Computing With Bifocals by Nancy Carroll Gravley A column for people who remember what the world was like before there was color..... Mike's Cards: A Great Mac Card Game August 9th, 2000 Mike's Cards I have discovered a game application that is really exciting because it has something for everyone.  There are 144 different card games ranging from video poker to what must be every known version of solitaire; the games are extremely easy to play; and the card graphics on most of the games are BIG.  This application, simply called Mike's Cards, was created by Mike Sedore and is available as shareware for $25.  As a kid most of us played board games.  Do you remember the kind that came with a reversible game board and included 6 or seven games all in one?  You can think of this as an electronic version of those. I have noted before that dedicated professional that I am, I consider it my duty to play all the games to make sure they are "suitable" for my reading audience, no matter how many hours I must spend playing.  (And if you believe that I have a bridge to sell you).  To start off, I would recommend this application up front to anyone who has limited money to spend on games or who has limited space on their computer to store games.  Also, while the graphics are useful and attractive, they are clean enough to assure a faster opening time. You can download Mike's Cards from www.download.com or our own Mac Observer's VersionMaster located on the cover page of The Mac Observer.  If this is your first attempt to download and install a game you might want to review directions for doing this from some previous columns which you can access from the Computing With Bifocals Index. Once the download is complete click on the folder and open it.  You will see the game itself, online registration, instructions, and a direct link to Mike's online site. Game Icon You may well want to access his site because there is another great attribute to this application. If users have an older Mac they will almost always be concerned about how quickly things will open, download, etc. The clean lines of this game will meet the needs of those users. However, if you have a fast machine you may choose to go to Mike's site and download some of the different card face/back options that he has created. They are truly magnificent. Everything from an exact reproduction of the familiar bicycle style cards to some very exotic styles. The first thing you will notice when choosing a game to play is that games are divided into divisions so that you have gambling games, contemporary games, kids games, one deck games, and two deck games.  Under each of those categories are other choices. The two deck games, by their very nature, do not offer the very large cards. Otherwise the game would not fit on most monitor screens. Start out by choosing a game you want to play.  I suggest video poker because it will give you a good overview of how the games work in general and it is one of the games that offers very large cards. Venture into the solitaire games and prepare to be overwhelmed. In addition to the traditional solitaire games with which most of us are familiar, there are dozens that I have never played before.  I tried playing some with which I was not familiar to see if I could figure them out by just playing.  In almost all cases I was able to do that.  I think this is partly because there are numerous basic attributes to any solitaire game (the cards either go on opposite colors or the same suit) and partly because the application has been designed well.  However, there is one truly insidious evil game (as defined by my inability to win it even once.) There is a grouping called Generic games and under this title is only one game. It is a one deck game. Try it, but don't tell me if you win it the first time out. I don't even want to know. You can save some of the games for future playing. Primarily the gambling games. If you manage to win a bundle playing blackjack you may want to take up where you left off. The gambling games also offer several options for betting. Another attribute that lends itself to all level of players is Intelligent Auto Play, available in the non gambling card games. Simply put, auto play moves cards from the working piles (tableau) to the foundation automatically. A second attribute is the option of putting the game in easy mode. As an example consider the very popular Forty Thieves game. In the normal mode you can only move the top card to another spot. In easy mode you can move all the cards in a tableau to another tableau. You also have the option of holding down, or locking the shift key which causes any card that can be played to be highlighted. This is a good helper when learning a game. The game also features a set of instructions for every game. You can access the instructions as well as the rules under the File pull-down menu. To move cards you either click on the card once, or drag and drop. There are background options, sound options, and a few other cute attributes which you can select or turn on and off at your discretion. There is also a selection of backgrounds which is always important to make sure you are not straining your eyes. So that is it in an overview. If you enjoy playing card games on your computer this one is a definite must. Reader Notes Shirley Hershey wrote following last week's column to suggest that I also include a fourth method of telling your printer to print something. You can drag your document to the print icon on your desktop. John Schumacher also followed up last week's column with more information on making an Alias. John notes: You can also make an alias by: selecting an icon holding down the apple + option(alt) keys and dragging the icon to a new location and releasing the keys/mouse button. As alwys, I greatly appreciate reader input. If you have any tips, suggestions, or other comments about this, or any other Mac topics, send them to me so that I can share them with other readers. Copies of Nancy's book Tips, Hints, and Solutions for Seasoned Beginners Using Apple Macintosh Computers With OS X are available in PDF download versions  for US$9.57 and in print version for $18.15 plus $4.00 shipping.   To view sample pages and get ordering information visit the September 14, 2004 column. Post your comments below. Check out Nancy's complete index of all her columns for the most complete list of tips anywhere. The list is categorized and is a great reference when you are looking for help! A Capacious Catalog Of Computer Tips Talking to a generation that remembers what the world was like before there was color, covers issues for people who don't care how their computer works, but rather what their computer and the internet can do for them. Nancy has a Master's degree in Human Services Administration and prior to her retirement she worked for almost 30 years in field of mental health and mental retardation. She has been a Mac user for 11 years, and has recently developed an avocation of teaching basic computer skills in both group and one-to-one settings. Most Recent Computing With Bifocals Columns Of iPod Cases and System Preferences - August 30th Cool Tips, Kudos for Bob, & a Review - July 31st Two Apps for Reading and Browsing - June 23rd Other "Computing With Bifocals" Columns