Which can only make you worry about the future offspring of the hordes of people who played this in Japan...
There are actually about 5 different versions of the PrincessMaker game. Most of the following page refers to PrincessMaker 2 (the only one, I believe, to have an English version available).
SpoilerWarning: The hints section and most of the Hall of Fame entries will contain spoilers for the game. Minor spoilers in the hints, probably quite major spoilers for individual daughters...
With many thanks (and the occasional curse) to Vitenka, the game can be found [here] or [here].
Once you have it, try running PM2. If this fails for any reason try running DOSINST and changing the sound option. Mine only worked when sound was set to soundblaster, not soundblaster + something as I believe it defaults to (and I still don't get sound...).
On Windows Vista, it appears you need DosBox to run it in (since you need full-screen capabilities).
2. Hints
Unless you take as naturally to VirtualParenthood? as SunKitten did, you should probably save at the first opportunity. The intro is certainly interesting, but you can't skip it so you will want to be able to restart without having to run through the whole thing again. (Saving is the furthest right button on the second row... It looks like some stars)
Counterpoint: your daughter's personality appears to depend strongly on her birthdate and blood type, and the game varies depending on this (most notably in how easy or hard it is to get your daughter to like more than one job). So you might wish to put up with the intro sequence if you want a significantly different game. - MoonShadow
I believe, from memory, that while you indeed cannot skip the intro, pressing escape does move the action on; so you can shorten the length greatly. --CH
Experimentation is the first order of the day until you know what the various things actually do. In general, work raises some stats and decreases others while lessons only increase stats. Try to work out which affects which stat so you can aim to get her good at something.
Not the case - science lessons lower your faith stat (or something similar, anyway, that I found vaguely amusing at the time, and which I think you need for magic, which was annoying) - SunKitten
Exploring may be a good thing, but do bear in mind that if you send her out at the very start of the game, she will have about as much success as any 10 year old against the various creatures she meets.
Money doesn't come cheap. Don't send her on a months lessons early on as you will run out quickly and won't be able to do anything until your next salary. Having no money on her birthday is a bad thing.
1. Max out the physical stats you want first, that makes you money to spend on the social stats later and also most labour lowers social stats, but they cap and the converse isn't true.
2. Warrior path is easiest. Once you can explore, take the fire option every time and there's several options available to make much cash.
3. The church is useful ;)
4. The painting contest is easily winnable, and the prize is worth it.
The daughters of various distinguished ToothyWikizens. If there is an actual final score we should try to rate the following by that but, if not, any order will do.
For a further description of the princess in question, click the name (Will most likely contain spoilers!)
Almost certainly you are correct. I was taking it to mean 'conception without the sex'. - Kazuhiko
Oh, I keep forgetting I have to feed her... - SunKitten
Hah, your daughter may only want 20 gold for pocket money, my daughter wants 40! - SunKitten
[This] is wrong. Very very wrong. Ick >.< Warning: Contains spoilers and scenes that may make you want to not play the game. It's not like this unless you actually try for it, I promise ^^;;;; - Kazuhiko
5. Other Versions
Note: Limited knowledge follows. The following is based mainly on impressions and a few Google searches rather than any hard fact.
You and your Butler Uz (just doesn't have the same ring to it...) raise a fairy girl who wants to be human. You get to pick your job in addition to how you interact with your daughter. One of the possible endings is indeed QueenOfTheFaeries?.
You are raising your daughter in modern day Japan (with a dog called Cube ^^;;;;;;). I can't help (hope) thinking that this somewhat limits your options and possible endings... You don't seem to be able to name your daughter in this one (all the sites I have found refer to her as 'Karen')
Oh, I was going to mention PrincessMaker: Legend of Another World and Go! Go! Princess! but [this page] does a far better job than I could... [This anime] looks to have way too much in common with PrincessMaker for it to be a coincidence. It's the combination of being adopted by a soldier after a battle with the whole glowing light thing, and the magical helper called Cube!, even if not much of the rest seems necessarily relevant. At the very least they must be both drawing on some common source...? Anyone know any more, or seen any of the anime? --AlexChurchill
PuchiPuriYuushi? is basically a PrincessMaker anime, yes. It's made by Gainax? (who originally made PrincessMaker, among other things), and has Cube from PM2 alongside the princess from PM3, in what initially bears a strong resemblance to the plot of PM2. Before long, though, it diverges significantly and becomes an odd amalgam of Fantasy, School Comedy, Magical Girl and RPG elements. A lot of style in some places; I like it a lot. 26 episodes, all (at last) subtitled by Xenon Fansubs. - tjm