Copyright © 1999 by David Reiss, all rights reserved.
http://www.scientificarts.com/ dreiss@scientificarts.com

ReadMe File for the LoanFunctions.m Package


LoanFunctions.m Package

LoanFunctions.m is a package containing functions that help in
calculations of certain loan costs: for estimating home purchase costs
and performing other loan calculations. Its original intent was to
provide functions that perform cost calculations for the purchase of a
single family home; however, the functions are somewhat more general
than that and can therefore be used in a variety of other situations.
The assumptions used in this package are that the payment periods are
equal in length and that interest is compounded once per payment period
at the end of that period. If you are making payments on a loan that,
for example, is compounded once per month based on the number of days in
that month then the functions in this package will give results that are
slightly different than those that correspond to such a circumstance.
WARNING: The author is not liable for any errors or omissions. For your
decisions you should contact a finance professional for professional
advice and to obtain the actual information that you use in your
decision making process. The intent of this package is to provide some
simple tools for making initial estimates, for creatively exploring
options, and as a starting point for the creation of functions tailored
to an individual's specific needs.

THE AUTHOR, DAVID REISS SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES
FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION ON OR CORRECTIONS TO ERRORS AND OMISSIONS
DISCOVERED AT ANY TIME IN LOANFUNCTIONS.M OR ITS ASSOCIATED
DOCUMENTATION, WHETHER OR NOT HE IS AWARE OF THE ERRORS OR OMISSIONS.
THE AUTHOR DOES NOT RECOMMEND THE USE OF LOANFUNCTIONS.M OR ITS
ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION FOR APPLICATIONS IN WHICH ERRORS OR OMISSIONS
COULD THREATEN LIFE, INJURY OR SIGNIFICANT LOSS.

Referralware

This package is "referralware": if the package is of use to you 
then you are requested to suggest the services of Scientific Arts to friends and
colleagues and to pass on potential contacts to Scientific Arts. In this
case Scientific Arts provides you with a single non exclusive user license for this
software in return for the help that you can give in helping our
business to succeed.

Installing the Package

To install the LoanFunctions.m package place the folder LoanFunctions
within the AddOns>Applications subdirectory of your main Mathematica
directory. After you have done this, start Mathematica (if it has
already been started, quit it first and restart) and then choose the
Help>Rebuild Help Index menu item. In the Help Browser you will now have
access to the documentation for the LoanFunctions.m package under the
AddOns category. To be able to use the LoanFunctions.m package you will
need a password.

Password

To use the LoanFunctions.m package you need a password. When you first
try to load the LoanFunctions.m package you will be prompted for a
password. A password can be obtained by sending email to
loanpassword@scientificarts.com. The password will allow you to use the
package with a single license of Mathematica. Your email address will
not be used for any other purpose than to send you the password and an
associated message. You will not be contacted further unless you request
it. Your email should contain your Mathematica License ID. You can find
out what your Mathematica License ID is by executing $LicenseID from
within a Mathematica session. (Note that your Mathematica License ID is
not the same as your Mathematica password and we do not request your
Mathematica password. Your Mathematica License ID stays the same even if
you upgrade Mathematica to a new version. Your LoanFunctions.m password
therefore will still be valid should you upgrade to a newer version of
Mathematica.) Once you have obtained your password it should be pasted
into the dialogue box that prompts you for a password when the
LoanFunctions.m package is first loaded. The password only needs to be
entered once and will automatically be placed in a file named
LFPassword.m located in the AddOns>Applications>LoanFunctions
subdirectory of your main Mathematica directory (assuming that you have
installed the LoanFunctions.m package as per the instructions in the
preceding section). (Alternatively you can create a file named
LFPassword.m from within a text editor place the password in it and
place it in the AddOns>Applications>LoanFunctions subdirectory of your
main Mathematica directory). Once you have entered the password the
LoanFunctions.m package will be operational.