June 1988 - Family Computing and K-Power Magazine Archives
June 1988 - Family Computing and K-Power Magazine Archives
June 1988 - Family Computing and K-Power Magazine Archives
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CANADIAN<br />
$3.75<br />
Home-Office<br />
Product Reviews<br />
24 Software Reviews<br />
JUNE <strong>1988</strong><br />
VOLUME 6<br />
NUMBER 6<br />
Our Man in Moscow<br />
USA Computers Tour the USSR<br />
Free Mailing labels Program<br />
k. . __-^^^^_<br />
Remote-Host Software:<br />
How to Run Your<br />
Computer From Afar
V^LyX^** V^t<br />
Some people never know where<br />
their next job's coming from. That's<br />
why there's Microsoft5 Works:<br />
Four stunningly simple, amazingly<br />
versatile software programs in one.<br />
At your fingertips. A microsecond<br />
away. On the Macintosh or PC<br />
nearest you.<br />
Word processing, for fast memos,<br />
detailed reports, breathtaking<br />
presentations.<br />
A super-flexible database for<br />
October 27,1987<br />
Progressive Oifice<br />
16011 NE38h Way<br />
Redmond, WA 98073<br />
Dear Jon;<br />
below:<br />
Copier Supplies<br />
Computer Supplies<br />
Typewriter Supplies<br />
Mailroom Supplies<br />
TOTAL SALES<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Frank Addison<br />
3rd Quarter Sales<br />
uld>«t tie «]<br />
S0irtMr.ll (J4.7*)<br />
r"<br />
South (18.fl«)<br />
west [17.9*1<br />
April May<br />
S27.10122 S24.456.65<br />
$36,367.26<br />
<strong>June</strong><br />
sorting, searching, remembering.<br />
Jobs, clients, vendors <strong>and</strong> promises.<br />
A powerful spreadsheet to com-<br />
TOTALS<br />
S84,69B.B4<br />
$126,763.98<br />
$128,638.79<br />
S135.403.65<br />
tQ ^^^ yOU |n
AS.AS, TG.LF<br />
pute, analyze, interpret, <strong>and</strong> then<br />
graph anything to do with numbers.<br />
Finally, a communications tool<br />
for stock quotes,-travel reservations,<br />
research <strong>and</strong> bulletin boards.<br />
Learning Microsoft Works is a<br />
snap. It starts with a painless,<br />
step-by-step, instantly gratifying<br />
computer-based training program.<br />
to:<br />
Required Systems.<br />
Word processing:<br />
Spreadsheet;<br />
Database:<br />
Communications.<br />
import/Export.<br />
Help:<br />
IntegraUon.<br />
Before you know it, you know it.<br />
And of course, Works is a product<br />
from Microsoft, the preeminent<br />
developer of programs for personal<br />
computers.<br />
If you're in a business that won't<br />
let you stick to one thing, check<br />
out the program that can change<br />
jobs as fast as you do.<br />
Microsoft8Works, fbr everyone.<br />
For the name of your nearest Microsoft dcaler.call (800) 541-1261.Dept. E-28.<br />
Microsoft is;i registered trademark of Microsoft Corporal ion.<br />
Apple i-. ;i rv^isicred trademark <strong>and</strong> Macintosh is a trademark uf Apple Computer; Inc.<br />
HIM is a reslsieied trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.<br />
December 15,1987<br />
FredBlaine<br />
975 Rockside HIU<br />
Indianapolis. IN 46233<br />
(317)265-3875<br />
INVOICE<br />
Microsoft Corporation<br />
SfflS, Macintoshlus, Macintosh „.<br />
,|)5 PC, PS/2 or Compatible<br />
Price<br />
**•*•*•****<br />
Fontijupgr. »..».»»<br />
Mailing labels *.*.*•«****<br />
More than 50 functions ***********<br />
^ 256 by 4,096 cells »***.***•»<br />
At least 5 chart tyPes •***.*•****<br />
Form <strong>and</strong> list views »„«.«*•**•<br />
Calculated database fields **»****••*•<br />
VT52/I00terminal emulation ,***«••••*<br />
Jmoc/Om support *<br />
other word processing files „......*.*<br />
"^ spreadsrieet tiles ,.....**-.*<br />
Other database files *,*•**•*•••<br />
Gontext-sensitivs hBlp ***********<br />
On-line tutorial . w,r,a_11_h. ***««****•*<br />
Multiple files open simultaneously ....,.,.,.*<br />
Dynamic chart linking ***********<br />
Cut/copy/paste between files<br />
.!-«»«* Easy to use.
America's best-selling mini-van?<br />
Your first look tells you Aerostar is a<br />
superbly versatile mini-van, with a style all<br />
its own. Its design is sleek, modern, aero<br />
dynamic. The wind works for it, not against<br />
it. With luxurious touches throughout <strong>and</strong><br />
its special options, Ford Aerostar is America's<br />
best-selling mini-van.<br />
New Eddie Bauer style.<br />
This year there's a sporty<br />
model with dual front Captain's Chairs,<br />
special two-tone paint, unique interior<br />
appointments, <strong>and</strong> more. It's Aerostar with<br />
the good looks of the great outdoors!<br />
Designed to move you.<br />
But Aerostar's success isn't based only on<br />
distinctive looks. Its st<strong>and</strong>ard 3.0L V-6 has<br />
multi-port Electronic Fuel Injection for easier<br />
starting <strong>and</strong> smooth running. It delivers a<br />
spirited 145 horsepower. That's greater than<br />
any Chrysler mini-van. And it's powerful<br />
enough to tow an impressive 4900 lbs**<br />
Living room.<br />
Aerostar's advanced styling gives you loads<br />
of useable space. It comfortably seats up to<br />
7 people." Or remove both rear seats, <strong>and</strong><br />
create 139 cu. ft. of cargo space. You can<br />
even convert Aerostar into a sleeper with the<br />
Nobody does it better...<br />
the <strong>1988</strong> Ford Aerostar.
folding seat-bed option.+ All this in a minivan<br />
that's a breeze to h<strong>and</strong>le <strong>and</strong> park, prac<br />
tically anywhere, even inside your garage.<br />
6-Year/60,000-Mile <strong>Power</strong>train Warranty.<br />
Covers major powertrain<br />
components for 6 years/<br />
60,000 miles. Restric<br />
tions <strong>and</strong> deductible<br />
apply. Also, participating dealers back their<br />
customer-paid work with a free Lifetime<br />
Service Guarantee, good for as long as you<br />
own your vehicle. Ask to see these limited<br />
warranties when you visit your Ford Dealer.<br />
Ford. Best-Built American Trucks...seven<br />
years running.<br />
Based on an average of owner-reported<br />
problems in a series of surveys of '81-'87<br />
models designed <strong>and</strong> built in North America.<br />
At Ford, "Quality is Job 1"<br />
"Based on manufacturer's reported model year retail deliveries through<br />
July 31, 1987. **When properly equipped. Towing rating is reduced by<br />
passenger <strong>and</strong> cargo weight in towing vehicle. fWith optional rear<br />
bench seat. Seal-bed Optional on XL only.<br />
Have you driven a Ford...lately?
Personal Faxability!<br />
TheCanonFaxPhone"20.<br />
With personal convenience <strong>and</strong> high-performance features,<br />
it's a great catch for any business.<br />
In an age when business as usual, isn't anymore, Canon presents a<br />
personal facsimile for everyone,<br />
The FaxPhone 20. An advanced facsimile thai sends <strong>and</strong> receives docu<br />
ments in seconds. A personal phone system with automatic access, too.<br />
What's more, with a transmission speed of 17seconds per page! this<br />
Canon FaxPhone gives you reach you never thought you had. It even<br />
speed-dials multiple locations- Automatically.<br />
And, at just over eight pounds, it's compact enough to work anywhere.<br />
The Canon FaxPhone 20. It's the high-performance fax for everyone's<br />
personal style. And that's no fish story.
JUNE<br />
<strong>1988</strong><br />
COVER STORY<br />
39 BUYER'S GUIDE TO<br />
POPULAR COMPUTERS<br />
Take the confusion out of<br />
computer shopping. Our<br />
guide to 45 systems in<br />
cludes specifications <strong>and</strong><br />
prices for models from Ap<br />
ple. Atari. Commodore.<br />
IBM. <strong>and</strong> Leading Edge.<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y, <strong>and</strong> other IBM-com<br />
patible manufacturers.<br />
SPECIAL FEATURE<br />
51 OUR MAN IN MOSCOW<br />
Travel with F&HOC Con<br />
tributing Editor Steve Mor-<br />
genstern <strong>and</strong> a U.S. tech<br />
nology exhibit to Russia.<br />
where he gave many Soviet<br />
citizens their first exposure<br />
to the power of PCs.<br />
FINANCE<br />
12 SOFTWARE FOR<br />
SMALL-BUSINESS<br />
BOOKKEEPING<br />
Review of Info Team Turbo<br />
Accounting, a flexible, easyto-use.<br />
S99 solution to auto<br />
mating your books.<br />
TELECOMPUTING<br />
14 REMOTE CONTROL<br />
Put the files <strong>and</strong> pro<br />
grams on your home or of<br />
fice computer at your fin<br />
gertips—wherever you roam.<br />
Page 37<br />
PUBLISHED BY SCHOLASTIC INC.<br />
& HOME OFFICE<br />
THE OFFICE AT HOME<br />
10 HOME-OFFICE SHOPTALK<br />
This month, consultant<br />
Joanne Pratt advises a tele<br />
marketing rep; a nursing<br />
administrator: aspiring<br />
word-processing entrepre<br />
neurs; <strong>and</strong> a cleaning-ser<br />
vices contractor.<br />
46 BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS:<br />
WAVE TYPOGRAPHERS<br />
Discover how innovative<br />
technology, competitive<br />
pricing, <strong>and</strong> elbow grease<br />
transformed a small bcachsidc<br />
type shop into a bus<br />
tling home business.<br />
APPLICATIONS &<br />
UTILITIES<br />
48 MAKING FINANCIAL<br />
DECISIONS WITH A<br />
SPREADSHEET<br />
Put your spreadsheet's<br />
built-in formulas to work<br />
calculating buy-<strong>and</strong>-sell<br />
scenarios.<br />
PRODUCT REVIEWS<br />
58 HARDWARE<br />
PRODUCT REVIEWS<br />
The Arche Rival 286:<br />
the Apple MIDI Interface;<br />
the IBM Personal System/2<br />
Model 50; Ihc Toshiba<br />
P351SX 24-pin printer: the<br />
Zenith ZCM-1490 VGA<br />
monitor: <strong>and</strong> Phone-Mate's<br />
telephone answering ma<br />
chine.<br />
63 SOFTWARE<br />
SOFTWARE GUIDE 8. REVIEWS<br />
Reviews of 24 programs<br />
for business & productivity.<br />
education & creativity, <strong>and</strong><br />
entertainment.<br />
DEPARTMENTS<br />
6 EDITOR'S NOTE<br />
8 LETTERS<br />
26 EDUCATION<br />
VOLUME 6<br />
NUMBER 6<br />
DICTIONARIES AND<br />
THESAURUSES<br />
Use electronic dictionaries<br />
<strong>and</strong> thesauruses to perfect<br />
your word-processing,<br />
spreadsheet, <strong>and</strong> database<br />
documents.<br />
29 ENTERTAINMENT<br />
HINTS AND NEWS<br />
Unlock unsolved games<br />
with the book Quest for<br />
Clues: help TV's ALF return<br />
to his home planet; get in<br />
on an Electronic Arts's<br />
"two-fer" special; <strong>and</strong> check<br />
out a new genre from the<br />
author of Wizardry. PLUS:<br />
Hints for The Ancient Art of<br />
War; Might <strong>and</strong> Magic; <strong>and</strong><br />
Pirates!<br />
IT MACHINE SPECIFICS<br />
News, opinions, quotes,<br />
<strong>and</strong> rumors about Apple.<br />
Atari. Commodore. IBM,<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y, <strong>and</strong> MS-DOS ma<br />
chines.<br />
54 USING HYPERCARD<br />
How to create a free-form<br />
database in HyperCard.<br />
71 THE PROGRAMMER<br />
This month's programs:<br />
Mailing Labels (Productivi<br />
ty) <strong>and</strong> Wreckless Racer<br />
(Fun & Games).<br />
85 THE CLASSIFIEDS<br />
88 ADVERTISER INDEX<br />
FAMILY a NOME-OFFICE COMPUTING I ISSN 0738-<br />
60791 IB publlshrd monthly by Scholastic Inc..<br />
730 I)roadway. New York. NT 10003. Subscrip<br />
tions: tn U.S.. 12 issues for S19 97; Canadian<br />
<strong>and</strong> U.S. possessions add S6.00 per year For<br />
poslag*: Foreign residents add S8.00 per year.<br />
I'rlnled In U.S.A. CopyrlRht B <strong>1988</strong> by Scholas<br />
tic Inr. All rlghU reserved.<br />
COSTMASTEH Send addrrss chaw* <strong>and</strong> no-<br />
tlcr of undelivered copies lo FAMILY & IIOME-<br />
OFFIOE COMPUTING. P O. Box 5.1561. Uouldrr.<br />
CO BD312-3561. Known office of publication.<br />
Scholastic Inc.. 351 Carver Rd.. Uo\ 27OC. Mon<br />
roe. OH 4SO5O-270O. Second-class postage paid<br />
al Monroe, OH 45050-99UH <strong>and</strong> additional of-<br />
FAMILY COMPUTING is a registered trademark of<br />
Scholastic Inc.. <strong>and</strong> FAMILY A NOME-OFFICE<br />
COMPUTINO Is .i trademark of Scholastir Inc.<br />
COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY PAUL D1XNOCENZO.<br />
COMPUTERS (FROM LEFT TO R1GHTI ARE THE<br />
IBM PS2 MODEL 50. APPLE IICS,<br />
TANDY 1000 SX. A.SD MACINTOSH SE.<br />
JUNE <strong>1988</strong> 5
OUTSTANDING<br />
SOFTWARE<br />
For IBM PC's <strong>and</strong> Compatibles<br />
Small Quantities<br />
$000<br />
DISK<br />
For Ten or More<br />
SHIPPED WITHIN 24 HOURS!<br />
Satisfaction Guaranteed or Money Back!<br />
BUSINESS 1—EZ-FORMS business form<br />
generalion. completion <strong>and</strong> printing program.<br />
CAD 3—The PC-Flow i.Ocomputer aided flow<br />
chart generation program Color graphics required.<br />
V COMM 4a,b,c,d,e—(5 asks) Join the worid of<br />
sysops with RBBS Bulletin Board System 14.1 D.<br />
2 DATABASE 1a,b—(2 disks) File Express 3 B<br />
menu driven general purpose database manager.<br />
EDUCATION 1—Interactive DOS tutorial lor new<br />
PC users. Makes learning DOS painless.<br />
2 FINANCE 1a,b—(2 disks) PC Accountant 2.0<br />
personal bookkeeping <strong>and</strong> finance management.<br />
GAMES 1—3-D Pacman, Kong, Spacewar. Janit-<br />
Joe. futuristic Flightmare <strong>and</strong> more. Color requited.<br />
GAMES 2—QuberL Pango. Centipede, dun<br />
geons <strong>and</strong> dragons style Zoarre. etc. Color req.<br />
GAMES 3—B1acK|ack with customizable rules.<br />
Armchair Quarterback (you call plays), <strong>and</strong> more.<br />
GAMES 4— Slar TreK, the Castle adventure<br />
game, <strong>and</strong> the original Colossal Caves Adventure.<br />
GAMES 5—The Hack adventure game Irom the<br />
universities. Like Rogue, only much richer.<br />
] GAMES S—Pmball. Othello, Dragons. Sopwith<br />
(fly a Sopwith Camel] <strong>and</strong> more. Color required.<br />
2: INFO 1a,b—(2 disks) Cooking recipes database<br />
with keyword'ingredient letneval Add your own.<br />
'21 MUSIC 2a,b—(2 disks) PianoMan 3.0 polyphonic<br />
music recording <strong>and</strong> playback program. l<br />
"Z\ ORGANIZER 1—DeskTeam. a S*jekit* cloi<br />
<strong>and</strong> the Judy personal calendar program,<br />
j PRINTER 1—Resident print control <strong>and</strong> font<br />
utility, intelligent spooler, banner maker, <strong>and</strong> more.<br />
~1 SIMULATION 1—Maze making program. MITs<br />
Life simulation, starfelds. etc. Color graphics req.<br />
■ UTILITIES 1—A collection of invaluable general<br />
purpose DOS utilities. An absolute must for all.<br />
' UTILITIES 2—More invaluable DOS utilities in<br />
cluding screen burnout, ram disk, <strong>and</strong> more.<br />
J UTILITIES 3—A comprehensive set ol debugging<br />
<strong>and</strong> diagnostic utilities lor monitoring your computer<br />
NEW RELEASES/UPDATES<br />
BUSINESS 2—Eip.-essgraph business graphics.<br />
Chart your data <strong>and</strong> find trends. Color graphics req<br />
[J] CAD 1a,b—(2 disksj Fingerprint 1.2 advanced<br />
painting <strong>and</strong> Aliamira object oriented design Color<br />
\2] CAD 2a,b— (2 disks) DanCad3d. an advanced<br />
2D/3D drafting program w/animatton, 640K. color<br />
[U COMM 2a,b—(2 disks) Procomm 2.42. an excel<br />
lent modem program with terminal emulation.<br />
] EDUCATION 3—PC-Fastype 1.20 typing tutor.<br />
ideal for beginners <strong>and</strong> advanced students alike,<br />
!2j FINANCES 3a,b—(2disks) Express Calc 3.12.<br />
a powerful <strong>and</strong> user friendly spreadsheet program.<br />
GAMES 8—Striker helicopter attack <strong>and</strong> Risk, the<br />
game ol world domination. Color required.<br />
GAMES 12—Backgammon [play the computer]<br />
<strong>and</strong> Wheel of Fortune based on the gameshow.<br />
H] GRAPHICS 1—Record <strong>and</strong> play back screen images!<br />
Excellent for demo. etc. Color required.<br />
3, GRAPHICS 2a,b,c—(3 disksi An excellent 3-D<br />
surface modelling <strong>and</strong> shading program. Color.<br />
T\ INFO 2a,b-(2 disks) Zip-Phone, national<br />
areacode.'prefix to zip-code cross reference.<br />
2J LANGUAGE 3a,b—(2disks) The AS6 3.09<br />
macro assembler arxl debugger for 8088'86'286s.<br />
T] SHELL 4a,b—(2 disks) Automenu <strong>and</strong> HDM II<br />
4.04 hard disk prog, lor custom lull-screen menus.<br />
] UTILITIES 5—Hard disk utilities tor verifying, for<br />
matting, parking <strong>and</strong> optimizing your disk drives.<br />
_] UTILITIES 6—Advanced ulilities including<br />
Mark/Release (remove resident progs w/o rebootl)<br />
UTILITIES 7—More advanced utilities Including<br />
Mastetkey {undeletes files from Hard disks).<br />
T] WORD 1a,b—(2 disks) PC Write 2.71, a powerful<br />
word processing system w/spell checker, laser supt.<br />
Most software listed is shareware or user-supported.<br />
MicroCom Systems Cost of items<br />
3673 Enochs Street Shipping<br />
Santa Clara, CA CA res tax<br />
95051 Total end.<br />
(408) 737-9000<br />
Mop'Fri 7inri-9pm, Ssf-Sun E3m 5pTi<br />
6 FAMILY fil HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
S3.00<br />
EDITOR'S NOTE<br />
IN SEARCH OF VALUE<br />
Nearly everyone says the same thing:<br />
"To people who run a small or home-<br />
based business, value is the most<br />
important consideration in making<br />
a buying decision."<br />
On March 11, we held a Home-Of<br />
fice Forum to which we invited lead<br />
ers with expertise in working from<br />
home <strong>and</strong> running home-based<br />
businesses. They emphasized that<br />
for many people who work from<br />
home, computers <strong>and</strong> home-office<br />
equipment are the mainstay of their<br />
livelihood. First of all. it is important<br />
that they feel confident in the quali<br />
ty of the equipment on which they<br />
are so dependent. Another major<br />
concern is that if <strong>and</strong> when some<br />
thing goes wrong, service is readily<br />
available. Often that means buying a<br />
reliable br<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> knowing where<br />
<strong>and</strong> how to get immediate service.<br />
But to me value says something<br />
else. It's personal, based on each of<br />
our perceptions <strong>and</strong> needs. In con<br />
trast, cost is impersonal, general.<br />
unrelated to what you or I may need,<br />
<strong>and</strong> therefore an unreliable factor<br />
upon which to make a purchasing<br />
decision. This is true of any com<br />
modity, but as the price <strong>and</strong> need<br />
increase, the importance of value<br />
goes up <strong>and</strong> the importance of price<br />
alone goes down.<br />
Throughout the five-year history of<br />
our magazine we have heard from<br />
distressed owners of supposed bar<br />
gain machines, often discontinued<br />
models that had limited or no<br />
growth or upgrade potential, no<br />
steady stream of software available.<br />
We continue to warn readers to be<br />
ware of bargains that seem too good<br />
to be true. Usually that's just what<br />
they are.<br />
Another reality we all have to deal<br />
with, however, is what we can af<br />
ford. And that means that cost re<br />
mains a factor in determining the<br />
value quotient. But don't look to buy<br />
based on price tag alone. Remember<br />
SCHOLASTIC INC. CORPORATE;<br />
Maurice R. Robinson, founder. 1895-1982<br />
to take the time <strong>and</strong> care to make<br />
buying a computer a personal<br />
choice.<br />
This month's "Buyers Guide to<br />
Computers" (page 39 ) was designed<br />
to give you a broad view of choices.<br />
based on price <strong>and</strong> category. We use<br />
this occasion to avoid assumptions<br />
about the kind of computer you<br />
might want to buy <strong>and</strong> bring you a<br />
range of options <strong>and</strong> prices.<br />
Throughout the year we run a va<br />
riety of buyer's guides, some based<br />
on specific operating systems; others<br />
are devoted to a single peripheral or<br />
add-on, such as a laser printer or<br />
monitor or various boards; some<br />
cover fax phones or personal copiers<br />
or other categories of home-office<br />
equipment. All are meant to help<br />
you make informed buying deci<br />
sions.<br />
We provide buying help in numer<br />
ous ways: through clear <strong>and</strong> concise<br />
explanations of what to look for in<br />
an item you're considering: through<br />
charts that enable you to compare<br />
various options; <strong>and</strong> through arti<br />
cles in question-<strong>and</strong>-answer format<br />
thai raise important issues in mak<br />
ing decisions. Much of each issue is<br />
devoted to product <strong>and</strong> purchasing<br />
information. That's because you tell<br />
us that's the way you want it.<br />
PRESIDENT. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD: Richard Robinson<br />
VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD EMERITUS: Jack K. Llppert<br />
CLAUDIA COHL<br />
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF<br />
SCHOLASTIC NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL: Dr. Sidney P. Marl<strong>and</strong>. Jr.. chairman, former superintendent of<br />
schools <strong>and</strong> U.S. Commissioner of Education • Dr. Gregory Anrifi. president. Educational Testing Service • Elaine<br />
Banks, past president. National Association of Elementary School Principals • Michael J. Guerra. executive director,<br />
secondary schools. National Catholic Educational Association • Dr. Lola Jane May. mathematics ccnsultanl. Winnetka,<br />
Illinois, public schools • Dr. Wilson Riles, former superintendent of public instruction. State Department of<br />
Education. California • Dr. Richard Ruopp. president. Bank Street College of Education. New York. New York • Patsy<br />
R. Scales, library <strong>and</strong> media specialist. Greenville [South Carolina] Middle School • Elaine Stelnkemejer, president.<br />
The National PTA
New Insights, New Laughs,<br />
New Adventures, New Productivity.<br />
Yours Every Month. From UPTIME.<br />
"Last Night I Shot a Round of Golf <strong>and</strong> Created a<br />
Mailing List in my Pajamas." UPTIME subscribers say<br />
the funniest things. They tell us UPIIMK makes the most<br />
of their leisure time <strong>and</strong> helps them get the most from<br />
their personal computers.There's one more thing they<br />
tell us. UPTIME gives them value. With 8 programs on<br />
even' disk, a subscription to UPTIME builds a software<br />
library quickly <strong>and</strong> affordably. No wonder it's the best<br />
.selling disk monthly in America.<br />
Man Cannot Live by Games Alone. Nor by busi<br />
ness software. Today there's a<br />
disk monthly offering more -<br />
variety, change, <strong>and</strong> a fascinat<br />
ing mix of programs <strong>and</strong> in<br />
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you up past your bedtime.<br />
Every Disk Delivers the<br />
Best in educational, finance<br />
<strong>and</strong> home management pro<br />
grams directly to you.<br />
Look for us in Waldenbooks,<br />
B. Dalton <strong>and</strong> other book <strong>and</strong><br />
computer stores in your area.<br />
Here's an example of a typical issue of UPTIME:<br />
► Starship Comm<strong>and</strong>er ► Klondike<br />
^ Dupedisk Utility<br />
► Morse Code Instructoi<br />
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1
LETTERS<br />
WEIRD PROCESSING?<br />
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HOME-OFFICE SHOPTALK<br />
AN EXPERT'S ADVICE ON STARTING,<br />
RUNNING, AND EXPANDING<br />
A HOME-BASED BUSINESS<br />
BY<br />
JOANNE H.<br />
PRATT<br />
Q. I am a telemarketing representative<br />
for a manufacturing firm. My husb<strong>and</strong><br />
is being transferred, <strong>and</strong> we will soon<br />
move to another city. My employer<br />
would like me to keep my sales terri<br />
tory <strong>and</strong> operate a home-based office.<br />
I will need a word processor, database,<br />
<strong>and</strong> spreadsheet. I want a program<br />
that can reschedule customer call<br />
backs, write form letters, <strong>and</strong> figure<br />
price quotes on a Mac Plus. I also want<br />
a program that dials the phone <strong>and</strong> re<br />
cords the length of my calls. What<br />
software do you recommend?<br />
SARAH F. ROWLEY<br />
Gatesville, Texas<br />
A. Bravo to your enlightened employ<br />
er! A good telemarketing software<br />
choice is the powerful C.A.T. pro<br />
gram from Chang Labs (5300 Ste<br />
vens Creek Blvd.. Suite 320, San<br />
Jose, CA 95129; [408] 246-8020:<br />
S395). This full-fledged relational da<br />
tabase is designed for Mac people<br />
like yourself who need to keep track<br />
of contacts, activities, <strong>and</strong> time. Ver<br />
sion 2 of C.A.T. includes all the sales<br />
features you need. In addition, it<br />
automatically posts each of your en<br />
tries <strong>and</strong> allows you to quickly track<br />
each of your interactions in multiple<br />
windows on-screen.<br />
You may not need a separate<br />
spreadsheet <strong>and</strong> word processor, but<br />
if you do. Microsoft Excel (S395) is<br />
an outst<strong>and</strong>ing spreadsheet with da<br />
tabase functions. Microsoft Word<br />
(S395) will perform every feat you<br />
need for word processing, <strong>and</strong> more.<br />
joannf, H. PRATT, president of Joanne H.<br />
Pratt Associates. Dallas. Texas, has 28<br />
years of experience in operating home-<br />
based businesses. Her business<br />
conducts research <strong>and</strong> consults/or<br />
private <strong>and</strong> government clients.<br />
10 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
Q. I am in charge of a medical/surgi<br />
cal ward, which is staffed by 12 indi<br />
viduals who must provide 24-hour cov<br />
erage with a minimum of two<br />
individuals per shift. Is there a pro<br />
gram that covers work schedules?<br />
HERMON L. SANTA ANA<br />
Biloxi. Mississippi<br />
A: R OJJlce Manager (R Systems.<br />
10310 Markison Road. Dallas. TX<br />
75238: [214] 343-9188) was devel<br />
oped for the army, so it may offer<br />
more control than you need. The PC<br />
version (SI95) will let you schedule<br />
your surgical team on a daily.<br />
monthly, or yearly basis. Individuals<br />
can keep personal schedules, <strong>and</strong><br />
the calendar will highlight conflicts.<br />
The software includes note pad. cal<br />
culator, <strong>and</strong> phone-book features<br />
that will help you organize your<br />
desk.<br />
A low-cost alternative, if you have<br />
the time <strong>and</strong> a spreadsheet program,<br />
is to set up your own scheduling<br />
template. {Refer to "Getting More<br />
from Spreadsheets <strong>and</strong> Databases."<br />
in the January issue. for a descrip<br />
tion of a nursing administrator's<br />
spreadsheet model for scheduling<br />
her staff.)<br />
Q. My friend <strong>and</strong> I are planning to<br />
start our own typing/word-processing<br />
service from one of our homes. Unfor<br />
tunately, neither of us knows where to<br />
begin. Any suggestions?<br />
DIANE OSTLUND <strong>and</strong> ROBIN EPPS<br />
Brooklyn. New York<br />
A. Equipment can be leased, but<br />
prices have dropped so far that leas<br />
ing is no longer cost-effective. Be<br />
cause most businesses use MS-DOS<br />
machines, you will do best with an<br />
IBM XT. AT. or clone, a laser printer,<br />
<strong>and</strong> WordPerfect or Microsoft Word<br />
software.<br />
Try "temping" for a few months.<br />
You'll learn professional st<strong>and</strong>ards<br />
for corporate clients, <strong>and</strong>. if you<br />
earn $18 an hour as my daughter<br />
does in New York City, you'll soon<br />
pay for your equipment. But before<br />
you plunge in. research your market<br />
<strong>and</strong> write your business plan. Check<br />
the ads in the Village Voice for local<br />
pricing. Canvass the businesses in<br />
your neighborhood. Before you in<br />
vest in a new business, be sure that<br />
your services arc needed. (See "How<br />
to Start A Word-Processing Busi<br />
ness" in the November 1987 issue.)<br />
Q. I have a service for cleaning homes<br />
<strong>and</strong> offices. My problem is attracting<br />
more business. I have tried mailings<br />
<strong>and</strong> fliers. Do you have any ideas?<br />
JACQUELINE TAYLOR<br />
Chicago. Illinois<br />
A; Mailings <strong>and</strong> fliers sell cleaning,<br />
not the cleaner. You need to market<br />
a neat, clean, <strong>and</strong> dependable per<br />
son, someone clients can trust to<br />
leave behind a sparkling home <strong>and</strong><br />
all of the silver.<br />
Build your business on satisfied<br />
customers. Ask for referrals from<br />
your clients. You may want to offer a<br />
bonus—perhaps clean a few win<br />
dows—for each new client that old<br />
customers bring to you. Also, be<br />
come acquainted with the leasing<br />
agents <strong>and</strong> building managers of the<br />
offices your employees now clean<br />
<strong>and</strong> request referrals.<br />
Valerie Bohigian's How to Make<br />
Your Home-Based Business Grow<br />
(Signet. 1986: S3.95) can help you<br />
determine whether you have over<br />
looked any factors such as presenta<br />
tion, pricing, or even your own com<br />
mitment to your business. Many of<br />
her tips apply to services as well as<br />
products.<br />
SEND US YOUR<br />
HOME-OFFICE<br />
QUESTIONS!<br />
Let Joanne Pratt be your home-office<br />
consultant. Send your questions<br />
about telecommuting, working for a<br />
corporation from home, or running<br />
a home-based business to: Home-Of<br />
fice ShopTalk, family & home-office<br />
computing. 730 Broadway, New York.<br />
NY 10003. Unfortunately, we will not<br />
be able to acknowledge each sub<br />
mission. ■
When it comes<br />
to personal copiers,<br />
our competition<br />
really taught us<br />
a lesson.<br />
(And now, they probably wish they hadn't)<br />
We weren't the first to introduce a personal copier. The commitment to provide one of the most extensive serv-<br />
Because we wanted to be the best. ice networks in the business. Along with the exclusive phone<br />
So we waited to unveil the LR-1, otherwise known as the number that goes with it. 1-800-FAST-FIX.<br />
"Little Ricoh" until we could give you all the important little And the commitment to back up our products with impresextras<br />
that go with it. Like on-site sales training. RO.S. support, sive advertising, promotions, <strong>and</strong> merch<strong>and</strong>ising.<br />
<strong>and</strong> a full rep network, to name just a few. So if you're interested in doing big business with<br />
This way, the LR-1 doesn't just come with a lot of big features a company that provides<br />
(cartridge technology, 50-sheet paper capacity, business card to total marketing support,<br />
8H" x 14" copying capability). It also comes with some big call John Widlicka at<br />
corporate commitments as well. Like the commitment to keep 1-201-882-3929.<br />
profit margins from shrinking in size. Copiers within reach.<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 22<br />
You can see "Little Ricoh" at CES Booth 6248, Home/Office Section.
FINANCE<br />
SOFTWARE FOR SAAALL-BUSINESS BOOKKEEPING<br />
Save Time <strong>and</strong> Money with InfoTeam Turbo Accounting<br />
BY WENDY COLE<br />
If you run a small business <strong>and</strong> are<br />
tired of spending hours each week<br />
keeping books the old-fashioned<br />
way. it's probably time to enlist your<br />
computer as your bookkeeper. Info-<br />
Team Turbo Accounting (Info De<br />
signs; 1313] 334-9790). a program<br />
intended specifically for small opera<br />
tions, may be just the program you<br />
need to become automated. The sys<br />
tem is flexible, easy to use. well-doc<br />
umented, <strong>and</strong> affordable.<br />
This S99 accounting software is<br />
easy to learn even if you've never set<br />
up an accounting program. A scaled-<br />
down version of Info Designs's suc<br />
cessful $495 InfoTeam Accountant,<br />
Turbo Accounting is a fully integrat<br />
ed system that includes modules for<br />
a general ledger, accounts payable,<br />
accounts receivable, invoices, <strong>and</strong><br />
checks. Info Designs was smart to<br />
realize that there are many comput<br />
er users around who run business<br />
es, but who are reluctant to or can't<br />
afford to plunk down the SI.000 or<br />
more that it often costs to acquire<br />
the full range of accounting<br />
functions.<br />
Turbo Accounting's chart of ac<br />
counts can be loaded automatically<br />
by following a series of simple on<br />
screen directions depending on the<br />
type of business you have: corpora<br />
tion, partnership, or sole proprietor<br />
ship. The built-in chart contains 85<br />
account descriptions, including the<br />
st<strong>and</strong>ard payables, receivables, <strong>and</strong><br />
current year's profits or losses, as<br />
well as more obscure accounts, such<br />
as janitorial or cleaning services,<br />
freight charges, <strong>and</strong> equipment<br />
rental.<br />
And you don't have to rely on the<br />
st<strong>and</strong>ard chart provided by Turbo<br />
Accounting. The system also allows<br />
you to modify the chart or design<br />
one specifically to meet your compa<br />
ny's needs.<br />
ACCOUNTING MADE EASY<br />
The system relies on simple two-<br />
letter mnemonic comm<strong>and</strong>s to carry<br />
out accounting functions. In most<br />
cases, the comm<strong>and</strong>s are logically la<br />
beled, such as El for Enter Invoices<br />
<strong>and</strong> MV for Maintain Vendor. A sep-<br />
wendy COLE, a reporter/'researcherfor<br />
Time magazine, reviews software for<br />
FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING.<br />
12 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
Iii« 14 23 i tn'Jr |i*it*t fa Printing *(:<br />
in .Si) tiKont<br />
Ciaiir .ft b '<br />
toiri: ? Skini)<br />
; 9 Com l Tirr Sie t 151. Tim 0. FF »,:» Uii Sit<br />
Mil tTt 3) [isc 9,|J TU [|.u «i . !;<br />
Here are two screen shots of InfoTeam<br />
Turbo Accounting (available for IBM PCs<br />
<strong>and</strong> compatibles). The top screen is taken<br />
from the Accounts Payable module, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
bottom screen is from the Invoicing module.<br />
arate reference guide listing all the<br />
system comm<strong>and</strong>s is included in the<br />
package.<br />
Once you become familiar with<br />
Turbo Accounting's range of com<br />
m<strong>and</strong>s, they're simple to use. But in<br />
the event you make an error or need<br />
more detailed information about a<br />
function or comm<strong>and</strong>, help is easily<br />
available by pressing the F10 key.<br />
An operator's manual describes in<br />
detail all of the program's features<br />
<strong>and</strong> comm<strong>and</strong>s. The manual also<br />
provides samples of the print reports<br />
available through the system, in<br />
cluding audit reports <strong>and</strong> cash-re<br />
ceipt records.<br />
Another h<strong>and</strong>y feature of the sys<br />
tem is its unique security mecha<br />
nism. This allows a manager to offer<br />
an employee access to the system on<br />
a "need-to-know" basis. For in<br />
stance, you might want specific<br />
workers to be able to call up the cus<br />
tomer <strong>and</strong> vendor lists only for in<br />
quiry <strong>and</strong> not be able to alter them.<br />
The system allows you to set up six<br />
different operator codes, each with a<br />
password. A caveat: Don't forget<br />
your operator code or password, or<br />
you'll have to get another through<br />
Info Designs's customer support de<br />
partment in Bloomficld Hills,<br />
Michigan.<br />
LESS FOR YOUR MONEY?<br />
Unlike the earlier version—which<br />
allowed users to maintain records<br />
for more than 1,000 companies or<br />
until disk space ran out—Turbo Ac<br />
counting is designed specifically to<br />
h<strong>and</strong>le the books for a single compa<br />
ny with only one branch or depart<br />
ment. In addition, there arc limits<br />
on the number of accounts that can<br />
be recorded. The Turbo system can<br />
accommodate a maximum of 750 ac<br />
counts, including general ledger, ac<br />
counts payable, <strong>and</strong> accounts receiv<br />
able. And no more than 600<br />
transactions in total can be conduct<br />
ed per period (usually per month).<br />
But these limits should not affect<br />
most small businesses. One missing<br />
feature, however, which could pose a<br />
bigger problem, is the inability of<br />
the scaled-down version to calculate<br />
finance charges.<br />
If you're concerned that you may<br />
outgrow the basic system, the com<br />
pany's full range of advanced ac<br />
counting software makes upgrading<br />
a snap. If you're interested in inven<br />
tory control (not included in the ba<br />
sic package), a separate module<br />
called inventory/order entry is avail<br />
able, as is a payroll module that<br />
tracks wage records. (Modules cost<br />
S100.)<br />
But the program, like most ac<br />
counting software, won't teach you<br />
the fundamentals of accounting or<br />
bookkeeping. If you've had problems<br />
with record keeping manually, it is<br />
best to sort your files with help from<br />
a professional before purchasing<br />
Turbo Accounting.<br />
The job of the software is to help a<br />
good manual system perform much<br />
faster <strong>and</strong> more efficiently. And<br />
there's no doubt that for many<br />
small-business operators. Turbo Ac<br />
counting is a great buy <strong>and</strong> is sure<br />
to fit (<strong>and</strong> print) the bill. ■<br />
editors note: For an overview of<br />
accounting software <strong>and</strong> a listing of<br />
other packages, see the February<br />
iSSUe Of FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE<br />
COMPUTING.
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CIRCLE READER SERVICE 4<br />
Charles R. Schwab, Chairman<br />
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br />
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TELECOMPUTING<br />
REMOTE CONTROL: Doctors, Consultants, <strong>and</strong><br />
Salespeople Can Access Their Home or Office Computers<br />
From Remote Locations<br />
It never fails. Somehow you always<br />
need or want to use a personal com<br />
puter that's somewhere else!<br />
Repeatedly you'll find that you<br />
really want to run some program or<br />
copy some file on your computer,<br />
<strong>and</strong> it's not where you are. Or, the<br />
reverse. You're at your home or of<br />
fice, <strong>and</strong> you absolutely, positively<br />
have to get to something on a co-<br />
worker's computer. You need infor<br />
mation right away or want to help<br />
the other person with some problem.<br />
Well, wise old Ma Bell came up<br />
with the perfect answer years ago<br />
when she counseled us to "Let your<br />
fingers do the walking."<br />
With a telephone—modem connec<br />
tion <strong>and</strong> "remote-host software"—<br />
which includes a calling program<br />
<strong>and</strong> a host program—you can dial<br />
up a microcomputer at a remote lo<br />
cation <strong>and</strong> use it just as if you were<br />
sitting at its keyboard. The answer<br />
ing computer becomes a "host" com<br />
puter, allowing the remote caller to<br />
run programs <strong>and</strong> perform system<br />
work on the host machine.<br />
A PRACTICAL TOOL<br />
What kind of practical advantages<br />
can remote-host software provide?<br />
First of all. there is the sheer conve<br />
nience of remote access to your own<br />
computer. Nothing beats being<br />
able to dial in for a quick spread<br />
sheet recalculation, copy an obscure<br />
file you forgot to bring along, check<br />
that draft report, or look up the ex<br />
act numbers in a database file. After<br />
all. this is the computer age!<br />
For instance. Dr. Marc Hamburg,<br />
of Smithtown. New York, uses re<br />
mote-host software to dial into his<br />
computer in one of his two home of<br />
fices. "Best of all." he says, "now 1<br />
have dial-in access to my office file of<br />
patient records—from home, hospi<br />
tal, or any other location."<br />
Dr. Hamburg's office manager rou<br />
tinely uses PC Anywhere software<br />
(see "Popular Remote-Host Soft<br />
ware") to link the computers in<br />
both offices. His office manager dials<br />
krnkst PEREZ, who helped computerize<br />
the library at the Chicago Sun Times.<br />
now works in the newspaper's<br />
circulation department.<br />
1 4 FAMILY K HOME-OmCE COMPUTING<br />
BY ERNEST PEREZ<br />
into the computer at the other office<br />
to update patient records, copy files,<br />
<strong>and</strong> even print reports or bills.<br />
Dr. Hamburg says, "With PC Any<br />
where, you can even print a report<br />
originating from the remote comput<br />
er on your local printer. So, you<br />
don't even have to worry about being<br />
at the right office."<br />
In addition. Dr. Hamburg enjoys<br />
modifying his office system <strong>and</strong> is<br />
constantly "tweaking" it to get just a<br />
bit more performance or efficiency.<br />
"But my staff pushes me off the of<br />
fice machine during the day," he<br />
says. "So, in the late evening, I dial<br />
into the office AST/286 from home<br />
<strong>and</strong> take care of system modifica<br />
tions. 1 can make major system <strong>and</strong><br />
menu changes. Sometimes, my staff<br />
is pretty surprised in the morning<br />
when they find what I've done dur<br />
ing the night!" A password option<br />
lets users protect their files from<br />
v<strong>and</strong>als.<br />
The only real negative or practical<br />
limitation to remote access is mo<br />
dem transmission speed. A Lotus I-<br />
2-3 or word-processor display flashes<br />
up on your local computer <strong>and</strong> gives<br />
you the high-speed personal comput<br />
er screen updates to which you're<br />
accustomed. The 1200-baud display<br />
speeds for remote transmission of<br />
that same screen display crawl along<br />
in comparison. Experienced remote<br />
users recommend using 2400-baud<br />
or 9600-baud modems for heavy re<br />
mote access use. The 9600-baud<br />
speed is nearly identical to what<br />
you're used to seeing on your local<br />
computer screen.<br />
SAVE ON HARDWARE COSTS<br />
"Hardware economy" is a not-so-<br />
obvious feature of remote-host soft<br />
ware. Let's say you have a top-of-the-<br />
line, powerful computer at the office.<br />
It's an IBM PS/2 Model 50, 60, or 80<br />
with an attached laser printer. Put<br />
remote-host software on that ma<br />
chine, <strong>and</strong> you can use all that<br />
horsepower, from home, from a<br />
branch office, or from the road. All<br />
you need is an MS-DOS compatible<br />
<strong>and</strong> a modem. You can use bare-<br />
bones equipment from any location<br />
<strong>and</strong> still have all the advantages of<br />
the larger machine. The software<br />
supports CGA if both computers are<br />
graphics equipped <strong>and</strong> will even<br />
translate color attributes to a mono<br />
chrome monitor in text mode.<br />
"Conferencing." or long-distance<br />
collaboration, is another possibility.<br />
Linked computers simultaneously<br />
run the same program <strong>and</strong> display<br />
identical screens. It's almost as if<br />
you were sitting beside the person at<br />
the other keyboard. With a word pro<br />
cessor, for instance, both of you can<br />
simultaneously work on the same<br />
draft report, contract, or other docu<br />
ment. You can talk about changes<br />
on a separate voice telephone line.<br />
And. if you don't have another<br />
phone line, you can use the "chat<br />
window" in many remote-host pro<br />
grams to type comments or sugges<br />
tions back <strong>and</strong> forth. You can do the<br />
same type of collaborating using a<br />
spreadsheet or database program or<br />
some other kind of software.<br />
Remote collaboration lets you com<br />
plete a long-distance business pro<br />
ject in a fraction of the usual time.<br />
Imagine: no mimeographs of drafts,<br />
no mail delays or messenger ex<br />
penses, no lengthy telephone confer<br />
ences, <strong>and</strong> no barely legible notes.<br />
Instead, work gets done just as if<br />
you <strong>and</strong> your partner were talking it<br />
over while sitting at the same key<br />
board. It's easy to justify long-dis<br />
tance telephone expenses for the<br />
gain in productivity.<br />
With remote-host software, you<br />
can also offer (<strong>and</strong> maybe charge for)<br />
valuable remote support service—to<br />
your customers, clients, <strong>and</strong> col<br />
leagues. After you've installed the<br />
host software on their machines.
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16 FAMILY A HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
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TELECOMPUTING<br />
POPULAR REMOTE-HOST SOFTWARE<br />
To use remote-host software, you need<br />
two programs: a host program <strong>and</strong> a call<br />
ing program. (Unless otherwise noted,<br />
it's best to use programs from the same<br />
company.)<br />
Carbon Copy Plus, Version 4.0<br />
Meridian Technology. Inc.<br />
7 Corporate Park. Suite 100<br />
Irvine, CA 92714<br />
(714) 261-1199<br />
MS-DOS compatible<br />
S195 per program (two required)<br />
Primarily designed for support applica<br />
tions, good for collaboration use. Fast<br />
file transfer.<br />
Close-Up, Version 1.10<br />
Norton-Lambert Corp.<br />
P.O. Box 4085<br />
Santa Barbara. CA 93140<br />
(805) 964-6767<br />
MS-DOS compatible<br />
8195 for Customer (host) program: $245<br />
for Support (calling) program<br />
Support applications emphasis, good<br />
for collaborations. Simple installation,<br />
one program for each computer. Uses<br />
1-2-3-style menus. Runs as memory-resi<br />
dent program on host machine while you<br />
use other programs.<br />
Line Plus Master, Version 2.10<br />
Concept Development Systems<br />
2778 Hargrove Road, Suite 349<br />
Vinings. GA 30080<br />
(404) 434-4813<br />
MS-DOS compatible<br />
S200 for host <strong>and</strong> caller programs: SlOO<br />
for additional remote computers, with<br />
you can dial up their computers to<br />
work on system or software prob<br />
lems <strong>and</strong> be a silent observer when<br />
ever these contacts have problems.<br />
Then, you can debug or reconfigure<br />
their systems as needed.<br />
A remote-host program is also a<br />
good training aid. With the chat<br />
mode, or a separate voice line, you<br />
can coach <strong>and</strong> walk novices through<br />
correct operating methods. You can<br />
"look" over their shoulders <strong>and</strong> take<br />
care of problems in just a few min<br />
utes—from anywhere! Think of the<br />
resulting happy customers <strong>and</strong> inev<br />
itable goodwill. Think of the savings<br />
in telephone expenses, delays, travel<br />
time, <strong>and</strong> other general hassles.<br />
GETTING STARTED<br />
Remote-host software is not much<br />
more complicated than normal com<br />
munications software. But, you real<br />
ly should familiarize yourself with<br />
st<strong>and</strong>ard communications programs<br />
to get past the "required course"<br />
level.<br />
program called Line Plus Remote<br />
<strong>Power</strong>ful, easy-to-use remote-host soft<br />
ware. Near-automatic installation. Also<br />
works as st<strong>and</strong>ard communications soft<br />
ware, with automatic recording of tele<br />
phone dialing <strong>and</strong> log-on sequences. In<br />
cludes Line Expert, an Artificial<br />
Intelligence "expert system" that advises<br />
you on telecommunications technicalities<br />
<strong>and</strong> configuration of modems, hardware.<br />
<strong>and</strong> cables.<br />
PC Anywhere, Version 2.10<br />
Distributed by EKD Computer Sales <strong>and</strong><br />
Supplies Corp.<br />
764 Middle Country Road<br />
Selden. NY 11784<br />
(516) 736-0500<br />
MS-DOS compatible<br />
S99 for both host <strong>and</strong> caller programs<br />
A "best buy" in my book, this powerful,<br />
high-performance package comes at a<br />
bargain price. One of the best-performing<br />
remote-host packages for screen-display<br />
speeds, file transfers, <strong>and</strong> similar activi<br />
ties. With very sophisticated host op<br />
tions. PC Anywhere can be used with<br />
many st<strong>and</strong>ard communications pro<br />
grams (not only the vendor's own caller<br />
software). Includes individual log-ons<br />
<strong>and</strong> passwords <strong>and</strong> automatic start-up<br />
programs <strong>and</strong> tailored menu choices. An<br />
updated version. PC Anywhere II! ($145).<br />
adds automatic callback, voice-data<br />
switching, <strong>and</strong> other enhancements. PC<br />
MacTerm (distributed by EKD Computer<br />
Sales <strong>and</strong> Supplies Corp.. S99) allows a<br />
Macintosh user to access any PC-compat<br />
ible computer running PC Anywhere.<br />
Decide how you'll use remote-host<br />
software. Then, contact vendors or<br />
publishers carrying the packages<br />
that interest you. Ask for complete<br />
product-information packages, in<br />
cluding published reviews of their<br />
software.<br />
When you arrive at the final evalu<br />
ation stage, you'll find it worthwhile<br />
to spend a few bucks on long-dis<br />
tance calls to the publishers whose<br />
products you prefer. Talk with one<br />
of the publisher's technical-support<br />
representatives (be sure to get<br />
names), <strong>and</strong> inform that person of<br />
your plans for using the software.<br />
Verify that the software will work<br />
with your computer, modem, <strong>and</strong><br />
other major software packages you<br />
want to use. You'll receive lots of free<br />
advice; the representatives want to<br />
make the sale. Ask for return privi<br />
leges in case of system compatibility<br />
problems. This small investment in<br />
initial telephone contact <strong>and</strong> prelim<br />
inary support information will really<br />
pay off for you. ■
MACHINE SPECIFICS<br />
NEWS, OPINIONS, QUOTES, AND RUMORS<br />
ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE COMPUTER<br />
APPLE<br />
BY CHARLES H.GAJEWAY<br />
MACINTOSH<br />
With Claris—the Apple spin-off soft<br />
ware company that is run as an in<br />
dependent—offering substantially<br />
improved versions of MacPaint,<br />
MacDraw. <strong>and</strong> MacProject <strong>and</strong> Le-<br />
traset's amazing Image Studio, it's<br />
clear that Mac graphics performance<br />
is being pushed to the max.<br />
Beautiful Mac II. On the hardware<br />
side, the Macintosh II is attracting<br />
great interest from developers. Highperformance<br />
monitors <strong>and</strong> big. fast,<br />
hard disks are coming from a variety<br />
of developers.<br />
Despite the new machine's some<br />
what forbidding price tag, I can un<br />
derst<strong>and</strong> all the Mac II hoopla be<br />
cause 1 have been using one steadily<br />
awhile. The speed, power, sound,<br />
<strong>and</strong> big color display are addictive.<br />
The amazing screen response <strong>and</strong><br />
computational speed make even the<br />
most complex tasks seem nearly ef<br />
fortless: the promise of the Mac<br />
technology <strong>and</strong> operating system is<br />
realized more fully than ever.<br />
Mac II Software? While a popular<br />
topic of speculation is when the first<br />
Mac II-specific program will appear. I<br />
hope that it never does. I would pre<br />
fer that future Macintosh software<br />
be written in a fashion that will<br />
"hide" II-specific features on the Plus<br />
<strong>and</strong> SE, protecting Plus <strong>and</strong> SE<br />
owners from obsolescence for as long<br />
as possible, while giving II owners a<br />
little something extra for their in<br />
vestment.<br />
Suitcase Software. This month's<br />
software special is Suitcase (Soft<br />
ware Supply; $60). This nifty pro<br />
gram installs in your system folder<br />
<strong>and</strong> allows unlimited access to desk<br />
accessories <strong>and</strong> font files from prac<br />
tically any program. This enables<br />
you to keep your system file to a<br />
minimum size, yet have all your fa<br />
vorite desk accessories <strong>and</strong> fonts<br />
just a few clicks away.<br />
As a bonus, you get Pyro!, which<br />
prevents burn in <strong>and</strong> displays a ran<br />
dom fireworks simulation on your<br />
darkened screen after a preset idle<br />
period. The Suitcase combination—<br />
which includes Pyro!—is one of the<br />
more attractive utilities I have run<br />
across lately. (See review in this is<br />
sue's Software Guide.)<br />
APPLE II<br />
Apple software that runs on an IBM?<br />
Yes! AppleShare PC (Apple: S149) al<br />
lows MS-DOS systems equipped with<br />
an AppleTalk adapter card to share<br />
both data <strong>and</strong> application programs<br />
with Apple computers on the network.<br />
Until recently, the AppleTalk Net<br />
work System only supported Macin<br />
tosh. MS-DOS, <strong>and</strong> Digital's VAX<br />
computers. Now, enhanced Apple<br />
He's <strong>and</strong> IIgs's can be part of the<br />
system. Schools should take advan<br />
tage of the network to integrate<br />
Macintoshes with their army of Us.<br />
Apple GEOS. Berkeley Softworks is<br />
preparing a version of GEOS for the<br />
Apple II. GEOS is the popular<br />
mouse-driven operating system now<br />
available only for the Commodore 64<br />
<strong>and</strong> 128. A demo 1 saw ran smoothly<br />
on the lie, lie. <strong>and</strong> IIgs. More on Ap<br />
ple GEOS (S130) when 1 see the final<br />
product.<br />
SCSI Hard Drives. Despite what I<br />
said last month about high-capacity<br />
floppy drives, there is nothing like a<br />
hard drive for speed <strong>and</strong> conve<br />
nience. And while the Sider (First<br />
Class Peripherals) was—<strong>and</strong> still is—<br />
a good hard drive, Apple's new SCSI<br />
interface (S129, plus the cost of ca<br />
bles) has a lot of advantages. The in<br />
troduction of this fast, flexible inter<br />
face—which is built into Macintosh<br />
computers—means that Apple II<br />
owners can now connect up to six<br />
devices (hard-disk drives <strong>and</strong> tape<br />
backups, for instance) to only one<br />
slot in their computers!<br />
Although six units is overkill, I<br />
think that an Apple lie with a hard<br />
disk (<strong>and</strong> maybe even a CD-ROM<br />
drive) connected to a SCSI port<br />
would be a potent, reasonably-priced<br />
information system.<br />
I am very excited about this prod<br />
uct. A mass-storage st<strong>and</strong>ard for the<br />
Apple II has been conspicuously ab<br />
sent for too long, <strong>and</strong> having it<br />
means that the Apple II can remain<br />
a viable professional-level machine<br />
for a long time.<br />
charles H- gajeway can be reached on<br />
CompuServe (ID: 73357.3577) or on GEnie<br />
(ID: C GAJEWAY).<br />
ATARI<br />
BY MATTHEW STERN<br />
I got my first glance at Microsoft<br />
Write for the Atari ST, in 1986, at<br />
the Southern California Atari Fair.<br />
The preliminary copy 1 saw had most<br />
of the editing functions, but no mul<br />
tiple fonts <strong>and</strong> printing capabilities.<br />
At that time, Atari assured me that<br />
this program would be finished<br />
"soon." Two years later, Microsoft<br />
Write (S195) has finally arrived on<br />
dealers' shelves. Is it worth the wait?<br />
Write's ability to display <strong>and</strong> print<br />
multiple fonts will undoubtedly be<br />
its biggest selling point. GDOS<br />
fonts come in different point sizes<br />
<strong>and</strong> attributes, including bold, italic,<br />
<strong>and</strong> underline. What you see on the<br />
screen is indeed what is printed. If<br />
you have any experience with such<br />
programs as Easy Draw <strong>and</strong> Dollars<br />
<strong>and</strong> Sense, you know GDOS's excep<br />
tional print quality on dot-matrix<br />
printers.<br />
Microsoft Write. I was equally im<br />
pressed with Write's word-process ing<br />
features. Write is based on Microsoft<br />
Word 1.03, once the premiere Mac<br />
intosh word processor. The most no<br />
table features are a glossary, foot<br />
notes, automatic headers <strong>and</strong><br />
footers. Roman <strong>and</strong> Arabic page<br />
numbering, an undo comm<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong><br />
a simple cut-<strong>and</strong>-paste editing system<br />
Write has flexible paragraph for<br />
matting features, a strength all Mi<br />
crosoft word processors share. You<br />
can select different line spacing, cre<br />
ate indents, <strong>and</strong> put blank lines be<br />
fore <strong>and</strong> after paragraphs.<br />
Unfortunately. Write brought<br />
along Word 1.03's quirks as well as<br />
its strengths. Write, for example,<br />
docs not have automatic pagination.<br />
To determine your page breaks, you<br />
must select the Paginate comm<strong>and</strong><br />
from the Document menu. Write<br />
doesn't come with a spelling check<br />
er, but such programs as Thunder.'<br />
(Electronic Arts; S50) will serve well.<br />
WordPerfect. WordPerfect, the top-<br />
of-the-line ST word processor, has<br />
added some needed enhancements.<br />
With the January 29 update, Word<br />
Perfect has added a new conversion<br />
program to change 1st Word. Word<br />
Writer, <strong>and</strong> ST Writer documents<br />
JUNE <strong>1988</strong> 17
It's like listening to Beethoven's 9th on a<br />
transistor radio. Or watching the Super Bowl on<br />
a five-inch screen.<br />
Sure, your Apple II probably seems great just<br />
the way it is. But until you boot AppleWorks" 2.0,<br />
you won't really know what it's capable of doing.<br />
AppleWorks combines three of the most pop<br />
ular applications in one powerful,easy-to-use pack<br />
age: a sophisticated word processor for swiftly<br />
creating dynamic marketing plans or compelling<br />
letters home to mom. A spreadsheet for compiling<br />
Some Apple II owners still<br />
everything from next month's sales forecast to last<br />
month's household expenses-then changing the<br />
numbers in a flash as you ask questions like "what<br />
if I win the lottery tomorrow?" And finally, a data<br />
base manager to store, sort <strong>and</strong> organize just<br />
about any kind of information you can think of.<br />
Alone, each of these programs is a potent,<br />
practical tool.<br />
But put them all together <strong>and</strong> your Apple II<br />
is suddenly traveling in a fast lane you didn't even<br />
know existed.<br />
© <strong>1988</strong>, Claris Corporation. 440 Chile Ave.. Mountain We* California 94043.415-960-1500. Cfo h a trademark of Claris Corporation. Apple Works is a registered trademark of Apple Computer.
don't have AppleWorks.<br />
You can zip from your stock portfolio to<br />
your monthly budget with a few deft keystrokes.<br />
Cut sales projections from a spreadsheet <strong>and</strong><br />
paste them into a business plan in a matter of<br />
seconds. Or use the mail merge function to speed<br />
addresses from the data base to a form letter. All<br />
without swapping disks or rebooting. Even the<br />
learning process is accelerated, since you only<br />
have to learn one set of comm<strong>and</strong>s.<br />
If all this isn't enough, you can choose from<br />
dozens of add-on programs to do things like draw<br />
graphs or check your spelling. Or use a RAM disk<br />
to take advantage of AppleWorks' extended<br />
memory support.<br />
It's no wonder over 750,000 Apple II owners<br />
already work with AppleWorks (which is compa<br />
tible with the entire Apple II family).<br />
For more information <strong>and</strong> the location of<br />
a nearby Claris dealer, call 800-334-3535, ext. 150.<br />
If you've got an Apple II parked<br />
on your desk, well get it on the<br />
CLAMS<br />
road to bigger <strong>and</strong> better things.<br />
Inc., licensed to Claris Corporation Apple is a registered trademark ofApple Computer, Inc. For upgrade information, call 80O-544-8SS4. In Canada, call 800-668-8948.
MACHINE SPECIFICS<br />
into WordPerfect formats.<br />
To check your version's date, press<br />
the Help key <strong>and</strong> look at the top of<br />
the Help screen. If the date is earlier<br />
than January 29, <strong>1988</strong>, contact<br />
WordPerfect Customer Support<br />
([800] 321-5906) for an update. Be<br />
sure to have your registration num<br />
ber h<strong>and</strong>y when you call.<br />
Double Feature. Cinemaware Corpo<br />
ration, a leading Amiga developer.<br />
has used the plots <strong>and</strong> characters of<br />
feature-length films to make fasci<br />
nating interactive games. Programs<br />
such as Defender of the Crown <strong>and</strong><br />
S.D.I, make sitting at the computer<br />
almost feel as if you're sitting in a<br />
theater. Cinemaware's two new<br />
games for the ST <strong>and</strong> Commodore<br />
Amiga evoke the afternoon matinees<br />
of the 1930s.<br />
The first feature is The Three<br />
Stooges (S50). You get to act out<br />
The Three Stooges from Cinemaware<br />
some of the Stooges's most hilarious<br />
scenes while you try to save an or<br />
phanage from foreclosure. If you'd<br />
rather defend democracy than poke<br />
people in the eyes, you'll enjoy Rock<br />
et Ranger (S50), an interactive ac<br />
tion game based on the B-grade sci<br />
ence-fiction flicks of the thirties <strong>and</strong><br />
forties. Your mission is to save Earth<br />
<strong>and</strong> the beautiful daughter of a fa<br />
mous scientist from a gang of extra<br />
terrestrial Nazis.<br />
matthew stern can be reached on<br />
CompuServe flD- 73547. 24201.<br />
BYSHAYADDAMS<br />
The latest versions of KickStart <strong>and</strong><br />
Workbench (both 1.3) for the Amiga<br />
should be in stores soon. (Ignore ru<br />
mors about 1.2.1, which was strictly<br />
an in-house test version.) The new<br />
update package is essentially the<br />
same kind Commodore used to in<br />
troduce version 1.2 <strong>and</strong> includes a<br />
20 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
pair of disks <strong>and</strong> documentation.<br />
Kick Start/Work bench 1.3. KickStart<br />
1.3's key new feature enables you to<br />
boot from a hard drive. The new<br />
Workbench has a faster file-h<strong>and</strong>ling<br />
system, so it loads <strong>and</strong> saves files<br />
<strong>and</strong> reads directories much quicker.<br />
All the previous printer drivers were<br />
enhanced to print faster, <strong>and</strong> a vari<br />
ety of new ones have been added.<br />
More Epsons are supported, as well<br />
as Hewlett-Packard's color PaintJet,<br />
DeskJet, <strong>and</strong> LaserJet printers.<br />
(HP's LaserJet is significantly more<br />
economical than Apple's laser print<br />
er, but it doesn't include PostScript).<br />
What if you've got an Amiga 500<br />
or 2000 with KickStart built into<br />
ROM? Commodore headed off that<br />
potential nightmare by allowing you<br />
to run Workbench 1.3 with Kick-<br />
Start 1.2, so you can still use your<br />
internal KickStart. It is possible to<br />
upgrade either machine to KickStart<br />
1.3, but that means adding new<br />
ROMs. (If you have an Amiga 1000,<br />
you just load the new KickStart 1.3,<br />
<strong>and</strong> then Workbench.) Theoretically.<br />
1.2 software should run under 1.3,<br />
but you're bound to find some pro<br />
grams that won't—so hold onto your<br />
1.2 Workbench awhile.<br />
C 64 Forever! The C 64 is still kick<br />
ing, for the latest rumors have Com<br />
modore b<strong>and</strong>ying about internal or<br />
design changes to extend the ma<br />
chine's longevity. But I've heard no<br />
specific plans.<br />
Amiga Desktop Publishing. There is<br />
finally an Amiga desktop-publishing<br />
program that st<strong>and</strong>s up to the half-<br />
dozen or so Macintosh packages—<br />
<strong>and</strong> actually surpasses some of<br />
them. The latest version of Profes<br />
sional Page (Gold Disk; $395) offers<br />
scalable fonts (up to 127-point size)<br />
<strong>and</strong> adjustable leading <strong>and</strong> lets you<br />
flow text around the borders of<br />
graphics. You need a PostScript<br />
printer to most effectively take ad<br />
vantage of its strengths.<br />
shay addams. editor <strong>and</strong> publisher of<br />
Questbusters. an aduenture-game<br />
newsletter, can be reached on<br />
CompuServe iid: 72267.601] or on<br />
QuantumLink iiD; jbchalmeri.<br />
IBM<br />
BY HENRY BEECHHOLD<br />
Without announcing any specific<br />
new products. IBM, in an uncharac<br />
teristic move, has hinted at its gen<br />
eral plans for the next two years. At<br />
every price point, IBM's new prod<br />
ucts will provide a higher level of<br />
performance. In the computer indus<br />
try, such advances are to be expect<br />
ed. But the rate of change IBM proj<br />
ects is somewhat stunning.<br />
By the end of <strong>1988</strong>. its entry-level<br />
PS/2 computers (now the Models 25<br />
<strong>and</strong> 30) arc expected to have 80286<br />
microprocessors, the same chip used<br />
in the current Models 50 <strong>and</strong> 60.<br />
<strong>and</strong> will sell for less than S2.000.<br />
That means that all the PS/2 com<br />
puters will be able to run OS/2, the<br />
new operating system. Since OS/2<br />
requires 1.5MB of memory, the new<br />
PS/2 computers can be expected to<br />
come st<strong>and</strong>ard with 2MB of RAM.<br />
And. by the end of 1989. it's expect<br />
ed (hat IBM will sell an entry-level<br />
computer with an 80386 micro<br />
processor, the chip used in its top-<br />
of-the-line Model 80.<br />
IBM also said it is working with<br />
developers to help provide 1,000 pro<br />
grams designed to take specific ad<br />
vantage of OS/2 by year's end.<br />
What is Micro Channel? Micro<br />
Channel, the most distinctive aspect<br />
of the PS/2 computer line, is de<br />
signed to support hardware multi<br />
tasking, so that independent proces<br />
sors can perform intelligent<br />
functions at the same time. Micro<br />
Channel, says IBM, will work as a<br />
"traffic cop on a super highway."<br />
In addition. Micro Channel allows<br />
the computer to read the expansion<br />
boards <strong>and</strong> adapt the system to the<br />
boards without requiring that the<br />
user set any configuration switches.<br />
Just take the board out of the box.<br />
plug it into an expansion socket,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Micro Channel does the rest.<br />
DOS 3.4. Well aware of the large<br />
<strong>and</strong> still growing base of computers<br />
incompatible with OS/2, IBM is ex<br />
pected to release PC-DOS 3.4 in a<br />
few months, according to reports in<br />
trade magazines. IBM. however, re<br />
fuses to acknowledge that such a<br />
product is under development.<br />
This hypothetical version of DOS<br />
is said to come with a friendly<br />
"shell." which lets you choose some<br />
comm<strong>and</strong>s from a menu instead of<br />
typing them. In addition, the new<br />
DOS should be able to h<strong>and</strong>le large-<br />
capacity disk drives. The current<br />
DOS limit is 32MB: larger drives<br />
must be partitioned into two or<br />
more segments. ^<br />
hkkkvf, riEECHHOi-D is author of The Brady<br />
Guide to Microcomputer Troubleshooting<br />
& Maintenance IBrady Books. Prentice<br />
Hall Press. New York).
The Duesenberg SSJ... the most legendary of all<br />
classic cars...the fastest, best-h<strong>and</strong>ling <strong>and</strong><br />
most opulent of all Dueseobergs. Only two were<br />
ever built, <strong>and</strong> both are virtually priceless.<br />
Remarkable attention to detail.<br />
The Danbury Mint devoted over twelve months<br />
of painstaking research <strong>and</strong> development to<br />
recreate the Duesenberg SSJ in large 1:24 scale.<br />
All the important components—the body,<br />
chassis, drivetrain <strong>and</strong> engine block—are<br />
crafted of metal. The seats are glove leather <strong>and</strong><br />
the tires are genuine rubber.<br />
Both the engine <strong>and</strong> the undercarriage are<br />
authentically recreated <strong>and</strong>. of course, the<br />
doors <strong>and</strong> both sides of the hood open.<br />
Bach componenl of this model is Individ<br />
ually inspected, then h<strong>and</strong>-assembled. Note the<br />
gleam of the model's finish. It is achieved by<br />
polishing each piece of metal, then h<strong>and</strong>-spray<br />
ing the paint finish. Finally, <strong>and</strong> perhaps most<br />
remarkably, each car is actually h<strong>and</strong>-waxed.<br />
duesenberg) SSJ<br />
Surprisingly modest price.<br />
The Duesenberg SSJ is the stuff of dreams—but<br />
the original issue price of this Duesenberg SSJ<br />
replica is only $88.50, payable In three monthly<br />
installments of just $29-50 each. This is an<br />
exclusive commission available only by direct<br />
subscription from the Danbury Mint; it is not<br />
available in any store.<br />
Satisfaction guaranteed.<br />
To reserve a Duesenberg SSJ in your name, you<br />
need send no money now. You will be hilled in<br />
three convenient monthly installments, your first<br />
in advance of shipment. If you prefer, you may<br />
charge each monthly installment to your MSA<br />
or MasterCard account.<br />
If you are not completely satisfied, for what<br />
ever reason, you may return your Duesenberg<br />
SSj within 30 days of receipt for a prompt<br />
refund or replacement.<br />
To ensure availability, return your reserva<br />
tion application today!<br />
An American classic<br />
magnificently crafted<br />
as an exactingly<br />
engineered die-cast<br />
metal replica.<br />
RESERVATION APPLICATION<br />
The Danbury Mint<br />
47 Richards Avenue<br />
Norwalk. Conn. 0685"<br />
Please accept my reservation application to ihe<br />
Duesenberg .SSJ. 1 need send no money now. I will pay<br />
for my Duesenberg SSJ replica as billed in three<br />
monthly installments of S29.50 each", the first in<br />
advance of shipment.<br />
My satisfaction is guaranteed. If I am not completely<br />
.satisfied with my SSJ, I may return it within 30 days of<br />
receipt for prompt replacement or refund, whichever I<br />
wish.<br />
'Plus $1.25 per installmentfor S& II<br />
Name<br />
Address.<br />
FUUL raw I U.IR11<br />
City/Stale _ Zip<br />
Check here if you want each nionlhlv installment<br />
charged lo your: V\ MasterCard D VISA<br />
Credit Card No. Expimuon Dale<br />
Signature<br />
Allow Mlo IJvrecks alter pjuncm (or shipment. F235
MACHINE SPECIFICS<br />
MS-DOS<br />
BY STEVE MORGENSTERN<br />
I recently looked at new versions of<br />
both Microsoft Windows <strong>and</strong> Digital<br />
Research GEM, the software "envi<br />
ronments" that bring a more or less<br />
Macintosh-like desktop to the MS-<br />
DOS world.<br />
When it comes to file management<br />
<strong>and</strong> on-screen graphic layout, GEM<br />
is the more Mac-like of the two. For<br />
exploring <strong>and</strong> manipulating disk<br />
files, GEM's point-<strong>and</strong>-ciick method<br />
is welcome. Software written specifi<br />
cally to run under GEM is sparse,<br />
but it does include GEM Draw Plus<br />
(a terrific graphics package) <strong>and</strong><br />
Ventura Publisher, my favorite desk<br />
top-publishing package. And since<br />
you can start virtually any software<br />
application from the GEM desktop<br />
<strong>and</strong> return there when you quit,<br />
GEM is a friendly way for folks who<br />
arc DOS-phobic to manage their<br />
computers.<br />
GEM 3.0. The latest GEM release.<br />
Version 3. does not represent a ma<br />
jor change from the previous ver<br />
sion, though compatibility with Ven<br />
tura Publisher is improved. The<br />
most significant addition is the in<br />
clusion of Bitstrcam's Fontware In<br />
stallation Kit software with the new<br />
edition of GEM Draw Plus.<br />
Fontware lets users create high-<br />
quality typefaces in many sizes for<br />
printing on the HP LaserJet <strong>and</strong> sev<br />
eral dot-matrix printers. Unfortu<br />
nately, the Bitstream fonts are nei<br />
ther supported nor included with<br />
the new release of the GEM 1st Word<br />
Plus word processor.<br />
Windows 2.03. The big drawing<br />
card for Microsoft Windows is its<br />
ability to keep several software appli<br />
cations on-screen simultaneously in<br />
separate windows. You could, for ex<br />
ample, load your word-processing<br />
program, a telecommunications pro<br />
gram, <strong>and</strong> a paint program all at<br />
once. Then you could download a<br />
document by modem, format it in<br />
the word processor, <strong>and</strong> add a pic<br />
ture from the paint program, all by<br />
moving instantly from window to<br />
window. That sounds better than it<br />
works at this point, unfortunately.<br />
While both PageMaker <strong>and</strong> Micro<br />
soft Excel are written to run with<br />
Windows, they are part of a small<br />
number of top-notch applications<br />
that behave themselves when locked<br />
into a Windows window. It seems,<br />
22 FAMILY tk HOME-QUICK COMPUTING<br />
though, that there is momentum on<br />
the side of Microsoft Windows,<br />
thanks to a strategic alliance with<br />
IBM In developing the Windoujs-like<br />
Presentation Manager, which runs<br />
under OS/2.<br />
The Windows Version 2.03 up<br />
grade is significant. Most noticeable<br />
<strong>and</strong> welcome is the substantial<br />
speed improvement. The original<br />
version of Windows was so sluggish<br />
it was nearly unusable on a stan<br />
dard PC-class computer. The second<br />
big change is the ability to freely<br />
size, move, <strong>and</strong> overlap on-screen<br />
windows, which previously were lim<br />
ited to neat but restrictive halvings<br />
<strong>and</strong> quarterings of the screen.<br />
The GEM 3.0 package is included<br />
with the purchase of any GEM soft<br />
ware application, while Windows is<br />
sold separately for $99.<br />
STEVE morgenstern can be reached on<br />
CompuServe (ID: 725*5.606).<br />
BY STEPHEN MILLER<br />
I've taken a closer look at Multi-Vue<br />
($50) for the CoCo 3 <strong>and</strong> OS-9 Level<br />
II operating system. Multi-Vue is the<br />
new interface for OS-9 II that oper<br />
ates on the same graphic principle<br />
as the Macintosh. T<strong>and</strong>y's<br />
Personal <strong>and</strong> Professional Desk-<br />
mate. Microsoft Windows, <strong>and</strong><br />
IBM's forthcoming Presentation<br />
Manager.<br />
CoCo Multitasking. Multi-Vue pro<br />
vides an easy way to control OS-9's<br />
multitasking capability. While I still<br />
like what I see. there are some early<br />
drawbacks.<br />
As with any new piece of software,<br />
there is the inevitable lag from its<br />
introduction until its widespread ac<br />
ceptance. The original delay in ship<br />
ping OS-9 II caused a slowdown in<br />
third-party development of CoCo 3<br />
software that took full advantage of<br />
the power of OS-9. Likewise, the de<br />
lay in shipping Multi-Vue will cause<br />
a similar backlog. Also, some com<br />
mercial software written under OS-9<br />
II probably won't run through Multi-<br />
Vue.<br />
I've tried a number of OS-9 II pro<br />
grams, <strong>and</strong> all of them crashed<br />
when I attempted to load them<br />
through a Multi-Vue window. There<br />
is no problem when the programs<br />
are run separately. In order for soft<br />
ware to run through a Multi-Vue<br />
window without any problems, it<br />
must be designed to work with<br />
Multi-Vue. As of this writing, there<br />
is no software written specifically for<br />
Multi-Vue use. That will surely<br />
change in the near future. In the<br />
meantime, don't panic if you pur<br />
chase Multi-Vue <strong>and</strong> your favorite<br />
program doesn't load properly.<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y 1400LT. The T<strong>and</strong>y 1400LT<br />
portable is. in many ways, a com<br />
plete system that needs little en<br />
hancement for most users. The only<br />
exceptions are an internal modem<br />
<strong>and</strong> an internal hard disk. The mo<br />
dem question is answered quite<br />
nicely with a 1200-baud T<strong>and</strong>y mo<br />
dem that fits neatly in its slot. The<br />
modem is the easiest option I have<br />
ever installed. Removing the back<br />
plate, inserting the modem in the<br />
slot, <strong>and</strong> reattaching the screws are<br />
all that is necessary to install the<br />
modem. No problems with either the<br />
installation or the documentation.<br />
Check to see if the system is set to<br />
recognize the modem or the RS-<br />
232C connector. By depressing the<br />
CTRL. ALT, <strong>and</strong> INS keys, you get<br />
the special setup program that al<br />
lows you to quickly configure how<br />
the computer interacts with its pe<br />
ripherals. The F4 function key deter<br />
mines if the machine will recognize<br />
either the internal or external mo<br />
dem.<br />
The other major option missing<br />
from the 1400LT is an internal hard<br />
disk. T<strong>and</strong>y is not saying whether<br />
the other open internal slot is in<br />
tended for this purpose, but some<br />
third-party manufacturers have al<br />
ready announced plans to make a<br />
30MB hard-disk drive for the<br />
1400LT. More news as it develops.<br />
Stephen miller is a computer consultant<br />
<strong>and</strong> journalist.<br />
PHONE NUMBERS<br />
Apple Computer, Inc. (408) 973-2222<br />
Alari Corporation (4081 745-2000<br />
Berkeley Softworks (415) 644-0883<br />
Bilstream (617) 497-6222<br />
Boyan Communications 919-682-4225 (mo<br />
dem)<br />
Cinemaware Corporation (805) 495-6515<br />
Claris (415) 960-1500<br />
Commodore (215) 431-9100<br />
Datastorm Technologies (314) 474-8461<br />
Digital Research (408) 649-3896<br />
Electronic Arts (415)571-7171<br />
First Class Peripherals (702) 883-4000<br />
Gold Disk (416) 828-0913<br />
IBM Corp. (800) 447-4700<br />
Microsoft Corp. 1206) 882-8088<br />
Software Supply (408) 749-9311<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y (817) 390-3011<br />
WordPerfect Corporation (801) 227-4020 or<br />
(800) 321-5906
IBM PC & Compatibles: T<strong>and</strong>y 1000 & 3000 Computer Lsers<br />
Publish^!<br />
in less than an hour.<br />
Introducing PUBLISH IT! A full-featured, fully<br />
integrated desktop publishing powerhouse with<br />
word processing, page layout, <strong>and</strong> graphics.<br />
Even if you have no design skills or pub<br />
lishing experience, you can get results<br />
in less than an hour with PUBLISH IT!<br />
Forall itsstate-of-the-artability PUBLISH<br />
IT! is incredibly easy to learn—refreshingly<br />
so. PUBLISH IT! combines the familiar<br />
GEM User Interface, our Quick-Start<br />
Mini-Manual, a full complement of Help<br />
Screens, <strong>and</strong> the practical WYSIWYG<br />
(What-You-See-ls-What-You-Get)display-<br />
all designed to get you up <strong>and</strong> running<br />
in less than one hour!<br />
Your computer display shows you exactly<br />
how yourfinished documents will look.<br />
Use the program's built-in layout tools<br />
to reposition <strong>and</strong> resize elements on<br />
the page. Once it's perfect, just press<br />
a key <strong>and</strong> print out on your dot matrix<br />
or laser printer.*<br />
SPECIAL FEATURES:<br />
• GEM User Interface: It's fast <strong>and</strong><br />
easy. Pull-down menus, icons, scroll bars<br />
<strong>and</strong> dialogue boxes help you learn <strong>and</strong><br />
use the program quickly. Your display<br />
screen shows you exactly what yourfinal<br />
product will look like when you print—<br />
What-You-See-ls-What-You-Get.<br />
• Flexible Page Layout: With your mouse<br />
or joystick, <strong>and</strong> keyboard, you can<br />
overlap, reposition, resize, <strong>and</strong> reshape<br />
the text, columns, graphics. Change<br />
(Documents do not print out in color.)<br />
your layout or experiment—almost<br />
effortlessly!<br />
• Built-in Fonts: Choose from more than<br />
1200 possible type-style combinations!<br />
Opt for bold, italic, underlined, outlined,<br />
light, <strong>and</strong> superscript or subscript<br />
characters. Select your effect with ease!<br />
Type sizes range from 9 point to 72 point.<br />
• Premium Quality Printouts:<br />
PUBLISH IT! uses a special high density<br />
(120 x 144, 9 PIN; or 180 x 180, 24 PIN)<br />
printout format that gives you superior<br />
quality printouts on your dot matrix printer.<br />
• Built-in Word Processor: All the features<br />
necessary for everyday word processing,<br />
plus most of the sophisticated ones found<br />
only in more expensive programs.<br />
• Text Importing: Load documents<br />
from WORD STAR, WORD WRITER PC?*<br />
<strong>and</strong> other popular word processing<br />
programs (in st<strong>and</strong>ard ASCII format)<br />
directly into PUBLISH IT!<br />
• Built-in Graphic Toolbox: Draw lines,<br />
boxes, circles, curved corners, <strong>and</strong><br />
more. Pius, choose from a wide variety<br />
of built-in line <strong>and</strong> fill patterns, or<br />
create your own.<br />
• Graphics Importing: Directly import<br />
graphics from LOTUS 1-2-3, GEM DRAW,<br />
GEM GRAPH, GEM SCAN, PC PAINT<br />
BRUSH, <strong>and</strong> PUBLISHERS PAINTBRUSH.<br />
Then crop <strong>and</strong> size them to fit.<br />
•Laser Printer requires Timeworks Accessory Pack Details inside package. ■Registered trademarks of their respective companies.<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 33<br />
• Special Typesetting Functions: Kerning,<br />
leading, <strong>and</strong> more! Add professional<br />
finishing touches that make your<br />
message st<strong>and</strong> out.<br />
• Automatic Text Flow <strong>and</strong> Word Wrap:<br />
PUBLISH IT! automatically flows text<br />
around graphics; <strong>and</strong> from column to<br />
column on the same page, or carries<br />
it over to subsequent pages.<br />
• Multiple Size Page Views: View, edit<br />
<strong>and</strong> layout pages at actual, double or<br />
half-size. Or, reduce them so the entire<br />
page fills the screen.<br />
• Over 200 Professionally Drawn Graphics<br />
& Illustrations: Ready-to-go art makes<br />
yourdocuments even more eye-catching.<br />
• Plus, you get worksheets, time-saving<br />
features, sample documents & more!<br />
(Includes 5IV' &3l/2" disks; supports<br />
hard drive.)<br />
Suggested Retail Price $199.95<br />
(Also available for Apple He, He, IIGS<br />
Computers $99.95.)<br />
At your local dealer or order direct from<br />
Timeworks—call: 312/948-9202<br />
PTvneuJO^cs<br />
LATINUM<br />
SERIES<br />
444 Lake Cook Rd., Deerfield, IL 60015<br />
312/948-9200<br />
©1987 Timeworks, Inc. All rights reserved.
BUY2,<br />
PICK1 FREE!<br />
We're sure that amongst all these choices,<br />
there's one that you'd like to pick - for free. So, go<br />
ahead - exercise your free choice by visiting your<br />
nearest retailer. Buy any two of these best-selling<br />
Electronic Arts products between April 1,<strong>1988</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>June</strong> 30,<strong>1988</strong> - <strong>and</strong> pick a third one for free!<br />
To redeem your free software, simply fill out<br />
either your retailer's coupon or the coupon in this<br />
ad, <strong>and</strong> mail it with proofs of purchase (see re<br />
quirements on coupon) along with $3 per free<br />
product for shipping <strong>and</strong> h<strong>and</strong>ling (U.S. Funds), If<br />
you can't find a participating retailer, order direct<br />
by calling 800-245-4525 throughout the U.S. <strong>and</strong><br />
Canada. Just tell us which products you want to<br />
buy, <strong>and</strong> what you want for free. Have your<br />
Visa/MC numbers ready.<br />
• Amnesia<br />
• Arcticfox<br />
YOUR CHOICES<br />
• The Bard's Tale<br />
• The Bard's Tale II<br />
• Chuck Yeager's AFT<br />
• Deathlord<br />
• Demon Stalkers<br />
• Dragon's Laif<br />
• Earl Weaver Baseball<br />
• EOS: Earth Orbit Stations<br />
• Get Organized<br />
• Gr<strong>and</strong>Slam Bridge<br />
• Instant Music<br />
• Instant Pages<br />
• IntelliType<br />
• legacy of the Ancients<br />
• Marble Madness<br />
• Patton vs. Rommel<br />
• PHM Pegasus<br />
• Return to Atlantis<br />
• Skate or Die<br />
• Skyfox II<br />
• Starftight<br />
< Strike Fleet<br />
• World Tour Golf<br />
• B/Graph<br />
• The Consultant<br />
• DEGAS Elite<br />
• DiskTools Plus<br />
• Homepak<br />
• IS Talk<br />
• Outrageous Pages<br />
• PaperCiip Publisher<br />
• PaperCiip with Spellpak<br />
• PaperCiip III<br />
• Thunder!<br />
• Timelink<br />
Product availability varies by computer format.<br />
Ask your retailer or call {415) 572-2787 for details.
ANDYOUR<br />
DELUXE CHOICES<br />
Choose from our Deluxe Creativity Series for your purchase products. Or,<br />
redeem free Deluxe software when you buy any two of these Deluxe products:<br />
• DeluxeMusic<br />
Construction Set<br />
• DeluxeBaint<br />
• DeluxePaint<br />
Electronic arts<br />
• DeluxeProductions<br />
• DeluxeVideo<br />
products are registered/trademarks of Electronic Arts.<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 11<br />
MAIL- IN COUPON<br />
Please send my free software to the fblowirtg address. I have<br />
enclosed the required proofs of purchase (specified below) <strong>and</strong> S3<br />
(check or money order payabie to Electronic Arts) for shipping <strong>and</strong><br />
h<strong>and</strong>ing.<br />
Name<br />
Address<br />
City<br />
My free software choice.<br />
The computer I own<br />
State.<br />
PROOF OF PURCHASE REQUIREMENTS: Send the foitowing original items l). the<br />
dated cash register lope(s) or sales receipts) showing [he two products you pur<br />
chased, <strong>and</strong> 2) find the Comm<strong>and</strong> Summary Cara or the Manual (where no Com<br />
m<strong>and</strong> Summary Card exists) Inside each package.cul 0" lne P011 r"m^r on the<br />
back, lower portion ot the Crad or Manual<br />
MAIL TO: Electronic Arts. BUY 2. PICK 1 FREE, P.O. Box 7530. San Mateo. CA 54403.<br />
Only valid requests postmarked by July 15.1968 win be honored. Allow 3-4 weeks<br />
(of delvery. FC-6/88
EDUCATION<br />
DICTIONARIES AND THESAURUSES<br />
Programs That Perfect Your Papers<br />
BY LINDA WILLIAMS<br />
Professor Burton, the toughest,<br />
strictest, most feared teacher I ever<br />
had. was also unquestionably the<br />
best. It wasn't enough for him to<br />
^radc with the highest imaginable<br />
st<strong>and</strong>ards. He had a method for low<br />
ering scores by taking off a third of<br />
a grade for each word that was mis<br />
spelled, misused, or incorrectly<br />
typed. For example, a B- paper could<br />
easily, then, become a D. When stu<br />
dents voiced their complaints <strong>and</strong><br />
excuses ("The T key on my typewrit<br />
er sticks," "My right h<strong>and</strong> responds<br />
faster than my left"), he proclaimed,<br />
"In the real world, typographical <strong>and</strong><br />
spelling errors are not tolerated."<br />
Although Professor Burton may<br />
have exaggerated the importance of<br />
perfection, he had a good point. It<br />
lakes only a single, obvious error to<br />
make the best-written term paper,<br />
resume, or company memo lose its<br />
punch. Now, thanks to computers<br />
<strong>and</strong> the right software, it's easy to<br />
turn in nearly flawless work. Spell<br />
ing-checker <strong>and</strong> thesaurus software<br />
can ease the burden of proofreading<br />
your work <strong>and</strong> choosing the correct<br />
words.<br />
The number of electronic spelling<br />
checkers <strong>and</strong> thesauruses available<br />
is overwhelming <strong>and</strong> far too great for<br />
us to cover in these pages. Instead,<br />
we hope to guide you with the fol<br />
lowing considerations, so you can<br />
make informed choices according to<br />
your needs. (See "A Sampling oj<br />
Spelling-Checker <strong>and</strong> Thesaurus<br />
Programs.")<br />
WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT<br />
Before you go shopping for an<br />
electronic dictionary or thesaurus, it<br />
helps to underst<strong>and</strong> the terminology<br />
<strong>and</strong> what you can expect from the<br />
software. Electronic spelling check<br />
ers work by comparing the words in<br />
your document to words in their on-<br />
disk dictionaries, which could range<br />
in size from 15.000 to more than<br />
100.000 entries. While the program<br />
reviews your work—as a finished<br />
product, a screen, or individual<br />
unda Williams is a reporter/'researcherfor<br />
Time magazine.<br />
26 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
words—it will mark misspelled<br />
words with a highlight, special sym<br />
bol, or sound. Often, it will then pre<br />
sent a list of alternatives, guessing<br />
at what you meant to type or spell.<br />
You then select the correct spelling<br />
<strong>and</strong> make the appropriate change.<br />
Electronic thesauruses serve an<br />
entirely different purpose, yet can<br />
prove every bit as valuable. If you are<br />
one of those writers who can't con<br />
tinue until the right word comes to<br />
mind or who Iazilv overuses words,<br />
you'll find a thesaurus a great tool.<br />
As you type a word, you can ask the<br />
program to display a list of syn<br />
onyms or have it review your fin<br />
ished text for word repetitions.<br />
A SAMPLING OF SPELLING-CHECKER<br />
AND THESAURUS PROGRAMS<br />
Program <strong>and</strong><br />
Manufacturer<br />
Spolllnt The Add-In<br />
Spelling Chock or for Lotus<br />
Turner Hall Publishing<br />
10201 Torre Ave.<br />
Cupertino. CA 95014<br />
(408) 253-9600<br />
SpeffWorfcs<br />
Advanced Logic Systems<br />
Alderwood Ave.<br />
Sunnyvale. CA 95014<br />
(408)747-<strong>1988</strong><br />
Thunder!<br />
Electronic Arts<br />
1820 Gateway Drive<br />
San Mateo. CA 94404<br />
(415)571-7171<br />
Turbo Lightning<br />
Borl<strong>and</strong> international<br />
4585 Scotts Valley Drive<br />
Scotts Valley. CA 95066<br />
(408) 438-8400<br />
Webster's New World<br />
Combo<br />
Simon & Schuster<br />
One Gulf & Western Plaza<br />
New York. NY 10023<br />
(800) 624-0023<br />
(800) 624-0024 in NJ<br />
Word Finder 2.0<br />
Microlytics. Inc.<br />
Techniplex Center<br />
300 Main St.<br />
E. Rochester. NY 14445<br />
(716) 377-0130<br />
Word Writer PC, ST, & 128<br />
Tlmeworks, Inc.<br />
444 Lake Cook Road<br />
Deerfield. 1L 60015<br />
(312) 948-9200<br />
Hardware Re<br />
quirements/Price Comments<br />
IBM PC <strong>and</strong> compati<br />
bles with 120K free<br />
system memory; S80<br />
128K Apple llc/lle/llcs:<br />
S50<br />
512K Atari ST. 512K<br />
Macintosh; S50<br />
128K1BM PC <strong>and</strong> com<br />
patibles (256K recom<br />
mended). 2 floppies or 1<br />
floppy <strong>and</strong> a hard drive<br />
(requires 83K-95K free<br />
system memory): S100<br />
IBM PC <strong>and</strong> com<br />
patibles with 91K-<br />
105K free system memo<br />
ry: 890. Specialized dic<br />
tionary disks. S60-S70.<br />
Spelling Checker <strong>and</strong><br />
Thesaurus components<br />
aJso soid separately.<br />
IBM PC <strong>and</strong> compatibles<br />
with 32K free system<br />
memory, Macintosh; S60.<br />
C 128. 128KIBMPC<br />
<strong>and</strong> compatibles; S50<br />
512K Atari ST; S80<br />
Spelling checker for Lotus 1-2-3<br />
<strong>and</strong> Symphony. Can check a com<br />
plete worksheet or just a range of<br />
cells.<br />
90,000-word spelling checker for<br />
AppleWorks. Can add up to 3.000<br />
of your own words. Checks entire<br />
document <strong>and</strong> lists misspelled<br />
words.<br />
50.000-word spelling checker cor<br />
rects words as you type them In or<br />
as a completed document. Automat<br />
ic replacement option. Works with<br />
anyGEM-based program.<br />
84.000-word real-time spelling<br />
checker that beeps when you mis<br />
spell a word. Can customize pro<br />
gram lo work with almost any word<br />
processor, database, or spread<br />
sheet.<br />
Combined spelling checker <strong>and</strong> the<br />
saurus with 114.000-word dictio<br />
nary. Specialized dictionary disks<br />
available with legal, medical, scien<br />
tific. Spanish, <strong>and</strong> French words<br />
<strong>and</strong> phrases. Thesaurus has 20.000<br />
main entries. 330,000 synonyms,<br />
<strong>and</strong> 1 million replacement words.<br />
Compatible with more than 40<br />
word processors, spreadsheets, <strong>and</strong><br />
databases.<br />
Synonym finder with more than<br />
220.000 word alternatives. Display<br />
can be at the lop or bottom of the<br />
screen. IBM version compatible<br />
with more than 32 word proces<br />
sors, 1-2-3. Symphony, <strong>and</strong> Slde-<br />
Ktck. Mac works with all word pro<br />
cessors <strong>and</strong> HyperCard.<br />
An all-in-one word processor wllh<br />
90.000-word spelling checker.<br />
60.000-word thesaurus, <strong>and</strong> outllner.<br />
Can add up to 3.000 of your<br />
own words.
EUROPE IS<br />
WIN A IKM1 IO EUROPE<br />
FOR TWO; 4d,iys in London,<br />
4 days in Paris; sightseeing<br />
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SvmepMitei sum March 15.<strong>1988</strong><br />
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|unr 15. 14ft)<br />
SEE TOUR FAVORITE<br />
BRODERBUN'D RETAILER<br />
FOR COMPLETE<br />
ENTRY DETAILS.<br />
NO PURCHASE<br />
NECESSARY.<br />
The thick night fog is torn by the shriek of a whistle as the Orimt Express hurtles through the<br />
sleeping countryside. In one of the sleek train's compartments, a dim light illuminates the face of<br />
a striking woman. A slight smile plays over her lips: If all goes according to plan, when the citizens of<br />
Venice awake, they will find every last one of their precious gondolas missing...<br />
Carmen's back! And<br />
you're going to have<br />
more thrills than ever<br />
as you chase her <strong>and</strong><br />
her new gang. This<br />
time, they're out to steal<br />
the priceless treasures<br />
of Europe. They must<br />
be stopped!<br />
Start out at the scene of the<br />
crime. Question witnesses, search for<br />
clues, <strong>and</strong> talk to a local tipster.<br />
Then decide on your next move.<br />
To help you unravel the clues,<br />
you'll nave R<strong>and</strong> McNally's 96page,<br />
full-color Concise Atlas of<br />
Europe'."<br />
Before you're done, you'll<br />
know Europe inside out. But<br />
best of all,you'll have so much<br />
fun, they'll have to drag you away<br />
from the computer.<br />
»■ NEW VILLAINS mrj< Ixatwus. nturdu/s. nric treasures, anrjBltaiMi!<br />
•■ VEWCKIMESTOPPEK'S COMPUTER SOTEBOOK<br />
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HOW TO ORDER: Look for our products at your IikoI software retailer or to order dirccl call 1-800-527*263, 8:00am-5:00pm IT, with Credit<br />
card orders (VISA, MasterCard, Amex). To order by mail, send check, money Ofdei or credit card information to Brndfrbund Softwart-DirM<br />
P.O. Bin 13947, Son Rafael, CA 94913-29-17. California residents odd b% Sales tax. for shipping <strong>and</strong> h<strong>and</strong>ling, add S3.50 for one proRrom <strong>and</strong><br />
Sl.OO [ore«Ch additional program ordered. Allow 4 tveskl
Put The<br />
World<br />
At Your<br />
Fingertips!<br />
The remarkable new program<br />
that gives you an Instant Profile<br />
of 177 different countries<br />
* Enhance Educational Programs<br />
* Obtain Instant Data For Marketing<br />
* Plan Vacations or Business Trips<br />
With 100s of colorful maps <strong>and</strong> an<br />
extensive database for 177 coun<br />
tries, PC -GLOBE offers information<br />
on topics ranging from demograph<br />
ics, economics, <strong>and</strong> health statis<br />
tics to climate, language, <strong>and</strong><br />
tourist sites. Incl. 6 disks, <strong>and</strong> runs<br />
on color IBM® PC/XT/AT/PS2 or<br />
compatibles with min. 265K, 2<br />
floppy drives or a hard disk. Also<br />
available in 3V2" format.<br />
$59. 95<br />
ONLY<br />
Registered owners are enliiled lo<br />
special pricing on annual<br />
updates<br />
ORDER NOW<br />
1-800-255-2789<br />
(ORDERS ONLY)<br />
OR contact your local dealer. For<br />
additional information callCSl.<br />
"Demo Disk S3"<br />
IComwell Systems, Inc.<br />
IRO. Box 41852<br />
Phoenix, AZ 85080<br />
602-894-6866<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 8<br />
28 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
EDUCATION<br />
WILL THE PROGRAM<br />
AND COMPUTER<br />
BE COMPATIBLE?<br />
One of the first poinls you need to<br />
consider when purchasing any soft<br />
ware is its compatibility with your<br />
system. When buying a st<strong>and</strong>-alone<br />
spelling checker or thesaurus, you<br />
have an additional concern: "Is it<br />
compatible with my word processor,<br />
database or spreadsheet?" By all<br />
means, make sure that your com<br />
puter has sufficient r<strong>and</strong>om access<br />
memory (RAM) to h<strong>and</strong>le the pro-<br />
gram(s). Most spelling checkers <strong>and</strong><br />
thesauruses work most efficiently<br />
when installed on a hard drive.<br />
From there on. the biggcsl question<br />
you'll have lo answer is. "Do I need<br />
all of those features?" Generally<br />
speaking, the more features, the<br />
higher the price. The average st<strong>and</strong><br />
alone electronic dictionary costs<br />
about S5O. but an integrated word<br />
processor/spelling checker can run<br />
as high as S495. With software, it<br />
seems that price becomes less of an<br />
issue when the program is used fre<br />
quently. Expensive is that disk that<br />
never goes out for a whirl.<br />
THE BIGGER THE BETTER?<br />
The number of words in an elec<br />
tronic dictionary or thesaurus is a<br />
big selling point. Spelling checkers<br />
can contain more than 100.000<br />
words, although the best thesaurus<br />
es contain fewer actual words, but<br />
may list some 300.000 "synonym<br />
references." One way to make sense<br />
of the size issue is to make sure the<br />
program contains the words you<br />
need. But. some words in your vo<br />
cabulary will not be in the electronic<br />
dictionary, no matter how large it is.<br />
The best programs let you customize<br />
the dictionary, adding words <strong>and</strong><br />
names you use often in your writing.<br />
Some programs also offer specialized<br />
disks with words relating to differ<br />
ent professions or foreign languages.<br />
With thesauruses. the key is<br />
in the number of alternatives they<br />
can show you.<br />
CAN YOU WAIT FOR<br />
THE BAD NEWS?<br />
A relatively new selling point for<br />
electronic spelling checkers <strong>and</strong> syn<br />
onym finders is their ability to check<br />
words as you type them. In the early<br />
days of these programs, you had to<br />
complete the document before run<br />
ning it through the spelling checker.<br />
Now. you can use a program that<br />
beeps even' time you misspell or<br />
mistype a word. You may find the<br />
beeps <strong>and</strong> interruptions of "real<br />
time" programs distracting, or you<br />
might find they arc the solution to<br />
writing block: it depends on your<br />
writing style. When you have made a<br />
simple spelling error or have trans<br />
posed two letters, you may not want<br />
to wail for the program to display all<br />
the possible alternatives. Some pro<br />
grams will simply replace the wrong<br />
word with the right one. without a<br />
long <strong>and</strong> involved process. Consider<br />
your habits: do you find you need a<br />
dictionary or thesaurus nearby as<br />
you write, or do you wait until you<br />
are finished to thumb through these<br />
references? Old habits die hard, so<br />
you should buy a program in line<br />
with your personal needs.<br />
JUDGING BY THE SOUND<br />
OF IT<br />
It's frustrating when you have<br />
trouble spelling a word you've heard<br />
<strong>and</strong> spoken all your life. And if you<br />
don't have the first few letters<br />
"write." a dictionary can be no help<br />
at all. Thankfully, some of the new<br />
programs can interpret these types<br />
of errors <strong>and</strong> offer suggestions for<br />
the intended word. For instance, if<br />
you type Jenomenol. the program<br />
will search through its 110.000-<br />
word dictionary <strong>and</strong> come up with<br />
the correct spelling, plienomenal.<br />
Spelling checkers are by no means<br />
infallible, however. If you type "Wear<br />
is the box?" instead of "Wliere,"<br />
chances arc the software won't no<br />
tice the error.<br />
BEAUTY IS IN THE<br />
EYES OF THE USER<br />
As you no doubt have learned,<br />
looking at a computer screen can be<br />
tiring to the eyes, <strong>and</strong> certain pro<br />
grams cause more headaches than<br />
others. It is crucial, then, to like the<br />
looks of the screen. Many spelling<br />
checkers <strong>and</strong> thesauruses place the<br />
suggested word substitutions in the<br />
middle of the display, overlaid on the<br />
text. That may not bother you, but if<br />
you want to see the word in context,<br />
you might prefer a program that has<br />
a top- or bottom-screen display. The<br />
importance of this feature, like<br />
most, depends on your preference.<br />
And speaking of personal prefer<br />
ence, I recently heard that Professor<br />
Burton has retired. Who knows,<br />
maybe he felt that computers had<br />
taken the fun out of his job. ■
ENTERTAINMENT<br />
HINTS AND NEWS<br />
NEWS AND RUMORS<br />
* Do you burn the midnight oil play<br />
ing games at your computer only to<br />
end up tired, frustrated, <strong>and</strong> worst<br />
of all, stumped? Quest for Clues<br />
(S25). a book from Origin Systems<br />
<strong>and</strong> Shay Addams, a contributing<br />
editor for family & home-office com<br />
puting, provides clues <strong>and</strong> solutions<br />
to 50 of the most difficult adventure<br />
<strong>and</strong> role-playing games, including<br />
King's Quest III. Ultima IV, <strong>and</strong> Wiz<br />
ard's Crown. End those sleepless<br />
nights <strong>and</strong> tackle your stack of un<br />
solved games. You can find Quest/or<br />
Clues at your local software store or<br />
order it from Origin Systems ([603]<br />
644-3360).<br />
* ALF, the furball from outer space<br />
<strong>and</strong> star of the NBC television show<br />
"ALF." has made his way to the com<br />
puter screen in a multilevel, multi-<br />
path, maze-style game of the same<br />
name (64K Apple. C 64/128. 256K IBM<br />
PC. S15: published by Box Office Soft<br />
ware). ALF from Mclmac has crashed<br />
to earth in his spaceship, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
dog catcher is hot on his tail. Race<br />
against a clock as you help ALF get<br />
his paws on pizzas, cats (his favorite<br />
delicacy), <strong>and</strong> parts to rebuild the<br />
spaceship that will send him back<br />
home safely.<br />
* Enter the twenty-first century <strong>and</strong><br />
the world of advanced experimental<br />
Alien Mind, an arcade/space adventure<br />
from PBI.<br />
science in Alien Mind, from PBI Soft<br />
ware ($55). You are part of a biologi<br />
cal research team studying new<br />
forms of alien life. Arriving at the<br />
laboratory, you find no sign of hu<br />
man life, <strong>and</strong> you become locked in<br />
the lab. The alien has taken over,<br />
<strong>and</strong>. in order to survive, you must<br />
combat more than 100 monsters<br />
<strong>and</strong> robots <strong>and</strong> construct a super<br />
weapon to neutralize the alien. Cre<br />
ated for the Apple lies, Alien Mind is<br />
an arcade-space adventure that<br />
showcases the brilliant graphics,<br />
smooth animation, <strong>and</strong> stereo-quali<br />
ty sound of the IIgs.<br />
* Buy two Electronic Arts (EA) soft<br />
ware titles before July 31. <strong>1988</strong>. <strong>and</strong><br />
get the third free! Choose from 42 of<br />
the latest entertainment, music,<br />
paint, video, <strong>and</strong> utility packages.<br />
For more details, visit your favorite<br />
software dealer or call (800) 245-<br />
4525. . . . EA has recruited hoops<br />
superstar Michael Jordan as a co-de-<br />
signer for an upcoming basketball<br />
game. First Larry Bird <strong>and</strong> Julius<br />
Erving, then Chuck Ycager. Earl<br />
Weaver, John Madden, <strong>and</strong> now Jor<br />
dan—who will be next? Jordan's<br />
game should be on software shelves<br />
later this year. . . . Karl Buiter. cre<br />
ator of EOS: Earth Orbit Stations, will<br />
bring us Futuremagic (256K IBM PC,<br />
S50), scheduled for release in Au<br />
gust. Futuremagic should appeal to<br />
fans of Starflight, winner of family &<br />
HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING'S Critics'<br />
Choice Award for Best Game of<br />
1987. 'Starflight showed that char<br />
acters in a fantasy game could be as<br />
rich as characters in a novel, <strong>and</strong><br />
that's even more true in Futurema<br />
gic." said Bing Gordon, vice presi<br />
dent of the EA's Entertainment Divi<br />
sion. The game is set in a three-<br />
planet system besieged by raiders<br />
from an unknown source. You'll ex<br />
plore starships <strong>and</strong> planets, get a<br />
first-person view of the terrain, <strong>and</strong><br />
converse with characters who will<br />
"remember" earlier conversa<br />
tions. . . . And F/A-18 Interceptor<br />
In F/A-18, you'll pilot your F-18 under the<br />
Golden Gate Bridge.<br />
{512K Amiga. S50), lets you pilot an<br />
F-18 Hornet or an F-16 Falcon in<br />
combat missions over the San Fran<br />
cisco Bay area. The three-dimension<br />
al graphic model of the City by the<br />
Bay is spectacular: the Transamcrica<br />
Pyramid. Golden Gate Bridge, <strong>and</strong><br />
Bay Bridge cast shadows, as do the<br />
planes. Missions range from guard<br />
ing Air Force One at San Francisco<br />
International Airport to shooting<br />
down incoming cruise missiles:<br />
there's also a top-secret mission for<br />
advanced pilots.<br />
* Andrew Greenbery author of the<br />
best-selling Wizardry series <strong>and</strong> head<br />
of a new software company called<br />
Masterpltiy. is introducing a new<br />
genre of multiplayer game: a real<br />
time space adventure, for one to six<br />
players, with novel-like depth <strong>and</strong><br />
board-game strategy that Greenbcrg<br />
calls "dynamic theater." Star Saga;<br />
One, Beyond the Boundary (64K Apple.<br />
128K IBM PC), four-<strong>and</strong>-one-half<br />
years in the making <strong>and</strong> the first of<br />
a planned trilogy, is ready now.<br />
You'll adopt one of six personae on a<br />
colonized planet. Three hundred<br />
years ago at the peak of coloniza<br />
tion, an alien space plague endan<br />
gered humanity <strong>and</strong> invaded the<br />
Nine Worlds. Consequently, the gov<br />
ernment set up a boundary encir<br />
cling the Nine Worlds. You are des<br />
tined to leave the safety of the<br />
boundary <strong>and</strong> begin a career of gal<br />
axy exploration, but you will not be<br />
JUNE <strong>1988</strong> 29
OLORS<br />
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CIRCLE READER SERVICE 12
allowed to return. In Star Saga, the<br />
computer acts as a game master,<br />
keeping track of players' moves while<br />
they consult booklets, rules, <strong>and</strong><br />
other board-gamc-like components<br />
<strong>and</strong> move tokens along the game<br />
map. There are no dead ends!<br />
* Another new software firm. First<br />
Row. announced its first entertain<br />
ment titles. Prime Time (512K Amiga.<br />
S12K Atari ST, 512K IBM PC. 840} is a<br />
satirical look at the world of TV net<br />
work programming. You'll play a net<br />
work programming executive who's<br />
out to get the best ratings for the<br />
network. Attend power lunches <strong>and</strong><br />
network board meetings. There are<br />
Your TV network desk in Prime Time.<br />
even commercials that interrupt the<br />
play. . . . Next, First Row offers a<br />
space adventure. Star Empire (C 64/<br />
128, 256K IBM PC. S25). Build a ga<br />
lactic empire, trade with other Star-<br />
bases, destroy aliens, <strong>and</strong> forge dan<br />
gerous missions on your way to<br />
becoming the greatest space pilot of<br />
all lime. . . . Finally, First Row<br />
worked with Michael <strong>and</strong> Mufly<br />
Berlyn. the creators of Tass Times in<br />
Tonetown <strong>and</strong> Infidel, to present Dr.<br />
Dumont's Wild P.A.R.T.I. (48K Apple.<br />
256K IBM PC, S40). Hoping to boost<br />
your lab grade, you volunteer to help<br />
Professor Dumonl with his new ex<br />
periment. The professor informs you<br />
that you'll experience life on the sub<br />
atomic level as the first Subonaut.<br />
Biolink electrodes are attached to<br />
your temples <strong>and</strong> your arms <strong>and</strong><br />
legs, but then something goes<br />
wrong! The lid closes, <strong>and</strong> you find<br />
yourself inside a mad machine!<br />
GAME HINTS<br />
THE ANCIENT ART OF WAR (Broder-<br />
bund). In this strategy/tactics war<br />
game, you comm<strong>and</strong> troops against<br />
32 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
The Ancient Art of War, a strategy/tactics<br />
war gome from Broderbund.<br />
one of six computer opponents. The<br />
computer can fight your battles, or<br />
you can zoom in <strong>and</strong> personally<br />
comm<strong>and</strong> your troops. The final goal<br />
is to wipe out your opponents by<br />
capturing their fiag(s). Choose from<br />
predetermined battles or create your<br />
own campaigns with the generator.<br />
[256K IBM PC)<br />
* When traveling through dense for<br />
ests, risky waters, or mountains.<br />
move the cursor over the squad you<br />
wish to move <strong>and</strong> hit T (for informa<br />
tion I. Reset the squad's speed to<br />
'march slow.' Type 'E.' then 'M.'<br />
Once the squad reaches its desti<br />
nation, move the cursor over the<br />
squad, type 'M,' <strong>and</strong> barely move the<br />
cursor (diagonal movement is quick<br />
est) in the direction you wish to<br />
travel: then type 'M' again. Immedi<br />
ately increase the game speed (the<br />
T key). Your squad will start with a<br />
jerk <strong>and</strong> move closer to its preset<br />
destination. Return the game speed<br />
to slow (press the T" key once) <strong>and</strong><br />
immediately repeat the process. Your<br />
squad will quickly cross the barrier<br />
with little loss of life, food, or condi<br />
tion (spies are the exception—they<br />
die easily).<br />
—david bailey, Forks, Washington<br />
MIGHT AND MAGIC (New World Com-<br />
puting/Activision). You start in Sorpigal.<br />
one of the five towns of<br />
V.A.R.N.. <strong>and</strong> your mission is to find<br />
the Inner Sanctum. You'll use 95 dif<br />
ferent spells <strong>and</strong> 250 magic items<br />
<strong>and</strong> encounter 200 monsters. Might<br />
<strong>and</strong> Magic is truly a mapmaker's de<br />
light! (64K Apple, C 64/128. 256K<br />
IBM PC)<br />
* To enter four out of the six castles,<br />
you'll need a Merchants Pass. If<br />
you don't have a Merchants Pass<br />
<strong>and</strong> want to enter the Castle White<br />
Wolf, cast the Jump spell over the<br />
guards.<br />
* When you start the game, make<br />
sure your characters have high<br />
speed. Otherwise, you won't be able<br />
to retreat.<br />
* Always have one of each class in<br />
your party.<br />
* Don't leave Sorpigal until you are<br />
at the third level.<br />
* Read all the plaques that are on<br />
the statues in Sorpigal.<br />
* There are eight statues, not seven.<br />
* For a head start, cast sleep on<br />
your opponents when you begin a<br />
fight.<br />
* Make sure your party is at least<br />
half female, or you'll run into trouble<br />
in Portsmith.<br />
* Always fight the biggest <strong>and</strong> bad-<br />
dest monster first.<br />
* Don't search ab<strong>and</strong>oned objects<br />
(Merchants Cart <strong>and</strong> Decaying Ship)<br />
until you are at least at the fourth or<br />
fifth level.<br />
* Always donate at Temples. The<br />
price will go down.<br />
* Algary is the gateway to other<br />
cities.<br />
* Stay out of the mountain passes<br />
near the Glaciers: there are a lot of<br />
avalanches.<br />
* Multiple-choice questions in the<br />
castles can alter your alignment.<br />
* Get a Merchants Pass, so you<br />
won't be recognized as a peasant<br />
when entering castles.<br />
* Avoid the winged beasts northeast<br />
of Algary. You'll end up dead unless<br />
you are extremely powerful.<br />
* Beware of Paul Pead <strong>and</strong> his boys.<br />
* Always get smelling salts, so you<br />
can wake up if something or some<br />
one attacks you.<br />
* Find Arenko Guire in the Guires<br />
Grove. He is located at sector: d-3.<br />
surface: x-0, y-2 facing west.
What can you do about the drug<br />
problem in America? Play LA<br />
Crackdown.<br />
That's what.<br />
You're the vet<br />
eran detective.<br />
Your assign-<br />
You can bug the thugs <strong>and</strong> watch TTlpnt IS to<br />
the warehouse, both at Ihe same time llltlR lJ lKJ<br />
uncover a major ring bent on dis<br />
tributing an evil synthetic drug.<br />
You've got the highest of hightech<br />
surveillance vans to work<br />
from. You've also got a rookie to<br />
work with. Were talking "rookie"<br />
rookie. Zero experience.<br />
You'll need to architect his<br />
every move. Watch him photograph<br />
clues. Plant bugsTail suspects. And<br />
question everyone from seedy<br />
thugs <strong>and</strong> crooked chemists to<br />
slick international heavies.<br />
You'll also need to draw on<br />
every strategy brain cell available.<br />
LA.CRACKDOWN<br />
Commodore 64/128, IBM&<br />
compatibles. Apple If & compatibles<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 13<br />
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your nervous system can h<strong>and</strong>le<br />
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tal clues, there's only<br />
one thing you need,<br />
to do. Move to LA.
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CIRCLE READER SERVICE 24<br />
34 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
Jl<br />
■"I<br />
.::::<br />
ENTERTAINMENT<br />
* The ab<strong>and</strong>oned Merchants Wagon<br />
is located at sector: c-1, surface: x-5,<br />
y-7.<br />
* Glaciers in castles are actually<br />
doors.<br />
* When your magical characters ad<br />
vance, the sorcerer spell Energy<br />
Blast <strong>and</strong> the clerical spell <strong>Power</strong><br />
Cure become very potent.<br />
* Surrender to a group of sprites, or<br />
they will cast curses on you until<br />
you can no longer hit them. Then<br />
they will attack full force <strong>and</strong> wipe<br />
you out. Sprites are also unaffected<br />
by sleep spells.<br />
—steve malmskog. Downey,<br />
California<br />
PIRATES! (Microprose). You're a sev<br />
enteenth-century merchant trader,<br />
pirate, buccaneer, or pirate hunter<br />
in the thick of the action on the<br />
Spanish Main in the Caribbean.<br />
Bargain with merchants <strong>and</strong> negoti<br />
ate with government officials in<br />
more than 50 foreign ports. Chal-<br />
IKCQGHI70 VS. FREHCil CWTMH<br />
Sword fight in the Caribbean in Pirates!<br />
lenge your reflexes in simulated sail<br />
ing, sea <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong> battles, <strong>and</strong> sword<br />
fights. From romance to buried trea<br />
sures. Pirates! combines role-playing<br />
adventure with the military, politi<br />
cal, financial, strategy, arcade, <strong>and</strong><br />
simulation genres to take you on a<br />
quest for power <strong>and</strong> prestige. (I28K<br />
Apple. C 64/128. 256K IBM PC)<br />
* If you want to reach a town when<br />
the wind is against you. you should<br />
sail your ship in a zigzag course to<br />
avoid damage.<br />
* You'll get more gold by taking ad<br />
vantage of the treasure maps than<br />
by attacking most towns, but your<br />
reputation will suffer.<br />
* Rescue long-lost relatives. They<br />
have a pleasant surprise for you.<br />
* Don't rush to tie the knot. You'll<br />
have more informers if you just<br />
make pleasant conversation with<br />
governors' daughters.<br />
* When you capture a pirate, don't<br />
ask for information about the Silver<br />
Train or the Treasure Fleet: hold<br />
him for ransom. You can get that in<br />
formation from an informer.<br />
* If you keep a pirate too long, he<br />
will jump ship.<br />
* If you're an infamous eapiain.<br />
don't go into hostile towns, or you'll<br />
have to fight governors' guards.<br />
* The easiest way to capture a ship<br />
is to damage the hull until it leaks<br />
<strong>and</strong> then board it.<br />
* Big ships aren't always better.<br />
* Your reputation will suffer if you<br />
retreat from a fencing fight.<br />
* If you lose a ship, you lose some of<br />
your gold.<br />
* Every time a member of the crew<br />
deserts, he takes his share of the<br />
gold.<br />
* In general, pirate crews arc larger<br />
than the English. French. Spanish,<br />
or Dutch crews.<br />
* If you're a good fencer, you can de<br />
feat a town, even if the town soldiers<br />
outnumber your crew members.<br />
* Don't get amnesty from a country<br />
you plan to attack.<br />
—michael turley. Golden. Colorado<br />
SEND US YOUR HINTS—AND<br />
WIN A FREE GAME!<br />
Don't miss the opportunity to share<br />
your original game hints <strong>and</strong> tips<br />
with other readers. Submit entries<br />
to: Entertainment Editor, family &<br />
home-office computing. 730 Broad<br />
way, New York. NY 10003. Include<br />
your name, address, telephone num<br />
ber, a short description of the game,<br />
<strong>and</strong> the br<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> model of comput<br />
er you own. If your tips are selected<br />
for publication, we'll award you a<br />
new game for your computer. We re<br />
serve the right to edit submissions<br />
for accuracy, clarity, <strong>and</strong> length. Un<br />
fortunately, we won't be able to ac<br />
knowledge each submission. ■
WHAT'S A TAITO?..
That'sa very good question. Taitd (pronounced Tie-toe)<br />
is one of the oldest <strong>and</strong> biggest names in the arcade industry.<br />
Taito is the world's largest manufacturer <strong>and</strong> operator<br />
of arcade games. We've been in the business since 1953.<br />
And that's just the beginning. Taito practically started<br />
the video game industry with our classic arcade hit, Space \<br />
Invaders.7" And over the years, Taito has created more than<br />
1,000 other great action games for arcade <strong>and</strong> home play.<br />
RENEGADE: This is the one <strong>and</strong> only. Don't settle for imitations. Blistering,<br />
fast paced<strong>and</strong>reallifestreet-styleKarateaction.Oneofthehottest games<br />
in Europe.<br />
APKA A/0/0: 33 screens of space-age excitement. Award winning coin-op<br />
hit. Over 1 million sold in Japan. "One of the best ever?'—Electronic Game<br />
Player <strong>Magazine</strong>.<br />
Now Taito has something equally exciting for you to<br />
slip into your home computer. Taito is bringing you the same<br />
pioneering spirit, technical quality <strong>and</strong> excitement that made<br />
us the arcade leader for play on your Commodore, Amiga,<br />
IBM, Apple <strong>and</strong> Atari computers.<br />
ofpeople play our games in arcades all over the world.<br />
Our strength comes from the massive development<br />
effort we put into creating the kind of games that satisfy the<br />
ever-growing arcade appetite <strong>and</strong> the research gathered from<br />
the more than 100,000 arcade machines Taito operates in<br />
Japan. (The money in the coin boxes at the end of the day tells<br />
very quickly if you've got a good game or not.) And Taito is<br />
We are the arcade leader for a verygood reason. Wecon-<br />
sistently make great video games that bring more action <strong>and</strong><br />
value to the people who play ourgames. And literally millions<br />
ALCQN<br />
ALCON: The ultimate in inter-planetary combat- Bottle aliens with lasers,<br />
_i /-/_/_.*/./ ■,■ - . homing missiles, bombs <strong>and</strong> shields. Fantastic vertical scrolling futurealways<br />
working hard to develop the most exciting new video «* /*>*«¥»*<br />
Taito Software Inc., 267West Esplanade North Vancouver. BC. Canada V7M1A5. Tel: 604-984-3344. Sky Shark"* <strong>and</strong> Gladiator"* are trademarks of Taito America Inc. Copyright © <strong>1988</strong> All<br />
Taito," ArkanoidJM Renegade?" AlconJ" FtastanJ'* Bubble Bobble/" Operation Wolf."* rights reserved. Amiga. Commodore, Apple, IBM <strong>and</strong> Atari are trademarks respectively of
games that push the technology to its limits.*<br />
Because arcade games are the benchmark for home<br />
video games, Taito's leadership in the arcade translates into<br />
more home video thrills—more mesmerizing arcade quality<br />
graphics, sound <strong>and</strong> above ail, action!<br />
That's why nobody but Taito can bring you moreofwhat<br />
you're looking for in home computer video games.<br />
You don't get to be the biggest in the arcade business by<br />
BUBBLE BOBBLE: Addictive action. Up to 100 levels of arcade quality play.<br />
One or two player action. The number one game in Europe for three<br />
months in a row.<br />
RASTArJiOneofthebiggestcoin-ophitsof7987.Stunnmggraphics.Non-<br />
stop, mythical super hero action with multiple weapons, enemies <strong>and</strong><br />
developing <strong>and</strong> manufacturing run of the mill video games.<br />
When you buy Taito games, you're getting more than<br />
just fun. We bring you games that test your nerve <strong>and</strong> your<br />
strategy. Games that make you laugh <strong>and</strong>put you on the edge<br />
of your seat, games of adventure <strong>and</strong> excitement. Taito takes<br />
you on voyages to places you've never been before—to brave<br />
new worlds ofimagination <strong>and</strong> fantasy. After ail, isn't that what<br />
great video games are all about?<br />
And every action game we put our name on is more than just competitive confrontation.<br />
Taito games are all about the values ofgood triumphing over evil, ofbeing the best you can be—games<br />
like Arkanoid, Renegade A/con Rastan <strong>and</strong> Bubble Bobbie And we have more arcade block<br />
busters like Operation Wolf, Sky Shark, <strong>and</strong> Gladiator, coming soon to software formats for play<br />
on your home computer. Taito's home-bound hit parade of video fun has just begun.<br />
Who but the arcade leader could bring you so much? That's Taito! Aren't you glad you asked?<br />
Buy Taito products at leading computer stores everywhere. If no stores are near you, Visa/<br />
MasterCard holders can order anywhere in the U.S. by calling 1-800-663-8067.<br />
Commodore-Amiga, Inc., Commodore Electronics, Ltd., Apple Computer Inc., International 'Ifyou think you've got the technical<strong>and</strong>creative ability to develop mind-blowing video games.<br />
Business Machines<strong>and</strong> Atari Corporation. Advertisement by Qually&r Company Inc,/Chicago). write to Taito, Attention: Product Development, at the above address.<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 30
Now your kids can afford to do their homework<br />
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a Laser you can work out your budget on a computer, instead of<br />
breaking it with one. The Laser lets you take advantage of the<br />
largest software library available, so your child can learn more at<br />
home with the same programs they learn on in school. And, you<br />
can do your work at home on the Laser, too.<br />
The Laser 128 with all its features: built-in disk drive;<br />
128K RAM (exp<strong>and</strong>able to 1 megabyte); serial, parallel,<br />
modem <strong>and</strong> mouse interfaces; 80 column text mode; numeric<br />
keypad; <strong>and</strong> an expansion slot; makes for a pretty educated<br />
buy. When you do your homework on which computer to buy,<br />
you'll find the Laser 128 at the head of the class with value. For<br />
more information on the Laser 128 <strong>and</strong> the name of your nearest<br />
dealer, contact Video Technology Computers, Inc., 550 Main<br />
Street, Lake Zurich, IL 60047, or call (312) 540-8911. In Canada,<br />
call (604) 273-2828.<br />
11//LASER 128 Apple.<br />
Apple lie ar>d Apple lie are registered<br />
irademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. SH987<br />
Manufactured by<br />
VIDEO TECHNOLOGY COMPUTERS, INC. MAKING COMPUTERS AFFORDABLE<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 35
Two roads diverged in a wood, <strong>and</strong> I<br />
I took the one less traveled by.<br />
And that has made all the difference.<br />
FAMILY<br />
ft HOME OFFICE<br />
MPUTI<br />
HOW MUCH WILL YOUR MONEY BUY?<br />
(Robert Frost, 'The Road Not Taken")<br />
Are you wondering why you're reading Frost's<br />
poetry in a computer magazine? Because as<br />
the poem suggests, when you purchase a com<br />
puter, you select a single road out of many possibilities<br />
<strong>and</strong> will be restricted to that path for as long as you own<br />
that computer.<br />
How do you decide which path to follow—or where to<br />
sink your money? The price versus performance trade<br />
offs in computer shopping arc not black <strong>and</strong> white. You<br />
can't simply compare technical specifications <strong>and</strong> make<br />
a decision. Software <strong>and</strong> hardware availability do matter.<br />
The warranty matters <strong>and</strong> so does the reputation of the<br />
manufacturer offering that warranty.<br />
Even more elusive, but no less important, are industry<br />
trends. Are there exciting new developments under way<br />
for a particular br<strong>and</strong> of computer, or is the manufactur<br />
er losing ground? Does a system represent a technologi<br />
cal dead end. or does it promise an easy upgrade path to<br />
more powerful computing if your needs dem<strong>and</strong> it? This<br />
kind of information requires a perspective that is gener<br />
ally hard to find when speaking with salespeople, cous<br />
ins, <strong>and</strong> afficianados of particular systems, so we'll focus<br />
on some of these issues in the following guide.<br />
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE<br />
While cost should never be the only factor that sways a<br />
computer purchase, money obviously plays a key role in<br />
many buying decisions. That's why we've segmented our<br />
short descripiions of computers into price classifica<br />
tions: Less than Si.000, Sl.000-S2.000. <strong>and</strong> $2,000-<br />
S4.500. Our price breaks are based on the cost of the<br />
basic system, as detailed in the accompanying chart.<br />
Each unit includes a monitor, two floppy-disk drives (or<br />
one floppy <strong>and</strong> one hard-disk drive on AT-style comput<br />
ers), <strong>and</strong> the basic system software required to start <strong>and</strong><br />
run the machine.<br />
Rather than include every model from every manufac<br />
turer, we've chosen to give you a sampling of the newer<br />
or more popular models from the major manufacturers.<br />
In choosing machines to review, we've given precedence<br />
to those that are heavily advertised <strong>and</strong> widely distribut<br />
ed. The chart (on page 44 } includes some models not<br />
reviewed.<br />
There are several points to keep in mind when looking<br />
at prices. One. the manufacturers' suggested list prices,<br />
given here, are almost always discounted by retailers—<br />
Contributing editor STEVE morgenstern wrote "Solving the IBM-<br />
Compatibles Puzzle" in the March issue.<br />
up to 30 percent. You can find better prices than the<br />
ones in our chart. Two. we've assembled two-disk drive<br />
productivity systems. (If you plan on using a computer<br />
for education or entertainment, you can often gel by with<br />
one disk drive.) Three, some color systems can be used<br />
with a TV instead of a color monitor. Four, if you sec<br />
advertised prices that arc unusually low, the prices<br />
might not include a monitor or a keyboard or two disk<br />
drives.<br />
LESS THAN $1,01<br />
A number of PC-compatible MS-DOS computers fall<br />
into this category. The Amstrad, Blue Chip. Leading<br />
Edge Model D. Dell System 100. <strong>and</strong> Vendex all sell for<br />
less than SI.000 for complete two-drive systems. In fact,<br />
because MS-DOS machines have become such commod<br />
ities, these systems can be cheaper than Apple Us or<br />
Commodore 128s!<br />
This price category also includes a number of the old<br />
favorites, with plenty of software available <strong>and</strong> enough<br />
units sold to assure buyers of continuing support. The<br />
Commodore <strong>and</strong> T<strong>and</strong>y computers, along with the Ap<br />
ples (though not in this price category), spurred the<br />
initial computer boom, <strong>and</strong> they have been updated to<br />
keep pace with new technology, insofar as possible.<br />
While these computers are not generally considered to<br />
JUNK 19H8 39
LESS ¥HAN $1,000<br />
Amstrad PC 1640 Vendex HeadStnrt Turbo 88S-XT Leading Edge Model D<br />
be business machines, many people find the hardware<br />
<strong>and</strong> software needed to conduct business operations on<br />
them. Nonetheless, the lack of corporate acceptance for<br />
these "classic" computers is a critical consideration if<br />
you are planning to bring disks home from the office.<br />
AMSTRAD PC1640<br />
This MS-DOS British import is similar in most re<br />
spects to the company's earlier PC1512. but it boosts<br />
system memory to 640K <strong>and</strong> adds built-in support for<br />
EGA <strong>and</strong> Hercules graphics st<strong>and</strong>ards. The price is still<br />
low, <strong>and</strong> the value is still high, but the computer does<br />
have its quirks.<br />
This model is designed for first-time computer users.<br />
from its clear, lead-you-by-the-h<strong>and</strong> manual to the inclu<br />
sion of the GEM point-<strong>and</strong>-elick desktop environment.<br />
The system is ready to run when you remove it from the<br />
box. complete with a mouse. However, the GEM system<br />
comes on three disks <strong>and</strong> can be clumsy to use without a<br />
hard-disk drive. Furthermore, you may encounter diffi<br />
culty when running some applications under GEM.<br />
The keys on the keyboard are too cramped for some.<br />
<strong>and</strong> the layout is nonst<strong>and</strong>ard. And the decision to place<br />
the power supply inside the monitor instead of within<br />
the system unit is a mixed blessing. There is no need for<br />
a system fan with this configuration, making the ma<br />
chine blessedly silent, but you do have to use an Amstrad<br />
monitor. The Amstrad is a good monitor, but if it breaks<br />
down, the system goes down with it.<br />
BLUE CHIP pcPOPULAR MODEL 2<br />
The Blue Chip is a basic MS-DOS machine, but good<br />
value for the money. It has two speeds <strong>and</strong> comes stan<br />
dard with two 5.25-inch floppy drives, along with a<br />
mouse (a nice extra!) <strong>and</strong> color/monochrome graphics.<br />
Bundled software includes MS-DOS 3.2. GW BASIC, <strong>and</strong><br />
a tutorial program called GO! to help newcomers get<br />
started without mastering the intricacies of DOS.<br />
The system is sold with only 512K memory, instead of<br />
the st<strong>and</strong>ard 640K. <strong>and</strong> the keyboard is not as sharp to<br />
the touch as those of more expensive computers.<br />
LASER 128EX<br />
The Laser 128EX is a "loaded" Apple Ile/IIc compatible<br />
computer that sells for significantly less than the Apple<br />
machines do. It resembles the Apple He with its built-in<br />
disk drive, but the Laser 128EX adds an RGB color<br />
40 FAMILY & HOME-OKFICE COMPUTING<br />
monitor connector <strong>and</strong> a parallel port to support a wider<br />
choice of printers. Like the He. the Laser has two slots for<br />
st<strong>and</strong>ard Apple He expansion cards.<br />
With the Laser's memory (exp<strong>and</strong>able to 1MB) <strong>and</strong><br />
speed (it's faster than an Apple IIgs!). programs such as<br />
AppleWorks. WordPerfect, <strong>and</strong> MultiScribe really bene<br />
fit. If you wonder whether a certain program will run, the<br />
manufacturer. Central Point Software, can provide a list<br />
of tested programs. All in all. the Laser 128EX is an<br />
extremely good value.<br />
TANDY COLOR COMPUTER 3<br />
While T<strong>and</strong>y has built up a line of very respectable MS-<br />
DOS computers, it has not ab<strong>and</strong>oned its commitment<br />
to the venerable Color Computer. You can easily find<br />
service for the CoCo line. And while the software selec<br />
tion is limited compared to the Apple <strong>and</strong> Commodore<br />
computers, you can undoubtedly find what you're look<br />
ing for at your local Radio Shack store.<br />
The CoCo 3 can use a TV set or an optional RGB<br />
monitor for display (the monitor lets you take advantage<br />
of four colors at a crisp 640-by-192 resolution). The sys<br />
tem's 128K memory is exp<strong>and</strong>able to 5I2K. which you'll<br />
need if you want to use the sophisticated operating sys<br />
tem called OS-9 Level II (it allows multitasking). The<br />
CoCo's sound capabilities are marginal, <strong>and</strong> the key<br />
board is not designed for heavy typing. Nonetheless,<br />
there are some solid business programs available, in<br />
cluding the VIP series.<br />
VENDEX HEADSTART TURBO 888-XT<br />
The Vendcx has two floppy drives <strong>and</strong> a monochrome<br />
monitor <strong>and</strong> comes bundled with MS-DOS. GW-BASIC,<br />
spreadsheet, database, <strong>and</strong> word processor, along with<br />
an accompanying applications software manual. The<br />
company claims the Vendcx HeadStart computer system<br />
is easy to use, <strong>and</strong> indeed, the hardware <strong>and</strong> monitor<br />
work fine, the application programs included are re<br />
spectable, <strong>and</strong> the price is good. But like any other new<br />
computer owner, you'll have to spend some time learning<br />
how to use the computer before churning out any work.<br />
$1,000-12,000<br />
Some of the toughest buying decisions arise in this<br />
price range. You can go with the Apple He. its high-end<br />
rendition, the IIgs. or the Commodore 128D. The newer
Apple IIgs T<strong>and</strong>y 1000 SX IBM PS/2 Model 25<br />
Commodore Amiga 500 <strong>and</strong> the Atari 1040ST <strong>and</strong> Mega<br />
ST also fall into this category; they come with a mouse<br />
<strong>and</strong> a point-<strong>and</strong>-click operating system. At this price you<br />
will have a good selection of fully loaded IBM PC compati<br />
bles, including the Dell System 100 <strong>and</strong> Epson Equity I<br />
Plus (see the chartJor more examples). And you can find<br />
some complete IBM PC AT-compatible systems. The chart<br />
includes the Blue Chip Master PC 286-12. Hyundai SU-<br />
PER-286C, <strong>and</strong> Leading Edge Model D2.<br />
Depending on your needs, of course, the best deal for<br />
the money is a "loaded" PC compatible. While you can<br />
find systems for less than SI.000. for a little more cash<br />
outlay you can add a hard-disk drive <strong>and</strong> often EGA color<br />
graphics.<br />
APPLE Me He<br />
Apple loyalists live by the slogan '"Apple II forever." <strong>and</strong><br />
they may not be far off the mark. The Apple II line<br />
(excluding the IIgs) is now more than 10 years old. <strong>and</strong><br />
its speed <strong>and</strong> graphics capabilities are showing signs of<br />
age. Still, there is a tremendous variety of high-quality<br />
software <strong>and</strong> hardware available for the system, with<br />
more appearing all the time. With exp<strong>and</strong>ed memory,<br />
there's plenty of word-processing <strong>and</strong> spreadsheet power.<br />
And thanks to Apple's comm<strong>and</strong>ing presence in the edu<br />
cational market, there is probably more educational soft<br />
ware available for the Apple II than for any other system.<br />
What is surprising about the II line is its high price,<br />
given its age.<br />
The He <strong>and</strong> lie run the same software: the primary<br />
differences are size <strong>and</strong> exp<strong>and</strong>ability. The He is sub<br />
stantially larger <strong>and</strong> harder to move. You have to add<br />
cards to install a printer port <strong>and</strong> monitor interface.<br />
With eight internal expansion slots, there's still plenty of<br />
room for memory expansion, internal modems, speech<br />
synthesizers, a mouse port, <strong>and</strong> other forms of system<br />
expansion. Since the top pops off easily, all of these<br />
additions can be made by the user.<br />
The He. on the other h<strong>and</strong>, is a closed system, though<br />
your dealer can open the case to add a memory expan<br />
sion unit. But most of the options people add to a He are<br />
already built into the He. including a disk drive, a mouse<br />
connector, <strong>and</strong> two serial ports for connecting printers<br />
or modems. The system also includes an RF modulator<br />
for using a television set as a display device. In addition.<br />
the lie is small <strong>and</strong> lightweight, ideal for a cramped<br />
office.<br />
APPLE IIGS<br />
This computer has tremendous potential, much of it<br />
still untapped. It can h<strong>and</strong>le up to 8MB of memory, runs<br />
nearly three times as fast as the Apple lie. boasts a<br />
palette of 4.096 colors (up to 256 on-screen simulta<br />
neously), <strong>and</strong> includes a very sophisticated sound chip.<br />
Although most Apple II software runs on the GS, software<br />
designed specifically for the cs takes full advantage of the<br />
mouse-based system with pull-down menus <strong>and</strong> icons.<br />
Though its microprocessor is not as powerful as that of<br />
the Macintosh. Amiga, or Atari ST, the GS is an exciting<br />
creativity machine. However, the high price <strong>and</strong> the cost<br />
of adding the RGB monitor (to maximize the color capa<br />
bilities) <strong>and</strong> upgrading memory from 256K make this a<br />
major investment for a machine that so far has not made<br />
its mark for business use.<br />
ATARI MEGA ST<br />
The new heavyweight in the Atari ST lineup comes<br />
with either 2MB or 4MB (depending on the model) of<br />
RAM <strong>and</strong> a new custom ■"BUTTER" (Atari's spelling, not<br />
ours) chip, the long-awaited <strong>and</strong> much-promised graph<br />
ics that greatly enhances the system's already impressive<br />
animation capabilities. With Microsoft Write <strong>and</strong> Profes<br />
sional Publisher out for the ST—along with the Atari-<br />
Laser printer—Atari is currently making a push in the<br />
business-presentations market. The combination of<br />
large memory capacity, striking graphics, <strong>and</strong> low price<br />
makes the Mega ST a potential bargain. The drawback.<br />
as it has been all along, is that you won't find many other<br />
STs out there with which to share files. And new soft<br />
ware will be slower in coming than it will be for olhcr<br />
systems.<br />
COMMODORE 128/128D<br />
The Commodore 128 has three different modes <strong>and</strong><br />
twice as much st<strong>and</strong>ard memory as the popular Commo<br />
dore 64 does. It emulates a Commodore 64 llawlcssly. It<br />
can also run software written for the old CP/M operating<br />
system, but most people probably won't ever want to do<br />
that. And in the 128 mode, it has improved display<br />
capabilities (80 columns of text versus the C 64's limited<br />
40-column display), a more powerful version of the BA<br />
SIC programming language, <strong>and</strong> access to the quicker<br />
Commodore 1571 disk drive. There isn't much software<br />
written to take advantage of the 128 mode, though.<br />
The GEOS operating system (a Macintosh-like icon-<br />
JUNE l'JBB 41
ased "environment"), along with a GEOS word proces<br />
sor <strong>and</strong> paint program, is included with the computer,<br />
<strong>and</strong> many additional GEOS software applications arc<br />
available. To take full advantage of GEOS. you will want<br />
to add a mouse (only S50 <strong>and</strong> well worth it) <strong>and</strong> consider<br />
the Commodore Expansion module that boosts system<br />
memory from 640K. In addition, a 3.5-inch disk drive is<br />
available from Commodore.<br />
The latest version of this system, the Commodore<br />
128D. has a built-in 1571 disk drive <strong>and</strong> a detachable<br />
keyboard with numeric keypad.<br />
EPSON APEX<br />
The Epson Apex, not to be confused with the Epson<br />
Equity line, is sold only through mass-market outlets.<br />
It's a neat, compact MS-DOS system, the downside being<br />
that it has only two expansion slots. The Apex is aimed<br />
at tirst-timc users <strong>and</strong> comes with pfs: First Choice soft<br />
ware. Thus, you can go home <strong>and</strong> start computing right<br />
away—without making an additional software purchase.<br />
If you like the Epson name <strong>and</strong> design but want more<br />
memory, speed, or exp<strong>and</strong>ability, look at the Epson<br />
Equity computers.<br />
IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODELS 25 AND 30<br />
When is an IBM PS/2 computer not a PS/2 computer?<br />
When it's a repackaged IBM PC. like the Model 25 <strong>and</strong><br />
Model 30. neither of which includes the significant de<br />
sign changes that differentiate the high-end PS/2 models<br />
(PS/2 50. 60. <strong>and</strong> 80). The two low-end machines in the<br />
line share in IBM's move to 3.5-inch disk drives, but lack<br />
the Micro Channel expansion-card architecture (MCA)<br />
<strong>and</strong> full Video Graphics Array (VGA) color graphics <strong>and</strong><br />
will not run OS/2.<br />
At the same time, you could argue that for most com<br />
puting needs, the Micro Channel system is a drawback,<br />
since the required MCA expansion cards are expensive,<br />
<strong>and</strong> the selection is limited. And VGA graphics can be<br />
added to any computer with an open slot: the PS/2 25<br />
<strong>and</strong> 30 are no exception.<br />
The PS/2 Model 25 is a compact unit, with a monitor<br />
built into the system unit <strong>and</strong> a separate keyboard with<br />
out a numeric keypad (an enhanced keyboard with key<br />
pad adds S45 to the price). With only two slots, expan<br />
sion capability is limited. Officially, the system will not<br />
support an internal hard disk, but many users have<br />
successfully added one-piece hard-disk cards—a work<br />
able solution, but more expensive than a st<strong>and</strong>ard inter<br />
nal hard disk. Available with monochrome or color moni<br />
tors, the display is first-rate <strong>and</strong> offers up to 256 colors<br />
(or 64 shades of gray) if you use software that supports<br />
this configuration.<br />
The Model 30 is a more traditional-looking computer,<br />
with the st<strong>and</strong>ard IBM keyboard <strong>and</strong> a separate monitor.<br />
It is a reliable <strong>and</strong> relatively speedy PC compatible, with<br />
three expansion slots <strong>and</strong> a built-in port for connecting a<br />
mouse.<br />
If you have a special fondness for the IBM logo on your<br />
equipment, consider these baby PS/2s. but underst<strong>and</strong><br />
that the logo goes for a premium price. For the same<br />
investment, you could move up to a loaded AT-compatiblc<br />
from an equally reputable manufacturer.<br />
TANDY 1000HX/TX<br />
The HX <strong>and</strong> TX are the latest models in the 1000 line<br />
of MS-DOS computers. The HX has a one-piece, key<br />
board/disk drive/CPU design. It comes st<strong>and</strong>ard with a<br />
single 3.5-inch disk drive <strong>and</strong> 256K memory exp<strong>and</strong>able<br />
to 640K. The second disk drive must be external. MS-<br />
42 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
DOS 2.1 is built into ROM—h<strong>and</strong>y because it lets the<br />
system boot up immediately when you power on, but of<br />
no use when using a program that requires DOS 3.0 <strong>and</strong><br />
higher. There is room for three expansion boards, but<br />
they have to be T<strong>and</strong>y's own. The Personal DeskMate 2<br />
software comes bundled with the unit.<br />
The TX is significantly more powerful than the HX. It's<br />
a hybrid—with the same 80286 microprocessor as an AT<br />
computer, but the internal system architecture of a stan<br />
dard PC. That makes it a fast PC. but not an AT. The<br />
system comes with 640K memory <strong>and</strong> five 10-inch inter<br />
nal slots, loo short for st<strong>and</strong>ard full-length PC expansion<br />
boards. A single 3.5-inch disk drive is st<strong>and</strong>ard: you can<br />
add either a 3.5-inch or 5.25-inch drive.<br />
$2/000-$4,500<br />
With a few exceptions [noted below), the battle lines<br />
are clearly drawn in this price category—you can buy an<br />
IBM PC AT compatible, or you can buy a Macintosh.<br />
Despite all the mudslinging, the simple fact is that any<br />
job you can accomplish with one. you can accomplish<br />
with the other. Each has its own strengths <strong>and</strong> weak<br />
nesses, <strong>and</strong>. of course, significant stylistic differences.<br />
American business is still overwhelmingly MS-DOS ori<br />
ented, but the Macintosh has developed substantial mo<br />
mentum. The graphic orientation of the Macintosh had a<br />
strong initial appeal to a few isolated corporate areas—<br />
the art department, advertising, <strong>and</strong> in-house publish<br />
ing operations.<br />
What changed the Macintosh from a back-door acqui<br />
sition into a respectable corporate purchase was its rela<br />
tive ease of use. Thafs a function of the point-<strong>and</strong>-click.<br />
mouse-based user interface, but also the consistency<br />
found among virtually all Macintosh software. If you<br />
know how to use one Mac program, you have an enor<br />
mous headstart on using anything else you boot up. This<br />
cuts training time, increases productivity, <strong>and</strong> generally<br />
makes managers <strong>and</strong> workers happy.<br />
Presently, the Mac Is definitely a "hot" machine. The<br />
Macintosh II. with its color screen <strong>and</strong> high-powered<br />
68020 microprocessor, has helped to generate increased<br />
excitement. With a price tag in the S7.000 neighborhood<br />
for a functionally configured system, the Mac II is beyond<br />
the boundaries of this category, but it has helped to<br />
focus third-party developers' attention on the entire Mac<br />
line.<br />
As for the MS-DOS world, it would be unfair to write<br />
about it without at least a glance over at OS/2, the muchtouted<br />
new operating system that offers multitasking<br />
<strong>and</strong> access to far more memory than MS-DOS does.<br />
While OS/2 will work with all the AT-cIass computers<br />
described here, it will require several megabytes of mem<br />
ory <strong>and</strong> a computer based on the 80386 (such as the<br />
Compaq Deskpro 386/20 <strong>and</strong> the IBM PS/2 Model 80) to<br />
really unleash its power. It will also require new software.<br />
<strong>and</strong> so far. no OS/2 software has emerged that begins to<br />
justify the substantial investment required for such<br />
high-powered equipment. In short, it would be the rare<br />
home-office setting that would dem<strong>and</strong> OS/2 now.<br />
As it happens, you can find some 386 machines that<br />
cost less than the most expensive AT machines. The<br />
prices of 386 machines are dropping. For instance, the<br />
Dell System 310 costs about S3.500. significantly less<br />
than the IBM PS/2 Model 60 or the Compaq Deskpro 286<br />
Model 40.<br />
AMIGA 2000<br />
The hot topic in MS-DOS computing today is OS/2, an
Epson Equity 111 + Macintosh SE NEC APC IV <strong>Power</strong>mate 1<br />
operating system that allows multitasking—that's the<br />
ability to have the computer perform two or more jobs at<br />
once. The Amiga computers, introduced in 1985, have<br />
had multitasking from the start, <strong>and</strong> the 2000 is the first<br />
with enough memory to take advantage of it. Yet Amigas<br />
have never been able to find a niche in corporate Ameri<br />
ca. Amigas are best suited for special-purpose applica<br />
tions, such as producing desktop videos <strong>and</strong> graphic<br />
presentations. The Commodore Genlock device allows<br />
you to sync computer graphics with video images.<br />
The mouse-based Amiga 2000 has the same great color<br />
<strong>and</strong> sound as the 500. but is faster <strong>and</strong> can hold more<br />
memory (up to eight more megabytes). In addition, it has<br />
more expansion potential, thanks to its seven expansion<br />
slots. The optional Bridgeboard, for instance, allows you<br />
to run MS-DOS software (you may need an MS-DOS disk<br />
drive as well).<br />
AST PREMIUM/286<br />
This highly rated, very fast AT compatible features<br />
three operating speeds that can be selected from the<br />
keyboard, support for exp<strong>and</strong>ed memory, <strong>and</strong> superior<br />
documentation. Two of the seven expansion slots accom<br />
modate special memory expansion cards (AST calls them<br />
"FASTRAM" boards) that can add up to 4MB of high<br />
speed memory to the system. Up to four drives can be<br />
installed internally. Also, the AST Premium/286 accepts<br />
the AST Premium FASTboard/386, which turns the com<br />
puter into a "386" machine.<br />
DELL SYSTEM 220<br />
Should you buy a computer by mail? That depends to a<br />
large degree on who you are. <strong>and</strong> who the seller is. If you<br />
feel competent enough to do without the h<strong>and</strong>-holding<br />
offered by some (but not all) computer retailers, a phone<br />
purchase can deliver exceptional value on quality ma<br />
chines. And Dell Computer (formerly known as PC's Lim<br />
ited) has built a fine reputation for reliability <strong>and</strong> service<br />
for its impressive line of MS-DOS computers. Since Dell<br />
manufactures every computer it sells, the company de<br />
scribes itself as a direct-sales manufacturer.<br />
The spanking new Dell System 220 is—on paper at<br />
least—the best value in the AT marketplace. It has good<br />
looks, good performance, <strong>and</strong> good backup service. Its<br />
key selling point is speed, running at a blistering 20<br />
megahertz. The 220 is by far the fastest AT computer<br />
available <strong>and</strong> twice as fast as the IBM PS/2 Model 50. At<br />
the same time, the 220 is smaller than the IBM PS/2<br />
Model 30.<br />
The 220 supports two 3.5-inch disk drives <strong>and</strong> a 3.5inch<br />
hard-disk drive (either 40MB or 100MB). Despite<br />
the high-storage capability, the fan is very quiet. The<br />
power requirements are low because so much of the<br />
system is integrated onto the system board <strong>and</strong> doesn't<br />
require boards or cables. VGA graphics are built-in. The<br />
Dell System Analyzer is included with the purchase, as is<br />
a one-year service contract with Honeywell-Bull. Dell<br />
OS/2 runs on the 220.<br />
IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODEL 50<br />
The PS/2 Model 50 is based on the same microproces<br />
sor (the Intel 80286) as the PC AT. but adds Micro Chan<br />
nel bus architecture <strong>and</strong> built-in VGA display technol<br />
ogy. Micro Channel, a high-speed data movement<br />
system, was designed to facilitate multitasking <strong>and</strong> net<br />
work connectivity. VGA graphics can display up to 256<br />
colors on-screen at once, a visual feast.<br />
Three expansion slots (for Micro Channel compatible<br />
boards only} are available, <strong>and</strong> the memory can be ex<br />
p<strong>and</strong>ed to a total of 7MB. Unfortunately, you cannot use<br />
any of the boards that you might have installed in an<br />
IBM PC. The Model 50 is fast, but not exceptionally fast<br />
when compared to other AT-class machines.<br />
A single 3.5-inch disk drive, with a capacity of 1.44MB.<br />
<strong>and</strong> a 20MB hard-disk drive (with an unusually slow<br />
access speed of 80 milliseconds) are st<strong>and</strong>ard. A second<br />
external 3.5-inch or 5.25-inch drive can be added.<br />
KAYPR0 286<br />
The Kaypro 286 is built like a battleship. The large.<br />
heavy system has a 40MB hard disk, with room for a<br />
total of four drives to be mounted internally. The com<br />
puter is fast, <strong>and</strong> the multipurpose video adapter can<br />
display everything up to EGA st<strong>and</strong>ard graphics. How<br />
ever, the green-screen monitor we tested had a disturb<br />
ing lingering afterimage.<br />
The system comes with WordStar word-processing<br />
software, the excellent Word Finder thesaurus, <strong>and</strong> an<br />
acceptable DOS shell program.<br />
Kaypro likes to advertise its "Non-Obsolete Design."<br />
but rarely explains what that means. Simply put, the<br />
processing hardware is built onto an expansion board<br />
inserted in a slot. Someday, you might be able to pull out<br />
this whole system board <strong>and</strong> replace it with a more<br />
JUNE 19tS8 43
powerful one—say, one based on the 80386 microproces<br />
sor—but that upgrade board doesn't exist today. Still,<br />
this promise of added flexibility takes nothing away from<br />
a solid, powerful AT compatible from a company known<br />
for giving value.<br />
LEADING EDGE MODEL D2<br />
Like its predecessor, the Model D (which is still avail<br />
able), the D2 looks good <strong>and</strong> works well. It's fast, with a<br />
huge 60MB hard drive <strong>and</strong> a good keyboard. (There's also<br />
a D2 available with a slower 30MB drive, which sells for<br />
about S400 less.) There are six expansion slots, but one<br />
is used by the hard-drive controller <strong>and</strong> one by the EGA<br />
graphics card, leaving four open. Leading Edge comput<br />
ers come with a 20-month warranty.<br />
MACINTOSH PLUS/SE<br />
The Macintosh Plus <strong>and</strong> SE both come with a mega<br />
byte of memory, a 9-inch black-<strong>and</strong>-white screen, <strong>and</strong><br />
the now famous Macintosh mouse-based operating sys<br />
tem. And they both run the same software. The SE is<br />
moderately faster than the Plus, <strong>and</strong> it includes an ex<br />
pansion slot. That expansion slot can accommodate<br />
some interesting upgrades, such as an MS-DOS compati<br />
bility board or a card that lets you connect a color moni<br />
tor to the Mac. It can also be used to add memory.<br />
No matter how you look at it, the Macintosh is expen<br />
Manufacturer<br />
Modal<br />
Apple Computer, Inc.<br />
Apple lie<br />
Apple He<br />
sive. At the same time, it is a unique <strong>and</strong> appealing<br />
system. Some of the most exciting developments in per<br />
sonal computing, such as HyperCard, are Macintoshonly<br />
products. With the recent introduction of an inex<br />
pensive MIDI connector (the st<strong>and</strong>ard interface for<br />
connector synthesizers <strong>and</strong> musical keyboards), interest<br />
in Mac music is heating up. And, though that gap may<br />
be closing, the graphics tools available for the Macintosh<br />
are still superior to those for MS-DOS systems.<br />
NEC APC IV POWERMATE 1<br />
The NEC line of AT-compatibles is widely distributed,<br />
reasonably priced, <strong>and</strong> available in configurations to suit<br />
every need. The <strong>Power</strong>Mate 1—called a "personal busi<br />
ness computer" in some advertising—was recently en<br />
hanced by boosting the operating speed to 10MHz <strong>and</strong><br />
its RAM capacity to more than 10MB.<br />
ZENITH Z-286LP<br />
This br<strong>and</strong>-new AT compatible is extraordinarily com<br />
pact but powerful. It comes st<strong>and</strong>ard with a fast 40MB<br />
hard disk, a 3.5-inch floppy (an external 5.25-inch drive<br />
is available as an option), <strong>and</strong> a megabyte of memory.<br />
Memory can be exp<strong>and</strong>ed on the system board up to 6MB<br />
(without using up expansion slots), a highly desirable<br />
feature. The video adapter supplied supports mono<br />
chrome, CGA. <strong>and</strong> selected VGA modes. ■<br />
A SAMPLING OF<br />
NATIONALLY DISTRIBUTED MODELS FROM<br />
MAJOR MANUFACTURERS<br />
CLASSIC MACHINES<br />
Classic machines Incorporate "first-generation" computer technology, though they have been enhanced over the years.<br />
System<br />
Price1<br />
SI. 626<br />
S 1.228<br />
Commodore Business Machines<br />
Commodore 64c SI.090<br />
St<strong>and</strong>ard<br />
Maximum<br />
Memory1<br />
128KB/1MB<br />
128KB'1MB<br />
Ports Included1:<br />
Hardware Included: ■?<br />
£<br />
Disk Drive Monitor v # «"■ $<br />
Mono<br />
Mono<br />
O o 7<br />
None<br />
Free<br />
ipansi<br />
Sloti Software Included'<br />
BASIC. DOS. tutorial<br />
BASIC. DOS. tutorial<br />
2 Color • • • D O • None BASIC. DOS. GEOS. CEO-Wrile.<br />
CEO-Patnt, QuantumLlnk<br />
2 Color • • m O O • None BASIC. DOS. CP/M. tutorial<br />
Warranty<br />
(Mont hi)<br />
Commodore 128D<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y Corp.<br />
SI. 300 128KB 6JOK13<br />
Color Computer 3<br />
Video Technology Computer. Inc.<br />
8980 128KB'512KI) None BASIC<br />
User 128E 8917 I28KB'IMB<br />
KEY: EY: •• - yes: o - no: Mono - Monochrome: System price for st<strong>and</strong>ard configurations plus additional equipment added in order to create a system' 2 Memory that comes<br />
Ith the system/maximum amount of memory thai can be added lo the system with or without using an expansion card: 3 Additional ports mav be included-'4 Additional<br />
software may be included.<br />
MOUSE MACHINES<br />
Mouse machines are sold with a mouse, which Is used to run the computer.<br />
Ports Included4:<br />
Company<br />
Model<br />
Apple Computer. Inc.<br />
Price1 Memory1 Plik Drive Monitor Slots Software Included3<br />
Apple IIGS SI.826<br />
BASIC, System, tutorial<br />
Apple Computer, Inc.<br />
Macintosh Plus<br />
Macintosh SE<br />
Atari Corp.<br />
Atari 1040ST<br />
Atari Mega-ST<br />
Commodore Business<br />
Amiga 500<br />
Amiga 2000<br />
82.198<br />
S2.898<br />
SI.300<br />
SI.995<br />
1MB/4MB<br />
IMB/4MB<br />
1MBMMB<br />
2MB/2MB<br />
facilities<br />
31.400 512KB/1MI3<br />
82,595 IMBrtJMU<br />
Mono<br />
Mono<br />
Mono<br />
Mono<br />
Color<br />
Color<br />
O N/A None<br />
O N/A 1<br />
None<br />
None<br />
Warranty<br />
(Monthi)<br />
HyperCard. MultiFinder. System, tutorial, utilities 3<br />
HyperCard, MultlFlnder, System, tutorial, utllilles 3<br />
BASIC. DOS. GEM. utilities<br />
BASIC. DOS. GEM. utilities<br />
BASIC. DOS. KickSlan utilities. Workbench<br />
BASIC. DOS. KickSlan utilities. Workbench<br />
KEY: • ■ yea; □ - no; Mono = Monochrome: MIDI = Musical Instrument Digital Interface: SCSI = Small Computer Systems Interface: ' System price for st<strong>and</strong>ard<br />
configurations plus additional equipment added In order to create a system: 2 Memory that comes with the system/maximum amount of memory (hat can be added to the<br />
system wlih or without using an expansion card: J Mouse is included: 4 Additional ports may be included: 5 Additional software may be Included<br />
44 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING
Company<br />
M«d«l<br />
IBM AT COMPATIBLES (80286 MICROPROCESSORS)<br />
St<strong>and</strong>ard<br />
System Sy.tom<br />
Price' Memory3<br />
Floppy-<br />
Diik<br />
Drives1<br />
Hardware Included:<br />
Hard-Disk<br />
Drive<br />
Capacity/<br />
AtCW Sp—d Monitor<br />
Ports<br />
Included*<br />
Free<br />
Expansion<br />
Slots<br />
Micro<br />
processor<br />
Speed<br />
(MHt)<br />
Wait<br />
State<br />
(Cycles) Software included1<br />
AST Research. Inc.<br />
AST Premlum/2S6 Model 140 S4.290 1MB/JM13 40MB.'28 ms Mono P. S. cEGA 6 AT. 1 PC 6/8/10 0 GW. DIA. DC. DOS<br />
Blue Chip Electronics. Inc.<br />
MasterPC 286-12 S1.829 1MB/1MB Mono P. S. MG/CGA 4 AT<br />
Dell Computer Corp.<br />
Dell Svslem X. S2.499 1M&SMB Mono P. S GW. DIA. DOS<br />
Epson America. Inc.<br />
Epson Equiiy II Plus<br />
Epson Equity III Plus<br />
S3.093 640KB/640KB<br />
S3.793 640KB/640KB<br />
40MB/28 ms<br />
40ME'28 ms<br />
Mono<br />
Mono<br />
P. S. MG<br />
P. S. MG<br />
3 AT. 3 PC<br />
7 AT. 2 PC<br />
&/10<br />
6/8/12<br />
GW. DIA. DOS<br />
GW. DIA. DOS<br />
Hyundai Electronics America<br />
SUPER-286C SI.999 6-lOKU'lMB Mono P. 2 S. eEGA 4 AT, 2 PC GW, DIA. DOS<br />
IBM Corp.<br />
IBM PS/2 Model 50-021 S3.965 1 MB/1 MB 20MB/80 ms Mono P. S. M. VGA 3MC-16B GW. DIA. DOS<br />
Kay pro Corp.<br />
KAYPRO 286 S2.995 lMU'lMIl Mono P. S. eEGA 2 AT. 3 PC GW. DOS7<br />
Leading Edge Hardware Products. Inc.<br />
Leading Edfie Model D2 81,995 64OKB/1MH<br />
Leading Edge Model D2 S2.495 6-10KB'IMH<br />
NEC Information Systems, Inc.<br />
NEC APC IV <strong>Power</strong>Mate 1<br />
NEC APC IV <strong>Power</strong>Mate 2<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y Corp.<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y 3000<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y 3000 HL<br />
Zcnllh Data Systems<br />
Z-286<br />
186 LP<br />
S3,869 640KB/640KB<br />
S4.369 640KB/640KB<br />
S3.849<br />
S3.349<br />
640K&640KB<br />
512K&640KB<br />
30MB/60 ms<br />
60MB/28 ms<br />
40MB/40 ms<br />
40MB/40 ms<br />
Mono<br />
Mono<br />
Mono<br />
Mono<br />
P. S. eEGA<br />
P. S. eEGA<br />
P. S. EGA<br />
P. 2 S. EGA<br />
4 AT. 2 PC 6/8/10<br />
4 AT. 2 PC 6'8/10<br />
5AT. 1PC 8/10<br />
6 AT, 2 PC 8/10<br />
40MB/28ms Mono P. S. MG'CGA 7 AT. 2 PC 6/12<br />
40MB-2B ms Mono P. MG/CGA 3 AT, 4 PC 4/8<br />
1 GW. DIA. DOS. LE WP<br />
1 GW, DIA. DOS, LE WP<br />
] GW. DIA. DOS<br />
1 GW. DIA. DOS<br />
GW. Deskmate II. DOS<br />
GW. Deskmate II. DOS<br />
Warranty<br />
(Monthi)<br />
83.298<br />
53.299<br />
512KB512KB<br />
1MB/6MB<br />
20MB/65 ms<br />
40MB/28 ms<br />
Mono<br />
Mono<br />
P. S. cEGA<br />
P. 2 S. VGA<br />
3 AT. PC<br />
2 AT<br />
1<br />
0<br />
DIA. DOS. MS Windows<br />
DOS. MS Wtndows<br />
12<br />
12<br />
KIT-AT = 8/I6-bll expansion slot: CGA = Color Graphics Array: DC = disk caching: DIA = Diagnostics: eEGA = enhanced EGA lalso supports monochrome graphics): EGA -<br />
Enhanced Graphics Adapter: GW = GW-BASIC; LE WP = Leading Edge Word Processor: M = pointing device port for the new IBM Personal System/2 Mouse: MC - Micro<br />
Channel slot: MCGA = Multi-Color Graphics Array: MG - Monochrome Graphics I Hercules-graphics compatible): Mono = Monochrome: MS = Microsoft: ms -<br />
millisecond: P ■ parallel port: PC = 8-bit expansion slot; S = serial port; VGA » Video Graphics Array<br />
1 System price for st<strong>and</strong>ard configurations plus additional equipment added In order to create a system: 2 Memory that comes wllh the basic system <strong>and</strong>/or maximum amounl<br />
of memory that can be added lo (he motherboard without using an expansion board: J 1.2MB 5.25-lnch floppy-disk drive, except where noted: ' Additional ports may be<br />
included:'5 Additional software may be Included: 6 1.44MB 3.5-lnch noppy-dlsk drive: 7 Also includes WordStar Professional 4.0, Word Finder. SpeedStor.<br />
(loppy-disk drive.<br />
360KB 5.25-lnch<br />
Company<br />
Model<br />
IBM PC COMPATIBLES (8086/8088 MICROPROCESSORS)<br />
System<br />
Price1<br />
St<strong>and</strong>ard<br />
System<br />
Memory1<br />
Amsfrad<br />
AmslradPC1640DDM S999 640K&640KB<br />
Hardware Included:<br />
Floppy-Disk<br />
Drives<br />
Ports Included1:<br />
5.253.5inchinch Monitor V<br />
Free<br />
Expan<br />
sion<br />
Slot*<br />
Micro<br />
processor<br />
Spocd<br />
(MHi) Software Included*<br />
DOS, GEM Deskwp,<br />
GEM Paint. GW<br />
Blue Chip Electronics<br />
Blue Chip pcPopular 1 S939 512KB6.10KU<br />
DOS. GW. GO!<br />
Commodore Business Machine<br />
Commodore PC 10-2 $1,348 512KB610KB MG/CGA DOS. GW, Sidekick<br />
Dell Computer Corp.<br />
Dell Svstcm 100 S1.069 640KB640KB Mono O O MG 4,77/9.54 DOS, GW<br />
Microsoft Works<br />
Epson America. Inc.<br />
Epson Apex<br />
Epson Equiiy 1 Plu3<br />
Sl.029 512KB'640KB<br />
SI.444 640KB/640KB<br />
Mono O O O • O CGA<br />
Mono O O O • • CCA<br />
4.77/8 DOS. DIA. GW<br />
pjs: First Choice<br />
4.77/10 DOS. DIA. GW<br />
Hyundai Electronics America<br />
Super-1ST Si.099 640KIt'G-!0KU Mono O O M&'CGA DIA. DOS, GW5<br />
IBM Corp.<br />
IBM PS/2 Model 25<br />
IBM PS/2 Model 30-002<br />
SI.640<br />
S2.065<br />
512KB/640KB<br />
640KB/640KB<br />
2 Mono<br />
2 Mono<br />
MCGA<br />
MCGA<br />
DOS. BASIC<br />
DOS. BASIC<br />
Kaypro Corp.<br />
KayproPC S1.595 768KB'7(iBK!) 4.77/10 DOS. GW6<br />
Leading Edge Products<br />
Leading Edge Model D S995 512KB/7BHKH<br />
4.77/7.16 DOS. GW. LE WP<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y Corp.<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y 1000 EX<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y 1000 HX<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y 1000 SX<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y 1000TX8<br />
S1.248 256KIi'640KB<br />
SI .268 256KB/640KB<br />
S1.418 384KB/640KB<br />
S1.768 640KB/768KB<br />
Color<br />
Color<br />
Color<br />
Color<br />
O CGA<br />
O CGA<br />
O CGA<br />
• CGA<br />
2 4.77/7.16 DOS. GW. PD<br />
3 4,77/7.16 DOS. GW. PD 2<br />
5 4.77/7.16 DOS. GW. PD II<br />
5 4/8 DOS. GW. PD 2<br />
20<br />
20<br />
Warranty<br />
(Month))<br />
Vendex<br />
Vendex Turbo HeadSlart 888-XT S995 512KB/768KU DOS. GW 7<br />
KEY- • = yes' o = no- CGA = Color Graphics Array; DIA = Diagnostics: eEGA = enhanced EGA [also supports monochrome graphics): EGA - Enhanced Graphics Adapter:<br />
GW = GW-BASIC; MCGA = Mulll-Color Graphics Array: MG = Monochrome Graphics IHercviles-graphics compatible): Mono = Monochrome; PD - Personal Deskmate<br />
1 System price for st<strong>and</strong>ard configurations plus additional equipment added in order to create a system: 2 Memory that comes wllh the basic system <strong>and</strong>/or maximum amount<br />
of memory thai can be added to the motherboard without using an expansion board: 3 Additional ports may be Included; 4 Additional software may be Included; Also Includes<br />
Electric Desk Alpha Software; 6 Also includes WordStar 4.0 <strong>and</strong> Word Finder; 7 Also includes database, spreadsheet, <strong>and</strong> word processor; Has 80286 microprocessor.<br />
MANUFACTURERS' INFORMATION<br />
amstrad (214) 297-4898' ast research. (714) 863-1333: apple computer, inc.. (408) 973-2222: atari Corp.. (408) 745-2000; blue chip<br />
electronics (602) 961-1485: commodore. (215) 431-9100: Compaq. (713) 370-0670; dell computer, inc., (512) 338-4400: EPSON. (213)<br />
539-9140- Hyundai (408) 986-9800: IBM CORP.. (800) 447-4700; kaypro, (619) 481-4300, (800) 4-KAYPRO; leading edge, (617) 828-<br />
8150. (800) USA-LEAD: NEC, (617) 264-8000; t<strong>and</strong>y. (817) 390-3700; vendex. (516) 773-3062: video technology. (312) 272-6760:<br />
ZENITH. (312) 699-4800. (800) 842-9000<br />
JUNE 198S 45
Wave Typographers<br />
Discover How This Typesetter Tamed Technology <strong>and</strong><br />
Freed Up His Employees, Saving Money <strong>and</strong> Time<br />
Some people might think that<br />
owning a condo near a<br />
Southern California beach is<br />
success in itself. And they might be<br />
right. Others might think that own<br />
ing a typesetting business with cli<br />
ents in several states <strong>and</strong> gross re<br />
ceipts of more than a million dollars<br />
is surely success realized. They might<br />
be right, too. Just such a real-life<br />
scenario belongs to Pete Thomas,<br />
who owns <strong>and</strong> operates Wave Typog<br />
raphers from his beachsidc condo<br />
minium in Ventura. California.<br />
Thomas says this is only the begin<br />
ning.<br />
"I've been preparing for this for a<br />
long time." reflects Thomas, who was<br />
introduced to the typesetting indus<br />
try in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio.<br />
in 1970. "I started as an apprentice<br />
for the Dayton Journal Herald, right<br />
out of high school. That's where I<br />
learned the h<strong>and</strong>s-on side of the<br />
business. At the same time. I attend<br />
ed college, where I earned a degree in<br />
marketing."<br />
By the time he finished college,<br />
Thomas knew he wanted a business<br />
of his own. He spent 10 years prepar<br />
ing. He began by managing print<br />
shops, then developing a multi<br />
million-dollar typesetting department<br />
for a large corporation, <strong>and</strong>, finally,<br />
franchising a typesetting business<br />
throughout Ohio.<br />
"I'm not some graduate straight<br />
out of business school who decided<br />
typesetting would be a good way to<br />
make a lot of money. I slugged it out<br />
in the trenches, <strong>and</strong> now I know this<br />
industry from every angle."<br />
The entrepreneurial dream.became<br />
a reality in 1985 with the start-up of<br />
Wave Typographers. Right from the<br />
start, innovative thinking led the<br />
way. The company was structured in<br />
a service-bureau format.<br />
"The service bureau concept is<br />
nothing new," explains Thomas, "but<br />
it has never been applied to the type-<br />
Contributing editor ufNlE akden wrote<br />
"Home-Based Franchises" in the May<br />
issue.<br />
46 FAMILY & HOME-OFFTCE COMPUTING<br />
BY LYNIE ARDEN<br />
Pete Thomas rides a wave of success that he hopes will carry his typography business<br />
across the country.<br />
setting industry. It makes sense.<br />
though, because this is an industry<br />
that is constantly in a state of flux.<br />
Employees never know how much<br />
work to expect, <strong>and</strong>. consequently,<br />
turnover is quite high. At the same<br />
time, employers are always fighting<br />
the battle of the work flow. What's<br />
needed is some way to smooth out<br />
the peaks <strong>and</strong> valleys. I thought a<br />
service bureau could act as that kind<br />
of equalizer."<br />
Wave Typographers hires indepen<br />
dent home-based typesetters who can<br />
use their own equipment without<br />
learning specialized typesetting<br />
codes.<br />
"Any experienced typesetter new to<br />
our network can use whatever com<br />
puter <strong>and</strong> software he or she owns to<br />
start work immediately." says Thom<br />
as. "Part of our strength lies in utiliz<br />
ing any expertise a typesetter has."<br />
Within the typesetting industry<br />
there are many vendors with differ<br />
ent equipment <strong>and</strong> different codes.<br />
An individual typesetter might be fa<br />
miliar with one or two systems. Ordi<br />
narily, if he or she moves to another<br />
company with a different system<br />
from the one used by the former com<br />
pany, it might take three to six<br />
months to get up to a good productiv<br />
ity level. But Wave Typographers is<br />
equipped with four computers, an ex<br />
tensive software library, plus the<br />
base typesetting machine, a Verityper<br />
VT600. A core group of four employ<br />
ees—well versed at using all these<br />
hardware <strong>and</strong> software tools—will<br />
take files from different systems <strong>and</strong><br />
make them work in the Verityper.
PRODUCTIVITY FROM HOME<br />
Home-based typesetters have been<br />
common for many years, but they<br />
have generally been within driving<br />
distance of their employers, so they<br />
can pick up <strong>and</strong> return work within a<br />
relatively short period of time. Wave<br />
Typographers uses facsimile ma<br />
chines <strong>and</strong> modems instead of cars<br />
<strong>and</strong> gas. "People who want to work at<br />
home are different. Many want to en<br />
joy more of life than their urban com<br />
mutes. Well, now they can. no matter<br />
where they live. This freedom has cre<br />
ated an environment that maximizes<br />
productivity."<br />
Thomas also maximizes productivi<br />
ty by utilizing workers' talents. While<br />
they work, most typesetters enter<br />
text <strong>and</strong> embed codes; these two<br />
functions are separated at Wave Ty<br />
pographers. "Using a typesetter for<br />
text input is a mistake. When I get a<br />
multiple-page job. I put a word pro<br />
cessor on it, <strong>and</strong> the typesetter comes<br />
in later <strong>and</strong> spends a couple of min<br />
utes per page just dropping in codes.<br />
A good typesetter is a valuable com<br />
modity. Why waste that on simple<br />
typing? Instead of needing three<br />
typesetters, I only need one typesetter<br />
<strong>and</strong> two word processors. Because<br />
they are doing only what they do<br />
best, they both make more money."<br />
COMPETITIVE PRICING<br />
How does the customer fare under<br />
the Wave Typographers system? "The<br />
customer gets the benefit of extreme<br />
ly competitive prices. Part of this is<br />
due to my lack of overhead. It also<br />
comes from my unique pricing<br />
system.<br />
"Normally, typesetters set hourly<br />
rates for their work. You can go to the<br />
same typesetting service several<br />
times with the same job, <strong>and</strong> it will<br />
cost you different amounts each<br />
time. Why? Because one time a new<br />
operator took three hours to get it<br />
done, <strong>and</strong> the next time a pro of<br />
many years did it in half an hour. So<br />
one time it cost you S200. <strong>and</strong> the<br />
next time it was S50—for the same<br />
job! 1 compiled a price list based on<br />
dimensions. An 8.5-inch-by-l 1-inch<br />
piece of paper is priced the same<br />
whether it is full of complicated text<br />
or just has a few big blocks. It all<br />
comes out in the wash. The burden is<br />
on us to meet that fixed price, not on<br />
the customer.<br />
"It's fantastic that we can serve<br />
people on both sides of the fence at<br />
the same time. Our clients get good<br />
prices, <strong>and</strong> at the same time our op<br />
erators are earning S10 to S20 an<br />
hour. Everybody's happy, <strong>and</strong> that<br />
makes me happy.<br />
BLUEPRINT<br />
TOR SUCCESS<br />
(a la Pete Thomas)<br />
1. fake ihe time to learn. Learning every<br />
thing about your business from the<br />
ground up is very important. Successful<br />
business owners read books <strong>and</strong> trade<br />
publications, attend seminars, <strong>and</strong> ex<br />
change information with colleagues.<br />
2. Use technology to reduce overhead. Your<br />
computer is a productivity lool. Stay on<br />
the lookout for new software that will save<br />
you time <strong>and</strong> effort.<br />
3. Provide good service. Customers place a<br />
high value on service. Not even lower<br />
prices can lure a customer away from a<br />
company thai offers good service.<br />
4. Offer a free sample. This is a tried <strong>and</strong><br />
true marketing method. It is a simple way<br />
to prove to a prospective customer that<br />
your product or service is of the quality<br />
that you claim it is.<br />
5. Look for new ways to do things. Don't let<br />
routine or tradition keep you from think<br />
ing creatively. Just because "it's always<br />
been done this way" doesn't mean there<br />
isn't a better way.<br />
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY<br />
"The trick is to enslave technology<br />
instead of people. A lot of people are<br />
really scared to try something new,"<br />
says Thomas. "Not me. I go to COM<br />
DEX [the large computer trade show].<br />
I'm always on the lookout for new<br />
software to make the job easier, <strong>and</strong> I<br />
have programmers develop what 1<br />
can't find elsewhere."<br />
For instance, most typography<br />
companies have a pool of proofread<br />
ers assigned to each typesetter. Not<br />
only does it cost money to pay the<br />
proofreaders, but it slows down the<br />
process as well. "I've eliminated a tre<br />
mendous part of my overhead by cut<br />
ting down on the number of proof<br />
readers that I need. How? 1 found a<br />
piece of software called PC Typewrite<br />
that operates a 100.000-word dictio<br />
nary <strong>and</strong> capitalization checker."<br />
Wave Typographers is also produc<br />
ing original software. One of its re<br />
cent developments is GORESUME.<br />
an easy-to-use, menu-driven resume<br />
writer. This software is free to anyone<br />
who cares to download it from elec<br />
tronic bulletin boards. Why make it<br />
available to anyone who wants it for<br />
free?<br />
"My whole theory is based on hav<br />
ing operators everywhere cranking<br />
work through my typesetting equip<br />
ment. This is just one way of making<br />
that happen. What I'm doing in this<br />
case is encouraging individual word<br />
processors who do resumes to send<br />
their work through my equipment for<br />
only S5 a page. That's a fraction of<br />
the cost of going somewhere else.<br />
Plus, with GORESUME. it shouldn't<br />
take as much time to prepare re<br />
sumes in the first place."<br />
Giving away software is typical of<br />
the way Wave Typographer's services<br />
are marketed. A sales presentation is<br />
an exercise in "what you see is what<br />
you get." While talking to a prospec<br />
tive customer, Thomas takes an actu<br />
al one-page job order <strong>and</strong> faxes it to<br />
one of the typesetting operators. He<br />
keeps talking while the operator does<br />
the work <strong>and</strong> sends it to the home<br />
office, where it is typeset on the Veri-<br />
typer. It is then faxed back to Thom<br />
as (at the client's office) in finished<br />
form. "Most of the time that seals the<br />
deal right then <strong>and</strong> there.<br />
"Service combined with price is an<br />
unbelievable mix. I've optimized that<br />
as much as anyone possibly can. Not<br />
only do my customers get the best<br />
price in town, but they can have what<br />
I call "Same Day Executive Service."<br />
Same-day service is almost unheard<br />
of in this industry—but service is the<br />
name of the game. 1 must produce<br />
work on dem<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> I can do that<br />
with the Wave network."<br />
FUTURE WAVE<br />
What's the wave of the future? "I<br />
want to have the first truly national<br />
typesetting company. I want hun<br />
dreds of typesetters all over the coun<br />
try working through Wave's network.<br />
I envision being able to take very<br />
large projects <strong>and</strong> distribute the work<br />
among 50 or 60 operators. Imagine<br />
having a book typeset in a single day!<br />
"America is in the 'I-want-it-now*<br />
mode. There is nothing preventing<br />
us from meeting that challenge. The<br />
traditional typesetter can't, he or<br />
she's not equipped. But with a whole<br />
group of operators set up with the<br />
proper equipment <strong>and</strong> telecommuni<br />
cations supports, a lot of time lag can<br />
be eliminated."<br />
How does Thomas gauge his suc<br />
cess? "Success to me is seeing a lot of<br />
happy people around. Workers are<br />
happy when they are able to realize<br />
their potential. They can do that by<br />
being in a business relationship with<br />
me rather than being an employee of<br />
mine. Customers are happy when<br />
they receive good service <strong>and</strong> value<br />
for their dollars. After that, every<br />
thing else comes, the money <strong>and</strong> all.<br />
"The condo. The beach. The<br />
money. It's great. But other people<br />
have dreams, too. They might want<br />
to have time to hunt <strong>and</strong> fish <strong>and</strong><br />
hike <strong>and</strong> still make enough money to<br />
live comfortably. Treating people fair<br />
ly. That's what it's all about." ■<br />
JUNE <strong>1988</strong> 47
If you've ever shopped for a new<br />
home while selling your old<br />
home, you know how convoluted<br />
the process can become. Typically.<br />
you don't want to make an offer for a<br />
new place until someone has given<br />
you a down payment <strong>and</strong> signed a<br />
contract to buy your old place. In ad<br />
dition, you cant truly know when<br />
you'll close the sale until you draw up<br />
the sales contract, yet until you know<br />
that date, locking in an interest rate<br />
for your new mortgage becomes prob<br />
lematic. You often can't tell how<br />
much of a new mortgage you'll even<br />
need (or how costly a new home you<br />
can afford) until you see how much<br />
money you'll realize from selling the<br />
old home—which you won't know for<br />
certain until someone gives you a<br />
down payment. Considering all the<br />
mutually dependent factors (only<br />
some of which I mentioned), it's<br />
amazing that homes ever are bought<br />
<strong>and</strong> sold.<br />
But, of course, they are. As a finan<br />
cial problem becomes more elaborate,<br />
a worksheet model created with a<br />
spreadsheet can be a great tool for<br />
working through tough scenarios.<br />
The danger, however, is that the<br />
worksheet itself can become as elabo<br />
rate as the predicament. Just as a<br />
circular relationship is established<br />
between your need to sell one home<br />
before proceeding to buy another, so<br />
a circular relationship is frequently<br />
set up in a worksheet for figuring out<br />
this type of qu<strong>and</strong>ary.<br />
This month, we'll look at a circular<br />
relationship—more properly called a<br />
"circular reference"—in the light of a<br />
common financial situation: selling<br />
one home <strong>and</strong> buying a new one.<br />
We'll see how you can take advantage<br />
of a special feature called "iteration"<br />
Last month, ROB KRUMM demonstrated<br />
two ways that spreadsheets can help<br />
make your transactions more effective<br />
when borrowing <strong>and</strong> lending money.<br />
48 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
Making Successful<br />
Financial<br />
Decisions with a<br />
Spreadsheet<br />
BETTER WAYS TO SELL YOUR<br />
OLD HOME AND BUY A NEW ONE<br />
Plus: How to Calculate the Interest on<br />
Any Deposit or the Cost of Any Loan<br />
BY ROB KRUMM<br />
found in most spreadsheets to re<br />
solve the apparent knotty contradic<br />
tions set up when several conditions<br />
are mutually dependent.<br />
WHY YOU NEED TO COUNT IN<br />
CIRCLES<br />
To indicate their view of the world.<br />
alchemists in the Middle Ages used a<br />
special symbol—a serpent wound<br />
into a circle eating its own tail. There<br />
are some everyday financial problems<br />
that bring this tail-chasing symbol to<br />
mind. One problem came my way ear<br />
ly this year, a few months after the<br />
Wall Street crash when the housing<br />
market was very unstable. The exam<br />
ple required a special type of spread<br />
sheet calculation called an iteration,<br />
from the Latin word iterum. which<br />
means again.<br />
The situation involved a worksheet<br />
being developed by a salesperson<br />
named Charles P. who was moving<br />
his family from New York to Chicago.<br />
Most of the worksheet involved such<br />
basic arithmetic operations as addi<br />
tion <strong>and</strong> multiplication. Because he<br />
was entering into a risky new ven<br />
ture. Charles hoped to pay less than<br />
S600 each month for housing, so he<br />
compared the costs of three types of<br />
mortgages: 30-ycar fixed, 15-ycar<br />
fixed, <strong>and</strong> 5-year variable. The two<br />
main numbers Charles entered as he<br />
went along were the selling price of<br />
his old home <strong>and</strong> the buying price of<br />
the new one. But there was one par<br />
ticularly tricky section. Let's look at<br />
his worksheet in figure 1.<br />
Charles began by subtracting his<br />
outst<strong>and</strong>ing mortgage from the sell<br />
ing price of his old home. This gave<br />
him a gross profit of S147.000 before<br />
taxes <strong>and</strong> various fees. Then Charles<br />
estimated those taxes <strong>and</strong> fees,<br />
which included the "points" he would<br />
pay a bank for his new mortgage <strong>and</strong>
the extra federal <strong>and</strong> state income tax<br />
he would owe because he was plan<br />
ning to buy a new home that cost less<br />
than his old home. These steps<br />
helped him compute how much mon<br />
ey he would retain from the sale of<br />
his place in New York—his "net prof<br />
it" in the worksheet—<strong>and</strong> have avail<br />
able as a down payment for his new<br />
home.<br />
However, Charles originally had<br />
difficulties with two elements. To<br />
compute his net profit of S106.287.<br />
he subtracted the points, taxes, <strong>and</strong><br />
fees from his gross profit. Then, to<br />
judge how much he would need for a<br />
new place, he estimated Si50.000 as<br />
the buying price for a home in<br />
Chicago <strong>and</strong> subtracted his net profit<br />
from that price to arrive at a S43.713<br />
mortgage.<br />
Here's where his calculations be<br />
came mutually dependent. When you<br />
buy a new home that costs less than<br />
the sale price of your old home, the<br />
Internal Revenue Service basi<br />
cally says that you owe tax on no<br />
more than the difference between the<br />
price of your old <strong>and</strong> your new homes<br />
(minus such selling expenses as a<br />
realtor's fee). But Charles could not<br />
calculate how much income tax he<br />
would owe until he knew how much<br />
he was going to pay for a new home.<br />
Yet he could only estimate how much<br />
he would pay for his new home until<br />
he saw how much proiit he would net<br />
from selling his old home.<br />
Furthermore, in order to arrive at a<br />
$106,287 net profit, Charles had to<br />
estimate how much he would pay in<br />
points on the mortgage for his new<br />
home. Points, also called origination<br />
fees, arc calculated by percentages—<br />
. 1 B<br />
A<br />
13.S0(<br />
1.001<br />
1 SELLING S BUYING A HOME<br />
2<br />
3 Selllna Dries<br />
i Outst<strong>and</strong>ina mortaaae<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
Gross fjroM<br />
8 Realtor's lee<br />
9 Fodorai/Slale income lax<br />
1 0 Lawyer's lee<br />
1 1 Closina lees<br />
I 2 Olher lees<br />
1 3<br />
1 4<br />
Points new morKjaqe (2.5)<br />
1 5 Net oiolli<br />
—<br />
c<br />
PlSptlf, "3r -----<br />
B<br />
; c::<br />
14:<br />
each point paid on a mortgage equals<br />
one percent of the amount of the<br />
mortgage. After speaking with several<br />
bankers, Charles figured on paying<br />
2.5 points. The formula in the<br />
spreadsheet for points is simple (see<br />
Jigure 2}\ the new mortgage multi<br />
plied by 2.5 percent.<br />
But wait a minute. In order to fig<br />
ure the size of the new mortgage,<br />
Charles needs to know his net profit.<br />
And in order to figure his net profit,<br />
he needs to know how much he'll pay<br />
in points. Yet in order to figure how<br />
much he'll pay in points, he needs to<br />
know the size of his new mortgage!<br />
The process seems to go around in a<br />
circle in which a value used to calcu<br />
late another value is itself dependent<br />
on the calculated value. How do you<br />
ever untangle that?<br />
Figure 2 shows how these relation<br />
ships can be expressed as spread<br />
sheet formulas. A circular relation<br />
ship is formed between the formulas<br />
for points (cell B13). net profit (B15).<br />
<strong>and</strong> mortgage amount (D4). Any in<br />
crease in the mortgage increases the<br />
points, which in turn decreases the<br />
net profit, which then increases the<br />
mortgage—in continual circles like<br />
the snake eating its tail,<br />
RESOLVING THE SEEMING<br />
CONTRADICTIONS OF<br />
MUTUAL DEPENDENCY<br />
When you enter a series of formulas<br />
like these into a spreadsheet, you cre<br />
ate a circular reference. Most pro<br />
grams display a warning to indicate<br />
that such a relationship exists. In<br />
Lotus 1-2-3 , the message circ ap<br />
pears at the bottom of the screen; in<br />
Microsoft Excel, a dialog box pops up.<br />
Figure 1 Charles P.'s worksheet contains<br />
such mu ually dependent factors as his net<br />
mortgage (04), <strong>and</strong> points paid on that<br />
mortgage (B13).<br />
.225000<br />
Buvina price<br />
.78000<br />
Uortaaaa amount<br />
30-veai tixed/month<br />
-B3-B4<br />
15-veai fixed/month<br />
-93*6%<br />
S-vear variable'monih<br />
-(B3-IB6-.B10*B! 1 .B 1 2]-D3!-39% Property lai<br />
200 0<br />
D'jJj^ibl.; Male income m<br />
-1000<br />
-500<br />
Procerlv lax/month<br />
-D4"2.S%<br />
30-vear & lai/month<br />
15-vea; & lax^month<br />
-B6-SUM(BB:B131<br />
5-year & lax'momti<br />
Figure 2; Here are the ormulas behind the worksheet in figure 1. Note the circular<br />
relationship mentionec above: Mortgage multiplied by 2.5 percent equals points (cell<br />
B13). Points (<strong>and</strong> other costs) subtracted from gross profit equals net profit (BI5). Net<br />
profit subtracted from buying price equals mortgage (D4).<br />
c<br />
D<br />
-:eo::o<br />
D 3 ■ B 1 5<br />
-D4/1000'8.6<br />
-D4M 000*10.6<br />
-D4nO00*8.69<br />
-2000<br />
-3000<br />
-D9/12<br />
=D5+D11<br />
=D6+D11<br />
=D7+D11<br />
There are two types of circular ref<br />
erences: diverging <strong>and</strong> converging.<br />
Diverging references are usually en<br />
tered by mistake. The most common<br />
case is a total that includes itself. Try<br />
the following example with your own<br />
spreadsheet. Enter the number 1 in<br />
cell Al. enter 2 in cell A2, <strong>and</strong> enter 3<br />
in cell A3. Then, using 1-2-3 or a<br />
compatible, enter the function<br />
(
CALCULATE INTEREST AND LOAN PAYMENTS<br />
WITH YOUR OWN FORMULAS<br />
Mosl of the newer spreadsheets or new versions of existing<br />
spreadsheets supply a full array of such financial functions as<br />
PMT() or monihly payment. FV() or future value, <strong>and</strong> PV{) or<br />
present value. In last month's article on spreadsheets, we saw<br />
how useful these functions are when figuring the costs <strong>and</strong><br />
gains from borrowing <strong>and</strong> lending money.<br />
However, if your spreadsheet program does not have these<br />
functions built-in, you can achieve the same results by creating<br />
mathematical formulas of your own. The best way to see how<br />
these formulas work is to boot up your own spreadsheet <strong>and</strong> try<br />
the examples given below.<br />
A FORMULA FOR MONTHLY LOAN<br />
PAYMENTS<br />
As in last month's article, the PMT[) function is used lo<br />
calculate the monthly payment needed for a loan when you<br />
already know the amount of the loan (also called principal), the<br />
interest rate {expressed as an annual rate), <strong>and</strong> the number of<br />
monthly payments. You can calculate what your monthly pay<br />
ment would be on any loan even if you don't have a PMT()<br />
function by implementing the following formula:<br />
Principal<br />
(Interest/12 months)<br />
l-(1+lnterest/12 months) A-(Period)<br />
If you were to write this same formula on one line (as you<br />
would do in a spreadsheet cell), il would look like this:<br />
Principal * ((lnterest/12)/(l -{1 +lnterest/12) A- (Period))}<br />
Note that the value for period—which is used as an expo<br />
nent—is a negative value. Also note that the interest rate, which<br />
typically is an annual rate, is divided by 12 to get the effective<br />
monthly rate. This is done because the period of the loan is also<br />
stated in months, <strong>and</strong> ihe two items (rate <strong>and</strong> period) must<br />
match. Finally, when constructing this formula, don't forget to<br />
put in all the parentheses as indicated below. In the worksheet<br />
example shown in figure 3. the values for the S4.5OO loan are<br />
stored in the following cells:<br />
Principal (or amount borrowed): cell B4<br />
Interest rate (divided by 12 to get effective monthly rate):<br />
cell B5<br />
Period (expressed in months): cell B6<br />
Now let's substitute these cell references For the words in the<br />
one-line formula above. Here, then, is how you would write the<br />
formula in your own spreadsheet to calculate the monthly pay-<br />
Figure 3a: A spreadsheet's PMT() function<br />
can calculate the payments on any loan.<br />
The FV() function can calculate the future<br />
value (interest plus principal) of regular<br />
deposits.<br />
after 10 iterations your references<br />
should converge: if not, the formula<br />
Is probably written incorrectly.<br />
Other spreadsheets use different<br />
approaches to iteration. For example.<br />
Multiplan requires that you enter a<br />
formula into a cell that indicates the<br />
minimum change required for each<br />
iteration. Thus, if you enter<br />
deltA'.oi, Mitltiplan would stop the<br />
iteration when the changes with each<br />
calculation in your target cell become<br />
50 FAMILY A- HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
ment on a loan:<br />
B4 * ((B5/I2)/(I-(1+B5/12)A-B6))<br />
A FORMULA FOR INTEREST GAINED ON<br />
DEPOSITS<br />
If you want to make money by depositing it inio a bank<br />
account, a spreadsheet's future value function, called FV(). can<br />
help you figure out how much youil make. As with the PMT()<br />
function, you need to know the principal (or how much you'll<br />
deposit), the interest rate you'll gain on the deposit, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
period of the deposit.<br />
Just as you would pay the bank S207.13 each month for 24<br />
months if you borrowed S4.500 at 9.75-percent interest, let's<br />
see how much you would gain by depositing the same S207.13<br />
each month for 24 months in a savings account that pays 6percent<br />
interest. Even if your spreadsheet does not offer a FV()<br />
function, you can substitute the following formula:<br />
t (1 + Interest/12 months) A Period -1<br />
Principal<br />
(Interest/12 months)<br />
If you were to write this same formula on one line (as you<br />
would do in a spreadsheet cell), it would look like this:<br />
Principal * {(1 + Interest/12) A Period - 1) (Interest 12)<br />
Note that the value for period is expressed as an exponent.<br />
Also note again that the interest rate, which is usually an<br />
annual rate, is divided by 12 to get the effective monthly'rate<br />
since the period of the deposit is also expressed in months, <strong>and</strong><br />
the two items must match. Finally, when constructing this<br />
formula, don't forget to put in all the parentheses as indicated<br />
below. In the worksheet in figure 3. the values for the loan are<br />
stored in the following cells:<br />
Principal (or amount deposited each month): cell D4<br />
Interest rate (divided by 12 to get effective monthly rate):<br />
cell D5<br />
Period (expressed in months): cell D6<br />
Now let's substitute the cell references for the words in the<br />
one-line formula above. Here is how you would write the work<br />
sheet formula to calculate the total gain on equal monthly de<br />
posits into a savings account:<br />
D4 * ((1+D5/12) AD6-1)/(D5/12)<br />
By underst<strong>and</strong>ing how to analyze such questions as the cost<br />
of a loan or the gain on a deposit, you'll achieve greater control<br />
over vour financial life.<br />
t'r.r: ;,„ P_- ■; oil<br />
rr-crihsj Pmoa (in i<br />
D.poiil<br />
.207.13<br />
P.yminl, PUT luncilo ■ P'.'Tf35 -g.BS -B't Tolil min»d, FV ■ FVID5 :2.D6,-DJ)<br />
Figure 3b: Here are the formulas behind the worksheet in figure 3a. Note especially<br />
cells 8 <strong>and</strong> 10 in columns B <strong>and</strong> D. The formula in cell BIO can substitute for the<br />
payment function—PMT()—in B8, just as the formula in D10 can substitute for the<br />
future value function—FV()—in D8.<br />
less than .01 (one cent). This system<br />
is a bit more complicated, but it<br />
avoids guesswork at the number of<br />
iterations needed.<br />
WHY SPREADSHEETS ARE<br />
BETTER THAN CALCULATORS<br />
As with other financial calcula<br />
tions, Charles might have been able<br />
to solve this problem with a calcula<br />
tor. But what's significant about the<br />
spreadsheet is that it can build itera<br />
-0 06<br />
tive calculations into a large or com<br />
plex worksheet that will automatical<br />
ly resolve all of the circular<br />
references. Iteration illustrates an<br />
other advantage of model building<br />
with spreadsheets: the ability to re<br />
peatedly recalculate without making<br />
changes. When you have several ele<br />
ments in a financial situation that<br />
depend on each other, a spreadsheet<br />
will help you make the needed con<br />
nections among all the elements. ■
When (he United States In<br />
formation Agency (USIA)<br />
began to plan the "Infor<br />
mation USA" exhibition that is tour<br />
ing the USSR, they asked us to ad<br />
vise them on the software to include.<br />
We turned the assignment over to<br />
Steve Morgenstern. contributing edi<br />
tor. Steve both compiled the list of<br />
software <strong>and</strong> went to Moscow, the<br />
first stop on the 18-month tour (<strong>June</strong><br />
1987 to December <strong>1988</strong>). to teach<br />
the American guides how to operate<br />
* the computer systems. While there,<br />
| he also spoke with Soviet citizens<br />
s about computers. Here are several<br />
t vignettes from his experience.<br />
* STEVE McmoENSTERN also wrote this<br />
§ month's cover story, "Buyer's Guide to<br />
s Computers."<br />
I sat in the blazing sunshine of<br />
Moscow last <strong>June</strong>, savoring the<br />
creamy coldness of wonderful Rus<br />
sian ice cream <strong>and</strong> watching the line<br />
snaking around the Elcktrotekhnika<br />
pavilion at the Economic Achieve<br />
ments Exhibition park. The Soviets<br />
are renowned for st<strong>and</strong>ing in line.<br />
They wait with astonishing patience<br />
for such mundane items as bread<br />
<strong>and</strong> meat.<br />
Even by Soviet st<strong>and</strong>ards, though,<br />
this line was impressive. Excited tod<br />
dlers jostled against uniformed army<br />
men. Mothers fashioned newspaper<br />
hats from the morning edition of<br />
Pravda. <strong>and</strong> entire families crowded<br />
under large, black umbrellas to es<br />
cape the suns glare.<br />
What compelled thous<strong>and</strong>s of Sovi<br />
ets to endure three-, four-, even five-<br />
hour waits, day after day, for more<br />
than a month? The Americans were<br />
here. After an eight-year freeze on<br />
cultural exchange exhibitions, the<br />
Americans had come to the Elektro-<br />
tckhnika pavilion to display their<br />
VCRs <strong>and</strong> satellite dish antennas,<br />
their music synthesizers <strong>and</strong> Univer<br />
sal Product Code supermarket check<br />
out systems, <strong>and</strong>, foremost, their<br />
computers. Two dozen American<br />
guides were also present, fluent in<br />
Russian <strong>and</strong> ready to demonstrate<br />
the equipment <strong>and</strong> to discuss what<br />
ever might be on a visitor's mind. A<br />
rare opportunity indeed, <strong>and</strong> it was<br />
available without admission charge<br />
to all willing to st<strong>and</strong> in line. So they<br />
stood.<br />
INSIDE THE "INFORMATION<br />
USA" EXHIBITION<br />
In the Office area of the main exhi<br />
bition. Marian Hagler. a guide from<br />
Washington. D.C., who earned a law<br />
degree from Georgetown, had set up<br />
an ingenious demonstration of Lotus<br />
1-2-3 that both stimulated discus<br />
sion <strong>and</strong> showed off the program's<br />
features. She created a spreadsheet<br />
model comparing income <strong>and</strong> ex<br />
penses for typical American <strong>and</strong> Sovi<br />
et citizens. The questions "What do<br />
you make?" <strong>and</strong> "How much do you<br />
spend?" were constantly fielded by all<br />
the Americans, but it was difficult to<br />
answer accurately. A meaningful<br />
comparison is not simply a matter of<br />
converting dollar figures to rubles. A<br />
typical Soviet might make only 200<br />
rubles a month (about S300). Yet by<br />
American st<strong>and</strong>ards, their necessi<br />
ties are very inexpensive; rent might<br />
be just 20 rubles (S30) a month.<br />
However, "luxury" items include such<br />
commonplace commodities as toma<br />
toes at 3 rubles (S5) a pound.<br />
Using a spreadsheet. Hagler would<br />
fill in typical dollar figures for items<br />
in an American budget <strong>and</strong> ask the<br />
Soviet visitors to supply typical<br />
amounts for the same items in ru<br />
bles. She then produced figures re<br />
vealing the percentage of income<br />
spent in each category <strong>and</strong> even cre<br />
ated charts <strong>and</strong> graphs to display the<br />
results. The Soviets became intensely<br />
involved in the give-<strong>and</strong>-take discus<br />
sion <strong>and</strong> finally, with the computer's<br />
help, grasped the real difference be<br />
tween currency exchange rates <strong>and</strong><br />
actual spending power.<br />
Adding life to the computer demon<br />
strations didn't always require that<br />
much effort. A few days after we ar<br />
rived in Moscow, a young West Ger<br />
man pilot named Mathias Rust made<br />
headlines around the world by flying<br />
a small Cessna at low altitude from<br />
Finl<strong>and</strong> right through Soviet air de-<br />
JUNE <strong>1988</strong> 51
fenses <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong>ing at the foot of Red<br />
Square. There were brief efforts to<br />
cover up the incident, but the truth<br />
quickly spread throughout Moscow.<br />
Linden Blue, an American guide <strong>and</strong><br />
a pilot himself, incorporated the inci<br />
dent into his demonstration of Flight<br />
Simulator in the Home section.<br />
"Where should we go?" he would ask.<br />
"We could fly to San Francisco, or Los<br />
Angeles. ... or maybe we should try<br />
to l<strong>and</strong> on Red Square." The crowds<br />
loved it.<br />
LIFE IN THE MEDIA CENTER<br />
My gr<strong>and</strong>mother left Russia about<br />
70 years ago. preferring the Cossackfrec<br />
streets of New York City. I came<br />
back to the "old neighborhood" on a<br />
six-week assignment working for the<br />
United States Information Agency<br />
(USIA) as Specialist in Residence at<br />
the "Information USA" exhibition.<br />
One major responsibility was to<br />
meet one-on-one with Soviet "ex<br />
perts." The exhibit was divided into<br />
two sections. The large exhibit hall<br />
previously described was open to the<br />
public, but access to the smaller Me<br />
dia Center required a pass. Here, So<br />
viets who were already familiar with<br />
computers or had some special need<br />
to discuss were invited to meet with<br />
the Specialists <strong>and</strong> to explore a soft<br />
ware library of about 80 titles.<br />
The Media Center attracted a high<br />
percentage of scientists <strong>and</strong> academ<br />
ics. Many had IBM compatibles in<br />
their offices. The Macintosh was<br />
more of a curiosity to them—several<br />
had read about Macs, but few had<br />
actually worked with them.<br />
We had lively conversations about<br />
the relative merits of IBM versus Mac<br />
intosh desktop-publishing systems<br />
<strong>and</strong> networking <strong>and</strong> laser-printer<br />
technology. Optical storage media<br />
was another hot topic, as was the<br />
educational use of computers. The<br />
discussions were conducted at a<br />
much more sophisticated level than 1<br />
had anticipated: we were peppered<br />
with daunting technical questions.<br />
I've never felt the need to memorize<br />
statistics for the number of opera<br />
tions per second performed by an<br />
80286 chip versus a 68020, but the<br />
figures certainly would have come in<br />
h<strong>and</strong>y in Moscow.<br />
Soviet busincsspeople were fre<br />
quent visitors, attentive to all we<br />
could show <strong>and</strong> tell them <strong>and</strong> sincere<br />
in their desire to improve their work<br />
by using computers. Officials from<br />
the telephone company, the railroad,<br />
the foreign trade bank, <strong>and</strong> many fac<br />
tories spent hours with us. Some<br />
were high-level executives; many oth<br />
ers were middle-level managers hop<br />
ing to come away with recommenda-<br />
52 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
family & home-office compuiinc contributing<br />
editor Steve Morgenstern (second from<br />
left) helps the American guides set up<br />
the computers for demonstrations. The<br />
sweatshirt on the woman ot right says<br />
"Harvard" in Russian.<br />
tions for their bosses. I demonstrated<br />
Q&A. Lotus 1-2-3. <strong>and</strong> Microsoft<br />
Windows dozens <strong>and</strong> dozens of<br />
times, always holding the rapt atten<br />
tion of my audience.<br />
Many had difficulty grasping the<br />
idea that American businesses use<br />
general-purpose software tools <strong>and</strong><br />
adapt them to the specific needs of<br />
the company. For example, I met with<br />
the manager of a factory that makes<br />
rivets <strong>and</strong> razor blades. He wanted to<br />
see the software that would run a fac<br />
tory that made rivets. I showed him<br />
how a database can be used to con<br />
trol inventory, keep employee re<br />
cords, <strong>and</strong> capture productivity infor<br />
mation. I also demonstrated a<br />
spreadsheet for record keeping <strong>and</strong><br />
planning <strong>and</strong> showed him how word<br />
processing could speed correspon<br />
dence. He nodded in agreement for<br />
half an hour, then asked "But<br />
where is the software to run a rivet<br />
factory?"<br />
SOVIET SCHOOLS AND<br />
COMPUTERS<br />
While the scientific community<br />
surprised me with its level of comput<br />
er access <strong>and</strong> expertise, I learned that<br />
the Soviet school system is far behind<br />
American st<strong>and</strong>ards in computer<br />
education. One expert from the Insti<br />
tute of Science <strong>and</strong> Aesthetics was<br />
developing "electromechanical de<br />
vices" to simulate the workings of a<br />
computer for Soviet students. He ex-<br />
Crowds gather in front of<br />
Moscow's Elektrotckhniko<br />
pavilion, the first stop on the<br />
"Information USA" tour of<br />
the Soviet Union.<br />
Long lines with up to five-hour waits did<br />
not faze the Soviet citizens eager to view<br />
American technology.<br />
plained that computers for schools<br />
are scarce, with little prospect for<br />
short-term improvement. Computer<br />
science is taught, but it is largely an<br />
abstract, conceptual topic; the stu<br />
dents lack machines to try their<br />
h<strong>and</strong>s at programming or using soft<br />
ware applications.<br />
I had lengthy discussions with<br />
Ivan, an editor from a Moscow pub<br />
lishing house, who brought his 13-<br />
year-old son with him. Ivan embodied<br />
the all-too-common resigned accep<br />
tance of the fact that modern technol<br />
ogy is simply unavailable to everyday<br />
Soviets. We ran through a word-pro<br />
cessing demonstration <strong>and</strong> discussed<br />
the process of doing research using<br />
on-line databases. I explained the<br />
system I use to file stories with my<br />
editor: writing at home, then sending<br />
the file via modem to my editor<br />
through his electronic mailbox where<br />
he retrieves it, edits it, <strong>and</strong> sends it<br />
via modem to the typesetter. I also<br />
showed him PageMaker running on<br />
the Macintosh. Using a Cyrillic font<br />
<strong>and</strong> some sample text files, I put to<br />
gether a Russian-language publica<br />
tion <strong>and</strong> printed a copy in about 10<br />
minutes.<br />
Ivan pointed in the direction of his<br />
son, Vasily. who was busily blasting<br />
asteroids on an Atari ST. Through<br />
protracted wrangling <strong>and</strong> bureau<br />
cratic machinations. Ivan was able to<br />
get his son into a special after-school<br />
computer program (they use half a
dozen Yamaha MSX computers). How<br />
often does he go, I asked. "Officially,<br />
twice a week," Ivan replied. "Unoffi<br />
cially, eight days a week."<br />
And what about you, I asked. Obvi<br />
ously a computer would be a tremen<br />
dous help in your work. When do you<br />
think you'll get one? He shook his<br />
head <strong>and</strong> shrugged in a gesture<br />
which became familiar in my six-<br />
week stay. "Not in my lifetime," he<br />
said sadly. "Maybe for Vasily. But for<br />
me . . . ."<br />
BULGARIAN FLOPPIES AND<br />
BLACK-MARKET DISKETTES<br />
My best source of information<br />
about computing in the Soviet Union<br />
was indisputably the teenage boys<br />
who managed to obtain passes <strong>and</strong><br />
made our Media Center their home<br />
away from home.<br />
Of course, games were the young<br />
visitors' top priority. Flight Simula<br />
tor on the Atari ST was a big hit, <strong>and</strong><br />
the venerable One on One basketball<br />
running on a Commodore 128 was<br />
also well received. The language bar<br />
rier did pose a problem when it came<br />
to the illustrated text adventure<br />
Mindshadow, although a few brave<br />
souls made admirable progress on<br />
King's Quest.<br />
One question that came up with<br />
surprising frequency was how long<br />
our floppy disks lasted. I answered<br />
that as long as you avoid magnetic<br />
fields <strong>and</strong> keep it clean, a floppy<br />
Above, Soviet children take to<br />
computers as quickly as their<br />
American counterparts. Left, a<br />
diagram of the "Information<br />
USA" exhibition done on a<br />
Macintosh <strong>and</strong> then h<strong>and</strong>-<br />
colored. Below, a button given<br />
to visitors symbolizing the<br />
connection between our<br />
nations.<br />
should last for years. They showed<br />
me the Bulgarian-made 5.25-inch<br />
floppy disks they used <strong>and</strong> said the<br />
disks worked properly for about two<br />
months.<br />
In my discussions, I did not get the<br />
sense that there was much of a black<br />
market for computer systems. Floppy<br />
disks, however, are sold on the black<br />
market at incredibly high prices.<br />
This is especially true of 3.5-inch<br />
floppies, which can be used with the<br />
Japanese MSX computers as well as<br />
with Macs <strong>and</strong> Atari STs. The going<br />
price for a blank 3.5-inch disk, which<br />
might cost an American as little as<br />
SI. was between 20 to 50 rubles, or<br />
about S30 to S65 each! In fact. I was<br />
offered a generous supply of vodka<br />
<strong>and</strong> caviar by one enterprising Rus<br />
sian to provide him with a few of<br />
these little gems. I looked with new<br />
respect at the 10-pack box of blanks<br />
in my h<strong>and</strong>, but had to refuse.<br />
I also asked, if money was no ob<br />
ject, whether a Soviet citizen could<br />
purchase a computer. One young<br />
man gave me the address of a store<br />
on Lenin Prospekt where the pur<br />
chase could be made <strong>and</strong> even came<br />
back the next day to show me a Sovi<br />
et computer magazine with a listing<br />
of all the different models that are<br />
"available." The one which I was told<br />
could actually be purchased boasted<br />
64K memory, used a television set for<br />
a display device, <strong>and</strong> cost 500 rubles<br />
(about S750). Can you really just<br />
walk in <strong>and</strong> buy it, 1 asked, <strong>and</strong> he<br />
assured me you could. Subsequent<br />
visitors disagreed strongly, quoting<br />
waiting periods ranging from six<br />
months to a lifetime.<br />
PERSONAL COMPUTERS IN<br />
THE SOVIET FUTURE<br />
It seems inevitable that personal<br />
computers will become more wide<br />
spread in the Soviet Union in the<br />
next few years. Survival in the inter<br />
national economic marketplace de<br />
m<strong>and</strong>s it.<br />
Manufacturing will be a major pit<br />
fall, though. I was told repeatedly by<br />
Americans <strong>and</strong> Soviets alike that<br />
while the level of scientific knowledge<br />
in the USSR is impressive, the Sovi<br />
ets lack the capability to manufac<br />
ture technically exacting equipment.<br />
This was borne out by their flaky<br />
floppy disks <strong>and</strong> also by a trip to the<br />
physics department at Moscow State<br />
University, where virtually all of the<br />
laboratory equipment was made in<br />
the West.<br />
The more tantalizing question<br />
about Soviet computerization is cul<br />
tural. Can you have widespread per<br />
sonal computer use in a country<br />
where information is kept under<br />
tight control? In the Soviet Union.<br />
private ownership of a photocopying<br />
machine is illegal. Even when you do<br />
find personal computers in use, there<br />
are virtually no printers. And the offi<br />
cial plans for computerizing class<br />
rooms call for setting up a center in<br />
every school with 15 interconnected<br />
computers each—but only a single<br />
disk drive, at the teachers desk.<br />
Even if the Soviet leaders can come<br />
to terms with the expansion of per<br />
sonal freedom entailed in the growth<br />
of personal computing <strong>and</strong> solve<br />
their manufacturing problems, wide<br />
spread acceptance of personal com<br />
puters in the home <strong>and</strong> the work<br />
place will be slow. In the Soviet Union<br />
today, the average citizen has no<br />
dealings with computers at all. Even<br />
calculators are scarce; virtually every<br />
store I visited totaled up bills using<br />
an abacus.<br />
For hundreds of thous<strong>and</strong>s of Sovi<br />
et citizens, their first interaction<br />
with a computer will come courtesy of<br />
the USIA. Their "Information USA"<br />
exhibit is currently traveling through<br />
the Soviet Union, visiting major cit<br />
ies such as Kiev <strong>and</strong> Leningrad as<br />
well as more out-of-the-way locations<br />
including Irkutsk in Asia. At each<br />
exhibit site, average Soviet citizens<br />
are introduced to an important con<br />
cept in American life: the use of com<br />
puter technology to allow each indi<br />
vidual to achieve his or her personal<br />
potential. ■<br />
JUNE <strong>1988</strong> 53
USING HYPERCARD<br />
ORGANIZING INFORMATION WITH YOUR<br />
OWN FREE- FORM DATABASE BY<br />
o you find databases too ex<br />
acting? Do you become frus<br />
trated because each piece of<br />
data—such as name, street address,<br />
<strong>and</strong> zip code—must be entered into<br />
its own slot, or the program won't<br />
spit back the information correctly<br />
later?<br />
If so, you'll want to know about an<br />
other angle for organizing informa<br />
tion—a free-form database. Perfect<br />
for such tasks as taking notes during<br />
a project, free-form databases let you<br />
enter data almost r<strong>and</strong>omly, as you<br />
come across each piece, <strong>and</strong> then<br />
make cross-references between items<br />
as needed. Entering <strong>and</strong> then linking<br />
data in a casual structure is one of<br />
HyperCard's great strengths. This<br />
month, you can try your h<strong>and</strong> at Hy<br />
perTalk scripting by typing in the<br />
complete stack for cross-referencing<br />
text listed below.<br />
Each card in Cross-Reference (as<br />
we'll call the stack) consists of two<br />
main parts: a text field for entering<br />
notes <strong>and</strong> an index field with all the<br />
keywords for the whole stack. While<br />
the text field's contents differ from<br />
card to card, the keywords listed in<br />
the index field are the same on each<br />
card. Whenever you want to crossreference<br />
a particular word in your<br />
notes, the stack creates a new card<br />
with that word as the keyword. This<br />
method lets you easily find your in<br />
formation when you need it—without<br />
the tedious structuring that regular<br />
databases require,<br />
Here's how you start.<br />
SETTING UP YOUR STACK<br />
t. Go to the last card of your Home<br />
Stack. Set User Level to Scripting. If<br />
menu bar isn't showing, hold down<br />
COMMAND key <strong>and</strong> tap the SPACE<br />
BAR once to make it appear.<br />
2. Choose "Open Stack ..." from<br />
File menu. Insert the Ideas disk that<br />
came with HyperCard, ejecting a<br />
disk first if necessary. Open the stack<br />
called "Stack Ideas."<br />
3. Click on small card named<br />
'H<strong>and</strong> Card" in the lower-right cor<br />
ner of the Stack Ideas index. That<br />
steve drazga is the president of ART<br />
Incorporated, a Macintosh consulting<br />
<strong>and</strong> software developmentJirm, in<br />
Moorestown, New Jersey.<br />
54 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
This is a demonstration of HyperCard's<br />
cross-referencing capabilities on the<br />
Macintosh*.<br />
Your finished Cross-Reference stack should look like the illustration above. By simply<br />
clicking on any word in your text field, you create a new card that is automatically<br />
cross-referenced by that selected word.<br />
takes you to the card with the h<strong>and</strong>,<br />
your background graphic.<br />
4. Choose "New Stack ..." from<br />
File menu. Name this new stack<br />
"Cross-Reference," then click on<br />
"New" dialog button.<br />
5. When you copied the H<strong>and</strong> card<br />
from the Ideas stack, you also (un<br />
knowingly) copied a field. So now,<br />
choose Field tool (top row right) from<br />
Tools menu; the field should appear.<br />
Double-click on this field to bring up<br />
its information box.<br />
6. Name this field "Textual"; set<br />
style to "scrolling."<br />
7. Then click on "Script..." to call<br />
the field's script editor. Type in the<br />
HyperTalk script from figure 1. Click<br />
on "OK" when done.<br />
8. Press COMMAND-M to bring up<br />
message box. Type the following in<br />
the box <strong>and</strong> press RETURN: set rect<br />
angle of field "Textual" to<br />
160.85.484,268<br />
9. Choose "Background" from Edit<br />
menu. Choose "New Field" from Ob<br />
jects menu. Double-click on field.<br />
Name it "Holder" <strong>and</strong> click on "OK"<br />
button.<br />
10. Highlight text in message box<br />
with mouse, then press DELETE or<br />
BACKSPACE to remove text.<br />
11. Now we'll make this field disap<br />
pear, but don't worry. Type the fol-<br />
owing in message box <strong>and</strong> press RE<br />
TURN: hide field "Holder"<br />
12. Choose "Background" again<br />
<strong>and</strong> then "New Field"; double-click on<br />
field. Name it "Index"; set style to<br />
"scrolling." Click on "Lock Text" but<br />
ton, putting an X there.<br />
13. Now click on "Script ..." <strong>and</strong><br />
type in script from figure 2. Click on<br />
"OK."<br />
14. Repeat step 10. Type the follow<br />
ing in message box <strong>and</strong> press RE<br />
TURN: set rect of field -Index" to<br />
4.68.131.304<br />
15. Choose "Background" again.<br />
Choose "New Field" once more; dou<br />
ble-click on field. Name it "Title"': set<br />
style to "shadow." Click on "Lock<br />
Text" button. Click on "Font" button.<br />
Set text style to "Bold" <strong>and</strong> press RE<br />
TURN.<br />
16. Repeat step 10. Type the follow<br />
ing in the message box <strong>and</strong> press RE<br />
TURN: set rect of field "Title" to<br />
133.23.333.44<br />
MAKING BUTTONS WORK<br />
Now we'll set up the buttons that<br />
do some of the stack's work.<br />
1. First, drag the message box to<br />
the top of the screen, right below the<br />
Title field. Choose Button tool (top<br />
row middle) from Tools menu.<br />
2. While holding down SHIFT key,<br />
double-click on the Return button<br />
(lower right) copied from your Ideas
More than<br />
five years<br />
a best seller<br />
The Struggle to Unite Japan<br />
For ihe IBM PC <strong>and</strong> mosl GOmoaliOlos<br />
The Japan most people don't know about. The Warring States period ol<br />
the sixteenth century. Central government was weak <strong>and</strong> ineffective as<br />
feudal lords called daimyos gained power. Each daimyo ruled a single<br />
fief, each wanted to rule the nation. One man, Nobunaga Oda, came<br />
close but failed. He paid the price for failure, death.<br />
Nobunaga's Ambition is a military, economic <strong>and</strong> diplomatic simulation<br />
for one to eight that puts you in Nobunaga's place, or in the place of one<br />
of his rivals. You start with one fief <strong>and</strong> try to take the entire nation. A<br />
game of both strategy <strong>and</strong> tactics, success takes caieful planning <strong>and</strong><br />
opportunism.<br />
Administer your fiefs during peace to increase their strength. Keep your<br />
peasants <strong>and</strong> army loyal or risk revolt. Use your resources effectively, not<br />
spending too much on either guns or butter. Negotiate with other daimyos,<br />
or perhaps you'd rather just send ninja.<br />
On the battlefield, control your troops in close tactical detail. Take advan<br />
tage of terrain, attack, retreat, fight a war of attrition or go directly after<br />
the enemy general. Just be sure your side is smarter, tougher <strong>and</strong> better<br />
prepared.<br />
Nobunaga's Ambition is fast moving <strong>and</strong> easy to play but historically ac<br />
curate. Characters <strong>and</strong> game events come from the reality of sixteenth<br />
century Japan. Maps are almost entirely accurate, both geographically<br />
<strong>and</strong> politically. Advanced graphics <strong>and</strong> animation help give the game a<br />
feel of complete reality. One to eight may play either of two scenarios <strong>and</strong><br />
five different levels of difficulty. Instruction manual <strong>and</strong> historical notes<br />
included.<br />
Some comments from Japan's leading computer magazines:<br />
'II you own a computer you've got to By "Nobunaga's Ambition is the absolute pinthis<br />
gameT nacle of simulation gaming'<br />
OH! PC Mainictii Stiimbun<br />
January. 1987 Way 7. '987<br />
"II the user can supply intelligence <strong>and</strong> "A great hit"<br />
imagination. Nobunaga's Ambition will pro- Asaht Shimbun<br />
vide more <strong>and</strong> better entertainment than February 20.1986<br />
any other game on the market: ,fm gnd away )he most authentic simuta-<br />
EnIer lion game I've evet seen:<br />
August 1986 Hiroharu Seki. professor of Political Sci-<br />
"First leleased more than five years ago. ence ai Utiiveisity of Tokyo in an inter-<br />
Nobunagas Ambition is still no! just a best view witri Tokyo Newspaper.<br />
seller but one of me very best simulation<br />
games on the market:<br />
popcorn magazine I/SNPI ^*^\\<br />
January. 1987 K.Ufc.1 L»U<br />
Greatest<br />
KOEI<br />
simulation game<br />
released in Japan<br />
ce of The Three Kingdoms<br />
Second Century China<br />
^ Tor the IBM PC <strong>and</strong> most compatibles<br />
China's second Han dynasty has collapsed. The entire nation battles with<br />
itself as warlords struggle for supremacy. You are a Master, one of these<br />
warlords determined to beat out the others <strong>and</strong> control the country.<br />
Manage the states under your control to increase their power <strong>and</strong> resour<br />
ces. Cope with disasters, both natural <strong>and</strong> otherwise, when they occur.<br />
Choose good subordinates <strong>and</strong> win their loyalty. Negotiate with other<br />
Masters, or take a less diplomatic approach, controlling your armies <strong>and</strong><br />
those of your generals in great tactical detail on the battlefield. Take ad<br />
vantage of terrain as best you can. Choose the right kind of attack for the<br />
situation, or just try <strong>and</strong> trick the enemy. Do what the immediate situation<br />
calls for but don't fail to think ahead.<br />
A huge data base together with advanced graphics, animation <strong>and</strong> pro<br />
gramming give the game an unprecedented degree of reality. Romance<br />
of The Three Kingdoms is based painstakingly on the Chinese epic novel<br />
of the same name, but is fast moving <strong>and</strong> easy to play. Features include:<br />
*255 characters, each with a distinct personality<br />
♦ Military, economic <strong>and</strong> diplomatic simulation<br />
*Five different scenarios<br />
♦Ten levels of difficulty per scenario<br />
*Play by one to eight<br />
♦ Demonstration mode<br />
♦ Complete instruction manual <strong>and</strong> historical notes.<br />
"Our highest accolade to Koei s Romance "Romance of The Three Kingdoms is a simol<br />
of The Three Kingdoms:<br />
ulation wat game that will strengthen any<br />
Popcorn magazine<br />
businessman's ability to work through a<br />
Way. May. 1987 19B7<br />
problem, logically or intuitively:<br />
P. C. magazine<br />
"Highest award lor a simulation game"<br />
October. 1986<br />
"All around best game:<br />
Login<br />
July. 1987<br />
A simulation game withou! peer?<br />
Enter<br />
August. 1986<br />
' Romance of the Three Kingdoms is simu<br />
lation gaming at its absolute best:<br />
Tectmopolis<br />
July. 1986<br />
KOEI CORPORATION<br />
20,000 Mariner Avenue. Suite 100 Torrance. CA.90503<br />
PHONE. 213-542-6444<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 37<br />
"Romance of the Three Kingdoms may be<br />
pficey but Ihe entertainmenl it provides<br />
makes it a good buy at any price:<br />
OH'FM<br />
March, t987
USING HYPERCARD<br />
Figure 1: Script for Field'Textual"<br />
on mouseWiihin<br />
global selectedWord<br />
if selection is not empty then<br />
set cursor to 4<br />
put selection into selectedWord<br />
if space is in selection then<br />
click at be o! target<br />
exit mouseWithin<br />
endit<br />
find selectedWord in field "Index"<br />
if the result is empty then<br />
else<br />
visual dissolve to inverse<br />
visual dissolve<br />
go card selectedWord<br />
Five scripts for the<br />
Cross-Reference Stack<br />
Figure 2: Script for Field "Index"<br />
on mouse Down<br />
set lockText of me to false<br />
click at the clickLoc<br />
click at the clickLoc<br />
put selection into selectedWord<br />
set lockTexl of me to true<br />
if selectedWord is not empty then<br />
visual dissolve very fast to inverse<br />
visual dissolve very fas!<br />
go card selection<br />
end if<br />
end mouseDown<br />
if the resutt is not empty then<br />
answer "Can! find link. Create a new one?" wilh "Yes" or *No"<br />
if it is "Yes" then<br />
doMenu "New Card"<br />
set the name ol this card to selededWord<br />
put selectedWord into field "Title"<br />
type tab<br />
else click at toe of target<br />
end if<br />
answer "Do you want to create a new link?" with "Yes" or "No"<br />
if it is "Yes" then CreateNewLink<br />
else click at loc of target<br />
end if<br />
end if<br />
end mouseWithin<br />
on CreateNewLink<br />
global selectedWord<br />
set cursor to 4<br />
put selectedWord 8."'" into selection<br />
get script of field "Holder"<br />
put return & selectedWord after it<br />
set script of field "Holder to it<br />
doMenu "New Card"<br />
set the name of this card to selectedWord<br />
put selectedWord inlo field "Title"<br />
type tab<br />
end CreateNewLink<br />
stack. Delete script that's already<br />
there by dragging from the first word<br />
to the last word—highlighting the<br />
text—<strong>and</strong> pressing DELETE or<br />
BACKSPACE.<br />
3. Key in script from figure 3. Click<br />
on "OK."<br />
4. Choose "Background" from Edit<br />
menu. Choose "New Button" from<br />
Objects menu. Double-click for its in<br />
formation box. Rename it "Hide In<br />
dex."<br />
5. Bring up button's script editor.<br />
Between the existing "on mouseUp"<br />
<strong>and</strong> "end mouseUp" comm<strong>and</strong>s, type<br />
n script comm<strong>and</strong>s from figure 4.<br />
Click on "OK."<br />
6. Delete text from message box, as<br />
n step 10 above. Type the following<br />
n the message box <strong>and</strong> press RE<br />
TURN: set red of background button<br />
■Hide Index'' to 160,276.260.298<br />
7. Choose "Bkgnd Info ..." from<br />
Objects menu. Name it "Reference";<br />
56 FAMILY & HOME-Of-TICE COMPUTING<br />
click on "Script ..." button. Delete<br />
existing script as in step 2.<br />
8. Key in script from figure 5. Click<br />
on "OK."<br />
TESTING, 1-2-3-4-5<br />
Your cross-reference stack is now<br />
completed <strong>and</strong> ready to roll, except<br />
for a few one-time setup procedures.<br />
1. Click on "Hide Index" button. In<br />
dex field on left should disappear.<br />
2. Repeat step 10 above to delete<br />
text from message box. Type the fol<br />
lowing in the message box <strong>and</strong> press<br />
RETURN: put "Intro" intofield "Title"<br />
3. Type the following <strong>and</strong> press RE<br />
TURN: set name of this card to "In<br />
tro"<br />
4. Type the following <strong>and</strong> press RE<br />
TURN: set script ojjieid "Holder" to<br />
"Intro"<br />
5. Click on message box's "goaway"<br />
box (upper-left corner).<br />
Now let's see how Cross-Rejerence<br />
works by testing the stack.<br />
Click in the upper left of the text<br />
field <strong>and</strong> write, "This is a demonstra<br />
tion of HyperCard's cross-referencing<br />
capabilities on the Macintosh." Then<br />
double-click on the word "Macin<br />
tosh. " When asked if you want to cre<br />
ate a new card link, answer "yes."<br />
An asterisk will be added after the<br />
word "Macintosh," <strong>and</strong> a new card<br />
will appear with that word as a key-<br />
Figure 3: Script for Button "Return"<br />
on mouseUp<br />
visual effect dissolve to inverse<br />
visual effect dissolve<br />
go back<br />
end mouseUp<br />
Figure 4: Comm<strong>and</strong>s for Button "Hide/Show Index1<br />
if the short name of me is "Show Index" Ihen<br />
set visible of field "Index" to true<br />
set name of me to "Hide Index"<br />
else<br />
set visible of field "Index" to false<br />
set name of me to "Show Index"<br />
end if<br />
Figure 5: Script for Background "Reference"<br />
on openCard<br />
put script of lield "HoSder" into field "Index"<br />
set scroll of field "Textual" to 0 --a zero<br />
end openCard<br />
on closeCard<br />
pul empty into lield "Index"<br />
end closeCard<br />
word. Now you can add any informa<br />
tion you want about the subject Mac<br />
intosh to the new card created by the<br />
stack.<br />
From now on. whenever you click<br />
on the word "Macintosh" in your text<br />
(whether it's asterisked or not), you'll<br />
go to the card that has "Macintosh"<br />
as a keyword. And every time you<br />
double-click on a word in your text<br />
that is not a keyword, you can create<br />
a new cross-referenced card.<br />
Now click on the "Show Index" but<br />
ton to bring up the Index field. It<br />
should hold two keywords: Intro <strong>and</strong><br />
Macintosh. Click on "Intro" to take<br />
you to that card; click on "Macin<br />
tosh" to return to the new card. You'll<br />
be able to use the Index field to<br />
quickly jump to any card in the<br />
stack.<br />
FINAL THOUGHTS<br />
If you get an error message as you<br />
test the stack, first correct the typing<br />
error in the script. Then type the fol<br />
lowing into the message box <strong>and</strong><br />
press RETURN: set script of Jield<br />
"Holder" to empty<br />
Now delete all cards except for the<br />
first one. named "Intro," by choosing<br />
"Cut Card" from the Edit menu. Fi<br />
nally, type the following into the mes<br />
sage box <strong>and</strong> press RETURN: set<br />
script ofJield "Holder" to "Intro" U
Now Your Favorite <strong>Family</strong> & Home Office <strong>Computing</strong><br />
Programs Are On Floppies<br />
INTRODUCING OUR ALL-NEW<br />
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wi<br />
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lt's true. Now you can enjoy your favor<br />
ite programs on convenient, easy-to-<br />
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PICK YOUR PLEASURE. Each disk covers a<br />
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vides your entire family with hours of lively enter<br />
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PROGRAMS which include every major holiday<br />
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or all three disks — there are 30 programs in all!<br />
, Perfect for yourself, the kids, or to give as gifts.<br />
START HAVING FUN RIGHT AWAY. Why spend<br />
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tions are given in easy menu format so you're up<br />
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'AVOID ERRORS. Put an end to long, frustrating<br />
searches hunting for mistakes that slipped by<br />
unnoticed when you entered your program. With<br />
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1 ■■■■-■ ^--<br />
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h<br />
THE MORE DISKS<br />
YOU BUY, THE<br />
MORE YOU SAVE.<br />
Purchased indepen<br />
dently, each Instant<br />
Programmer Disk costsas<br />
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HANDY ORDER COUPON<br />
Please rush my <strong>Family</strong> & Home Office <strong>Computing</strong> INSTANT PROGRAMMER disk(s).<br />
I've indicated my selection below <strong>and</strong> the total to the right.<br />
SELECTION<br />
IBM-Productivity<br />
0B89597<br />
IBM-Games'<br />
0B69598<br />
IBM-Holiday*<br />
OB69599<br />
Apple- Productivity<br />
II Scries O8B960O<br />
Apple-Games<br />
IJ Series OB69601<br />
Apple-Holiday<br />
li Scries OOS96O?<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y-Productivity<br />
CoCo OB39603<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y-Games<br />
CdCo033960J<br />
QUANTITY SELECTION<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y-Holiday<br />
CdCqOBB96Q5<br />
Commodore-Prod.<br />
H'12S(C64n
PRODUCT REVIEWS<br />
EVALUATIONS OF COMPUTERS, PERIPHERALS,<br />
AND OTHER HOME-OFFICE EQUIPMENT<br />
Apple MIDI Interface<br />
manufacturer: Apple Computer, Inc.<br />
address: 20525 Mariani Ave.. Cuper<br />
tino. CA 95014; (408) 996-1010<br />
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: Apple IICS Or<br />
Macintosh<br />
PRICE: S99<br />
If you have an interest in electronic<br />
music, you probably know that MIDI<br />
makes possible the link between<br />
computers <strong>and</strong> musical instru<br />
ments. MIDI (Musical Instrument<br />
Digital Interface) is a communica<br />
tions protocol that st<strong>and</strong>ardizes the<br />
way information is exchanged back<br />
<strong>and</strong> forth between computers <strong>and</strong><br />
musical instruments. With the right<br />
software, an electronic instrument,<br />
<strong>and</strong> a MIDI interface, you can use<br />
your computer to compose, arrange,<br />
<strong>and</strong> play music.<br />
Apple Computer has recently in<br />
troduced its own MIDI interface for<br />
Apple IIgs <strong>and</strong> Macintosh owners.<br />
The Apple MIDI interface is a small,<br />
rectangular box (3-by-2-by-1.25<br />
inches) containing ports that con<br />
nect the company's computers to<br />
MIDI instruments. Included in the<br />
package are two st<strong>and</strong>ard MIDI ca<br />
bles, a cable to connect the interface<br />
to a lies or Macintosh, <strong>and</strong> an easyto-underst<strong>and</strong><br />
owner's guide. (If you<br />
have a 128K or 512K Macintosh,<br />
you'll need a different cable.)<br />
Compared to many other inter<br />
faces I've seen, the Apple MIDI inter<br />
face is a very simple device with no<br />
moving parts or confusing frills.<br />
There is a MIDI "IN" port (for bring<br />
ing information into a computer or<br />
instrument), a MIDI "OUT" port (for<br />
sending information out of a com<br />
puter or instrument), <strong>and</strong> a port for<br />
connecting the MIDI interface to a<br />
computer's modem or printer con<br />
nector. In contrast, more elaborate<br />
MIDI interfaces may have many<br />
ports, as well as switches <strong>and</strong> lights<br />
useful for selecting among modem,<br />
printer, <strong>and</strong> MIDI interfaces.<br />
Since the Apple interface comes<br />
with all the cables needed to attach<br />
a MIDI instrument to a computer.<br />
it's an ideal purchase for MIDI be<br />
ginners. Professional musicians,<br />
however, may find only one MIDI<br />
58 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
Apple MIDI interface<br />
■"IN" <strong>and</strong> "OUT" to be limiting, be<br />
cause professionals generally use<br />
many MIDI instruments simulta<br />
neously. If you plan to use an "or<br />
chestra" of synthesizers <strong>and</strong> drum<br />
machines with the Apple MIDI inter<br />
face, you should expect to add more<br />
MIDI hardware—such as extra ca<br />
bles—to your system.<br />
The Apple MIDI interface is easy to<br />
install <strong>and</strong> comes with everything<br />
you need for getting your MIDI setup<br />
off the ground . . . that is, if you al<br />
ready have a MIDI instrument (a<br />
drum machine or a keyboard, for ex<br />
ample) <strong>and</strong> some MIDI software. In<br />
next month's issue. I'll profile indi<br />
viduals who are putting MIDI to<br />
WOrk. —JOEY LATIMER<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 100<br />
Arche Rival 286 Computer<br />
manufacturer: Arche Technologies<br />
address: 745 High St., Westwood,<br />
MA 02090: (617) 422-4674 or (800)<br />
422-4674<br />
PRICE: $2,195<br />
Imagine my surprise when I opened<br />
the box containing the Arche Rival<br />
286 <strong>and</strong> saw that the logo of its<br />
manufacturer, Arche Technologies,<br />
resembles a McDonald's golden arch.<br />
My first thought was that the folks<br />
at Arche have either a wonderful<br />
sense of humor or great lawyers.<br />
Then the doubts began: "If they<br />
need this gimmick." I thought,<br />
"then what's wrong with the com<br />
puter?" I started looking for the<br />
slip-up.<br />
There was no problem with the<br />
slim 53-page manual. It has actual<br />
photographs of all the parts; they're<br />
clearly labeled <strong>and</strong> even show you<br />
what the system should look like<br />
when everything is connected prop<br />
erly. Every step toward making the<br />
computer operational is illustrated,<br />
<strong>and</strong> comprehensible text explains<br />
the pictures <strong>and</strong> diagrams.<br />
As with most current clones, there<br />
are options galore but the strippeddown,<br />
basic model comes st<strong>and</strong>ard<br />
with 1MB of RAM. The basic unit<br />
also includes a 1.2MB 5.25-inch<br />
floppy drive, an enhanced (101 keys)<br />
keyboard, two parallel ports, two se<br />
rial ports, five free expansion slots<br />
(eight total), a Hercules graphics<br />
adapter, <strong>and</strong> an outst<strong>and</strong>ingly sharp<br />
amber monitor—all for S2,195.<br />
The model I reviewed had two<br />
ARCHE RIVAL 286<br />
SPECIFICATIONS<br />
microprocessor: Intel 80286 (8/12MHz)<br />
MEMORY: 1MB<br />
OPERATING SYSTEM: MS-DOS 3.3<br />
display: 14-inch amber monitor: Hercules<br />
graphics card<br />
built-in ports: Four (two parallel, two seri<br />
al)<br />
AVAILABLE EXPANSION SLOTS: Five<br />
disk drives: One 1.2MB 5.25-inch<br />
software included: MS-DOS 3.3 <strong>and</strong> GW-<br />
BASIC<br />
warranty: Two vears
5.25-inch floppy drives <strong>and</strong> a 20MB<br />
hard disk. (Options are available for<br />
using 3.5-inch floppies <strong>and</strong> for up<br />
grading the hard-disk storage to<br />
80MB or more.) The amber monitor<br />
that comes with the basic unit is a<br />
joy. The text is as sharp as can be,<br />
easing eye strain after extended peri<br />
ods of computer use.<br />
All the software I tried ran perfect<br />
ly at both 8MHz <strong>and</strong> 12MHz. I had<br />
to reconfigure one word-processing<br />
package because the cursor speed<br />
was boosted so much that when I<br />
was just a little heavy-h<strong>and</strong>ed with<br />
the cursor keys. I found myself<br />
three screens away from where I<br />
wanted to be.<br />
OK, so the documentation is first-<br />
rate, <strong>and</strong> the computer is solid,<br />
looks attractive, <strong>and</strong> seems to be<br />
built to last. But what if something<br />
goes wrong? Arche guarantees the<br />
computer for two years, as long as<br />
you buy from an authorized dealer.<br />
What are these people up to? Do<br />
they actually believe that building a<br />
good computer at competitive prices,<br />
providing proper support, <strong>and</strong><br />
st<strong>and</strong>ing behind it unhesitatingly is<br />
going to attract customers? Indeed<br />
they do, thank goodness.<br />
All I can say is that when I fin<br />
ished the review <strong>and</strong> had to return<br />
the Rival 286 to Arche, the amused<br />
smile that had been on my face<br />
when I first removed the computer<br />
from its box took on a wistful quali<br />
ty. I can't help but end this review<br />
with a pun—when it comes to value,<br />
there are few rivals for the Rival 286.<br />
—STEVE MILLER<br />
editors note: The model reviewed<br />
was a preproduction model.<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 101<br />
IBM Personal System/2<br />
Model 50<br />
MANUFACTURER: IBM Corp.<br />
address: Old Orchard Road, Ar-<br />
monk, NY 10504; (800) 447-4700<br />
PRICE: S3.595<br />
What seemed new <strong>and</strong> exciting just<br />
a short while back has already lost<br />
its bloom—especially with IBM<br />
promising a steady stream of new<br />
computers. So. even as IBM bally-<br />
hoos its current Personal System/2<br />
line of computers, we hear of ma<br />
chines with increased capabilities<br />
<strong>and</strong> lower prices from IBM <strong>and</strong> from<br />
its competitors. Nevertheless, the<br />
1 1<br />
IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/2<br />
MODEL 50 SPECIFICATIONS<br />
MICROPROCESSOR: Intel 80286<br />
(10MHz)<br />
MEMORY: 1MB<br />
OPERATING SYSTEM: PC-DOS Or OS/2<br />
(not included in basic price)<br />
display: VGA built into motherboard;<br />
no monitor included<br />
built-in PORTS: Three (serial, parallel,<br />
<strong>and</strong> pointing device}<br />
AVAILABLE EXPANSION SLOTS: Three<br />
disk drives: One 1.44MB 3.5-inch<br />
floppy <strong>and</strong> a 20MB hard drive<br />
SOFTWARE included: Model 50/60 Ref<br />
erence Diskette<br />
PS/2s are here, hoping to recapture<br />
some of the ground lost to PC clones<br />
on the one h<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> the Macintosh<br />
on the other.<br />
The hot-selling PS/2 Model 50,<br />
while based on the same processor<br />
as the PC AT (the Intel 80286). has<br />
enough design innovation inside the<br />
box to warrant its claims to new<br />
ness. The two big differences be<br />
tween the older PC AT <strong>and</strong> the Model<br />
50 are Micro Channel bus architec<br />
ture <strong>and</strong> the built-in Video Graphics<br />
Array (VGA) display technology. Mi<br />
cro Channel, a high-speed data<br />
movement system, was designed to<br />
facilitate multitasking <strong>and</strong> network<br />
connectivity, while VGA display ca<br />
pability puts the Models 50. 60, <strong>and</strong><br />
80 in the same game as the Macin<br />
tosh.<br />
Features. With the Model 50.<br />
there's no need to add this or that<br />
hardware to get the machine up to<br />
speed. Three expansion slots (for Mi<br />
cro Channel-compatible boards only)<br />
are available, <strong>and</strong> the memory can<br />
be exp<strong>and</strong>ed to a total of 7MB. In ad<br />
dition to the 1MB of st<strong>and</strong>ard, sys<br />
tem-board memory, the test comput<br />
i<br />
er came with 4MB of memory<br />
installed in two expansion slots.<br />
These boards are. of course, extra-<br />
cost options, <strong>and</strong> you cannot use<br />
any of the boards that you might<br />
have installed in an IBM PC. (The<br />
Model 60. incidentally, has seven<br />
slots <strong>and</strong> memory expansion to<br />
15MB.) The 80286 runs at 10MHz, a<br />
meaningful contrast with the PC's<br />
4.77MHz, but not exceptionally fast<br />
when compared to other AT-class<br />
machines. The video display is a vi<br />
sual feast, allowing up to 256 colors<br />
on the screen at once.<br />
A single 3.5-inch disk drive, with<br />
a 1.44MB capacity <strong>and</strong> a 20MB hard<br />
disk (with an unusually slow access<br />
speed of 65 milliseconds) are stan<br />
dard. A second external 3.5- or 5.25-<br />
inch drive can be added. Other fea<br />
tures include serial, parallel, <strong>and</strong><br />
pointing-device ports: a battery-<br />
powered real-time clock: the usual<br />
high-quality IBM keyboard (en<br />
hanced version—the one with the<br />
extra set of of editing keys <strong>and</strong> 12<br />
function keys): <strong>and</strong> a relatively small<br />
footprint (16.5-by-14.1.inches) <strong>and</strong><br />
light weight (23 pounds). The com<br />
puter we tested came with an IBM<br />
8513 12-inch color monitor (S685).<br />
Given the graphics output capability<br />
of the computer, this is a good<br />
choice. However, the IBM mono<br />
chrome monitor (S250) will repro<br />
duce color output as 64 shades<br />
of gray.<br />
Central to IBM's marketing strate<br />
gy is the new operating system<br />
called OS/2, which is designed to ex<br />
ploit the multitasking hardware ca<br />
pability of the PS/2 line (excluding<br />
the Models 25 <strong>and</strong> 30). You needn't<br />
buy OS/2 (not cheap, running about<br />
$325 <strong>and</strong> requiring at least 2MB),<br />
because these computers will run<br />
PC-DOS/MS-DOS. Eventually. OS/2<br />
should be the way to go, but, for<br />
now, applications software designed<br />
to run under OS/2 is scarce. If you<br />
do convert immediately to OS/2, you<br />
will still be able to move back <strong>and</strong><br />
forth between the two systems<br />
through the OS/2 menu.<br />
Using the Model 50. The only soft<br />
ware supplied with the Model 50 is<br />
what IBM calls Model 50/60 Refer<br />
ence Diskette, which tests the com<br />
puter, shows off the display capabili<br />
ties, allows you to customize the<br />
system configuration <strong>and</strong> to make<br />
backups of the disk, <strong>and</strong> gives you a<br />
tutorial tour of the system.<br />
Unfortunately, you'll have to sup-<br />
JUNE <strong>1988</strong> 59
PRODUCT REVIEWS<br />
ply DOS <strong>and</strong> software. Using DOS<br />
3.3 (which costs an additional<br />
SI20), I ran a variety of software, all<br />
without a hitch. The obvious im<br />
provements over my 8088 machine<br />
are in speed of operation <strong>and</strong> display<br />
quality. (I tested a Zenith flat-screen<br />
monitor on the Model 50, <strong>and</strong>, as<br />
impressive as IBM's own monitor<br />
may be, the Zenith is a new visual<br />
experience /see review in this sec<br />
tion).)<br />
One thing I have never liked about<br />
IBM machines is the interminable<br />
bootup time. The Model 50 contin<br />
ues the tradition. Any number of<br />
IBM compatibles do it faster. I also<br />
don't like the attempt to boot from<br />
the A drive even when the hard disk<br />
is bootable. Zenith, for example, al<br />
lows you to set the default boot drive<br />
with the DIP switch. This means<br />
that if you've locked a disk into the<br />
A drive, the system will not insist on<br />
trying to boot from it <strong>and</strong> will go<br />
right to the hard disk.<br />
Compared with a plain-folks PC<br />
XT. the Model 50 is a lot of comput<br />
er. Compared with ajazzed-up PC<br />
AT, it's not so much, although Micro<br />
Channel has a lot of potential (as yet<br />
unrealized, it should be noted). You<br />
can run OS/2 on nearly any 80286<br />
computer, <strong>and</strong> you can add video<br />
boards, extended memory, monitors<br />
of any quality, or even an 80386<br />
speed-up card (for around $1,000) to<br />
an AT-type of computer. But if you<br />
don't care to tinker—or are a begin<br />
ning computerist who feels that<br />
multitasking <strong>and</strong> other Micro Chan<br />
nel features can play a valuable role<br />
in your computer operations—then<br />
you should take a close look at the<br />
Model 50. —HENRY F. BEECHHOLD<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 102<br />
Phone-Mate 9750 Two-Line<br />
Telephone <strong>and</strong> Answering<br />
Machine<br />
manufacturer: Phone-Mate, Inc.<br />
address: 325 Maple Ave.. Torrance,<br />
CA 90503: (213) 618-9910<br />
PRICE: S280<br />
I hate to admit it, but the most criti<br />
cal piece of hardware in my office<br />
isn't my computer. It's my tele<br />
phone.<br />
Yet, I coddle my computer, spoil<br />
ing it—for productivity's sake, of<br />
course—with new software, periph<br />
erals, <strong>and</strong> accessories as often as I<br />
60 FAMILY & HOME-OF7]CE COMPUTING<br />
can. And. until recently. I shame<br />
lessly neglected my telephone sys<br />
tem.<br />
Not too long ago, my phone setup<br />
consisted of two st<strong>and</strong>ard push-but<br />
ton telephones, two jacks, <strong>and</strong> an<br />
assortment of co-workers to take<br />
messages. Sure, the phones clut<br />
tered my desk, <strong>and</strong> calls occasionally<br />
went unanswered: I knew my phone<br />
system wasn't flawless but it was<br />
enough for me. Or so 1 thought. It<br />
wasn't until I replaced my two<br />
phones, my desk clock, <strong>and</strong> my pink<br />
"While You Were Out" message pads<br />
Phone-Male 9750 two-line telephone/<br />
answering machine<br />
with a feature-packed, two-line<br />
phone/answering machine/digital<br />
clock from Phone-Mate that I ex<br />
posed the feebleness of my original<br />
telephone setup.<br />
Phone-Mate, a well-known leader<br />
in the answering-machine industry,<br />
likes to make good things in small<br />
packages. The very sleek Phone-Mate<br />
9750 measures just 2.5-by-8.5-by-<br />
7.5 inches (about the size of a thick<br />
hardcover book). Yet. its feature-lad<br />
en answering machine lets you dic<br />
tate memos <strong>and</strong> reminders for your<br />
self <strong>and</strong> others in your office: record<br />
telephone conversations: record two<br />
different greetings: record messages<br />
on one line while you're talking on<br />
the other, <strong>and</strong> remotely retrieve,<br />
save, replay, <strong>and</strong> erase messages, re<br />
cord new greetings, <strong>and</strong> turn on<br />
your machine.<br />
One of the answering machine's<br />
best features is its nifty computer<br />
ized voice (it sounds just like a cor<br />
porate voice messaging system) that<br />
alerts you to new messages, tells you<br />
the date <strong>and</strong> time of each call, <strong>and</strong><br />
gives operating instructions.<br />
The two-line telephone isn't nearly<br />
as noteworthy. There's on-hook dial<br />
ing (but no speakerphone) <strong>and</strong> an<br />
autodial feature (but for only nine<br />
phone numbers). And the tele<br />
phone's ring is too low: if I step out<br />
of my office, I can't hear the melodic<br />
hum.<br />
In spite of these minor criticisms,<br />
I haven't seen any other two-line<br />
phone/answering machine that's as<br />
small, smart-looking, <strong>and</strong> simple to<br />
set up <strong>and</strong> use as the Phone-Mate<br />
9750. And although $280 (you can<br />
find it for considerably less) may<br />
sound like a lot to spend on a tele<br />
phone, you're getting quite a bit of<br />
technology—<strong>and</strong> professional credi<br />
bility—for your money.<br />
—BERNADETTE GREY<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 103<br />
Toshiba P351SX Printer<br />
manufacturer: Toshiba America.<br />
Inc.. Information Systems Division<br />
address: 9740 Irvine Blvd.. Irvine,<br />
CA 92718: (714) 583-3000<br />
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: Any com-<br />
puter with a parallel port<br />
PRICE: SI.599<br />
The Toshiba P351SX is for small-<br />
business operators who want a fast<br />
<strong>and</strong> versatile 24-pin printer—<strong>and</strong><br />
are willing to pay a premium price<br />
for that versatility. The wide-carriage<br />
printer can hum along at 360 char<br />
acters per second (cps) in draft mode<br />
or 120 cps in letter-quality mode (in<br />
pica type}. As for versatility, it's hard<br />
to know just where to begin. Built-in<br />
parallel <strong>and</strong> serial ports make it easy<br />
TOSHIBA P351SX PRINTER<br />
SPECIFICATIONS<br />
type: 24-pin dot matrix<br />
draft speed ipica): 360 characters per sec<br />
ond (cps)<br />
LETTER-QUALITY SPEED: 120 cps<br />
graphics resolution: 360-by-360 dots per<br />
inch<br />
dimensions: 23-by-15.5-by-5.5 inches<br />
WEIGHT: 33 pounds<br />
interface: Parallel port<br />
built-in emulation: gume. IBM Proprinter,<br />
<strong>and</strong> IBM Graphics printers ($149 for Ep<br />
son JX80 or LQ series <strong>and</strong> Diablo 630<br />
printers)<br />
paper width: 4 to 15 inches<br />
ports: Parallel <strong>and</strong> serial
The MonsterArcade Hi<br />
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Now available for T<strong>and</strong>y 1000,<br />
V<br />
IBM PC <strong>and</strong> 100% Compatibles?<br />
See your retailer or call<br />
800-345-2888, operator 300,<br />
to order direct.<br />
includes both 5% <strong>and</strong> 3V2 inch disks<br />
PRODUCT REVIEWS<br />
to interface the P351SX to just<br />
about any computer.<br />
It wasn't easy for me to get the<br />
hang of working the LCD-based<br />
front panel. The two-line display, ac<br />
companied by six selection buttons,<br />
offers a nonvolatile configuration<br />
system that eliminates DIP switches<br />
<strong>and</strong> allows the user to easily reconfi<br />
gure the printer in seconds. It took<br />
me an hour or so to initially config<br />
ure the printer <strong>and</strong> get the feel of<br />
the menu structure, but once I did,<br />
it became almost enjoyable to<br />
change such st<strong>and</strong>ards as typeface<br />
<strong>and</strong> pitch.<br />
The P351SX has seven built-in<br />
fonts, which can be selected either<br />
through the front panel or by soft<br />
ware. Two slots on the lower front of<br />
the printer can receive credit-card-<br />
size ROM cards that can each hold<br />
two additional fonts. Alternatively.<br />
these cards can hold enough RAM to<br />
double the printer's buffer from 32K<br />
to 64K or even enable it to emulate<br />
other printers.<br />
The P351SX has the ability to<br />
print graphics at a resolution of<br />
360-by-360 dots per inch. It also has<br />
an extensive library of built-in func<br />
tions <strong>and</strong> capabilities such as pro<br />
portional spacing, boldfacing, super-<br />
scripting <strong>and</strong> subscripting, <strong>and</strong><br />
double-size characters that allow a<br />
broad palette of alphanumeric possi<br />
bilities.<br />
The feature that most impressed<br />
me, however, was the printer's pa<br />
per-h<strong>and</strong>ling capabilities. It comes<br />
with a built-in tractor feed but also<br />
can be fed single sheets of paper<br />
separately. The good part is that you<br />
don't have to remove one to use the<br />
other—a great convenience when it<br />
is regularly being used for more<br />
than one task.<br />
Anyone who does a lot of word<br />
processing or mail merging will ap<br />
preciate the bulk-cut, sheet-feed op<br />
tions available. The single-sheet<br />
feeder (S499) will automatically load<br />
single sheets, while the optional<br />
double-sheet feeder (S699) will allow<br />
you to have a bin of letterhead <strong>and</strong><br />
a bin of plain bond paper to write<br />
multipage letters automatically, for<br />
instance. In addition, Toshiba offers<br />
an envelope feeder (S699J to expedite<br />
mail-merge operations.<br />
But all of these bells <strong>and</strong> whistles<br />
have a price. The P351SX has a list<br />
price of SI.599. though you maybe<br />
able to find it considerably discount<br />
ed. Font cards are available for S79.<br />
62 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
Readers who are familiar only with<br />
traditional 9-pin dot-matrix printers<br />
may not be aware that the newer,<br />
more expensive 24-pin machines<br />
really do create very-near-letter-quali<br />
ty output.<br />
The P351SX is well designed for<br />
business use. One persons bells <strong>and</strong><br />
whistles are another person's re<br />
quirements, <strong>and</strong>, even though it's<br />
expensive, some people dem<strong>and</strong> that<br />
kind of versatility. Prospective buy<br />
ers who need at least 24-pin print<br />
quality <strong>and</strong> have business needs<br />
that can't be satisfied with a laser<br />
printer in the same price league (fill<br />
ing out forms or printing envelopes,<br />
for instance), would be well advised<br />
to take a long look at this one.<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 104<br />
—DAVID WILSON<br />
Zenith High-Resolution RGB<br />
Monitor<br />
manufacture!*: Zenith Data Systems<br />
address: 1000 Milwaukee Ave., Glen-<br />
view. IL 60025; (312) 699-4800<br />
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: IBM PC Or<br />
compatible or PS/2; VGA board<br />
PRICE: S999<br />
Once you spend a few minutes with<br />
a Zenith Flat Tension Mask (FTM)<br />
monitor, you'll have a heck of a time<br />
making yourself go back to your old<br />
monitor.<br />
The Flat Tension Mask makes the<br />
monitor's face literally fiat. Not sort<br />
of flat, or flatter, but ruler flat. Until<br />
you become accustomed to looking<br />
at this new visual display world, it<br />
will look as though the display is<br />
curving inward. You'll give the<br />
screen a poke just to make sure! But<br />
when your perception adjusts, the<br />
picture is like a wall.<br />
FTM technology uses much more<br />
electrical power than do ordinary<br />
monitors, <strong>and</strong>. as a result, generates<br />
images of unsurpassed clarity, bril<br />
liance, <strong>and</strong> color saturation. The col<br />
ors are truly delicious. Not only that,<br />
but the monitor can display as many<br />
as 256 colors at once from a palette<br />
of more than 261.000.<br />
For desktop publishing, computer-<br />
aided design, <strong>and</strong> other graphics/<br />
text or straight graphics applica<br />
tions, this would seem to be an ideal<br />
monitor. The images are as crisp as<br />
fresh lettuce <strong>and</strong> arc geometrically<br />
accurate. You can actually take cor<br />
rect measurements directly from the<br />
screen. The machine's specifications<br />
ZENITH ZCM-1490<br />
SPECIFICATIONS<br />
SCREEN SIZE [DIAGONALLY]: 14 inches<br />
BANDWIDTH: 25MHz<br />
HORIZONTAL SCANNING<br />
FREQUENCY: 31.49KHz<br />
dotf'ITCH: .28 millimeters<br />
monitor SIZE: 12.25-by-14.75-by-15.50<br />
inches<br />
weight: 40 pounds<br />
price: S999<br />
(see box), in combination with the<br />
flat, no-glare screen, make for a vi<br />
sually smashing picture.<br />
The S999 monitor (you can find it<br />
for around S700) is compatible with<br />
any IBM PC, PS/2, or compatible <strong>and</strong><br />
with a VGA-compatible display card.<br />
Zenith, underst<strong>and</strong>ably, pushes its<br />
own Z-449 VGA-Type Video Adapter,<br />
which h<strong>and</strong>les all the current video<br />
modes: CGA. EGA, MDA/Hcrcules,<br />
<strong>and</strong> VGA. I tested the monitor with<br />
an IBM PS/2 Model 50.<br />
You can tell by now that I'm im<br />
pressed. Once you've seen the ZCM-<br />
1490 in action, you'll know why I'm<br />
going on <strong>and</strong> on. The black glass<br />
screen, glare-proofing, flat display.<br />
<strong>and</strong> incredibly vibrant colors make<br />
for the happiest CRT staring ses<br />
sions I've ever had. Because of a<br />
built-in fan, the energy-consuming<br />
monitor produced relatively little<br />
heat, even after hours of continuous<br />
use. And the image held as fixed as<br />
a photograph. I've got to believe that<br />
FTM is the future of the CRT type of<br />
display.<br />
I wish I could find something to<br />
complain about, just to give cre<br />
dence to my ravings, but I can't. I<br />
like everything about this monitor.<br />
Well, OK, one small complaint: it's<br />
difficult to wipe fingerprints off the<br />
Zenith monitor. Ah. <strong>and</strong> another: At<br />
40 pounds, it's a dog to move<br />
around—especially for us weaklings.<br />
—HENRY F. BEECHHOLD<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 105
SOFTWARE GUIDE<br />
Welcome to family & home-office computing's Software Guide. The following table relates to the review charts that follow. It lists<br />
the various types of computers as designated under "hardware required" (<strong>and</strong> other hardware designations in this issue) <strong>and</strong><br />
the models included under each designation.<br />
DESIGNATION<br />
Amiga<br />
Apple<br />
6dK Apple<br />
128K Apple<br />
Apple IIG5<br />
Atari<br />
Atari ST<br />
C 64/1 28<br />
C 128<br />
BM PC<br />
Macintosh<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y CoCo<br />
MODELS<br />
500. 1000, 2000<br />
II, II Plus, lie, lie, IIgs<br />
(in lle/c mode)<br />
11 Plus, lie, lie. lies<br />
(in lle/c mode)<br />
lie, lie, llGs(m lle/c mode)<br />
IIGS only<br />
800. 600XL, 800XL.65XE, 1 30XE<br />
520ST, tOdOST, MegcST<br />
C 64. C 128 (in 64 mode)<br />
C !2Bonly<br />
PC. XT, AT, PS/2,<br />
anc compatibles<br />
128K, 51 2K, Plus, SE, II<br />
2, 3<br />
BUSINESS & PRODUCTIVITY<br />
Title<br />
Publisher<br />
Price<br />
BETTER WORKING<br />
WORDPROCESSOR<br />
Spinnaker Software<br />
One Kendall Square<br />
Cambridge. MA 02139<br />
(617) 494-1200<br />
S30 ©1987<br />
FAST FORMS<br />
Shana Enterprises Inc.<br />
9650 20th Ave.. #105<br />
Edmonton. Alberta<br />
Canada T6N 1G1<br />
{4031 463-3330<br />
S149 ©1987<br />
FILE RESCUE PLUS<br />
Three-Sixty Pacific. Inc.<br />
2105 S. Bascom. #290<br />
Campbell. CA 95008<br />
(408)879-9144<br />
$50
BUSINESS & PRODUCTIVITY<br />
Title<br />
Publisher<br />
Price<br />
PERSONAL<br />
NEWSLETTER<br />
Softsync. Inc.<br />
162 Madison Ave.<br />
New York. NY 10016<br />
(212)685-2080<br />
$50-660 01987<br />
PUBLISH IT!<br />
Timcworks. Inc.<br />
444 Lake Cook Road<br />
Deerfield, IL 60015<br />
(312) 948-9200<br />
S100-S 150 c 1987<br />
SUITCASE<br />
Software Supply<br />
599 N. Mathilda Ave.,#210<br />
Sunnyvale, CA 94086<br />
(408) 749-9311<br />
S60 €1987<br />
Brief<br />
description<br />
Quite a lot of desktop-publishing sophistica<br />
tion for the money. Your newsletters can be<br />
up to 10 columns wide <strong>and</strong> can include sev<br />
eral kinds of graphics <strong>and</strong> banner headlines.<br />
Basically easy to use, since the manual acts<br />
as a good guide.+ —solomon<br />
Much like software on the Macintosh, this<br />
desktop-publishing package offers pull-down<br />
menus, scroll bars, dialog boxes, <strong>and</strong> icons.<br />
While these devices make it easier to use, the<br />
program still requires time <strong>and</strong> patience to<br />
learn it completely.+ —solomon<br />
Lets you leave Apple's limit of 15 desk acces<br />
sories (DAs) <strong>and</strong> 200 fonts per System file in<br />
the dust. Once installed (just drag Into Sys<br />
tem Folder), it enables you to choose any DA<br />
or font that's on your disk. It's a great way to<br />
use the Mac more efficiently. — hallekman<br />
Hardware<br />
required<br />
Reviewed on 128K<br />
Apple (enhanced). Also<br />
for C 64/128 (with<br />
GEOS). 2nd drive<br />
recommended. Mouse,<br />
joystick (C 64).<br />
Reviewed on 128K<br />
Apple (enhanced). Also<br />
for 512K IBM PC. 2nd<br />
drive. Mouse or joystick<br />
(optional IBM).<br />
512K Macintosh. Hard-<br />
disk drive optional.<br />
EDUCATION & CREATIVITY<br />
Title<br />
Publisher<br />
Brief<br />
Hardware<br />
Price<br />
description<br />
required<br />
CP<br />
FORESIGHT<br />
Test yourself or challenge others with this<br />
512 Macintosh.<br />
Y<br />
The Learning Curve<br />
hangman-type word game based on fads <strong>and</strong><br />
P.O. Box 980576<br />
trivia. Improves word recognition <strong>and</strong> quick<br />
Houston. TX 77098<br />
recall, but its not remarkable. Eight built-in<br />
(713) 520-8545<br />
subjects include capital cities, books, movies.<br />
S50 £1987<br />
foreign phrases, <strong>and</strong> athletes. —solomon<br />
MAVIS BEACON<br />
Typing tutor for ages 5 through adult uses Reviewed on 256K IBM Y<br />
TEACHES TYPING!<br />
artificial intelligence <strong>and</strong> entertaining text to PC. Also for 512K Amiga.<br />
The Software Toolworks keep you interested. Mavis adjusts to your 48K Atari, C 64/128,<br />
One Toolworks Plaza<br />
age <strong>and</strong> skill level <strong>and</strong> suggests new activities 64K Apple. 512K<br />
13557 Ventura Blvd.<br />
when she "senses" frustration or fatigue. Ex Macintosh. CGA or<br />
Sherman Oaks. CA 91423 tras include a road-race game <strong>and</strong> resume-<br />
Hercules recommended<br />
(818) 907-6789<br />
S40-S50C1987<br />
writing program. Excellent.+ —summers (IBM).<br />
ONCE UPON A TIME<br />
Youngsters ages 6-12 write <strong>and</strong> illustrate<br />
256K IBM PC. Also for N<br />
Com pu-Teach<br />
storybooks with farm, main street, or safari 128K Apple.<br />
78 Olive St.<br />
themes. Improves reading, spelling, <strong>and</strong> vo 2nd drive. Printer<br />
New Haven. CT06511<br />
cabulary. Four sample storybooks offer excel recommended.<br />
(203) 777-7738<br />
lent starter suggestions. Comes with colored<br />
S40€1987<br />
pencils for drawing. -Anderson<br />
RIDDLE MAGIC<br />
What do you call a cow you can sit on? (A 64K Apple.<br />
Y<br />
Mindscape<br />
cowtch!) Intended for school use, Riddle<br />
3444 Dundee Road<br />
Magic offers hours of educational fun. Par<br />
Northbrook. IL 60062<br />
ents will find excellent teacher-aimed sugges<br />
(312) 480-7667<br />
tions <strong>and</strong> activities to try with their children.<br />
$50 ©1987<br />
Prints text <strong>and</strong> graphics. —zornberg<br />
TICKET TO SPAIN<br />
Learn Spanish as you search Spain for a<br />
Reviewed on 128K<br />
Y<br />
Blue Lion Software<br />
missing family heirloom. To succeed, you<br />
IBM PC. Also for C 64/<br />
90 Sherman St.<br />
must answer questions about Spanish histo 128, 128K Apple.<br />
Cambridge. MA 02140<br />
ry, politics, <strong>and</strong> geography, as well as per<br />
Hercules or CGA (IBM).<br />
(617)876-2500<br />
form everyday tasks. Play with either Span<br />
S30-S40 01987<br />
ish or English instructions <strong>and</strong> clues.*<br />
—F.LTCROTH<br />
WETPAINT. VOL. 1 & 2 An attractive collection of clip art that's great 128K Macintosh. 512K N<br />
Dubl-Click Software<br />
for brochures, iliers. <strong>and</strong> newsletters, but<br />
recommended for desk<br />
18201 GreshamSt.<br />
not laser printouts. Hundreds of drawings<br />
accessories.<br />
Northridge. CA 91325<br />
include symbols, borders, animals, arrows,<br />
(818) 349-2758<br />
foods, maps, <strong>and</strong> such common office objects<br />
$60 €1986-<strong>1988</strong><br />
as push pins <strong>and</strong> telephones. A good deal.<br />
—HALI.ERMAN<br />
CP<br />
N<br />
N<br />
N<br />
O<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*■<br />
*<br />
o<br />
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k<br />
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*<br />
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*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
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*<br />
*<br />
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*<br />
R ■tii<br />
D EH GQ EU<br />
* * E<br />
* *<br />
* * k<br />
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* * N/A E<br />
* *<br />
* *<br />
Hi it in Sis<br />
D EH GQ EU<br />
* * N/A E<br />
* *<br />
RATINGS KIT O Overall performance o Documentation; EH Error-H<strong>and</strong>ling! OQ Graphics Quality: Ell Ease of Use: V Value for money- C Poor- * Average- ** Good<br />
*** Very Good: ****ExcellenL: iVA Not Applicable: E Easy: A Average: D Difficult: CP Copy Protected, yes or no: + Longer review follows chart<br />
64 FAMILY ft HOMK-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
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*<br />
*<br />
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*
ENTERTAINMENT<br />
Title<br />
Publisher<br />
Price<br />
ALIEN FIRES<br />
Paragon Software/<br />
Electronic Arts<br />
1820 Gateway Drive<br />
San Mateo. CA 94404<br />
(415)571-7171<br />
$40 ©<strong>1988</strong><br />
BARBARIAN<br />
Psygnosis. dist. by<br />
Computer Software<br />
Services<br />
2150 Executive Drive<br />
Addison, 1L 60101<br />
(312)620-4444<br />
s.Hl ■ 1987<br />
FIRE POWER<br />
Micro Illusions<br />
17408 Chatsworth St.<br />
Granada Hills, CA 91344<br />
(818) 360-3715<br />
$25-832 ©1987<br />
4TH & INCHES<br />
Accolade, Inc.<br />
550 S. Winchester Blvd.,<br />
#200<br />
San Jose. CA95128<br />
{4081 985-1700<br />
S30-S45 ©1987<br />
MINI-PUTT<br />
Accolade, Inc.<br />
550 S. Winchester Blvd..<br />
#200<br />
San Jose. CA 95128<br />
(408)985-1700<br />
S30-S35 ©1987<br />
NBA<br />
Avalon Hill Game<br />
Company<br />
4517 Harford Road<br />
Baltimore. MD 21214<br />
(301] 254-9200<br />
S40 £1987<br />
PROJECT STEALTH<br />
FIGHTER<br />
MicroProsc Software<br />
180 Lakefront Drive<br />
Hunt Vallcv. MD 21030<br />
{301) 771-1151<br />
S40 £-1987<br />
SONS OF LIBERTY<br />
Strategic Simulations, Inc.<br />
1046 N. Rengstorff Ave.<br />
Mountain View. CA 94043<br />
(415) 964-1353<br />
S35-S40 €1987<br />
2400 A. D.<br />
Origin Systems, Inc.<br />
136 Harvev Road<br />
Londonderry. NH 03053<br />
(603) 644-3360<br />
$40 01987<br />
Brief<br />
description<br />
Outer space role-playing adventure that's big<br />
on graphics <strong>and</strong> sound effects, but small on<br />
vocabulary. You may not have enough pa<br />
tience to find the words <strong>and</strong> phrases to inter<br />
act with other characters <strong>and</strong> perform tasks.<br />
For the experienced gamer only. —delson<br />
As Hegor, dragon-slaying barbarian, you de<br />
scend into the underground world of Durgan.<br />
Fight off "Tin Man," "Pit Bull." <strong>and</strong><br />
other gnarly monsters, as you wend your way<br />
to the evil wizard Necron. Difficult to master,<br />
but it's fun trying. Graphic details, especially<br />
animation, are excellent. — roskill<br />
Fire up your lank <strong>and</strong> show em who's boss<br />
in this town by capturing your opponent's<br />
flag <strong>and</strong> bringing it home. With three modes<br />
of play—including two players via modem—<br />
this shoot-'em-up features excellent graphics<br />
<strong>and</strong> sound effects. Great fun. —roston<br />
Fast-paced, easy-to-play football action game.<br />
One to two players control teams, choosing<br />
formations, strategic options, <strong>and</strong> plays. Us<br />
ing joysticks, gamers control key players. Not<br />
a significant sports arcade game, but fun for<br />
ages 10 <strong>and</strong> above.<br />
—DELSON<br />
Have some good old-fashioned fun at four of<br />
the best miniature goif courses around. Be<br />
warned, however: they're tougher than any<br />
minicourses I've ever putted through. {Don't<br />
play with your regular golfing buddies.) Cute<br />
graphics, but quite frustrating. —roston<br />
Requires no h<strong>and</strong>-eye coordination, only a<br />
knowledge of basketball <strong>and</strong> the ability to<br />
plan court action. One or two players choose<br />
from a rosier of famous teams <strong>and</strong> plan each<br />
game's play-by-play. For statisticians only—<br />
minimal time spent watching basketball.<br />
—DELSON<br />
The most complex flight simulator/war game<br />
to date. Players must master several h<strong>and</strong>eve<br />
<strong>and</strong> strategic skills in order lo succeed in<br />
a group of dangerous, behind-enemy-lines<br />
missions simulating hypothetical cold war<br />
<strong>and</strong> W.W. HI scenarios.* —delson<br />
Simulates three famous American Revolution<br />
battles: Bunker Hill. Monmouth. <strong>and</strong> Sarato<br />
ga. Games are short, require overall plan<br />
ning, <strong>and</strong> give good feel for the period. Fa<br />
miliarity with SSI's American Civil War play<br />
system is helpful to get started. —delson<br />
In the faraway future on the planet XK-120.<br />
you'll interact with more than 100 characters<br />
as you seek <strong>and</strong> deactivate the computer that<br />
controls the merciless robot police force.<br />
Spectacular graphics, sound, <strong>and</strong> animation.<br />
Another winner from Chuck Bueche of Ultima<br />
<strong>and</strong> Car Wars fame. -donahue<br />
Hardware<br />
required<br />
Reviewed on 512K<br />
Amiga. Also for C 64/<br />
128. 256K IBM PC.<br />
Mouse. 2nd drive<br />
optional.<br />
Reviewed on 512K Atari<br />
ST. Alsofor512K<br />
Amiga. Color monitor.<br />
Reviewed on 512K<br />
Amiga. Also for 512K<br />
Apple lies. C 64/128.<br />
512K IBM PC. 512K<br />
Macintosh. Joystick or<br />
mouse.<br />
Reviewed on C 64/128.<br />
Also for 512K Amiga.<br />
512K Apple lies. 256K<br />
IBM PC. 512K<br />
Macintosh. Joystick or<br />
mouse.<br />
Reviewed on C 64/128.<br />
Also for 512K Amiga,<br />
256K Apple lies, 512K<br />
Atari ST. 256K IBM PC.<br />
Joystick or mouse.<br />
Reviewed on C 64/128.<br />
Also for 64K Apple,<br />
128KIBM PC.<br />
Reviewed on C 64/128.<br />
Also for 256K IBM PC.<br />
Joystick.<br />
Reviewed on 48K Apple.<br />
Also for 48K Atari, C<br />
64/128. 256K IBM PC.<br />
64K Apple.<br />
CP<br />
N<br />
Y<br />
Y<br />
Y<br />
Y<br />
Y<br />
Y<br />
Y<br />
Y<br />
O<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
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+<br />
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*<br />
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*<br />
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*<br />
Re tin<br />
D PS GQ EU<br />
ratings ket o Overall performance! o Documentation! PS Play System: CO Graphics Quality: cu Ease of Use-. V Value for money; O Poor: * Average: ** Good: ***<br />
Very Good: ****Exccllenl; MA Nol Applicable; E Easy: A Average: D Difficult: CP Copy Protected, yes or no: ' Longer review follows chart<br />
*<br />
*<br />
■k<br />
■k<br />
*<br />
■k<br />
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*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
+<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
+<br />
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A<br />
E<br />
A<br />
A<br />
D<br />
D<br />
A<br />
V<br />
*<br />
+<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
+<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
*<br />
JUNE <strong>1988</strong> 65
SOFTWARE REVIEWS<br />
On the following pages, you'll find<br />
in-depth reviews of some of the pro<br />
grams listed in the Software Guide.<br />
Refer back to the Guide on page<br />
63 for information such os copy<br />
protection <strong>and</strong> addresses of software<br />
publishers.<br />
BUSINESS &<br />
PRODUCTIVITY<br />
Fast Forms<br />
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: 512K Macintosh<br />
publisher: Shana Enterprises Inc.,<br />
(403) 463-3330<br />
PRICE: SI49<br />
overall rating: Excellent<br />
4 m« ion loon<br />
Take a look at Fast Forms for the<br />
Macintosh—a personal tool kit for<br />
creating forms, printing them, col<br />
lecting data, <strong>and</strong> exporting that data<br />
to other applications, such as data<br />
bases, word processors, or spread<br />
sheets.<br />
The Fast Forms box holds three<br />
disks that contain a drawing pro<br />
gram, desk accessor}' (DA), <strong>and</strong> doz<br />
ens of sample forms.<br />
You use the drawing program to<br />
create, modify, <strong>and</strong> print stunning<br />
form designs. The desk accessor}'<br />
lets you call these prepared forms to<br />
the screen whenever you need them,<br />
from within any application. Sup<br />
pose you're working on a spread<br />
sheet when the phone rings. By us<br />
ing the Fast Forms DA, your<br />
telephone message form pops up at<br />
the click of the mouse.<br />
The drawing environment is Fast<br />
Form's focal point. This collection of<br />
drawing tools (such as ovals, lines,<br />
<strong>and</strong> boxes), pattern fill options, <strong>and</strong><br />
other object-oriented features make<br />
fancy form creation a breeze. There<br />
are rulers, margin makers, <strong>and</strong> oth<br />
er alignment aids that take the frus<br />
tration out of form design.<br />
But drawing is only part of any<br />
form. Fast Forms lets you create<br />
fields that hold <strong>and</strong> format data you<br />
input. You can also set up computed<br />
66 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
fields that show the results of other<br />
fields' calculations. For instance, giv<br />
en starting <strong>and</strong> ending odometer<br />
readings, Fast Forms could auto<br />
matically fill out a "Miles Traveled"<br />
blank on your expense form.<br />
You can control the format of<br />
data—for example, dollar signs, com<br />
mas, or text only. Using your Mac's<br />
system clock, the program will auto<br />
matically fill in the current date <strong>and</strong><br />
time. It's also possible to define de<br />
fault entries, so that if most of your<br />
phone numbers arc in Chicago, for<br />
instance, the 312 area code would<br />
be entered unless you told the pro<br />
gram otherwise.<br />
With a scanner, you can scan pre<br />
printed forms (such as Federal Ex<br />
press air bills) into your computer<br />
<strong>and</strong> then add fields for collecting<br />
data. If you want, Fast Forms will<br />
print only the entered data <strong>and</strong> not<br />
the form itself. This makes it easy to<br />
create a template for quickly filling<br />
in preprinted forms.<br />
You can export data to a database<br />
program automatically or be prompt<br />
ed about deciding where to export<br />
whenever you fill out or print a<br />
form. Data from Fast Forms will<br />
work in several "foreign" programs,<br />
including dBase Mac <strong>and</strong> Micro<br />
soft's Word, Works, or Excel.<br />
The 142-page manual is almost<br />
top-notch <strong>and</strong> includes a tutorial,<br />
reference section, <strong>and</strong> a quick-refer<br />
ence section. There's also a glossary<br />
<strong>and</strong> a skimpy, but usable, index.<br />
Unfortunately, the table of contents<br />
is only 11 lines long <strong>and</strong> nearly use<br />
less. The sample forms are helpful<br />
examples of proper technique for de<br />
signing forms <strong>and</strong> can be easily<br />
modified for your own applications.<br />
You can use Fast Forms with an<br />
ImageWriter. but a laser printer<br />
really makes it shine.<br />
A program such as Fast Forms<br />
puts form creation into the h<strong>and</strong>s of<br />
the masses. It's a keeper. I would<br />
have less gray hair today if I'd dis<br />
covered it sooner. —ron mansfield<br />
Lucid 3-D<br />
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: 256K IBM<br />
PC<br />
publisher: Personal Computer Sup<br />
port Group, (214) 351-0564<br />
PRICE: S 1 49<br />
overall rating: Excellent<br />
For a new spreadsheet to climb into<br />
the ring with today's heavyweight<br />
competitors <strong>and</strong> survive, it must ei<br />
ther be muscular enough to outdo<br />
the others with greater size <strong>and</strong><br />
speed or clever enough to do the un<br />
expected. The creators of Lucid 3-D<br />
have clearly chosen the latter course.<br />
Their new spreadsheet doesn't have<br />
the power features needed to deliver<br />
a knockout blow to such programs<br />
as Lotus 1-2-3 or Microsoft Excel.<br />
but it does make points on smarts.<br />
It does things the others simply<br />
can't do—<strong>and</strong> docs them with<br />
enough slickness <strong>and</strong> style to make<br />
it a winning choice.<br />
The first major departure from<br />
business-as-usual spreadsheet per<br />
formance is the fact that Lucid 3-D<br />
can be run as a memory-resident<br />
program. It wails in the background<br />
as you use your other software <strong>and</strong>.<br />
with a single key press, pops up on<br />
screen. What turns this from a clev<br />
er bit of programming into a really<br />
useful feature is its capability to<br />
freely cut <strong>and</strong> paste information<br />
from the spreadsheet into your other<br />
applications <strong>and</strong> vice versa. I can<br />
work in my favorite word processor,<br />
pop Lucid onto the screen to per<br />
form calculations, then cut <strong>and</strong><br />
paste data (up to a screenful at a<br />
time) from the worksheet into my<br />
document.<br />
Despite the fact that Lucid 3-D<br />
consumes little memory (from 113K<br />
to 165K), it packs a solid range of<br />
features, including 51 built-in func<br />
tions <strong>and</strong> powerful macro capabili<br />
ties. All of the basic mathematical<br />
<strong>and</strong> financial functions are included,<br />
<strong>and</strong> table lookup <strong>and</strong> calendar arith<br />
metic arc h<strong>and</strong>led exceptionally well.<br />
Windows for nine different work<br />
sheets can be open simultaneously,<br />
or you can display two views of dif<br />
ferent sections of the same work<br />
sheet.<br />
The second innovative concept in<br />
corporated in Lucid 3-D is the ease<br />
of using multiple spreadsheets in a<br />
three-dimensional relationship.<br />
Imagine worksheets stacked s<strong>and</strong><br />
wich-style. Any cell in the top work<br />
sheet can carry over data from a cell<br />
in the worksheet below it. Moving<br />
back <strong>and</strong> forth between related<br />
spreadsheets is simple, <strong>and</strong> there is<br />
no theoretical limit to the number of<br />
layers you can employ.<br />
What purpose does this 3-D orien<br />
tation serve? Here's one example: If<br />
you are building a system to track<br />
company sales, your top worksheet<br />
could be a summary of sales figures
asy Working"1 is a fine of high quality, low cost personal productivity programs<br />
designed for the person who wants to spend time doing useful work, not struggling<br />
with complex computer comm<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> long manuals. Each Easy Working product is<br />
carefully designed to work alone or in combination with other members of the Easy-<br />
Working family.<br />
On-screen menus provide "at-a-glance" summaries of the features of the program,<br />
when you select a feature from the menu bar. a menu drops down to show all of the<br />
available options. Every comm<strong>and</strong> available is displayed in the drop-down menu. You<br />
will find that you will spend less time getting to know the program <strong>and</strong> more time on<br />
your projects. And since each member of the Easy Working family uses the same<br />
comm<strong>and</strong> structure, once you leam how to use one, you'll find a head start on learning<br />
to use the other two. But don't be fooled. Easy doesn't mean incomplete. Easy Working<br />
products are full-featured.<br />
Easy Working ^The Writer":<br />
Complete word processing features allow you to create your letters <strong>and</strong> reports <strong>and</strong><br />
arrange them to suit your needs, includes 100,000 word spellchecker. Editing<br />
functions include insert, delete, cut, paste, <strong>and</strong> copy.<br />
Easy Working": The Filer :<br />
A multi-purpose program which simplifies the storage, selection, <strong>and</strong> reporting of<br />
information. Maintain or create mailing lists, inventories, dub memberships, <strong>and</strong> other<br />
types of information.<br />
Easy Working: The Planner:<br />
The Planner provides you with all of the professional features of an electronic spread<br />
sheet Extensive mathematical operations easily create your spreadsheet for budgeting,<br />
tax calculation, expense reports, financial statements, <strong>and</strong> other applications.<br />
A<br />
The Writer, The Filer, <strong>and</strong> The Planner fully<br />
integrate with each other.<br />
Available at fine software dealers or for<br />
orders onlv call:<br />
1-800-826-0706<br />
Others call: (617)4941200<br />
Apple II+, He, lie $9-95<br />
Commodore 64/128 $9-95<br />
IBM/PC/AT $9.95<br />
Spinnaker Software. Corp.. One Kendall Square, Cambridge, .VIA 02139<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 28
SOFTWARE REVIEWS<br />
broken down by region. Each cell<br />
containing a regional total could<br />
then "open up" to reveal a separate<br />
worksheet summarizing each sales<br />
person's performance within that re<br />
gion. Each cell containing a sales<br />
person's total on that second<br />
worksheet could then open up to a<br />
third worksheet that reveals the in<br />
dividual salesperson's results for<br />
each account. By stacking <strong>and</strong> link<br />
ing worksheets in this way. you can<br />
move quickly from scanning an over<br />
view of company-wide sales results<br />
to checking whether Joe Mahoncy in<br />
Clevel<strong>and</strong> finally closed the Terwil-<br />
linger Industries contract. And when<br />
the Terwillinger deal is finally inked,<br />
the new figures can be entered on<br />
the appropriate worksheet, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
totals in the linked sheets will be up<br />
dated automatically.<br />
Additional features abound. Mouse<br />
users will be pleased with the way<br />
they can manipulate a Lucid 3-D<br />
worksheet with their desktop rodent<br />
(there arc keyboard equivalents to<br />
accomplish the same tasks). My only<br />
complaint is the inability to scroll<br />
horizontally or vertically through a<br />
worksheet using the mouse. A text<br />
note can be attached to any cell in<br />
your worksheet. In fact, these notes<br />
can be up to five pages long, allow<br />
ing you to write <strong>and</strong> print entire<br />
memos or letters from within Lucid.<br />
One potential sticking point is Lo<br />
tus 1-2-3 compatibility. The program<br />
will not directly read 1-2-3 files. In<br />
stead, a utility is included to trans<br />
late 1-2-3 worksheets to Lucid for<br />
mat <strong>and</strong> vice versa. As long as your<br />
1-2-3 file doesn't use any of the rela<br />
tively obscure functions not support<br />
ed by Lucid, this shouldn't pose<br />
much of a problem, although it is an<br />
extra step that programs such as<br />
Excel h<strong>and</strong>le automatically. Also, if<br />
graphing figures is a favorite pas<br />
time, you'll have to look elsewhere:<br />
Lucid has no graphing capabilities.<br />
Lucid 3-D will fit certain ap<br />
proaches to working better than<br />
more traditional spreadsheets will.<br />
For those who boot up their comput<br />
ers primarily to use spreadsheets<br />
<strong>and</strong> rarely leave these applications<br />
for others, Lucid offers the capabili<br />
ty to keep many worksheets on<br />
screen simultaneously, a h<strong>and</strong>y<br />
built-in notepad for correspondence.<br />
<strong>and</strong> a system of layered worksheets<br />
that can improve your work's organi<br />
zation <strong>and</strong> structure. Those of us<br />
who jump between applications will<br />
68 FAMILY S HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
find Lucid particularly appealing for<br />
its pop-up capability <strong>and</strong> the ease of<br />
transfer of information between the<br />
spreadsheet <strong>and</strong> word-processing or<br />
database programs.<br />
Personal Newsletter<br />
—STEVE MORGENSTERN<br />
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: 128K Apple,<br />
C 64/128<br />
publisher: Softsync, Inc.. (212) 685-<br />
2080<br />
PRICE: S50-S60<br />
OVERALL RATING: Excellent<br />
Publish It!<br />
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: 128K Apple.<br />
512KIBM PC<br />
publisher: Timeworks. Inc.. (312)<br />
948-9200<br />
price: S100-S150<br />
overall rating: Excellent<br />
The appropriate desktop-publishing<br />
software can help any small busi<br />
ness advertise itself <strong>and</strong> create the<br />
same quality product as its larger<br />
competitor. Two new programs give<br />
you the power to publish quickly,<br />
easily, <strong>and</strong> attractively. Both are<br />
contenders, but they approach the<br />
work of page layout with individual<br />
styles. How do they compare on the<br />
Apple II?<br />
Overview. Softsync's Personal<br />
Newsletter is easy to learn <strong>and</strong> feels<br />
comfortable immediately. A com<br />
m<strong>and</strong> line displays options as you<br />
choose from menus <strong>and</strong> submenus<br />
to design your page <strong>and</strong> add text<br />
<strong>and</strong> graphics.<br />
You use the keyboard for every<br />
thing. For instance, with the Apple<br />
II version you hold down the Solid<br />
Apple key <strong>and</strong> tap W to create win<br />
dows (these will be your columns).<br />
Tap A to add a column. Good mne<br />
monic choices. Then type in text or<br />
import it from any ASCII file.<br />
Publish It! from Timeworks has<br />
the look <strong>and</strong> feel of new technology.<br />
You use a mouse (or joystick) for<br />
"point <strong>and</strong> click" features. As on the<br />
Macintosh or with Microsoft Win<br />
dows on an IBM PC or compatible,<br />
Publish It! features pull-down<br />
menus, toolboxes, scroll bars, <strong>and</strong><br />
dialog boxes. Don't expect the same<br />
power <strong>and</strong> speed as you would with<br />
PageMaker or any other top-level<br />
desktop-publishing package; but you<br />
can produce newsletters with Pubfish<br />
It! in virtually no time.<br />
Learning Curve. Persona/ Newslet<br />
ter is easier to learn, <strong>and</strong> the man<br />
ual, which includes several tutorials.<br />
is easier to follow. Ultimately. Pub<br />
lish It! is easier <strong>and</strong> faster to use be<br />
cause of the mouse <strong>and</strong> its point-<br />
<strong>and</strong>-click capabilities.<br />
Graphics. Personal Newsletter in<br />
cludes its own pictures <strong>and</strong> imports<br />
Dazzle Draw. Newsroom. Print<br />
Shop, or any single or double hi-res-<br />
olution graphics that have been con<br />
verted to ProDOS. To use any graph<br />
ics other than its own with Publish<br />
It!, you must first convert to ProDOS<br />
<strong>and</strong> then save the graphics as dou<br />
ble hi-res screens—a more tedious<br />
process. Personal Newsletter also of<br />
fers more sophisticated drawing<br />
tools, such as fat <strong>and</strong> small bits <strong>and</strong><br />
horizontal <strong>and</strong> vertical flip, but Pub-<br />
lisli It! has a fine-tuned resizing<br />
ability.<br />
Text. Both programs let you type,<br />
insert, delete, cut. copy, <strong>and</strong> paste<br />
text. Both support WYSIWYG ("what<br />
you see is what you get"), word<br />
wrap, <strong>and</strong> the ability to flow text<br />
around graphics <strong>and</strong> from column to<br />
column. Publish It! also supports<br />
search-<strong>and</strong>-replace <strong>and</strong> hyphenation.<br />
However, when you type, be pre<br />
pared for a very slow response time.<br />
Both allow you to import text from<br />
other places. With Personal Newslet<br />
ter, you must store your file as un<br />
formatted ASCII text, but Publish It!<br />
also reads AppleWorks <strong>and</strong> Bank<br />
Street Writer files directly.<br />
Fonts. Personal Newsletter doesn't<br />
show you font samples in the man<br />
ual, so until you've tried them all,<br />
you're selecting without real knowl<br />
edge. In addition, to get large head<br />
lines for your articles, you type them<br />
in graphics mode <strong>and</strong> move them<br />
separately from text. Publish It! of<br />
fers a larger variety of fonts <strong>and</strong><br />
sizes that are shown in the manual.<br />
For a headline, just choose a larger<br />
size of the current font. Personal<br />
Newsletter allows just one font per<br />
document in text mode (a limitation<br />
that guarantees a clean, balanced<br />
look), although you can add more<br />
fonts in graphics mode. Publish It!<br />
lets you mix <strong>and</strong> match all available<br />
fonts.<br />
Screen. Both programs show your<br />
page as you work. With Personal<br />
Newsletter, you see about a third at<br />
a time, <strong>and</strong> you use cursor keys to<br />
move around. Publish It! offers scroll<br />
bars to choose a portion of the page<br />
for viewing; <strong>and</strong> you can see the<br />
whole page at once or work in half,<br />
full, or double size.
Printing. Each time there is a<br />
change in font when printing with<br />
Publish It!, the correct disk must be<br />
in a drive or you're prompted to in<br />
sert it. Publish It! gives you more<br />
choices of page sizes—letter, legal.<br />
<strong>and</strong> the international A4 <strong>and</strong> B5<br />
sizes—than Personal Newsletter<br />
does. Sadly, neither package cur<br />
rently supports laser printers. How<br />
ever, Timeworks will be offering a<br />
utility for laser printing with Pub<br />
lish It! (to be sold separately), while<br />
the publishers of Personal Newslet<br />
ter plan on including laser support<br />
in later versions.<br />
For people like me, who need to<br />
publish newsletters, the capabilities<br />
we've been waiting for are finally<br />
here, <strong>and</strong> there's a choice. I used<br />
both programs to produce separate<br />
versions of the same document <strong>and</strong><br />
found that the end results didn't<br />
prove one program better than the<br />
other. Personal Newsletter was ini<br />
tially easier to learn <strong>and</strong> to use, but<br />
Publish It! felt more comfortable<br />
once I practiced. Whichever you<br />
choose, you'll never create a newslet<br />
ter by h<strong>and</strong> again. —gwen solomon<br />
PART<br />
"Find Red Square" Contest!<br />
Find Red Square in Moscow <strong>and</strong><br />
enter to win a real trip for two to<br />
Europe. See the SubLOGIC<br />
Product Chart at your dealer or<br />
write SubLOGIC for complete<br />
details <strong>and</strong> contest rules. "<br />
EDUCATION & CREATIVITY<br />
Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing!<br />
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: 512K<br />
Amiga, 64K Apple, 48K Atari, C 64/<br />
128, 256K IBM PC, 512K Macintosh<br />
publisher: The Software Toolworks,<br />
(818) 907-6789<br />
PRICE: S40-S50<br />
overall rating: Excellent<br />
b!ggo«t gun-bubble<br />
ever blown Mas SS inches<br />
-- Ths Guinness Book<br />
of Sorirf Records<br />
I'll miss my daughter, Laurel, when<br />
she goes to college this fall—<strong>and</strong><br />
she'll miss me. I type all of her pa<br />
pers. She's been too busy taking col<br />
lege prep classes to bother with a<br />
business course <strong>and</strong> hates comput<br />
erized-typing tutors. When I coaxed<br />
her to try Mavis Beacon Teaches<br />
Typing!, she was dubious. To my<br />
surprise, she was still typing busily<br />
away an hour later.<br />
"What's the difference?" I asked.<br />
"It lets me type real words <strong>and</strong><br />
phrases right away instead of non<br />
sense," was the prompt reply. "It<br />
gives me new letters faster, so I feel<br />
like I'm getting somewhere, <strong>and</strong> it<br />
doesn't just give me more exercises<br />
when I feel frustrated."<br />
Mavis Beacon may succeed in<br />
teaching Laurel to type where other<br />
programs have failed because of a<br />
strong dose of artificial intelligence.<br />
Unlike other typing programs, Mavis<br />
immediately recognized that Laurel<br />
has had some experience with the<br />
keyboard <strong>and</strong> quickly adjusted to the<br />
appropriate level. It then provided<br />
interesting material to type, geared<br />
to Laurel's age level. Instead of pre<br />
senting drill after drill, Mavis select<br />
ed from a collection of 30 lessons<br />
aimed at solving specific problems.<br />
Mauls is flexible <strong>and</strong> can generate<br />
new lessons if those currently in<br />
stock don't meet a student's needs.<br />
ESTERN EUROPEAN TOUR"<br />
Scenery Disk is so beautiful to fly, you'll<br />
want to make it the centerpiece of your<br />
Scenery Disk collection! This is part one of<br />
a five-part guided tour from London t<<br />
Moscow's Red Square.<br />
We start out in London by flying over'<br />
Parliament building. Look closely arr1 •<br />
can see the faces of Big Ben.<br />
Our next view offers a glimpse of th<br />
majestic Tower Bridge <strong>and</strong> Tower of<br />
London at dawn. Other British highligf<br />
elude Buckingham Palace, Westmirt<br />
Abbey <strong>and</strong> Stonehenge.<br />
Check back with us next month as we<br />
Paris, France.<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 29 JUNE <strong>1988</strong> 69
SOFTWARE REVIEWS<br />
Mavis comes with all kinds of ex<br />
tras. A clock <strong>and</strong> metronome help<br />
you build speed <strong>and</strong> rhythm, <strong>and</strong><br />
on-screen meters monitor your pro<br />
gress. Shadowy h<strong>and</strong>s show you<br />
which finger goes where—a helpful<br />
feature missing from most other<br />
programs. Dozens of graphs show<br />
you exactly where you need the most<br />
work. Flexible options allow you to<br />
turn off the beep that accompanies<br />
wrong keystrokes <strong>and</strong> let you try the<br />
Dvorak instead of the QWERTY key<br />
board layout. The snappy manual in<br />
cludes typing exercises <strong>and</strong> several<br />
business-letter formats. As a gradua<br />
tion present. Mavis provides an ondisk<br />
resume-writing program that<br />
asks you questions about yourself,<br />
then creates <strong>and</strong> prints a resume.<br />
Mavis Beacon bills itself as "the<br />
finest typing tutor in the world." As<br />
usual. Mavis is right on key.<br />
Ticket lo Spain<br />
—TAN A. SUMMERS<br />
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: 128K Apple.<br />
C 64/128. 128K IBM PC<br />
publisher: Blue Lion Software. (617)<br />
876-2500<br />
PRICE: S30--S40<br />
overall rating: Very Good<br />
It was no accident that my 15-year-<br />
old daughter was the prime reviewer<br />
for this package: she's the one mem<br />
ber of the household presently en<br />
rolled in a Spanish class. We quickly<br />
determined that Dona's one semester<br />
of Spanish. A's <strong>and</strong> B's notwith<br />
st<strong>and</strong>ing, was far from sufficient for<br />
playing the educational game entire<br />
ly in Spanish. However, it did assist<br />
her in answering some of the Span<br />
ish trivia questions asked during<br />
play <strong>and</strong> in moving quickly through<br />
the phrase book when she was in<br />
need of a translation.<br />
Designed as an interesting way to<br />
learn a little about the country as<br />
well as the Spanish language. Ticket<br />
to Spain is a "quest" type adventure.<br />
The player becomes the protagonist<br />
70 FAMILY A HOME-OmcE COMPUTING<br />
in a scenario, seeking an heirloom<br />
left by a Spanish ancestor. In the<br />
course of the quest, the player must<br />
fulfill eight tasks, such as "buy a<br />
plate," "taste some codfish," or "see<br />
the gardens of Boabdil." Fulfilling<br />
tasks requires locating your destina<br />
tion on a map, negotiating bus <strong>and</strong><br />
train schedules or the public roads,<br />
staying at hotels, sleeping, waiting<br />
for merchants to open their shops,<br />
<strong>and</strong> completing tasks in order.<br />
I played along with my daughter<br />
<strong>and</strong> found the program challenging.<br />
She patiently sought clues to her<br />
various tasks in the phrase book<br />
<strong>and</strong> the user h<strong>and</strong>book, which con<br />
tains a brief overview of the places to<br />
visit. After successfully completing<br />
the game in a little more than two<strong>and</strong>-a-half<br />
hours. Dona's criticisms<br />
were few, but critical to her willing<br />
ness to play again.<br />
In order to find a city <strong>and</strong> travel to<br />
it, one must know where it is. An<br />
on-screen map is available for refer<br />
ence, but Dona wanted one beside<br />
her as she worked. Ditto the phrase<br />
book: she didn't find it adequate<br />
<strong>and</strong> wound up making many guess<br />
es when asked questions that re<br />
quired translations. History <strong>and</strong> po<br />
litical questions were also difficult<br />
for her (<strong>and</strong> me) to answer, <strong>and</strong> we<br />
decided a Spanish almanac would<br />
have been a big help. Both these ob<br />
jections were overcome by investing<br />
in a Spanish-English dictionary <strong>and</strong><br />
opening the world atlas.<br />
Her second complaint, however, is<br />
one worth considering. The graph<br />
ics, she moaned, are BORING. Re<br />
petitive, not particularly striking,<br />
<strong>and</strong> static (my interpretation of her<br />
adolescent adjectives)—<strong>and</strong> not<br />
helped much by the use of sound,<br />
primarily in the form of a repetitive<br />
"theme" song. It's unfortunate that<br />
such an entertaining <strong>and</strong> education<br />
al program would be judged on its<br />
graphics, but if young adults are<br />
part of the intended market, that<br />
should be taken into consideration.<br />
A plus that both Dona <strong>and</strong> I liked<br />
was the ability to leave the program<br />
<strong>and</strong> save your status, returning to<br />
your original position when you re<br />
sume play. When you have complet<br />
ed a round successfully, the program<br />
saves your score <strong>and</strong> presents you<br />
with a different set of tasks at the<br />
next session. A pause option is also<br />
very useful, especially when you be<br />
come so involved in reading the alma<br />
nac that you forget the clock is tick<br />
ing away!<br />
—MARLENE BUMGARNER ELTGROTH<br />
ENTERTAINMENT<br />
Project Stealth Fighter<br />
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: C 64/128,<br />
256K IBM PC<br />
publisher: MicroProse Software,<br />
(301) 771-1151<br />
PRICE: S40<br />
overall rating: Excellent<br />
Sometimes, simulations of military<br />
hardware, particularly flight simula<br />
tors, seem as complex as the real<br />
thing. Nowhere is this more evident<br />
than in MicroProsc's new flying com<br />
bat game, Project Stealth Fighter.<br />
Perhaps the most ingenious <strong>and</strong><br />
certainly the most difficult flight<br />
simulator to date, this program,<br />
which simulates the ultra-secret<br />
American fighter plane designed to<br />
strike deep behind enemy lines with<br />
the least chance of detection, is not<br />
for the "just boot <strong>and</strong> play" gamer. It<br />
requires hours of patient practice.<br />
The work pays off in consistent<br />
edge-of-your-seat thrills. There are<br />
various missions in such places as<br />
Libya, Eastern Europe, the Persian<br />
Gulf, <strong>and</strong> the rough terrain of Scan<br />
dinavia's borders with the Soviet<br />
Union. You set the level of play <strong>and</strong><br />
opposition, type of armament, <strong>and</strong><br />
world political situation to give your<br />
mission a greater degree of complex<br />
ity <strong>and</strong> allow you to truly personalize<br />
the game. There's a role-playing ele<br />
ment at work here as well.<br />
The core of the simulation is your<br />
plane, a supersophisticated F-19<br />
stealth fighter. Already nearing leg<br />
endary status because of its ability<br />
to elude detection by most ground<br />
observers, electronic <strong>and</strong> human,<br />
the stealth fighter is difficult to fly<br />
but a joy to maneuver once you learn<br />
its strengths <strong>and</strong> weaknesses.<br />
Project Stealth Fighter is not for<br />
the casual gamer. It requires dedica<br />
tion <strong>and</strong> patience to master, but<br />
"zowee"—what a kick! It's sufficient<br />
to say this is the most sophisticated<br />
flying simulator I've ever encoun<br />
tered. —JAMES DELSON
FYI<br />
THE<br />
Page 83<br />
Throughout The Programmer, find news for program<br />
mers, information about our programs, <strong>and</strong> "Tips<br />
to the Typist."<br />
PRODUCTIVITY<br />
Page 72<br />
H<strong>and</strong>le mass mailings <strong>and</strong> much more with our Mail<br />
ing Labels program.<br />
FUN & GAMES<br />
Page 80<br />
Do you have what it takes to be a race car driver?<br />
Check out our Wreckless Racer program <strong>and</strong> lind out!<br />
Computers<br />
APPLE WFUJStcWGS<br />
COMMODORE 64/128<br />
[DM I"C & COMPATIBLES<br />
MACINTOSH<br />
specific models c Color monitor (tram mrniled, p Pnnlet<br />
ircomrjitnded.<br />
Mailing Wre<br />
label! R<br />
*)><br />
cklesi<br />
KEY: * Proeiani in Ihis Issue lor Ihls computer. • See pafi 79 for<br />
cer<br />
JUNE 13HK 71
PRODUCTIVITY<br />
MAILING LABELS<br />
HANDLE MASS MAILINGS—<br />
AND MORE—WITH EASE<br />
BY PASQUALE M. CIRULLO<br />
Last Name: Coyote<br />
First Nane: Uiley<br />
Company: ACME Corp.<br />
Add. ttl: 123 Desert Plains<br />
Add. «2:<br />
City: Nowhere<br />
State : CA-«<br />
zip Code: ^^^^^<br />
PhoTie Hi:<br />
Phone 82:<br />
Note 111: Super Gen ius<br />
Note «2:<br />
Choose from the following conn<strong>and</strong>s<br />
dd, ack# ompress, elete<br />
d i t, i 1 ter , st, < I >ndex ,<br />
astt, ext, r int , u. it ,<br />
ave, Sec*ch, ox- ndelete.<br />
Fil »: Note M± = Super Ganiu»<br />
nine2 Index: Company<br />
editors NOTE: This month, we're featuring the IBM ver<br />
sion of Mailing Labels. Next month, we'll be presenting<br />
the Apple version.<br />
Whether you're a small businessperson accumulating<br />
1,000 names for a direct-mail campaign or the custodi<br />
an of your family's 50-name Christmas card list, Mailing<br />
Labels can make your job easier.<br />
Even if you already own a database program, you may<br />
still find our program h<strong>and</strong>y for what it does best:<br />
printing name-<strong>and</strong>-addrcss labels in a variety of for<br />
mats, in any order, <strong>and</strong> from all or any part of your file.<br />
For example, it's easy for Mailing Labels to print la<br />
bels in this format:<br />
John Q. Public<br />
2345 Main Street<br />
Anytown. ME 02134<br />
ATTN: Mr. Public—Immediate Reply Requested<br />
or envelopes that look like this, from the same database<br />
file:<br />
The Home-Office Shop<br />
P.O. Box 890<br />
San Andreas, CA 99999<br />
You can print labels in alphabetical order for all of the<br />
names in your database ... or, say, in numerical order,<br />
72 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
according to zip codes, for all customers who have un<br />
paid balances.<br />
If you have no other database program, you'll find<br />
that Mailing Labels is flexible enough to serve other<br />
purposes, such as a Rolodex-type phone book or even a<br />
to-do list.<br />
To use Mailing Labels, type in the program in BASIC<br />
<strong>and</strong> save it. Because of its length, the program should<br />
be carefully typed in. When you are ready to use Mail<br />
ing Labels, load it into BASIC <strong>and</strong> run it.<br />
Give the program a trial run first. Enter a half-dozen<br />
names <strong>and</strong> try all the functions. This way, if you've<br />
made any typing errors <strong>and</strong> the program doesn't work<br />
properly, you won't lose anything important.<br />
USING MAILING LABELS<br />
When you run the program, a menu with three<br />
choices will appear on the screen: tart a new mailing<br />
list, se an existing mailing list, <strong>and</strong> xit the pro<br />
gram. You can choose any option by pressing the first<br />
letter of that option.<br />
tart a new moiling list will allow you to create a new<br />
mailing list on your disk. You will first be asked for a<br />
name for the mailing list. This name can be up to eight<br />
characters long <strong>and</strong> cannot contain an extension (such<br />
as .LST). Mailing Labels creates two files with the same<br />
name but with different extensions. If vou choose a
name that is already used, the computer will tell you<br />
<strong>and</strong> ask if you want to verwrite the file or oad the<br />
file. If you don't want to do either, press any other key.<br />
<strong>and</strong> you will return to the main menu. If you are un<br />
sure of what names you have already used, enter a<br />
question mark (?) when you're asked for the name <strong>and</strong><br />
the computer will give you a directory of all the names<br />
on any disk you specify. If you do not want to start a<br />
new file, just press ENTER when asked for a file name.<br />
se an existing mailing list will load a file from your<br />
disk <strong>and</strong> allow you 10 perform any of the functions de<br />
scribed below. Again, if you do not remember the<br />
names of your files, enter the question mark (?), <strong>and</strong><br />
the computer will give you a directory. If you do not<br />
want to load a file, just press ENTER when asked for<br />
the name.<br />
«E>xit the program will return you to BASIC.<br />
ENTERING NAMES<br />
When you choose tart a new mailing list, you will<br />
be at the Add screen, <strong>and</strong> the cursor will be at the Last<br />
Name field. Here you can type in Last Name. First<br />
Name, Company, a two-line street Address, City, State,<br />
Zip Code, two Phone numbers, <strong>and</strong> two Notes. Fill in<br />
the Last Name <strong>and</strong> any information you want, <strong>and</strong> then<br />
press ENTER to go on to the next person. (See "Using<br />
the Editor"Jor information on the keys you may use<br />
while adding names.)<br />
The names can be added in any order, because the<br />
program automatically arranges them alphabetically by<br />
last name; you can change the order later (see ndex<br />
comm<strong>and</strong>, below). You can only enter up to 1.000<br />
names into a mailing list file.<br />
When you have finished adding names, press ENTER<br />
on a blank Last Name line, <strong>and</strong> the program will bring<br />
you to the Comm<strong>and</strong> Screen.<br />
THE COMMAND SCREEN<br />
If you choose se an existing mailing list, the pro<br />
gram bypasses the Add Screen <strong>and</strong> brings you directly<br />
to the Comm<strong>and</strong> Screen. The Comm<strong>and</strong> Screen dis<br />
plays the current record (a single person's name <strong>and</strong><br />
other information). If you've marked this record for de<br />
letion, there will be a message stating so.<br />
Below the record appears a list of all the comm<strong>and</strong>s<br />
that you may use. At the bottom of the screen is the<br />
name of the mailing list that you are working on <strong>and</strong><br />
the field (line) on which the list is indexed, or sorted.<br />
Also, if you have a filter set (see below on how to set a<br />
Jilter), it will also be displayed.<br />
To choose a comm<strong>and</strong>, press the letter that appears<br />
in the angled brackets (< >). For instance, if you want to<br />
*A>dd. press the A key, <strong>and</strong> to Seach, press the R<br />
key. Here's an explanation of what each comm<strong>and</strong> does:<br />
dd. Allows you to add more names to the current<br />
list, in the same manner you did when you chose to<br />
tart a new mailing list. The only difference here is<br />
that the new names will be inserted into the file accord<br />
ing to the current index, which may not be the Last<br />
Name. (See "Using the Editor"Jor information on the<br />
keys you may use while adding names.)<br />
ock. Displays the previous name in the list. If you<br />
are already at the first name or if there are no names<br />
before the current one that match the filter (see Uter),<br />
the program beeps.<br />
ompress. Removes all the names that you have<br />
marked for deletion. This frees the space taken up by<br />
these names for use by others.<br />
(D>elete, Marks a name for deletion. If you choose this<br />
comm<strong>and</strong>, the program will display a message at the<br />
top of the screen saying "Marked for Deletion." How<br />
ever, the name isn't actually erased from the database<br />
until you choose ompress. Until then, you can use<br />
the ndelete comm<strong>and</strong> to restore the name.<br />
tE>dit. Allows you to make changes to any line in the<br />
current record. It is used, for instance, if a person<br />
moves <strong>and</strong> you want to change the information in his<br />
or her record. (See "Using the Editor"Jor information<br />
on the keys you may use while editing names.) If you<br />
change the information on the indexed line, the old re<br />
cord will be marked for deletion <strong>and</strong> a new record will<br />
be created. Otherwise, the changes are made to the cur<br />
rent record.<br />
< nilter. Allows you to look at or print certain names<br />
in the file based on a criterion that you establish. For<br />
instance, if you want to see only the names of people<br />
whose last names begin with A. B, C. D. or E. you can<br />
set a filter of Last Name < F. This will "filter out" all oth<br />
er names.<br />
When you select ilter, you will first be asked to ei<br />
ther choose one of the 12 fields or Clear Filter. Clear Fil<br />
ter will erase any filter that was previously set <strong>and</strong> re<br />
turn you to the Comm<strong>and</strong> Screen.<br />
After choosing the field, you must choose a relation<br />
ship. The possible relationships are: = (equal to), < ><br />
(not equal to), < (less than), < = (less than or equal to), ><br />
(greater than), <strong>and</strong> >= (greater than or equal to). After a<br />
relationship is chosen, type in the filler string to com<br />
plete the filter <strong>and</strong> press ENTER. The program will then<br />
print the filter at the bottom of each screen <strong>and</strong> only<br />
display those records that match the filter.<br />
For example, to set up the previous example (Last<br />
Name < F), we would choose 1 (Last Name) for the field,<br />
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PRODUCTIVITY<br />
string. For example, if you have the names Belushi.<br />
Bowman, <strong>and</strong> Brown, <strong>and</strong> you're searching for B, the<br />
program will display one of these names <strong>and</strong> then you<br />
can use ack <strong>and</strong> ext to see the others.<br />
ndelete lets you change your mind about deleting a<br />
record before you compress the list.<br />
REMEMBER . . .<br />
To minimize problems when saving or loading files,<br />
keep your mailing lists on a separate disk from your<br />
programs <strong>and</strong> from each other, <strong>and</strong> always keep" a disk<br />
in your disk drive when using the program. Remove the<br />
disk only when you have exited the program.<br />
When asked for a file name, don't use more than<br />
eight characters <strong>and</strong> don't use an extension.<br />
Be sure to keep a backup copy of your files to mini<br />
mize problems if something happens to them.<br />
And. always leave the program through the xit the<br />
program option of the initial menu, or some or all of<br />
your data may be lost.<br />
USING THE EDITOR<br />
Whenever you choose to tart a new mailing list,<br />
■A>dd. or dIt, the program enters the Editor, <strong>and</strong><br />
only certain keys will work.<br />
The BACKSPACE key deletes a character to the left of<br />
the cursor. To move the cursor from one line to anoth<br />
er, use the UP-ARROW <strong>and</strong> DOWN-ARROW keys (not<br />
the ENTER key).<br />
If you make an error in typing, you can move back<br />
<strong>and</strong> forth on the line by using the LEFT-ARROW <strong>and</strong><br />
RIGHT—ARROW keys. You can also switch between In<br />
sert mode <strong>and</strong> Overtype mode by pressing the INSERT<br />
key. (If you aren't familiar with these modes from word-<br />
processor experience, try them <strong>and</strong> you'll soon under<br />
st<strong>and</strong> the difference.)<br />
Finally, only use the ENTER key when you are fin<br />
ished entering the record <strong>and</strong> want to move to the next<br />
record. In Edit mode, pressing ENTER will redisplay the<br />
Comm<strong>and</strong> Screen.<br />
PRINTING LABELS<br />
When you choose -P>rint from the Comm<strong>and</strong> Screen,<br />
the program will go to the Print Screen. This screen is<br />
used to tell the computer the size of your mailing labels<br />
<strong>and</strong> how you want the labels printed.<br />
First, you will be asked to describe the labels that you<br />
arc using. Do this by telling the computer the number<br />
of Characters across, the number of Lines down, <strong>and</strong><br />
the number of Labels across.<br />
The number of Characters across is the number of<br />
characters from the first character of the first label to<br />
the first character of the next label on the same row.<br />
The number of Lines down is counted from the first<br />
line of a label to the first line of the next label below.<br />
The number of Labels across is the number of labels on<br />
one line across the width of the paper. The program will<br />
not allow more than 99 Characters across. 20 Lines<br />
down, <strong>and</strong> 4 Labels across. If you type 0 on any of the<br />
lines, the program will return you to the Comm<strong>and</strong><br />
Screen.<br />
For example, if you are using labels that are 20 char<br />
acters across. 10 lines down <strong>and</strong> only 1 label across,<br />
you would type the three numbers 20, 10. <strong>and</strong> 1 on the<br />
screen.<br />
Once you have entered valid numbers for the label<br />
size, the program enters the Template Screen. Here is<br />
where you tell the computer how you want the labels<br />
printed. On the left side of the screen is a list of all the<br />
76 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
data lines or fields (Last Name <strong>and</strong> First Name, for in<br />
stance) with numbers before them (these numbers rep<br />
resent these specific fields). You will use these numbers<br />
to lay out the label. On the right side of the screen is a<br />
list of letters, each one st<strong>and</strong>ing for one line on the la<br />
bel. To lay out the label, you type the number of the<br />
field you want printed on the appropriate line of the la<br />
bel. If you want to print more than one field on a single<br />
line of the label, the field numbers must be separated<br />
by a plus sign ( + ). You can also have a message or any<br />
other text printed on all the labels by typing that text<br />
on a label line. If you want a field or fields to print on<br />
the same line as your message, it must be separated<br />
from the message (<strong>and</strong> from other fields on the same<br />
line) by a plus sign.<br />
Using the labels from the above example, you could<br />
print a label to look like this:<br />
Attention: Wiley<br />
Wiley Coyote<br />
ACME Corp.<br />
123 Desert Plains<br />
Nowhere. CA 99999<br />
The template would be typed in as follows:<br />
a<br />
b<br />
c<br />
d<br />
e<br />
f<br />
g<br />
h<br />
i<br />
j<br />
Attention: +2<br />
2+ +1<br />
3<br />
4<br />
6-K + 7 + +8<br />
Press ENTER on any line you want to remain blank.<br />
Pressing ESC at any time will abort the printing <strong>and</strong> re<br />
turn you to the Comm<strong>and</strong> Screen. If you make a mis<br />
take on a line, you will have to retype the label again.<br />
You cannot edit a line of the template.<br />
After you type in the template, the program will show<br />
you how the current record will be printed <strong>and</strong> ask if it<br />
is correct. If it is not correct, the program will return to<br />
the Template screen for you to retype the label format.<br />
Once the label is correct, the program will ask you<br />
two questions: 1.) Do you want just the current name<br />
or all the names printed? <strong>and</strong> 2.) Do you want to start<br />
by printing the template? (You may want to say yes to<br />
this question in order to save the template for future<br />
reference.)<br />
Once these questions have been answered, put the la<br />
bels in your printer, <strong>and</strong> set it for the type size, style,<br />
<strong>and</strong> mode you want. (Depending on your printer, you<br />
may have to do this before running Mailing Labels;<br />
check your printer manual to find out how.) Press to<br />
begin printing. If you do not wish to print the labels at<br />
this time, press any other key besides the .<br />
CUSTOMIZING MAILING LABELS<br />
You can change the name <strong>and</strong> length of each data line<br />
to suit your particular needs very easily. Lines 16500-<br />
17020 are the length <strong>and</strong> label of each field. If you<br />
change these lines, there are a few rules that need to be<br />
followed:<br />
1. Make sure that each item in a DATA statement is<br />
separated from the next by a comma (.).<br />
2. Never remove a data item without replacing it with<br />
something else.<br />
3. Always make sure that line 16500 has 12 numbers
on it. If it doesn't, the computer will give you a "Type<br />
Mismatch Error."<br />
4. Always make sure that lines 17000-17020 contain<br />
12 labels. If not, the computer will give you an "Out of<br />
Data Error."<br />
5. Make sure that the length of the field plus the<br />
length of the label do not exceed 37. If they do, the com<br />
puter display will be double-spaced, <strong>and</strong> some of the in<br />
structions will overwrite your records. Also, the Editor<br />
will not work properly.<br />
IBM PC & compatibles Mailing Labels<br />
10 DEF SEG=&H40:V=(PEEK(&H10) AND 48)<br />
20 IF V=32 THEN WIDTH 40<br />
30 DEF SEG:KEY OFF:LOCATE ,,0:SCREEN 0,0<br />
40 DIM CO(12),H=0<br />
340 SN=1:1N=1;NR=0:GOSUB 10000:GOSUB 10500:GOSUB 11000<br />
350 IF NR=0 THEN CLOSE:GOTO 140 ELSE 450<br />
360 CLS:LOCATE 6,1:PRINT "Enter filename (without"<br />
370 INPUT "extension): ",F$:IF F$="" THEN 140<br />
380 IF F$="?" THEN GOSUB 9500:GOTO 360<br />
390 CLS:LOCATE 12,8:PRINT "Loading; please st<strong>and</strong> by."<br />
400 MM=0:OPEN F$+".SEQ" FOR INPUT AS «1<br />
410 INPUT/n,SN:INPUT#1,G:INPUT#1,IN:INPUT#1,NR<br />
420 FOR X=1 TO 1000:INPUT01,NI$(X,1):INPUTff1,NI$(X,2)<br />
430 FOR Y=1 TO 3:INPUTfli,P(X,Y):NEXT Y:N£XT X<br />
440 CLOSE 1:G0SUB 10000<br />
450 MM=0:GOSUB 4000<br />
460 G0SU8 10500:GOSUB 11500:LOCATE 16,1:C0L0R 2<br />
470 PRINT "Choose from the following comm<strong>and</strong>s:"<br />
480 PRINT "dd, ack., ompress, elete,"<br />
490 PRINT "dit, iIter, st, ndex/"<br />
500 PRINT "ast, ext, rint, uit,"<br />
510 PRINT "ave, Seach, or ndelete."<br />
520 COLOR 7:G0SUB 9000<br />
530 IF ZS$="Q" THEN GOSUB 7000:CLOSE:GOTO 140<br />
540 Z=INSTR("ABCDEF1ILNPSRU",ZS$)<br />
550 IF Z=0 THEN SOUND 400,2:GOTO 520<br />
560 ON Z GOSUB 1000,1500,2000,2500,3000,3500,4000,4500<br />
,5000,5500,6000,7000,7500,8000<br />
570 IF SN>NR THEN CLOSE:GOTO 320 ELSE 460<br />
580 CLOSE:CLS:KEY ON:ON ERROR GOTO 0:END<br />
999 REH —ADD A RECORD—<br />
1000 NF=-1:G0SUB 10500:GOSUB 11000:REC=DN<br />
1010 GOSUB 12000:RETURN<br />
1499 REM — BACK—<br />
1504) D=DN<br />
1510 Z=P(D,1):IF Z=0 THEN Y=D:GOTO 1530<br />
1520 IF P(Z,2)0 THEN Z=P(Z,2):GOTO 1520 ELSE 1560<br />
1530 Z=P(Y,3)<br />
1540 IF Z=0 THEN SOUND 400,2:REC=DN:GOSUB 12000:RETURN<br />
1550 IF P(2,1)=Y THEN Y=Z:GOT0 1530<br />
1560 REC=Z:GOSUB 12000:GOSUB 12500<br />
1570 IF FF THEN DN=Z:RETURN ELSE 0=Z:GOT0 1510<br />
1999 REH —COMPRESS—<br />
2000 GOSUB 13000:LOCATE 17,1<br />
2010 PRINT "Compressing; please st<strong>and</strong> by."<br />
2020 FOR X=1 TO NR:FOR Y=1 TO 3:P(X,Y)=0:NEXT Y:NEXT X<br />
2030 VT=FRE(A$):SN=1:F0R DN=1 TO NR:X=SN<br />
2040 IF NI$(DN,2)="*" THEN 2060<br />
2050 IF DN=SN THEN 2090 ELSE GOSUB 14530;GOTO 2090<br />
2060 IF DN=SN THEN SN=SN+1<br />
2070 IF G=0 THEN G=DN:GOTO 2090<br />
2080 P(DN,1)=G:G=DN<br />
2090 NEXT DN:GOSUB 4000:RETURN<br />
2499 REM --DELETE—<br />
2500 NI$(DN,2)="*":RETURN<br />
2999 REH —EDIT—<br />
3000 GOSUB 13000: IF GO0 THEN 3040<br />
3010 LOCATE 17,1:PRINT "There is no room to edit."<br />
3020 PRINT "Compress the file before editing."<br />
3030 GOSUB 13500:RETURN<br />
3040 ZSS=HLSUN):G0SU8 14000:IF ZS$=ML$(IN) THEN 3070<br />
3050 GOSUB 2500:DN=G:G=P(DN,1):GOSUB 8000<br />
3060 GOSUB 14500:IF NR)<br />
3640 CLS:GOSUB 4000:IF NOT NM THEN RETURN<br />
3650 LOCATE 12,6:PRINT "No records match the filter."<br />
3660 GOSUB 13500:NF=-1:NM=0:GOTO 3640<br />
3999 REM —FIRST—<br />
4000 D=SN<br />
4010 Z=P(D,1):IF ZO0 THEN D=Z:GOTO 4010<br />
4020 Z=D:GOSUB 5550:RETURN<br />
4499 REM — INDEX—<br />
4500 CLS:LOCATE 3,18:PRINT "INDEX"<br />
4510 FOR X=1 TO 10:LOCATE 5+X,13:PRINT USING "tflt. ";X;<br />
4520 PRINT LB$(X):NEXT X:LOCATE 17,13<br />
4530 INPUT "SeLect: ",Z:IF Z10 THEN RETURN<br />
4540 CLS:LOCATE 12,7<br />
4550 PRINT "Indexing; please st<strong>and</strong> by."<br />
4560 IN=Z:IF IN
PRODUCTIVITY<br />
5999 R6M —PRINT—<br />
6000 CLS:PRINT "Label. size:":FOR X=1 TO 3<br />
6010 PRINT HS$(X):NEXT X:FOR X=1 TO 3<br />
6020 ZS$="":LN=LEN)>12 THEN SOUND 400,2:GOTO 6200<br />
6300 X=X+1:IF X96)*(Z;SP$;FRS(FZ);SP$;FSS;<br />
10540 COLOR 7:RETURN<br />
10999 REM —INPUT RECORD—<br />
11000 LOCATE 18,1<br />
11010 PRINT "Leave the Last Name line blank when"<br />
11020 PRINT "you have no more names to add."<br />
11030 IF GO0 THEN 11080 ELSE CLS:LOCATE 6,1<br />
11040 PRINT "You have reached the limit for this"<br />
11050 PRINT "List. If you have more names to add,"<br />
11060 PRINT "start a new list.":GOSUB 13500<br />
11070 GOSUB 7000:RETURN<br />
11080 FOR X=1 TO 12:ML$(X)=STRINGS(L(X),32):NEXT X<br />
11090 GOSUB 11500:GOSUB 14000<br />
11100 IF ML$(1)=STRINGS(20,32) THEN RETURN<br />
11110 DN=G:G=PCDN,1):NI$CDN,2)="":IF NRN<br />
11120 GOSUB 14500:REC=DN:GOSUB 15000;GOTO 11030<br />
11499 REM —DISPLAY RECORD—<br />
11500 FOR X=1 TO 12:L0CATE R0(X),1<br />
11510 COLOR 2:PR1NT LBS(X);": ";:COLOR 7<br />
11520 PRINT ML$CX);CHRS(17):NEXT X<br />
11530 IF NI$CDN,2)"*" THEN RETURN<br />
11540 LOCATE 2,1:COL0R 10<br />
11550 PRINT "Marked for Deletion.":COLOR 7:RETURN<br />
11999 REM —READ RECORD—<br />
12000 IF IV2 THEN GET #2,2*REC-1 :FOR Y=1 TO 5:ML$CY)<br />
=RF$(Y):NEXT Y<br />
12010 IF IVO1 THEN GET #3,2*REC:F0R Y=6 TO 12-ML$tY) =<br />
RF$(Y):NEXT Y
PRODUCTIVITY<br />
12820 RETURN<br />
12499 REH —HATCH FILTER—<br />
12500 IF NF THEN FF=-1:RETURN<br />
1251© ZSS=LEFT$(HL$(FI)/LENCFS$))<br />
12520 IF CZSS1 AND FZ OR CZSS-FSS AND<br />
FS$ AND (FZ=2 OR FZ=5<br />
OR FZ=6)) THEN FF=-1 ELSE FF=0<br />
12530 RETURN<br />
12999 REH —CLEAR COMMAND LINE--<br />
13000 FOR X=16 TO 20:LOCATE X,1:PRINT BL$:NEXT X:RETUR<br />
N<br />
13499 REH —PRESS ANY KEY—<br />
13500 PRINT:PRINT TAB(7);"Press any key to continue."<br />
13510 GOSUB 900O:RETURN<br />
13999 REM --EDITOR—<br />
14000 CY=1:HF=0:LOCATE 21,1:PRINT "MODE: ";HOS(0);<br />
14010 T$=HL$(CY):CX=1<br />
K020 LOCATE ROCCY),CO(CY)+CX:PRINT CHR$(219)<br />
U030 LOCATE ROCCY),CO(CY)+CX:PRINT MIDS(T$,CX,1)<br />
14040 K$=INKEY$:IF KS="" THEN 14020<br />
14050 IF LEN(K$)=1 THEN 14140<br />
14060 DK=INSTR("KHHPR",RIGHT$(K$,1))<br />
14070 IF DK=0 THEN SOUND 400,2:GOTO 14020<br />
14080 ON DK GOTO 14090,14090,14100,14100,14120<br />
14090 DX=(DK=1)-(DK=2):IF (CX=1 AND DX=-1) OR CCX=L(CY<br />
) AND DX=1) THEN SOUND 400,2:GOTO H020 ELSE CX=CX+DX:<br />
GOTO 14020<br />
14100 HL$(CY)=T$:CY=CY+(DK=3)-(DK=4)<br />
14110 CY=(CY+11) HOD 12+1:G0TO 14010<br />
14120 HF=NOT HF:LOCATE 21,7<br />
K130 PRINT HD$CABSCHF)):GOTO 14020<br />
14140 IF
FUN & GAMES<br />
WRECKLESS RACER<br />
BY JOEY LATIMER<br />
Auto racing is a risky<br />
business. One minute<br />
you have the finish line<br />
in sight, <strong>and</strong> the next<br />
you're kissing a fence.<br />
With the high cost of<br />
auto insurance, that can<br />
be very expensive . . . not<br />
to mention what it can do<br />
to your face!<br />
If you'd like to do a lit<br />
tle racing of your own—<br />
minus the broken bones,<br />
of course—try Wreckless<br />
Racer. Just type in the<br />
program in BASIC, save<br />
it, <strong>and</strong> then run it. Follow<br />
the simple instructions<br />
displayed on the screen,<br />
<strong>and</strong> you'll be off <strong>and</strong><br />
racing!<br />
Apple II series Wrocfc/oss Racer<br />
Use the keyboard as<br />
your steering wheel <strong>and</strong><br />
cruise around the oval<br />
race track five times. If<br />
you manage to complete<br />
five laps <strong>and</strong> cross the<br />
finish line, your time will<br />
be posted <strong>and</strong> compared<br />
to the fastest time. Be<br />
sure to watch out for the<br />
walls, holes, <strong>and</strong> oil slicks<br />
on the track, or you will<br />
end up disqualified!<br />
OK. programmers, start<br />
your engines!<br />
10 DIM A(29),B(29),C(29),NC(4),NR(4)<br />
20 6$ = CHR$(7):F0R X = 1 TO 4:READ NC(X),NR(X):NEXT X<br />
30 FT = 999:FOR X = 1 TO 29;READ A(X),B(X),C(X):NEXT X<br />
40 Z = -16336:H0ME:G0SUB 1000:VTAB 5:HTAB 1<br />
50 PRINT "SET THE SPEED FACTOR BY ENTERING ANY"<br />
60 PRINT "NUMBER BETWEEN 1 (FASTEST) AND 7"<br />
70 PRINT "(SLOWt.ST).":PRINT<br />
80 GOSUB 2000:Sh = VALCK$>-1<br />
90 IF SP < 0 OR SP > 6 THEN PRINT G$:GOTO 80<br />
100 PRINT "DRIVE FIVE LAPS AROUND THE RACE TRACK"<br />
110 PRINT "AND TRY TO BEAT THE FASTEST TIME.":PRINT<br />
120 PRINT " THESE KEYS CONTROL THE CAR'S MOVEMENT:"<br />
130 PRINT:GOSUB 3000:PRINT:PRINT<br />
140 PRINT "PRESS TO START,"<br />
150 PRINT TAB(7);" TO CHANGE SPEED FACTOR, OR"<br />
160 PRINT TAB(7);" TO QUIT.11;<br />
170 GOSUB 2000:IF K$ = "C" THEN 40<br />
180 IF K$ = "Q" THEN HOME:END<br />
190 IF KS CHRSC13) THEN PRINT G$:GOTO 170<br />
200 HOME:L = 0:INVERSE:FOR X = 1 TO 19:VTAB X:HTAB 2<br />
210 PRINT SPC(38):NEXT X:NORMAL:FOR X = 1 TO 29<br />
220 VTAB A(X):HTAB BCX):PRINT SPCCC(X)):NEXT X<br />
230 VTAB INT(RND(1)*2)+4:HTA8 INTCRNDC1)*20)+13<br />
240 PRINT "x":VTAB 6:HTAB INT(RND(1)*8)+6:PRINT "X"<br />
250 VTAB INT(RND(1)*8)+6:HTAB INT(RND(1)*3)+35<br />
260 PRINT "X";VTAB INTCRNO(1)*11)+6<br />
270 HTAB INT(RND(1)*3)+4;PRINT "X"<br />
280 VTAB INT(RND(1)*4)+15:HTA8 INT(RN0(1)*3)+1fl<br />
290 PRINT "OIL":FLASH:VTAB 16:HTAB 18:PRINT "*":NORMAL<br />
300 FOR Y = 15 TO 18<br />
310 VTAB Y:HTAB 19:PRINT CHRSC124):NEXT Y<br />
320 VTAB 20:HTA8 2;PRINT "LAP: 0";SPCC4);"TIM£: 0";SPC<br />
80 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
(4);"FAST TIME: ";1NTCFT):GOSUB 3000<br />
330 VTAB 10:HTAB 12:G0SUB 1010:POKE -16368,0<br />
340 VTAB 12:HTAB 13:PRINT "PRESS TO START!";<br />
350 GOSUB 2000:IF K$ "L" THEN PRINT G$:GOTO 350<br />
360 VTAB 12:HTA8 13:INVERSE:PRINT SPC(19):NORMAL<br />
370 DX = 1:0Y = 0:DK = 4:TX = 18:TY = 16<br />
380 HX = TX:HY = TY:FI = 0<br />
390 VTAB HY:HTAB HX:PRINT CHRSC32)<br />
400 TX = TX+DX:TY = TY+DY<br />
410 CH = SCRNCTX-1,2*(TY-1))+16*SCRN 96)*(K < 123)<br />
510 IF K < 73 OR K > 76 THEN 540<br />
520 DK = K-72:DX = NCCDK):DY = NRCDK)<br />
530 IF F AND DK 4 THEN 560<br />
540 IF NOT F THEN 390<br />
550 F = 0:VTAB HY:HTAB HX:PRINT CHRS(124):GOTO 400<br />
560 FOR X = 1 TO 30<br />
570 VTAB TY:HTAB TX:PRINT CHR$(INT(RNDC1)*4)+41)<br />
580 62 = PEEK(Z)+PE£K(Z):NEXT X:GOSUB 1000<br />
590 VTAB 4:PRINT "SORRY! YOU RAN INTO SOMETHING!"<br />
600 PRINT "YOU HAVE BEEN DISQUALIFIED.":PRINT:GOTO 670<br />
610 FOR T = 1 TO 100:BZ = PEEKCZ)+PEEK(2):NEXT T<br />
620 HOME:PRINT<br />
630 PRINT "CONGRATULATIONS! YOU MADE IT!";PRINT<br />
640 PRINT:PRINT "YOUR TIME WAS "; INT(FI);11."<br />
650 IF FI < FT THEN FT = FI<br />
660 PRINT "THE FASTEST TIME IS ";INT(FT);".":PRINT<br />
670 PRINT "PRESS TO START AGAIN,":GOTO 150<br />
1000 HOME:VTAB 2:HTAB 9<br />
1010 PRINT "*—WRECKLESS RACER—*":RETURN<br />
2000 K = PEEK(-16384)-128:IF K < 0 THEN 2000<br />
2010 POKE -16368,0<br />
2020 K$ = CHR$(K-32*(K > 96)*CK < 123));RETURN<br />
3000 PRINT TABC3);"=LEFT =RIGHT =UP =DOWN"<br />
3010 PRINT<br />
3020 PRINT " DRIVE SAFELY. RUNNING INTO OIL SLICKS,";<br />
3030 PRINT " HOLES, OR WALLS WILL DISQUALIFY YOU!";<br />
3040 RETURN<br />
4000 DATA 0,-1,-1,0,0,1,1,0<br />
5000 DATA 2,4,14,2,27,10,3,3,16,3,26,12,4,3,36,5,3,36<br />
5010 DATA 6,3,36,7,3,6,7,18,10,7,35,4,8,3,5,8,19,7<br />
5020 DATA 8,35,4,9,3,5,9,35,4,10,3,5,10,35,4,11,3,5<br />
5030 DATA 11,35,4,12,3,5,12,35,4,13,3,6,13,35,4,14,3,8<br />
5040 DATA 14,34,5,15,3,36,16,3,35,17,4,33,18,5,31<br />
Commodore 64 & 128 (C 64 mode)/Wreckless Racer<br />
10 DIM A(29),9(29),C(29),NC(4),NR(4):PRINT CHRSC154)<br />
20 DN=51164:MV=49700:OV=51163:SB=1024:S=54272<br />
30 D$=CHR$(122):F0R X=1 TO 38:TR$=TR$+CHR$C32)<br />
40 SP$=SP$+CHR$(166):NEXT X<br />
50 FOR X=S TO S+23:P0KE X,0:NEXT X:POKE S+24,15<br />
60 POKE S+5,66:P0KE S+6,66:P0KE 53281,14:POKE 53280,14<br />
70 POKE 646,1:FOR X=1 TO 4:READ NCCX),NR(X) :NEXT X<br />
80 FT=999:F0R X=1 TO 29:READ A(X),BCX),C(X):NEXT X<br />
90 FOR X=49700 TO 49710:READ ML:POKE X,ML:NEXT X<br />
100 GOSUB 1O00:POKE DN,5:P0KE OV,0:SYS MV<br />
110 PRINT "SET THE SPEED FACTOR BY ENTERING A"<br />
120 PRINT "NUMBER BETWEEN 1 (FASTEST) AND 7"<br />
130 PRINT "(SLOWEST).";PRINT<br />
140 GOSUB 2000:SP=VAL(K$)-1:IF SP6 THEN 140<br />
170 PRINT "DRIVE FIVE LAPS AROUND THE RACE TRACK"<br />
180 PRINT "AND TRY TO BEAT THE FASTEST TIME.":PRINT<br />
190 PRINT " THESE KEYS CONTROL THE CAR'S MOVEMENT:"<br />
200 PRINT:GOSUB 3000:PRINT:PRINT<br />
210 PRINT "PRESS TO START,"
220 PRINT TAB(6);" TO CHANGE SPEED FACTOR, OR"<br />
230 PRINT TAB(6);" TO QUIT."<br />
240 POKE S+4,32;GOSUB 2000:IF K$="C" THEN 100<br />
250 IF K$O"Q" THEN 270<br />
260 PRINT CHR$C147);CHR$(154):P0KE 53280,6<br />
265 POKE 53281,6:POKE 6-V6,U:END<br />
270 IF K$OCHR$(13) THEN 240<br />
290 PRINT CHR$(U7);CHR$(U4);:L=0<br />
300 FOR X = 1 TO 19:PRINT TABC1);'SP$:NEXT X<br />
310 FOR X=1 TO 29:P0KE DN,ACX):POKE OV/B(X):SYS HV<br />
320 PRINT LEFT$(TR$,CCX)):NEXT X<br />
330 POKE DN,INT(RND(1)*2)+4:P0KE OV,INTCRND(1)*20)+13<br />
340 SYS MV:PRINT CHR$(158);D$<br />
350 POKE DN,5:POKE OV,INT(RND(1)*8)+5:SYS HV:PRINT D$<br />
360 POKE DN,INT(RNt>+3:SYS HV:PRIfJT 0$<br />
390 POKE 0N,INT(RND(1)*4)+14:POKE 0V,INTCRND(1)*3)+9<br />
400 SYS HV:PRINT CHRS(159>;"OIL"<br />
410 POKE DN,15:POKE 0V,18:SYS HV:PRINT CHRSCS);"*"<br />
420 FOR Y=14 TO 17:P0KE DN,Y:POKE 0V,19:SYS MV<br />
430 PRINT CHRSC221):NEXT Y:POKE DN,19:P0KE 0V,2<br />
440 SYS HVzPRINT CHRSC5);"LAP: 0";SPCC4);"TIME: 0";SPC<br />
(4);"FAST TIME:";FT<br />
470 GOSUB 3000:POKE DN,9:POKE OV,10:SYS MV:GOSUB 1010<br />
480 GET KS:IF K$"" THEN 480<br />
490 POKE DN,11:POKE OV,11:SYS MV<br />
500 PRINT "PRESS TO START!"<br />
510 GOSUB 2000:IF K$O"L" THEN 510<br />
530 POKE DN,11:POKE 0V,11:SYS HV<br />
540 PRINT CHR$(144);LEFT$(SPS,19);CHR$(5)<br />
550 DX=1:DY=0:DK=4:TX=18:TY=15:HX=TX:HY=TY:SL=TI<br />
560 POKE DN,HY:POKE OV,HX:SYS MV:PRINT CHRSC32);<br />
570 TX=TX+DX:TY=TY+DY<br />
580 CH=PEEK(SB+TX+40*TY):IF CH=32 THEN 630<br />
590 IF CHO93 THEN 740<br />
600 IF DK4 THEN 740<br />
610 F=-1:L=L+1:P0KE DN,19:P0KE 0V,6:SYS HV<br />
620 PRINT L:1F L=6 THEN 830<br />
630 POKE DN,TY:POKE OV,TX:SYS HV:PRINT "*";<br />
640 HX=TX:HY=TY:Fl=INT((TI-SL)/50)<br />
650 POKE DN,19:P0KE 0V,17:SYS HV:PRINT FI;<br />
660 FOR DE=0 TO 20*SP:NEXT 0E<br />
670 GET K$:IF K$="" THEN 710<br />
680 K=ASC(K$):IF K76 THEN 700<br />
690 DK=K-72:DX=NC(DIO:E)Y=NR
FUN & GAMES<br />
4010 DATA 1,3,14,1,26,10,2,2,16,2,25,12,3,2,36,4,2,36<br />
4020 DATA 5,2,36,6,2,6,6,17,10,6,34,4,7,2,5,7,18,7<br />
4030 DATA 7,34,4,8,2,5,8,34,4,9,2,5,9,34,4,10,2,5<br />
4040 DATA 10,34,4,11,2,5,11,34,4,12,2,6,12,34,4,13,2,4<br />
4050 DATA 13,33,5,14,2,36,15,2,35,16,3,33,17,4,31<br />
4060 DATA 174,220,199,172,219,199,24,32,240,255,96<br />
IBM PC & compatibles Wreck/ess Racer<br />
10 DEF SEG=8H40<br />
20 IF CPEEK(SH10) AND 485=32 THEN WIDTH 40<br />
30 DEF SEG:DIM A:PRINT SPACESCC(X))<br />
270 NEXT X:COLOR 4<br />
280 LOCATE INT(RND*2)+4,INT(RND*20)+13:PRINT CHR$(4)<br />
290 LOCATE 6,INT(RND*8)+6:PRINT CHR$(4)<br />
300 LOCATE INT(RN0*8)+6,INT(RND*3H35:PRINT CHR$(4)<br />
310 LOCATE INT(RND*11)+6,INT(RND*3)+4:PRINT CHRSC4)<br />
320 COLOR 12:LOCATE INT(RND*4)+15,INT(RND*3)+10<br />
330 PRINT "OIL":COLOR 31:LOCATE 16,18:PRINT "*"<br />
340 COLOR 15:FOR Y=15 TO 18<br />
350 LOCATE Y,19:PRINT CHRSC179):NEXT Y<br />
360 COLOR 13:LOCATE 20,3:PRINT "Lap: 0"<br />
370 COLOR 12:LOCATE 20,13:PRINT "Time: 0"<br />
380 COLOR 14:L0CATE 20,25:PRINT "Fast Time:";<br />
390 COLOR 15:PRINT FT:GOSUB 3000<br />
400 LOCATE 10,11:GOSUB 1010:COLOR 30<br />
410 K$=INKEY$:IF K$"" THEN 410<br />
420 LOCATE 12,12:PRINT "Press to start!":C0LOR 2<br />
430 GOSUB 2000: IF K$O"L" THEN BEEP: GOTO 430<br />
440 LOCATE 12,12:PRINT STRING$C19,178):COLOR 15<br />
450 DX=1:DY=0:DK=4:TX=18:TY=16:HX=TX:HY=TY:ST=TIMER<br />
460 LOCATE HY,HX:PRINT CHR$(32)<br />
470 TX=TX+DX:TY=TY+DY<br />
480 CH=SCREEN(TY,TX):IF CH=32 THEN 520<br />
490 IF CHO179 THEN 620<br />
500 IF DK4 THEN 620<br />
510 F=-1:L=L+1:LOCATE 20,7:PRINT L:IF L=6 THEN 670<br />
520 LOCATE TY,TX:PRINT "*":HX=TX:HY=TY<br />
530 FI=INT(TIHER-ST):IF FK0 THEN FI=FI+86400!<br />
540 LOCATE 20,18:PRINT FI<br />
550 FOR DE=0 TO 50*SP:NEXT DE<br />
560 K$=INKEY$:IF KS="" THEN 600<br />
570 GOSUB 2010:DK=INSTR("IJKL",K$)<br />
580 IF DK0 THEN DX=NC(DK):DY=NR(DK)<br />
590 IF F AND DKO4 THEN 620<br />
600 IF NOT F THEN 460<br />
610 F=0:LOCATE HY,HX:PRINT CHRSO79) :GOTO 470<br />
620 FOR X=1 TO 30:COLOR INT(RND*15)+1<br />
630 LOCATE TY,TX:PRINT "*":SOUND INT(RND*100)+100,.5<br />
640 NEXT X:COLOR 2:G0SUB 1000:COLOR 14<br />
650 LOCATE 4,1:PRINT "Sorry! You ran into something!"<br />
660 PRINT "You have been disqualified.":PRINT:GOTO 720<br />
82 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPLTING<br />
670 PLAY "L16MBO1CDEFGA6FEDC":CLS:COLOR 14:PRINT<br />
680 PRINT "Congratulations! You made it!":PRINT<br />
690 COLOR 12:PRINT:PRINT "Your time was";STR$(FI);"."<br />
700 COLOR 11 :IF FKFT THEN FT=FI<br />
710 PRINT "The fastest time is";STRS(FT);"."-.PRINT<br />
720 COLOR 2<br />
730 PRINT "Press to start again,":GOTO 190<br />
1000 CLS:LOCATE 2,10,0<br />
1010 COLOR 13:PRINT "*—Wreckless Racer—*":RETURN<br />
2000 KS=INKEY$:IF K$="" THEN 2000<br />
2010 K=ASC(K$):K$=CHR$(K-CK>96)*(K
490 IF CHO124 THEN 640<br />
500 IF DK4 THEN 640<br />
510 F=-1:L0CATE 20,29:PRINT L:L=L+1<br />
520 LOCATE 20,29:PRINT L:IF L=6 THEN 700<br />
530 LOCATE TY,TX+23:PRIHT "*":HX=TX:HY=TY<br />
540 LOCATE 20,42:PRINT FI<br />
550 FI=TIHER-START:IF FK0 THEN FI=FI+86400!<br />
560 LOCATE 20,42;PRINT FI:FOR DE=0 TO 50*SP:NEXT DE<br />
570 K$=INKEY$:IF K$="" THEN 610<br />
580 GOSUB 1010:DK=INSTRC"IJKL",K$)<br />
590 IF DKO0 THEN DX=NC(DK) :DY=NRlt>K)<br />
600 IF F AND DKO4 THEN 640<br />
610 IF NOT F THEN 460<br />
620 F=0:CALL TEXTHODE(0):LOCATE HY,HX+23<br />
630 PRINT CHRSC124):CALL TEXTHO0E(2):G0TO 470<br />
640 FOR X=1 TO 30<br />
650 LOCATE TY,TX+23:PRINT CHR$(INT(RND*4)+42)<br />
660 SOUND INT(RNO*100)+100,.5:NEXT X:CLS:LOCATE 4,24<br />
670 PRINT "Sorry! You ran into something!"<br />
680 PRINT TAB(24);"You have been disqualified."<br />
690 PRINT:GOTO 780<br />
700 CLS:PRINT:FOR X=100 TO 5.50 STEP 10<br />
710 SOUND X,.5;NEXT X<br />
720 PRINT TABC24);"CongratuLation5! You made it!"<br />
730 PRINT:PRINT<br />
740 PRINT TAB(24);"Your time was";STRSCFI);"."<br />
750 IF FKFT TH£N FT=FI<br />
760 PRINT TAB(24);"The fastest time is";STR$CFT);"."<br />
770 PRINT<br />
780 PRINT TABC24);"Press to start again,"<br />
790 GOTO 160<br />
1000 K$=INKEY$:IF K$="" THEN 1000<br />
1010 K=ASC(K$):K$=CHR!(K-(K>96)*(K*32):RETURN<br />
2000 PRINTrPRINT TAB(26);"=Left =right =up =down"<br />
2010 PR1NT:PRINT TAB(24);"Drive safely. Running into<br />
oi I slicks,";"<br />
202© PRINT TAB(24);"holes, or walls will disqualify yo<br />
u!":RETURN<br />
3000 DATA 0,0,0,-1,-1,0,0,1,1,0<br />
4000 DATA 2,4,14,2,27,10,3,3,16,3,26,12,4,3,36,5,3,36<br />
4010 DATA 6,3,36,7,3,6,7,18,10,7,35,4,8,3,5,8,19,7<br />
4020 DATA 8,35,4,9,3,5,9,35,4,10,3,5,10,35,4,11,3,5<br />
4030 DATA 11,35,4,12,3,5,12,35,4,13,3,6,13,35,4,14,3,8<br />
4040 DATA 14,34,5,15,3,36,16,3,35,17,4,33,18,5,31<br />
THE SYSTEMS WE TEST ON<br />
Every family & home-office computing program is thoroughly test<br />
ed before publication. The exacl systems we use during the<br />
testing process are listed here. Although you can be sure that a<br />
program will work if your system matches ours, a comparable<br />
system configuration should also work. For example, even<br />
though we do nol test on the Franklin Ace. Apple programs<br />
should work on this system. Any exception to the following<br />
hardware <strong>and</strong> software configurations will be listed in (he chart<br />
on page 71. Systems that do not have specific printers listed<br />
were tested with Epson FX-80 printers when printer options<br />
were available.<br />
Apple lie in 40-column mode w/64K RAM, DOS 3.3. two disk<br />
drives, MPC parallel-printer interface, monochrome <strong>and</strong> color<br />
monitors. Apple programs should also work on Apple I1/c/P1us/gs<br />
<strong>and</strong> under ProDOS. Commodore 128 in C 64 mode with two 1571<br />
disk drives, color monitor, <strong>and</strong> Micrografix parallel graphics<br />
interface. Programs should also work on Commodore 64/64C/<br />
128D. IBM PC W/640K RAM. Disk BASIC D2.00, IBM Mono<br />
chrome Display <strong>and</strong> Printer Adapter, monochrome monitor,<br />
IBM Color/Graphics Monitor Adapter. RGB monitor. AST Sixpack<br />
Plus, <strong>and</strong> IBM PC DOS 3.10. Should also work on IBM PCjr<br />
<strong>and</strong> IBM PS/2 Models 25 <strong>and</strong> 30. Macintosh w/512K RAM. two<br />
disk drives. Microsoft BASIC 2.1. <strong>and</strong> ImageWriter printer. Mac<br />
intosh programs should also work on 128K Mac/Mac Plus/SE/II<br />
<strong>and</strong> under Microsoft BASIC 2.0.<br />
TIPS TO<br />
THE<br />
TYPIST<br />
SOME GENERAL RULES<br />
1. Read instructions <strong>and</strong> program headings carefully.<br />
2. Don't let fatigue <strong>and</strong> boredom contribute to inaccu<br />
racy. If you're new to programming, type in a longer<br />
program in easy stages. sAVEing each installment as you<br />
go-<br />
3. Assume that every character in a program listing<br />
must be copied accurately if a program is to work.<br />
4. Watch out for potential trouble spots. About 90 per<br />
cent of all typing errors occur in data statements.<br />
5. Be aware that our program listings are printed 54<br />
characters wide. Thus, a single BASIC program "line"<br />
(sometimes called a "logical line") may appear as several<br />
lines in our listing. If you are typing along <strong>and</strong> reach the<br />
right margin of the printed listing, don't press RETURN<br />
or ENTER before checking to see if the program "line"<br />
you're typing really ends there.<br />
6. To correct an error in a BASIC program line, type<br />
the line in again from the beginning <strong>and</strong> press RETURN<br />
or ENTER to replace the old line.<br />
DEBUGGING HINTS<br />
1. Write down any error messages you receive.<br />
2. Look up error messages in your manual, <strong>and</strong> check<br />
the indicated lines for simple mistakes. Also check relat<br />
ed lines, such as the data statements corresponding to a<br />
read routine. Correct all the problems you can find, <strong>and</strong><br />
save a corrected' copy of the program before typing run<br />
again.<br />
3. list the program in screen-size chunks (check your<br />
manual for instructions on how to list parts of a program)<br />
or get a printout. Compare what you've typed in—letter<br />
by letter—to the published program. Make sure that you<br />
haven't dropped or mixed up some punctuation,<br />
switched uppercase text for lowercase, or vice versa, or<br />
miscounted the characters (<strong>and</strong>/or spaces) between a pair<br />
of quotes.<br />
4. Mistakes in data statements are the single most com<br />
mon cause of program failures. If you can't find your<br />
error in the lines the computer specifies, check your data<br />
statements line by line, letter by letter, comma by comma.<br />
5. If all else fails, turn off your computer <strong>and</strong> relax.<br />
Then try again the next day—exhausted proofreaders are<br />
careless proofreaders.<br />
(212) 505-3703<br />
A HELP LINE FOR PROGRAM PROBLEMS<br />
Call our Program Status Line any time of the day or night to<br />
receive an up-to-date summary of our latest programs, the ma<br />
chines on which they run, <strong>and</strong> any corrections or enhance<br />
ments to the programs.<br />
JUNE <strong>1988</strong> 83
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TO PLACE YOUR AD:<br />
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August <strong>1988</strong> 5/26/88<br />
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November <strong>1988</strong> 8/25/88<br />
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Prepayment Required<br />
Publisher reserves the right to reject.<br />
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ACCESSORIES<br />
TS206S Floppy Disk Interface <strong>and</strong><br />
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Austin, TX 78760. (512)451-5874.<br />
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Free Sample <strong>and</strong> Price List<br />
SIRGO. Box 178. Dver. IN 46311<br />
PRODIGY PRODUCTS CO.<br />
P.O. BOX 18116. CLEVELAND. OHIO 44118-0116<br />
YOUR RELIABLE PARTNER FOR<br />
COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SUPPLIES<br />
Less SS for Ribbons. Modems & More<br />
• .Apple Ima^eunter 111 ....S3.25<br />
" Apple 4-CrJlnr Primary S9.50<br />
• Commodore MPS-80J.MPS-803 S4.25<br />
' CitUen 120D S5.00<br />
' Epson EX-8001000 S6.00<br />
' Epson MX-8O'85fl0 S3.50<br />
1 Epson FXM»RX-IOO'L85/286 $4.75<br />
' OkldataML120/lK2/]92/193 $5.00<br />
1 Pana.KX-P 10BO.I090'9L-92 $5.00<br />
■ Panasonic KX-P 1592'1595 S5.00<br />
c Comp. Paper (20II>/I000pc) S19<br />
° 2400 baud internal modem S149<br />
° 2400 baud external modem $185<br />
■ S/H; Ribbons S3 Paper/Modem: 85<br />
- Min:S 15 Terms; Chc/Nel<br />
SILICON OUTPUT SUPPLIES<br />
41-11 149th Street<br />
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i vert.. ! horlz./set<br />
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...... PCjr LOVERS!!!<br />
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THE JUNIOR REPORT, PO BOX 59067<br />
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312/310-9033<br />
• COMPUTER PILOTS *<br />
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Order your copy today!<br />
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Enjoy the Best in<br />
Computer Bridge (<br />
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CIRCLE READER SERVICE 55<br />
TI99/4A Owners: MICROpcndium Is a<br />
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$20/year or $2 for sample. Box 1343.<br />
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THE HACKERS HELPER: ADAM <strong>and</strong> Z80<br />
a Z80 & Oper. System Tutorial<br />
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COMPUTERS, FROM BASIC TO BASIC<br />
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send SI.00 info.. J&J Enterprises<br />
TO Box 570-597-FC, Miami. FL 33257<br />
FREE BOOKLET. Anyone can profit!<br />
"How To Make Money With Computers"<br />
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Box 23478. Dept F-6; San Diego. CA<br />
92123.<br />
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MOONLIGHTING MADE SIMPLE<br />
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MAKE MONEY WITH MICROCOMPUTERS<br />
SUBSCRIBE TO COMPU-VENTURE. SEND<br />
$2./samplcor$12.00/12 issues. MSC.<br />
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Financing" mall $4.95 to: O'Hurley<br />
Inc.. TO Box 2314, Jolitt. 1L 60434<br />
JUNE <strong>1988</strong> 85
COMFVIER SEHVEES & CONSTULTANTS<br />
Break into new field today. Also<br />
Computer, Business & reference books.<br />
Enterprises BDS. 441718th Ave..<br />
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GUARANTEED BUSINESS OPP.<br />
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DLMW. Box li'JA. Bronxvflte, NY I070H<br />
COMPUTER PARTS<br />
APPLE SERVICE PARTS<br />
Genuine Apple replacement ports Tor<br />
all Apple computers. Most items<br />
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CONSUMERS' GOODS<br />
YOU'VE HEARD OF THE POTENTIAL<br />
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LISTEN TO THE REALITY<br />
Bob Fugett's "Factory Preset" Music<br />
Cassette. Box 31, Sugar Loaf, NY<br />
10981. (91414H9-9272. SI 1.50.<br />
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Specify computer. Send<br />
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[■"REE SOFTWARE IC-ti-U Send 1 slump<br />
for catalog Games, Bduc, Bus. Util. Etc<br />
RVH PuBllcatlone 429! Holl<strong>and</strong> lid.<br />
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Ka-virj Micro Inc. 30 Murray Hill Dr. Spring<br />
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3JSII KU> F-wy<br />
86 FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE COMPUTINU<br />
CLASSIFIED<br />
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Apple. Commodore, TI-99, Atari. IBH-I'C<br />
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multi Video services box 246<br />
K. AMI ERST. NY 1 -1051. Tall after S I'M<br />
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NEC muluspeed laptop, B4OK. dou<br />
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GLASS BUSINESS EQUIPMENT<br />
TO Box 287. Peralta, NM 87042.<br />
RIBBONS<br />
RIBBON RE-NEW<br />
will re-Ink 35 ribbons<br />
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2223 Rebecca. Hatfield. FA<br />
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LegalEase $129.95, S&H 57.50<br />
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Business Cards Free Samples &■ Inlo<br />
1000 ONLY $19.95. RogSS Publishing<br />
Dept FC. Box 36042. Indpls. IN 46236<br />
SOFTWARE<br />
STOCKMARKET INVESTORS<br />
STOCK SECTOR ANALYZER identifies<br />
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Use data from daily newspaper. SEND<br />
S9.95 TODAY to F. PEARCE [Pub-F-1)<br />
13185 Vet Mem Dr. Houston. TX 77014<br />
IBM PUBLIC DOMAIN PROGRAMS<br />
SI.99 on 5.25 — 82.99 on 3.5 Inch<br />
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TOP-SHELF SOFTWARE disk <strong>Magazine</strong>.<br />
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magazine: $1 for 5.25 — $2 for 3.5.<br />
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PO Box 6203. Hollywood. KL 33081<br />
SUPER DISCOUNTED SOFTWARE<br />
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Digital Research C1"M 2.2 manual.<br />
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EniaraAssoc. P.O. Box (5922<br />
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Public Do mill n Software<br />
for C64, C128, CPM & IBM at S3 per<br />
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TI-99/4A Software/Besl Selections<br />
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Join Us<br />
Newsletters, tech help + More<br />
Send S10 for lyr membership to<br />
IPCG, 2269 S. University Dr.<br />
#118AF, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33324<br />
UNI9UE ADAM SOFTWARE<br />
Sena targe SASE for catalog,<br />
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Box 690. Hlcksville. NX 11801<br />
IUM PC K JR PUBLIC DOMAIN<br />
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RD 1 Box 273A, Newark Valley, m 13811<br />
C B4 AM) IfflH-PC SOFTWARE CHEAPHI<br />
Send for free catalog of business.<br />
utility, educational, home management<br />
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IBM PUBLIC DOMAIN SOFTWARE<br />
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.JDX/F. I'O 1561. Corona. CA 91718
['RECK IBM/COMP SOFTWARE public<br />
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po Box 485. Daleviile, XL 36322<br />
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BOX 1155, W. IJAHYLON. NY 11704<br />
PROGRAMS. IBM & compatible or APPLE<br />
at bargain prices less than S4.0&<br />
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TANDY 1000. i'rojjmms/NcvLsletter<br />
Send for lnlo. Soda Pop SW.<br />
I' O Box 653. Kenosha. Wl 5314 1<br />
Cheap software/IBM. PCjr., or IBM<br />
compatibles. For 5.25 or 3.5 disk.<br />
For catalog on educational, games.<br />
business, <strong>and</strong> etc. diskettes.<br />
Write: Morning Star. P.O. Box 3095<br />
Ann Arbor, MI 48106<br />
NEW ADAM SOFTWARE!<br />
Send SASE for info REEDY SOFTWARE<br />
100H5 60th Street. Alto, Ml 49302<br />
FREE PUBLIC DOMAIN Catalogs-Send stamp<br />
specify Applr II. IBM-PC.TKS-80 M3'4<br />
S:t-Applc II Cat. &2-GAMEDISKS [5.251<br />
ALADDIN. 1001 Colfax St. Danville 1L61832<br />
Great ADAM software. NEW SBaslC II<br />
program versions. Stamp or 25c<br />
for catalog to Practical Programs<br />
P.O. Box 244, Kalamazoo. Ml 49005<br />
APPLE PUBLIC DOMAIN SOFTWARE<br />
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311 626-720B V1SA,MC 1 -800-52J-9467<br />
CLASSIFIED<br />
1HM I'UULIC DOMAIN SOFTWARE<br />
S3.00 per disk. 850 volumes. 24 hour<br />
delivery, Send 81 for catalog disk<br />
to: Windward Public Software. P.O.<br />
I)ox4630, Kancohe, Hawaii 96744<br />
FREE CATALOG<br />
Discount software for your<br />
home computer. Apple. Atari.<br />
Commodore. IBM...<br />
WMJ Dala Systems-F<br />
4 Butterfly Drive.<br />
Hauppaufie. NY 11788<br />
(516)543-5252.<br />
CLASSIC APPLE SOFTWARE<br />
Public Domain at its BEST, send<br />
S2. for catalog disk to Mlcrodata<br />
Software Exchange. PO Box 6765.<br />
Chico. CA 95927.<br />
FRIENDFAM GREAT GIFT IDEA<br />
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lUM Compatible Software lets you<br />
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more. User guide included. For<br />
prompt delivery send S29.95 to<br />
CKI'ITENDEN SYSTEMS<br />
2151 Packerl<strong>and</strong> Dr.<br />
Green Bay, Wl 54304<br />
VIDEOGAMES<br />
JO0"S OF TITLES AVAILABLE<br />
ATARI A 5200 ■ H2S<br />
ADAM" igM Amiga<br />
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use by busy homeowners & small<br />
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PRICE S59.95 t 1S2.00 S'HI Checks/<br />
Vtaa/M.C. nrcepteci. Specify Apple 1 lc,<br />
1 le. 11 ji», IBM IV Cor Compatible. SOF-<br />
TECH INDUSTRIES, INC., BOX 117A.<br />
HUGHESV1LLE. 1'A 17737 17171 584-<br />
5191 (PA residents Add 6% Tax).<br />
Inexpensive CC4.128. MS-DOS Software<br />
Write for catalog-Line OType<br />
51(i() Lake Dr.. OWOSSO, MI 48867<br />
FREE CATALOG!!! Over 1000 Public<br />
Domain programs lor IHM compatible,<br />
mid Macintosh. Specify computer.<br />
KLEE-P.O.B 15022 Ann Arbor. Ml 48106<br />
TIEBREAKER SOFTWARE<br />
Complete MKRRIAM-WEBSTER wordlists<br />
mid pnffiBina [nr IHM-PCCornpatibles<br />
Send SI.00 for Infonnation to:<br />
T & C Enterprises. P.O. IJox 5928<br />
Texarkatia. TX 75505-592H<br />
FKEE CATALOG. IBM I'D Software.<br />
S2/dlsk. Miflh Desert Software.<br />
TO Box 1158! Vlctorvillc. CA 92392<br />
GAMES! IBM HOME<br />
COMPUTER SOFTWARE!<br />
We have quality software specially<br />
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ACCOUNTING <strong>and</strong> FINANCE MANAGER 11.<br />
Also Education. Eiudgct. Investment.<br />
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Free detailed catalog. The PC Arcade<br />
276-F Morclwuse Kd. F.aslon CT 06612<br />
C-6U28 RNEST IHIiLIC IX)M\1\ PROGRAMS<br />
PRETESTED QUALITY PROGKAMS—MOST<br />
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GRAMS THAT YOU WANT: FHEE DISKFULL<br />
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LIST/DESCRIPTION SEND SASE TO: JLH<br />
DEIT.F, BOX 67021. TOPEKA. KS 6G6B7<br />
FREE PUBLIC DOMAIN SOFTWARE<br />
Request free catalog or send S2 for<br />
sample disk & catalog (refundable)<br />
APPLE. C64-128 (specify computer).<br />
CALOKE INT). Bra IH477- Ranown. MO 64133<br />
IBM PCjr. CHEAP SOFTWARE<br />
Sample disk— 11 programs S5.00<br />
Stud stamp for list. RATH FIELD<br />
O h Ave., Clevel<strong>and</strong>. MS 38732<br />
FREE ADAM ' C-64 / TI99 OFFER<br />
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Order l>ol!i above disks S18. or one<br />
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* Moneyback Gnarantee '<br />
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Southburv. CT 06488<br />
SAVE 30-38% on Software !!!<br />
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•*** FREE IBM SOFTWARE ****<br />
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serious learning programs, many<br />
under S10. For free catalog:<br />
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PO Box 133C Leetsdale. PA 15056<br />
412-728-7637<br />
LOW-COST. HIGH QUALITY SOFT<br />
WARE! ONLY THE MOST RECENT. MOST<br />
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SECURITY FOR IBM PCs<br />
1'assword protection S29.95<br />
Catalog $2 ref w/ordcr. DLM Assoc..<br />
Box 7674. Greenwich. CT 06836<br />
SI000 Software Library' For Under<br />
$100. Legally! Send S3 For Booklet:<br />
SYSTEMS. Hox' 456, Wilburtim. OK 74578<br />
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IBM CATALOG<br />
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PLUS ON-DISK CATALOG of over<br />
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priced as low as S2.99 each<br />
Send SI.50 to cover<br />
shipping <strong>and</strong> h<strong>and</strong>ling,<br />
GOLD COAST COMPUTING<br />
Box 1257-FC05<br />
Secaucus, NJ 07096-1257<br />
ADAM & APPLE SALE! Up to 50% off.<br />
RENT THE BEST OF APPLE Public<br />
Domain Software $1 a Dlskful!<br />
.4-1 stamps lor Catalog ft Specials!<br />
NICKELODEON GRAPHICS<br />
RT 6. Box 2460. NaCQgdoches. TX 75961<br />
IBM SOFTWARE<br />
From S2.00 Per Disk<br />
5'/t"Bt 3W Formats.<br />
Free 24-Page Catalog,<br />
SOFSOURCE<br />
Box 828. East Lansing, Ml 48826<br />
USED COMPUTERS<br />
WANTED<br />
COMPUTERS WANTED<br />
Any micro computer systems, parts.<br />
or peripherals. An quantity—Any<br />
condition. Pre-Owned Electronics,<br />
30ClematisAve.. Waltham. MA02154<br />
617-891-6851.<br />
USERS' CROUPS<br />
#1 ADAM USERS' GROUP<br />
Receive "SPRITE CHASER" newslet<br />
ter. Advanced updating, evaluations<br />
on programs, hardware, technical in<br />
formation direct from Coleco. Prob<br />
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discount buying scrvicc-clc.<br />
Send S15 for charter membership to:<br />
#1 ADAM USERS' GROUP<br />
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Cherry Hll!. NJ 0R034<br />
!6O9l667-2526IVlSA'\IASTe:R-ADD$ I<br />
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IBM COMPATIBLE USERS GROUP<br />
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Newsletters h lech help + More<br />
Send S10 for 1 yr membership to:<br />
IPCG. 2269 S. University Dr. # I i 8AF.<br />
Ft. Lauderdalc. FL 33324<br />
JUNE 198H 87
■i mm ■»■ ■■ bbbi ■» m h<br />
CHECKING<br />
OUT THE HITS!<br />
Back issues of <strong>Family</strong> & Home Office<br />
<strong>Computing</strong> are now available. These<br />
"Oldies but Goodies" contain exclusive infor<br />
mation on software, shopping guides, hard<br />
ware reviews, original programs <strong>and</strong> tips for<br />
getting the most out of your computer.<br />
To order, see issue details <strong>and</strong> check off the<br />
ones you want. Send this entire ad—along<br />
with your check or money order—to our ad<br />
dress below. Supplies are limited, so please<br />
order today.<br />
CUT OUT ENTIRE AD.<br />
CHECK THE ISSUES YOU WANT.<br />
D 1/84 A Review of Coleco's Adam<br />
G 2/84 A Guide to Programming Languages<br />
□ 3/84 Buyer's Guide to Modems<br />
□ 4/84 Info on Computers <strong>and</strong> Careers<br />
□ 5/84 A Review of Apple's Macintosh<br />
[ | 6/84 Earning Money Using Your Compuler<br />
C] 7/84 Buyer's Guide to Portable Computers<br />
□ 8/84 Special Beginner Programs<br />
n 9/84 SAT Software;<br />
Buyer's Guide lo Disk Drives<br />
□ 10/84 Buyers Guide to Printers Under S600<br />
□ 11/84 Software to Challenge Your Children<br />
□ 12/84 Best-ever Shopping Guide<br />
L) 1/85 Putting Your Finances in Order<br />
□ 2/85 Computer Care <strong>and</strong> Maintenance<br />
□ 3/85 Telecomputing: The Great Computer-Phone<br />
Link<br />
H 4/85 Best Prices on Color Printers<br />
LJ 5/85 Using Spreadsheets: The New Tools for<br />
Decision-Making at Home<br />
□ fi/85 Upgrading Your Computer System<br />
D 7/85 Leisure Time <strong>and</strong> Your Computer<br />
D 8/85 Be Your Own Stockbroker!<br />
G 9/85 Learning at Home With Computers<br />
LJ 10/85 Business at Home: Guide to Computers<br />
□ 11/85 More <strong>Power</strong> for the Home: Guide to<br />
Computers<br />
□ 12/85 Second Annual Shopping Guide<br />
1-4 issues, $4.25 each<br />
5-10 issues, $3.50 each<br />
10 or more issues, S3.00 each<br />
Total number of issues: .<br />
Enclosed is my □ check<br />
i~l money order for S<br />
Postage arid h<strong>and</strong>ling m induiJW in pnra Paimenl must accompany<br />
older Peiie alia* 6-8 weeks lor delivery<br />
CwWPUTiNG<br />
BACK ISSUES<br />
P.O. Box 717, Cooper Station<br />
New York. NY 10276-0717<br />
L Published by M Scholastic, Inc.<br />
88 FAMILY fli HOMK-OFFICE COMPUTING<br />
MAIL<br />
ORDER<br />
MADE<br />
SAFE<br />
Ordering merch<strong>and</strong>ise by mail can be a conve<br />
nient way lo save time, energy, <strong>and</strong> even mon<br />
ey. It is the best way to buy products that can<br />
not be found locally. We encourage mail-order<br />
buying. We suggest that you read the following<br />
to ensure that you have a successful experi<br />
ence.<br />
BEFORE TOU BUYl<br />
• Call the company, if possible. Check years in<br />
business. Ask for references. Are they listed In<br />
the phone book? Ask for a contact name to use<br />
in future dealings.<br />
• Read the product description. Make sure the<br />
product offered Is what you want. If possible,<br />
Investigate the seller's claim. Find out if the<br />
product will do what the ad says. Is consum<br />
er support offered if you have trouble getting<br />
the product to function properly?<br />
• Note the promised delivery or shipment<br />
lime. The seller must ship your order when<br />
promised. If no specific time is promised, the<br />
seller must ship no later than 30 days after<br />
receiving your order.<br />
• Find out the merchant's return policy. Does<br />
the company offer guarantees? If it's a thirdparty<br />
product, is the manufacturers warrantee<br />
valid?<br />
PLACE THE ORDER:<br />
• Send complete order information as in<br />
structed, incomplete Information may delay<br />
your order. The 30-day period does noi begin<br />
until the seller receives a properly completed<br />
form.<br />
• Keep a copy of your order <strong>and</strong> the original<br />
advertisement.<br />
• Make a note of the merchant's name, ad<br />
dress, <strong>and</strong> the date of your order. (If you place<br />
your order by telephone, note time <strong>and</strong> dale of<br />
your conversation <strong>and</strong> the name of the person<br />
with whom you speak.)<br />
• Keep a record of your payment (a canceled<br />
check or charge-card statement).<br />
IP TOU HAVE A PROBLEM:<br />
• Contact the company. If contact is made by<br />
phone, keep a record of the time <strong>and</strong> date of<br />
call <strong>and</strong> the name of person with whom you<br />
speak. Follow-up In writing, describing the<br />
problem. Include copies of the order <strong>and</strong> your<br />
payment records: outline any solution reached<br />
during any previous phone calls.<br />
IF TOU CANNOT RESOLVE TOUR<br />
PROBLEM, TOU CAN:<br />
• Call your local or state consumer-protection<br />
office.<br />
• Call the local or state consumer-protection<br />
office located nearest the company.<br />
• Call your local Postmaster. Ask for the name<br />
<strong>and</strong> address of the appropriate postal Inspec<br />
tor-! n-Charge. This is a federal authority who<br />
may be able to resolve such disputes.<br />
• If merch<strong>and</strong>ise was paid for by credit card,<br />
contact credit-card company providing full in<br />
formation about your problem. Your credit-card<br />
company may be able to resolve your com<br />
plaint.<br />
• Contact the book, magazine, or newspaper<br />
publisher that carried, or is currently carrying.<br />
the advertisement. Publishers can be helpful in<br />
resolving complaints.<br />
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON "SHOPPING BY<br />
MAIL." WRITE THE FEDERAL TRADE COM<br />
MISSION. Pennsylvania Ave. <strong>and</strong> Sixth St.<br />
N.W.. Washington. D.C. 20580<br />
ADVERTISER INDEX<br />
JUNE<br />
FAMILY & HOME-OFFICE<br />
COMPUTING<br />
Advertiser<br />
Index<br />
Actlvlsion<br />
Alpha-One Ltd.<br />
Broderbund<br />
Canon<br />
Charles Schwab<br />
Claris<br />
CompuServe<br />
Compucrafls<br />
Compuler Direct<br />
Computer Direct<br />
Comwcll & Associates<br />
Covox<br />
Danbury Mini<br />
EMP Software Inc.<br />
Electronic Arts<br />
Electronic Arts<br />
Epyx<br />
F&HOC Instant Programcr<br />
Ford<br />
Gems Computers<br />
Great Game<br />
HallX Institute<br />
International Users Group<br />
Koei<br />
MW Ruth<br />
<strong>Magazine</strong>s on Disk<br />
Menu<br />
Microcom<br />
Microsoft<br />
PC Enterprises<br />
Ricoh<br />
SDC<br />
Salinon<br />
Smart Luck<br />
Soft-Byte<br />
Soft world<br />
Spinnaker<br />
Sublogic<br />
Taito<br />
Taito<br />
T<strong>and</strong>y<br />
Tenex Computer Express<br />
Time works<br />
U.S. Air Force<br />
USA Direct<br />
Video Technology<br />
Viking Technology<br />
Page<br />
No.<br />
61<br />
84<br />
27<br />
4<br />
13<br />
18-19<br />
15<br />
84<br />
74<br />
75<br />
28<br />
84<br />
21<br />
34<br />
24-25<br />
30-31<br />
33<br />
57<br />
2-3<br />
16<br />
85<br />
16<br />
84<br />
55<br />
84<br />
9<br />
79<br />
6<br />
C2-1<br />
85<br />
11<br />
84<br />
34<br />
81<br />
79<br />
84<br />
67<br />
69<br />
35<br />
36-37<br />
C4<br />
85<br />
23<br />
C3<br />
84<br />
39<br />
7
PRESENTING TECHNOLOGY THAT LETS YOU<br />
PROGRAM YOUR OWN DESTINY.<br />
Electronics <strong>and</strong> computer equipment can be<br />
state-of-the-art today. And ready for the garbage<br />
can tomorrow.<br />
Dem<strong>and</strong> for technology is changing that fast.<br />
And the people who can stay on top of it can<br />
write their own ticket in this world.<br />
That's the beauty of the Air Force.<br />
We can put you to work with technology that<br />
you may not read about in magazines for years.<br />
We can teach you how to make sense of the<br />
most intimidating circuitry in existence anywhere.<br />
If you attend college, we'll pick up 759^ of<br />
your tuition. You can even earn an associate degree<br />
from the Community College of the Air Force.<br />
What does all that mean?<br />
It means there's no telling where technology<br />
is going in the future.<br />
But with Air Force training, you've always got<br />
a future to look forward to. For more information,<br />
call an Air Force recruiter at 1-800-423-USAE
T<strong>and</strong>y Computers:<br />
Because there is<br />
no better value.<br />
The T<strong>and</strong>y 1000 HX<br />
MS-DOS/Reg. TM Microsoft Corp. IBM/Rey. TM IBM Corp.<br />
. ■<br />
CIRCLE READER SERVICE 31<br />
The first desktop<br />
PC compatible with<br />
MS-DOS® built in.<br />
The T<strong>and</strong>y 1000 HX marks a tremendous<br />
breakthrough in easy-operating personal com<br />
puting. That's because the 1000 HX is rhe<br />
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And instead of cryptic codes, you'll be<br />
greeted by simple, plain-English phrases. It's<br />
the ultimate in ease o{ use for beginners, the<br />
ultimate in time-saving convenience for expe<br />
rienced users!<br />
This system is ready to run from day one be<br />
cause the HX comes with all the necessary<br />
adapters. A built-in 3Vz" disk drive lets<br />
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We even include our exclusive Personal<br />
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You get seven popular applications:<br />
word processing, an electronic filer,<br />
spreadsheet analysis, telecommuni<br />
cations, a calendar, plus a 16-color<br />
Paint program <strong>and</strong> a Music program<br />
that lets you enter <strong>and</strong> play back songs.<br />
Personal DeskMate 2 is incredibly easy to use,<br />
with pull-down menus <strong>and</strong> dialogue boxes for<br />
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Come into your nearby Radio Shack<br />
today—the T<strong>and</strong>y 1000 HX is your best value<br />
in entry-level PC computing. (25-1053)<br />
/hack<br />
The Technology Store<br />
A DIVISION OF TANDY CORPORATION