructor.

@{b}5. The Strange Characters After Each Line, When I Load In An Exported File
   Into An Editor Called CygnusEd.@{ub}

   Well, beats me why CygnusEd does this, but just to get rid of them,
   mark all of the text and choose "Strip CR Marked" in the "Cut/Paste"
   menu.

@{b}6. "Help! I Did As You Ordered In 4, And It Worked, But There Were No
   Quotes Around Strip CR Marked And Cut/Paste!"@{ub}

   No, really?



Well, these are all the known bugs (hey, quite a lot of them. So don't try
to find any new ones!). Should you think that some DataSheafs aren't
compliant with the rules, well, then give your decker a good virtual
trashing (which he deserves), or report it to me (if you can bother).
@endnode

@node "ItsAboutMe!" "I. Me. Ik. Ich. Moi. Jag. AND NOT YOU! HAHAHA!"


@{b}The Author@{ub}

For all legal matters: Vinnie P. Rice is a Shadowrun character I once
played. So, in some strange, twisted way, that is ME.

I am:

         Mathieu Dhondt

Hoho! 

I'm also a @{b}Shadowrun@{ub} GM (I call myself God, others call me anything you call
the guy/gal who just nicked your girl/boyfriend). I'm a student at the
university of Ghent, Belgium, currently doing my second candidature Germanic
Languages (Majors: English and Dutch), and (as I am a student) I am
extremely poor. So poor even, that I'm sitting here naked in front of my
computer, because I had to sell everything I had (even my clothes) to buy
this lovely machine. (Btw, any girls reading this? If so, and if the thought
of @{i}moi@{ui}, naked, typing this for you only, makes you go absolutely bonkers,
then send me 5 quid, ok? No fancy letters, don't offer me your bodies, just
send me 5 UKP. Thanks. I'll need that more than a good shag).

Hmmm - why does it always have to end up so corny?

Anyway, if you want to contact me and donate a great sum of money, your pet,
your Blizzard 060, your collection of CDs (although, considering some
people's tastes...), your comics library, etc. then there's only one adress
to write to:

             @{b}Mathieu Dhondt
             Hadewijchstraat 21
             8310 Bruges
             Belgium
             (that's in Europe, ok?)@{ub}

No packages over 2 tonnes accepted (except if it's money or dinosaur poo).

And, should you ever visit my lovely town... And should you be as gorgeous
(girl-wise) as my town (but not as ancient)... Feeeeel freeee to hop in
sometime. I'll show you my severed heel then. (I once had an accident with
my motorcycle and half of my heel was ripped off. It grew back on though).
Ofcourse, you must phone beforehand in order to make an appointment (many
people are fascinated by my heel) to +32(0)50 371307 (only the last six
digits if you're already in Bruges). 

Duh! I seem to be thinking someone would actually be interested in visiting
me, me, a poor creature typing away to probably no-one at all.

Oh yes, you can also contact me in some snackbar near the InfoBahn. Ask for


                        @{b} mdhondt@eduserv.rug.ac.be@{ub}

Also, try out 

@{b}                     http:studwww.rug.ac.be/~mdhondt.@{ub}

Maybe there's still something there that I wrote one day.

If you don't get any reply in a week, and you still think I'm important
enough to be written to, write to me by ordinary post. 

And if you're still reading this, you must be as pathetic as me, so get
writing!

"Excuse me sir... But could I ask you one more question?" "Sure. Go ahead."
"Er, well, I've seen your excellent program and I liked your typing..." "Go
on." "Well, as you're becoming some sort of a role-model to me, er..."
"Yes?" "Why don't you include a picture of yourself in the next
release...(starts sobbing)...if there's going to be a sequel, ofcourse."
"Well, er, look, eh, the only picture of me that was scanned, is quite, er,
compromising. And er, well. You know. It wouldn't befit a role-model." "Ah,
ok." "But I will definetely release something in the near future." "Great."
"Yes."

One thing remains..

Thanks for your support to:

The James Bond 30th anniversary CD for keeping me company during those lone
decades of programming. 
All my Shadowrun players, or rather subjects, for the fun we had together 
and hopefully will have.
My best friend Charlotte for calling me a nerd when she came up here and 
found me typing this and for making life somehow worth living. 
My parents for their everlasting support in this hard life of mine. 

And you, dear reader, for still reading on.

@endnode

@node "Stillhecantshithistrap" "Oops ah just a lill' bit."

Just a quick note here from a now much aged Mathieu. I was scanning through
some dark forgotten corners of my HD as I suddenly found this, still ready
to be upped on Aminet. Poor program. In order to save that tiny bit of
reputation that I have left and in order to still keep you reading, here
are some additional notes, typed one day before U-day (ie Upload day).

1. I now have a Blizzy 030/50, so don't bother sending money for a Blizzy
   060. I'd rather have the PPC - so send money for that please.

2. I am wearing clothes now.

3. I am still a student and still in second candidature (flunked a year. Oh
   well).

4. The program still works on this 030/50/8M so I guess AMOS wasn't all
   that bad after all.

5. You need to copy the AMOS.Library in your LIBS: drawer.

Well that's about it really. Maybe I'll make a MUI Matrix Generator one day
(for I have evolved away from AMOS - ain't I a smart feller?), maybe I'll
make a game someday concerning the Matrix, maybe I'll come over to your
place and eat your cat. Who knows. It all depends on whether @{b}YOU@{ub}
write or not...

Nah, just kidding.



Oh yes, one final remark:

It seems the paydata points and the size of the data to be found is missing
when you print out/export a DataSheaf. Tough luck chummer, I lost the
source somewhere, so I don't think it'll get fixed.
But when I come round to coding a MUI version, it'll be completely bug-free
and the constellation thingies will be in there too. And perhaps even
more... Maybe TWO sounds: lapping water and singing whales.

@endnode