SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR MAVISBEACON

This teach you how Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing runs on most home computers, but you will need to make sure your
computer has the minimum required hardware to support the program before installing it. Use the list
below to find out if your computer is able to run Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. Once you are sure that
your hardware can support the program, you may install and run the program.
Windows®
System Requirements
Minimum requirements:
 Windows Vista and XP SP2
 Pentium III® 700 MHz or higher
 128 MB of RAM/512MB of RAM (Vista)
 300 MB of free hard-disk space
 Resolution 1024x768
 CD/DVD-ROM drive
 Internet connection
 Windows-compatible sound card
 Windows-compatible mouse
 Adobe Acrobat Reader
Macintosh®
System Requirements
Minimum requirements:
 Mac OS 10.4 and later
 PowerPC G4, G5, and Intel 800 MHz or faster
 1.2-GHz G3 processor or faster
 256 MB of RAM
 300 MB of free hard-disk space
 Resolution 1024x768
 CD/DVD-ROM drive
 Internet connection
 Adobe Acrobat Reader
Optional System Support
 Internet access
 Color printer with 300 dpi or better
In the interest of product improvement, information and specifications represented herein are subject
to change without notice.





4 INSTALLING MAVIS BEACON TEACHES TYPING
Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing installs on your computer’s hard drive. You need at least 300 MB of free
space on your hard drive to complete the installation. For the best results, close all other programs and
applications before starting the installation.
Follow the instructions below to install the program. There are separate instructions for installing on
Windows
and Macintosh operating systems. Both sets of instructions assume that the AutoPlay feature
on your CD-ROM drive is active.
Windows
®
1. Insert the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing CD in your computer’s CD-ROM drive.
2. Before you can complete the installation process, you must accept the terms of the license
agreement. You may print the agreement on this screen for your records. Once you have
accepted the terms of the agreement, click Next to continue.
3. The installer automatically selects a Destination Folder for the program. Click Change if you
want to install the program in a different folder. Click Next to continue the installation.
4. Click Install to install the program. Click Back to return to the previous screen. (You may
click Cancel at any point during the installation to cancel the installation.)
5. Once the installation is complete, click Finish to exit the installer. (The setup program places
Mavis Beacon file icons on the Start menu, below the Broderbund program group.)
6. To run the program after installation, select the Start menu and point to:
 Broderbund
 Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing
 Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing
Macintosh
®
1. Insert the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing CD in your computer’s CD-ROM drive.
2. Before you can complete the installation process, you must accept the terms of the license
agreement. You can print the agreement on this screen for your records. Once you have
accepted the terms of the agreement, click Agree to continue.
3. Click Install to install the program. Click Quit to return to the previous screen.
4. You must select a Destination Folder for the program. We recommend selecting
Applications from the list and clicking Choose.
5. Once the installation is complete, click Quit to exit the installer.
6. To start the program after the initial installation, double-click the program icon. The icon is
located on the hard drive in:
 Applications
 Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing folder
 Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing icon
IMPORTANT:
You must have Adobe®
Reader on your computer for Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing to operate correctly.




5 UNINSTALLING MAVIS BEACON TEACHES TYPING
Windows
®
If you want to uninstall Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing in a Windows operating system, follow the
instructions below.
1. Select the Start menu and point to:
 Broderbund
 Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing
 Uninstall Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing
2. Click Yes in the confirmation dialog box.
Macintosh
®
If you would like to uninstall Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing in a Macintosh operating system, follow the
instructions below.
1. Select the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing program icon. The icon is located on the hard drive
in:
 Applications
 Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing folder
 Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing icon
2. Drag the program icon into the trash.





REGISTERING A NEW USER
Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing is a software program that teaches typing through a variety of lessons and
games. You learn typing techniques that will help you to improve your speed, accuracy, and other typing
skills. The first time you start the program the Registration screen walks you through the process of
registering a new user.
1. When you first open Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, you see the registration screen. On this
screen, you can adjust language and typing settings for each user. If you are happy with the
default settings, type your name in the Name field and click OK. This takes you directly to the
Home screen where you can begin your lessons.
2. If you are not happy with the default settings, you can make your changes on the Registration
screen. The language and typing settings for registered users can also be changed at any time on
the Settings screen. The adjustable settings on the Registration screen include:
a. Language: This setting allows you to select the language that you want to use in the
program. To make a selection, click the button next to your language preference. You
can choose either English or Spanish.
b. Keyboard Type: This setting allows you to select the keyboard type that you want to use
during your lessons. To make a selection, click the button next to the option that best
describes the type of keyboard. The default setting is Standard, but you can also choose
Ergo/Split or 10-Key.
c. Typing Goal: This setting allows you to select your Words per Minute (WPM) goal for
the curriculum. To make a selection, drag the slider to a challenging, yet attainable, goal.
The default setting is 40 WPM, but you can set the slider for any value between 25 WPM
and 120 WPM. (Your typing speed displays as Keys per Minute, or KPM, if you select the
10-Key option for your keyboard preference.)
IMPORTANT: Once you have obtained your goal, it is a good idea to adjust your WPM to a greater value
so you can continue to be challenged.
3. After you are finished adjusting your settings, type your name in the Name field and click OK to
continue. This takes directly to the Home screen where you can begin your lessons. Remember,
you can change any of these settings later on the Settings screen.
11
SIGNING IN AFTER YOU ARE REGISTERED
Once you create a user, Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing automatically saves your work. You may close the
program at any time and continue from where you left off the next time you open it.
It’s easy to return to a saved session. Follow the steps below.
1. Open the program.
2. Select your name from the Sign In list.
3. Click OK. The Home screen displays, and you can continue the program from where you left off.
THE HOME SCREEN
Welcome to the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing Home screen. From this screen, you can access all of the
lessons, tools, and games available in the program.
12
Home Screen Options
1. Click Take a Lesson to begin your typing lessons. This is a good place to start if it is your first
time using the program. (See the Lesson Area section of this User Guide for more information.)
2. Click Practice Area to practice your typing skills. You can choose from a wide selection of
practice lessons, or you can import your own text files. (See the Practice Area section of this
User Guide for more information.)
3. Click Typing Games to play a typing game. You can choose from a variety of entertaining games
that help improve your typing skills. Each game emphasizes a different set of skills, but they all
focus on fun! (See the Typing Games section of this User Guide for more information.)
4. Click Custom Lesson Designer to create your own lessons. The Custom Lesson Designer allows
you to create your own lessons from scratch with content from Mavis Beacon lessons or your
own imported text files. (See the Custom Lesson Designer section of this User Guide for more
information.)
5. Click Reports to view a detailed analysis of your typing progress. Check these reports often to
keep track of your progress and find out which keys you need to practice on. (See the Reports
section of this User Guide for more information.)
6. Click Settings to make changes to the look and feel of the program. Language and audio settings
can also be adjusted on this screen. (See the Settings section of this User Guide for more
information.)
7. Click Help to access the User Guide, Finger Positioning Guide, Credits, and the Broderbund Web
site. You can also click Help at any time during the program to receive information about the
screen you are currently viewing. (See the Help section of this User Guide for more information.)
8. Click Change User to sign in as a different user. (See the Registration section of this User Guide
for more information.)
9. Click Exit to exit the program and return to your desktop

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