Reword alt code suggestion in 2013/birken

This also completes an item in the todo file and that has now been
removed.

2013/birken/README.md

@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@
 make alt
 ```
 
-To see why we recommend the alternate version instead of the original version,
+We recommend that you use the alt version first to see what this entry looked
-see the [original code](#original-code) section.
+like back in 2013 (with a configurable speed). If you wish to use the original
+version see the [original code](#original-code) section below.
 
 
 ## To use:
@@ -14,13 +15,18 @@ see the [original code](#original-code) section.
 ./birken.alt < 17_columns_wide_paint_by_numbers_file
 ```
 
+NOTE: if your terminal is messed up after running this (perhaps from exiting
+before it finishes) try using `reset` to restore the terminal. This will clear
+the screen.
+
 
 ### Try:
 
 This alternate version, which we recommend that you use in order to see what is
 happening with modern systems, and to not flash colours too quickly, which can
 be problematic for some people, can be configured to different speeds by way of
-the value used in `usleep(3)`. The default is `-DZ=13500`.
+the value used in `usleep(3)`. The default is `13500` but you can reconfigure
+it should you wish (see below).
 
 To see the program run on each text file, try:
 
@@ -44,10 +50,10 @@ make clobber SLEEP=7500 alt
 
 and then try `birken.alt` as above.
 
-If you wish to speed that up 200% you can use instead `-DZ=3750`. Doing this you
+If you wish to speed that up 200% (300% total) you can use instead try
-might find the right value to your liking; use ctrl-c to terminate the program
+`SLEEP=3750`. Doing this you might find the right value to your liking; use
-early but note that the terminal is likely to be messed up. Try:
+ctrl-c to terminate the program early but note that the terminal is likely to be
-
+messed up. In that case try:
 
 ```sh
 reset

thanks-for-help.md

@@ -3583,7 +3583,7 @@ these were not done.
 Cody also added the alt version that lets one control how fast the painting is
 done, based on the author's recommendations, except that Cody made it
 configurable at compile time. The Makefile was modified in such a way as to make
-it very easy to redefine them at compile time.
+it very easy to redefine it at compile time.
 
 Cody also added the [try.sh](/2013/birken/try.sh) script for the entry and the
 [try.alt.sh](/2013/birken/try.alt.sh) script for the alt code.

tmp/things-todo.md

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # A todo list of known things to check and/or do
-*Last updated: Sat 30 Dec 2023 17:37:08 UTC*
+*Last updated: Wed 10 Jan 2024 18:02:07 UTC*
 
 This document is primarily for [Cody Boone
 Ferguson](/winners.html#Cody_Boone_Ferguson) as he (that is I :-) ) wanted a way
@@ -44,11 +44,6 @@ run) or else they'll have to be put above the compilation.
 1615962832](https://github.com/ioccc-src/temp-test-ioccc/issues/3#issuecomment-1615962832)
 for links about the todo items wrt the [FAQ](/faq.md).
 
-- With the entries that we recommend the alt code first when it comes to it
-going too fast we should say not what it looks like in modern systems but rather
-what it LOOKED LIKE AT THE TIME. At Wed 22 Nov 2023 13:02:04 UTC the only entry
-that has had this done is [1985/lycklama](1985/lycklama/README.md).
-
 - Check 2001/westley for making `main()` have two args. Easy to make it have two
 args but harder to make it function right.