                                                               

                   C A N A S T A  FROM SPECIAL K SOFTWARE 




                             release 3.25 - 2026
 
                            created by G.M.McKAY





 COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS:

      Any 486, pentium or better IBM compatible computer will successfully 
run this game as long as it can run Windows, and has over 8 Mb  of 
memory. It will use any sound driver that your Windows has fitted (ie. a 
sound card or PC speaker driver).   A mouse is required (as with all  
Windows activities).  It works best if Windows has a standard 
screen resolution, such as 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, or 1280x1024.   
However, it can accommodate any resolution. 





 DISTRIBUTION:

       This copyrighted game is distributed under the SHAREWARE system which 
depends upon your support for on-going development.   You are encouraged to 
freely copy and distribute this product unaltered to  friends,  business 
associates, bulletin boards and user groups.   HOWEVER THIS  PRODUCT IS NOT 
FREE!    You have an evaluation period of two weeks.  If you decide you do 
not like the game, simply pass the disk along to someone else.   If you are 
still using "Canasta From Special K" after two weeks  of  evaluation, you are 
obligated to send a minimum payment of $40.   If the future of low-cost 
quality software is to continue, we all must support this concept.   If you  
cheat on this payment may you be constantly finessed.  

       When you register, you get lots of goodies, as well as that warm 
feeling that only comes from the knowledge that you are more saintly than the 
scum around you.   Read the end of this file to find out about all the 
goodies.
 
       If you registered a previous version that gave you life time 
registrations (like this one does), simply setup this Shareware program on 
top of the previous one (ie into the same directory).  It will become 
registered. 


 INSTALLATION:

	CANASTA is distributed in a form which makes installation easy for you.    
Like all Windows programs, its installation is more complex than DOS programs, 
but the SETUP.EXE utility takes care of all this for you.    This way, it can 
ensure that you have the correct Windows System files that it needs to run 
properly, without you having to do any work.

	After installation, you should have these files in the 
\Program Files\Canasta From Special K directory -

 	CANASTA.EXE -  base program
	CANASTA.CHM -  Windows help file
	CANASTA.TXT -  ASCII text help file
	SCORES.CAN -  game scores and set-up info
	*.CRD      -  data files.

	In addition, it will make sure that you have Windows system files in your 
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.



       If you received this software from a Bulletin Board or the Internet, 
it will be compressed into the one file, eg CANASTA.ZIP.   Before running the 
installation program you will need to decompress it.   Create a temporary 
directory, eg C:\MYTEMP, and decompress all the files into it.   The software 
is now ready to install, as if you had bought it on a floppy disk.  Now run 
the SETUP.EXE program.   The easiest way of doing this is choose RUN from 
Windows START button, and type in the drive, directory, and SETUP.EXE name. 
Alternatively, you can run it from the File Explorer.   If you have Winzip 
installed, you just have to open the .ZIP file and run the SETUP.EXE file.

       The installation program prompts you to enter the directory name in which to 
store the files.   The installation program does NOT interfere with any of your 
standard set-up eg, AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, *.INI,  path.   It places the icon to 
start the CANASTA game in a group called "Canasta From special K" that it creates in the 
Programs group on the START button.   If you want, you can easily move this icon to 
a different group (by the usual method of dragging and dropping).

       If  you created a temporary directory, eg C:\MYTEMP,  you can  now remove it.

       The total space that this program takes up on disk is about 3.8 Mbytes.   

       If you run CANASTA and find that it does not fill the whole screen, the answer 
is probably the screen resolution that you have chosen for Windows.   You can change 
this via the Display icon in the Control Panel.   It works best with standard 
resolutions, such as 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, or 1280x1024.   However it supports 
most other resolutions.  If it does not fill the whole screen, you can force it to 
use another - click here to find out more.

	Windows also lets you uninstall this program.   You will never want to 
do it, but you can delete the program, via the 'Add/Remove Programs' icon in 
the 'Control Panel' (use the 'START' button, then 'SETTINGS').


************************************************************
	If you have any problems with this program, whether installing 
it, or running it, please let me know.   You can contact me on
gmckay@specialksoftware.com 
************************************************************



VERSION 3.25:

      This version is ver 3.25 of CANASTA FROM SPECIAL K.

	This program plays the most popular forms of the enduringly popular card 
games of Canasta. Use Windows to achieve the realistic atmosphere of a 
multi player Canasta game. 

	This version has a number of rules options added to the last version, 
to appeal to a wider geographical spread of players. 

	You can choose from styles of play, scoring techniques, and different 
numbers of partners.    It has animation, and supports various screen 
resolutions and sound cards.   Background textures are now available.

	It comes complete with this help file which contains both rules and 
playing tips for the various games.  So, it is ideal for expert and beginner alike. 
This version has various playing fixes and enhancements, and has been optimized 
for Windows 11, 10, 8.1 and above, for PC and touch tablets.





REGISTRATION:

- the latest, updated registered version (with even better card playing skills).
- if you want it, I will include a registered 
copy of 500 Card Game From Special K or Euchre Card Game From Special K or 
 or Bridge Card Game From Special K or Skat Card Game From Special K or 
 Whist Card Game From Special K or Rummy Card Game From Special K.

    An additional incentive is that you can register this version and have 
registered versions for life!   With this registered version you receive a key.   
Download any future shareware version from the Internet, or any other source, 
and you can turn it into a registered version!

    Yet another incentive to register is that the registered copy does 
not make you endure the initial "nuisance" screen when you run it.

   SPECIAL BONUS -  The registered copy also has a much more pleasing picture 
as the background to the Main Menu (ie. you do not have to see me and my 
family).  It also allows you to put in YOUR OWN background to this menu, so 
if you have a pleasing Bit Map Picture, or even a scanned-in picture of 
yourself, this can be in the background every time you run it.

     You can register on line by credit card by visiting my homepage at 
https://www.specialksoftware.com  

	Dealer enquires are welcome.  Corporate licenses are available.
 
  	Please register on the Internet for the lower cost of $38, and pay by
 credit card, check, or PayPal, at my home page at   
 https://www.specialksoftware.com
 



- - - - - - - - 
Enjoy this game,

G. McKay