=======================================================================
    NOTICE BY ATARI COLDFIRE PROJECT TEAM (http://acp.atari.org)
=======================================================================

Please take note that some of the documents included in the THING folder 
are outdated.

Last year the Thing desktop was released as FreeWare by the Authors and 
a Public key was made available via the Atari Coldfire Project 
(http://acp.atari.org).

Accordingly, the copies of Thing available in this distribution are 
provided already registered under the name of PublicACP. Also, both
versions have been already configured for the FireBee computer, although
they should be usable on any TOS compatible platform, after resetting
Thing to default settings.

Please note that the Authors are currently working for a Thing's release
under a GPL licence scheme.

Stay tuned on the ACP web page (http://acp.atari.org) for News and Release
details !

The ACP Team
2012/04/19


ACKNOLEDGE
----------
The FreeMiNT Setup distribution for the FireBee was made possible thanks 
to months of hard work by Jo Even Skarstein of Taskbar fame, well know 
in the Atari Community.

=======================================================================
                          Thing, 1.27/1.29
                          ----------------
GENERALITIES
------------
This folder contains both Thing 1.27 and Thing 1.29 (beta). Along with
Teradesk, these desktops are selectable as default desktop,via the SEL_DESK 
program, (please refer to readme.htm for general guidance). All desktops 
are already configured for the FireBee with a basic setup.
 
Altough Thing 1.29 has some advanges over version 1.27 (such us the 
automatic install/removal of hard disks) it is STILL A BETA RELEASE 
that is reported to be affected by a few annoying bugs.
If you have problems with Thing 1.29, revert via the SEL_DESK program
to the older, but more stable, 1.27 version.

Thing 1.27 is pre-installed in English, while Thing 1.29 is pre-installed 
in the German language. In addition, all the documents from the original
Thing UK and DE distributions have been retained, altough some of contents 
are outdated by now. This solution was adopted to keep the Thing archive 
consistent with the original distributions provided the authors.

The national translations (<COUNTRY> from now) are provided unchanged, 
i.e. as released by the original authors. Note than some of the original
translators are not active on the Atari platform anymore, and might not
provide support or updated versions.


THING AUTHORS
-------------
Thing, 1.27/1.29
Copyright (c) 1994-98 Arno Welzel and Thomas Binder

Additional credits: see Thing Hyp Guide (TOC->Other information->Thanks!)
        
ThingIcn 1.10
Copyright (c) 1995-98 Arno Welzel, Thomas Binder and Dirk Klemmet
              Idea By Holger Weets

TRANSLATIONS
------------
THING 1.27:
UK Translation: Joe Connor & Peter West;
FR Translation: Jean Michel Conus & Sylvain Perchaud. The documents
   are available for older versions only and not in ST-Guide format; 
IT Translation: L. Zanier (RSC only);
NL Translation: Godfried Cobben (RSC only).

THING 1.29:
UK Translation: Joe Connor & Peter West & ACP Team (RSC Only);
IT Translation: L. Zanier (RSC only).

THINGICN 1.10:
UK Translation: Peter West & Transaction Crew;
IT Translation: L. Zanier (RSC only).

LANGUAGE FOLDER CONTENTS
------------------------
SEE CONTENTS.TXT file


DISCLAIMER
----------
This archive is PROVIDED AS IT IS, and the authors and the ACP team
DISCLAIM ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE resulting from 
the use of the included files, no matter how they are caused, or 
for possible errors in the translations or the procedures.

USE THE CONTENTS OF THIS ARCHIVE AT YOUR OWN RISK.


<COUNTRY> FILES INSTALLATION PROCEDURE
--------------------------------------
WARNING: THING 1.27 AND THING 1.29 RESOURCE FILES ARE NOT ALIKE. 
         DO NOT MIX FILES FROM DIFFERENT VERSIONS!

This procedure was written for Thing 1.27. The Thing 1.29 procedure
is alike, apart from the source and destination folders.

Inside the LANGUAGE folder you will find the translations organised
in <COUNTRY> subfolders. Note that some <COUNTRY>.RSC files are
available with the B & W logo only. Inside <COUNTRY> folders are
also located a few help files in various formats (see CONTENTS.TXT 
for details on available translations).

- Open the appropriate <COUNTRY> subfolder to verify all the available
  files. A full description is available in the CONTENTS.TXT file. 
  The main Thing resource file is some cases is available in two versions: 
  with Color Logo and with B&W Logo. The two versions differ by the logo 
  and by size (B&W<64Kb, Color>64Kb). Verify to your System specifications, 
  select the appropriate Resource file and rename it to THING.RSC (if 
  required/when available).
- Open THING's main folder: C:\THING\THING.127.
- Locate THING's main Resource files: THING.RSC and THINGTXT.RSC.
- Backup these files (although not strictly required), rename them 
  (for istance in THING.RSX and THINGTXT.RSX) or delete them. 
- Drag and drop THING.RSC and THINGTXT.RSC files from the source subfolder
  (..\LANGUAGE\THING.127\<COUNTRY>\THING\) to the destination folder.
- Close the Desktop and restart it via the LAUNCH DESK entry available
  in the PROCESS MENU of XAAES. The desktop will be re-opened with the 
  language of your choice.

IF SOMETHING WENT WRONG:
-----------------------
If Thing complains for missing/damaged RSC files and doesn't show up. 
- Start a different Desktop (i.e. TERADESK) via the LAUNCH entry 
  available in the PROCESS Menu of XAAES.
- Repeat the "RESOURCE FILES' INSTALLATION" procedure.
- Close the desktop and restart the desktop via the LAUNCH DESK menu
  entry in XAAES.
- If Thing still doesn't work, restart a different Desktop and restore
  the original THING's RSC files.
- Report the problem on the FireBee board on ATARI-FORUM 
  (http://www.atari-forum.com) or the FireBee Users Mailing List

IF THE THING INTERFACE DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT:
-----------------------------------------
- Restore the original RSC files.
- Report the problem on the FireBee board on ATARI-FORUM. 
  (http://www.atari-forum.com) or the FireBee Users Mailing List

THINGICN <COUNTRY> FILE INSTALLATION PROCEDURE
----------------------------------------------
Thing Icon Manager is a handy program to customise the icons 
assignment to programs and files. Version 1.10 is compatible
with Thing 1.27 and Thing 1.29. ThingIcn is currently available
in UK, DE and IT. Resource files are nested inside the 
LANGUAGE\THING.127\<COUNTRY>\THING\ subfolder of UK, DE and
IT <COUNTRY> main folders.
- Open the appropriate ..LANGUAGE\THING.127\<COUNTRY>\THING\ 
  subfolder. 
- Open THING's main folder: C:\THING\THING.127\THING\.
- Locate ThingIcon main Resource file: THINGICN.RSC .
- Backup this file (although not strictly required), rename it 
  (for istance in THINGICN.RSX) or delete it. 
- Drag and drop THINGICN.RSC from the appropriate source folder
  (..\LANGUAGE\THING.127\<COUNTRY>\THING\) to the destination folder.
- Start THINGICON from the Icon edit either the Icon Edit menu entry 
  or directly.
- If the program doesn't start or complain for wrong/missing files
  repeat the procedure. If you still have problems, delete THINGICN.RSC
  and restore the former file.


INSTALLATION OF THING'S HELP FILES (.HYP)
-----------------------------------------
Note first:
- THING 1.29 HYP files are NOT AVAILABLE. 
- THING 1.27 HYP files are available in UK and DE only.
- THING ICON MANAGER 1.10 HYP file is available in UK & DE.

In the FreeMiNT distribution for the FireBee, the Hypertext guides (help
documents) are located in C:\GUIDES. The THING ST-Guide for Thing 1.27 
(THING.HYP and THING.REF) is pre-installed, and you are not required to 
take further actions. The two available Hypertext guides are located:
German  : LANGUAGE\THING.127\DE\GUIDES\
English : LANGUAGE\THING.127\UK\GUIDES\
- First verify that ST-Guide is up and running;
- Verify what  <COUNTRY> HYP files are available in the <COUNTRY>\GUIDES 
  subfolders. 
- Backup first THING.HYP and THING.REF files available in C:\GUIDES 
  and Rename or delete them.
- Drag & Drop the appropriate THING.HYP and THING.REF files from Source 
  folder to C:\GUIDES.
- Check if the HYP file are properly opened (i.e. via the Atari Keyboard 
  HELP button or F11 key on Win-Aranym systems), or open it directly 
  either with ST-Guide or Hypview.
- If it doesn't work repeat this procedure or restore the original files.   

THIS IS IT!




