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Most of these programs need some run-time files in order to work properly. It's possible that these files are already installed on your computer, but if the programs below don't work properly then here are some instructions for installing the run-time files:
This will extract all of the Setup files.
If you have any problems or questions, please feel free to e-mail me at dave@Layhands.com.
Description
Games.zip is a collection of free DOS and Windows games and puzzles for Windows 95 and above.
Download Games.zip (186K) into its own folder, then unzip it.
Here are some descriptions and screen shots of all of the games and puzzles included in Games.zip:
42
42 is a challenging domino game for 1 player (the computer plays the other 3 positions), similar to the card game of Spades. This is a DOS program which runs fine under Windows.
See the Help file for instructions.
Screen shot:
Booby Trap
The object of Booby Trap is to determine, in the shortest period of time, which squares are safe to walk on and which squares contain booby traps.
Screen shot:
Chase the Puppy
Oh no! The puppy escaped into the tall grass!
Chase him! You get 4 tries to see how many times you can follow his twists and turns!
You are wearing black shoes, and you must follow his trail of white footprints.
If you step off of his trail then you will lose him in the tall grass.
Screen shot:
Dogfight!
In "streamer combat," thin paper streamers are attached to the wings of radio-controlled airplanes, and the goal is to cut off as much of your opponent's streamers as possible with your propeller, while protecting your own streamers. Search for "streamer combat" at YouTube.com for videos!
In this simple game of reflexes, you must try to cut the very END off of your opponent's streamer. If you hit your opponent's streamer somewhere in the middle then your plane will crash.
The winner is the one who cuts off all of his or her opponent's streamer.
Screen shot:
Four In A Row 3D
Four In A Row 3D is a challenging three-dimensional tic tac toe game for one or two players.
Screen shot:
Solve It! 3D
The object of this simple but fun puzzle is to rotate individual sections of a three-dimensional cube until the colors line up perfectly on all 6 faces.
Screen shot:
Description
ScreenSavers.zip is a collection of free screen savers for Windows 95 and above.
Download ScreenSavers.zip (1,110K) into its own folder, then unzip it. All of the files need to be copied to your c:\windows\system32 directory so that the screen savers can be selected in Control Panel/Display.
MakeYourOwnScreenSaver.zip (27K) contains free Visual Basic 6.0 code for creating your own screen savers, and it shows you how to use VB graphics commands for drawing lines, circles, rectangles, and so on. Also, ScreenSaverDemo.zip (15K) contains free Visual Basic 6.0 code which shows the graphics routines for some of the screen savers below.
To try out the screen savers, do the following:
Here are descriptions of all of the screen savers included in ScreenSavers.zip:
To try to Solve the puzzle, press the 's' key. Use the arrow keys to slide the blank puzzle piece around (it will have a red and green border around it). Press any other non-keypad key to return to Saver Mode, and the puzzle will then be solved automatically.
To try to Solve the puzzle, press the 's' key. Use the arrow keys to slide the blank puzzle piece around (it will have a red and green border around it). Press any other non-keypad key to return to Saver Mode, and the puzzle will then be solved automatically.
The Setup screen allows you to design your own patterns by experimenting with different trigonometry or fractal formulas. It also allows you to plot mathematical functions on your screen, such as your children's math homework.
See the Help file (on the Setup screen) for the keys that are active while the screen saver is running.
This is a 16-bit program, but it runs fine under the 32-bit versions of Windows (such as Windows 95 and Windows XP).
Press 's' to change the current Shape.
Press 'c' to change the current Color.
Press 'l' to Lock in the current shape (until 's' is pressed).
Description
WindowsUtilities.zip is a collection of useful utilities for Windows 95 and above. To use these free utilities, download WindowsUtilities.zip (758K) into its own folder, then unzip it.
NOTE: If you have used some of these utilities before, then download the new versions into the same folder as before. This will enable the new versions to use the original INI files (configuration files) so that your settings will be retained. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at dave@Layhands.com.
Here are some descriptions and screen shots of all of the programs included in WindowsUtilities.zip:
HTML Scan
HTML Scan reads any HTML or ASP file and scans it for many different types of syntax errors. Very handy for Web developers!
Most Web browsers will ignore syntax errors and unrecognized tags rather than giving you an error message. This means that you might not realize there is a problem in your HTML code unless you bring it up in your browser and thoroughly check out the results after each change that you make.
For example, whole sections of your page might disappear because of a single typo (have you ever accidentally left the > off of a tag?). Also, the better Web browsers are sometimes smart enough to figure out what you meant to do, even if you have syntax errors, but your page might not display properly in someone else's browser if it has syntax errors. HTML Scan can identify various syntax problems to help you create error-free Web pages.
HTML Scan will not modify your source code in any way.
See the Help file for instructions.
Screen shot:
Weather Animator
At www.weather.com and other weather websites you can view Doppler radar images that show your local weather. However, a single radar image doesn't tell you which direction the storms are traveling, how fast they are moving, or whether they are getting stronger or dying out.
Some weather websites have a "map in motion" option which allows you to view several radar images, one after the other, in order to get an idea of which direction the storms are moving. This is a nice feature, but the radar images are usually not up-to-the-moment. When you're watching the weather and trying to make plans, it's important to have up-to-the-minute information.
Weather Animator allows you to download the most current Doppler radar images from any weather website and then "animate" them by displaying them one after the other. This allows you to have the most timely information about the direction in which the storms are traveling, and the speed at which they are moving, and whether they are dying out or getting stronger.
See the Help file for instructions.
Screen shot:
WinCalc
WinCalc provides all of the most useful calculator functions in a single, organized format, and it features a 13-digit display, a 500-line scrollable tape, 10 memory cells, conversions between Decimal, Hexadecimal, Octal, and Binary modes, the ability to copy, paste, or edit the current calculator value, and the ability to save the tape and/or memory data to a text file to be printed or to be restored later.
See the Help file for instructions.
Screen shot:
This section lists the changes that have been made to this website.
ReadMeGames.txt (in Games.zip)
ReadMeSavers.txt (in ScreenSavers.zip)
ReadMeUtilities.txt (in WindowsUtilities.zip)
WeatherAnimator.txt (in WindowsUtilities.zip)
Consider visiting some of my other websites!
You'll find a Christian ministry with dozens and dozens of articles and answers to many questions that I have received over the years (please feel free to send me your questions and prayer requests!); plus a collection of some of the best self-working card tricks around (no sleight-of-hand required!); plus instructions and pictures which show you how to tie dozens of the most useful rope knots; plus a bunch of amazing/funny/fascinating/interesting videos from around the Web which are all clean and family-friendly; plus lots of reviews of numerous fun and educational (and free!) computer games that you can download; plus a huge collection of cool science tricks and other fun stuff to try (using things around the house), and more!
For a complete list, go to http://www.Layhands.com/DavesWebsites.htm.
Hope you like 'em!
"My Freeware Games, Puzzles, Screen Savers, and Utilities"
URL: http://www.Layhands.com/Freeware
Dave Root
Send e-mail to: dave@Layhands.com