Appendix 1 - Sources of Further Information


a1.1 - The Alan Language manual

a1.2 - Alan Web Site

The Alan web site at http://welcome.to/alan-if/ has the latest available versions of the Alan compilers and interpreters, an online version of the manual, example Alan games and a Frequently Asked Questions section with explanations and tips not included in the manual. (One part of the 'FAQ' explains where to get cwsdpmi.exe which is required to run Alan on MS-DOS PC's without running a version of Microsoft Windows.)

a1.3 - I.F. Archive

The Interactive Fiction Archive at ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive has most of the programs and information available at the Alan web site plus the 'Etudes' examples, the 'Standard' library example and the 'Starter' Apple Macintosh program to graphically create the basics of an Alan game.

The Alan information and programs are in the ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/programming/alan/ sub-directory.

If you want to explore the whole treasure trove of interactive fiction available at the Archive then start with the introductory 'readme' file - ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/README

a1.4 - Internet Mail

The Alan software and manuals are free but you should still become a registered user. You can register via Internet electronic mail. Send a one-line message REGISTER (note: that text goes in the message itself not the subject heading) to thomas.nilsson@progindus.se

a1.5 - I.F. Newsgroups

a1.6 - Alan user support

Thomas Nilsson is the author of Alan. You can email him if you find bugs in the Alan system or have problems using Alan that you can't solve reading the manual or posting to the r.a.i-f newsgroup. His email address is thomas.nilsson@progindus.se




Appendix 2 - Acknowledgements


Thanks to Thomas Nilsson for checking the drafts of this tutorial and offering much useful advice. Thanks also to the beginning Alan programmers who received early drafts and whose experiences helped refine the content of this version.

I would appreciate further feedback so that I can continue to improve the tutorial. If you have any comments or criticisms to make or find errors in this tutorial you can email me at stephen.griffiths@xtra.co.nz




Table of Contents