help with upgrade

Under the Tools menu, select "Check for Application Updates."

d.b., under the "Downloads" section of this site (galciv.com), there Adobe Acrobat versions of the game manual and a strategy guide. I found them to be indispensable for getting my bearings with this game, although, as you've seen, the people here are fantastic about answering any questions that anyone may have. Myself, I like to have a printed copy of the instructions to pore over and spill coffee on.

thanks. and yes everyone has been great about answering my questions. I loved civ 1-3 and considered myself as good as anyone but this game is very much different. Many more minor/slight details. And the entire fact that your empire does everything at the same time. you cant have one planet focus on research while another does manufacturing. You have to do your production focus across the entire empire.