                               PC NEWS Review
                              ----------------
                              Windows  Edition

           Helping you save $$ by making informed buying choices. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1994 by Bolt Publishing Co.                                     March 1994 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                 THIS MONTH
                                 ==========

COLUMNS					   REVIEWS
-------					   -------
My Column: Tech Support Nightmare	   Flight Simulator 5.0 & Paris/NY
PC LIFE: Time for an Apple		   HealthDesk
					   Lotus Organizer 1.1
					   The Norton Desktop 3.0
					   Stacker 4.0
					   Total Heart
					   WordPerfect Presentations 2.0

NEWS-U-CAN-USE				   MISC.
--------------				   -----
Jury Rules Against Microsoft in		   The Mailbox
  Stac Patent Case			   Classified Ads


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*> MY COLUMN: Tech Support Nightmare			| Editorial
   ---------------------------------			|    Opinion
   by Steve O. Steele, Editor				|      New Products
							-------------------


A SALES PITCH SO WE CAN KEEP ON OFFERING YOU PNR
------------------------------------------------
	Our goal is to offer good solid news and reviews accurately and
quickly. But this costs money (telephone costs, shipping costs, etc.)
	So, what we're going to do is operate under the shareware
concept. The ASCII version of PNR will still be released to the public,
but registered subscribers will get a special version rushed directly
to them.
	Subscribers will receive a professionally designed version 
using color screen shots and True Type fonts that is readable within
Windows (using Farallon's Replica - the viewer is included). You can also 
print it out without needing the fonts we use. The Windows version also 
includes color screen shots of products reviewed.
	And finally, we will have extra bonuses included every so often
(such as this month's Windows entry/exit batch file).
	But just as important is that you will help in at least covering
some of our production costs so that we can continue to offer you timely
and accurate news and reviews. So do us a favor and send in a subscription
(it's backed by a money back guarantee, so you can't go wrong). Take a
look at the end of this issue for full details.


WINDOWS FOR WORKGROUPS 3.11 AND 32 BIT DISK/FILE ACCESS
-------------------------------------------------------
	Now onto some news. After seeing Fred Langa's editorial in Windows
magazine about Windows For Workgroups and how it speeds up file access, I
became very interested in the subject. The basic gist of it was that every
user who wants to speed up their Windows system should run (not walk) to
their local store and get Windows For Workgroups because it offers 32-bit
file access, which can speed up disk access tremendously.
	Well, there is no such thing as a free lunch in life. At this
time, using 32-bit file access means giving up the Undelete function. It
also means that Norton's disk utilities won't work when this option is
enabled. 32-bit file access makes Windows go directly to the hard
drive (bypassing DOS) to access files. That's why the products that rely
on DOS to do funky magic (such as undeleting files) can't do their stuff.
	But what's even worse is that some users CAN'T use 32-bit FILE
access even if they were using 32-bit DISK access. I know, because I'm one
of them.
	Well, when I tried to figure out how to get 32-bit file access to
work, I found out that the hard drive controller card in my computer, a
Morse IDE Blazer, is made by a company that no longer has a research and
development department! Yes, if you buy a Morse IDE Blazer card you may
end up in the situation I'm in: I couldn't get any technical support. So,
before you buy a card or hard drive, make sure to do some research and
find out if both support 32-bit disk AND file access.


A GOODY
-------
	For subscribers, we have a pretty useful file. It's a batch file
that prompts you whether you want to enter Windows or stay in DOS. After
you exit from Windows it will delete the files in your temporary directory
(something that a technician from Stac Electronics recommended; he
said that it would prevent hard drive problems from occurring). I use it
every day, and it's pretty useful (at least more useful than any of the
other utilities I've seen out there). And, of course, you can customize it
to your needs.
	I hope you enjoy this issue. A lot of time and hard work has been
put into it!  And if you have any questions or comments, write to us.


	Steve O. Steele is a Communications major specializing in
Editorial Journalism at the University of Washington.  When he isn't
inundated with paperwork and work in general, he's editing PC NEWS Review
or writing news stories.  He has nine years of computing experience and
has participated in publishing several computer related publications.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*> The Mailbox						|
   -----------------------------------			|  Public Comments
   Letters from PC NEWS Review Readers			|
							-------------------


I like to congratulate you and the many people involved to get this done.
It is a massive effort and it is good. I would like to receive this
regularly if possible. I'm not sure if I'm on the mailing list but if I'm 
not then could I put on it? Thanks

					- Thomas Low Sim Teck


	Thomas, thanks! And, yes, it is a major effort, one that requires
a lot of time and money. We are now offering a subscription to PC NEWS
Review by means of a shareware yearly registration (aka subscription). The
reason we consider it shareware is because you are free to distribute the
ASCII version of the publication. However, if you want to be on a
subscription list, you can pay the shareware fee. There are also a number
of benefits such as receiving a Windows graphical format of the magazine,
receiving it in your mailbox before everyone else gets it publicly, and
help in supporting us financially so we can pay phone bills and shipping
costs.

-------

I really like PC NEWS Review. I am an experienced Microsoft Windows
developer. I am working with Windows, Chicago, NT and OLE. Tell me if
there is anything I can do to contribute.

Am I on the mailing list (will I be getting the next issue automatically)?
Thanks.

					- Ralph Arvesen


	Ralph, definitely! We are looking for somebody to help in laying
out the magazine, editing, and we're always looking for good writers. Just
drop us a line in e-mail. As for the mailing list, that's already been
answered in Thomas's letter (and take a look at this month's editorial for
more information about that).

-------

Just received my first issue...looks good!  Have you reviewed any of the
Home Design software packages for PC or Windows?  3D?  Would like a
pointer to a back issue if you have.  Otherwise, maybe it's a future
project...there's a fistful of those programs out there, and no clue as to
how good they work. Thanks.

					- Dick Murphy


	Dick, thanks! We haven't reviewed these packages yet. We're trying
to get to everything as quickly as we can so we can help you know whether
they're good or not. Back issues locations are listed at the end of the
magazine.

-------

Hi,

I'm looking at buying a PCMCIA modem.  I have narrowed the choice  down to
either a US Robotics 14400 fax modem or the Megahertz XJ2144.

The Megahertz modem is a new one that is suppose to have MNP10  standard
and uses Flash Ram (I also read from somewhere that they  have cellular
capability, not too sure).  I was wondering if you  might have tested any
of the PCMCIA modems and have any opinion on  the topic.

I need to know which brand is better.  I would think that USR is a  bigger
name but the XJACK from Megahertz is more convenient (since the  USR model
needs an adapter--dangling out from the card; but their  reasoning was
that if you accidentally trip over the telephone wire,  the adapter will
fall off instead of the XJACK will pull the whole  computer off the table
with it).

Thank you very much in advance.  (if you're not sure, would you mind
please forwarding the question to one of your friends?  Thanks!)

					Sincerely,

					Michael Cheng


	Michael, no we haven't had a chance to test any PMCIA modems since
we're still trying to work through a backlog of software reviews. However,
we're including your letter in hopes of other users answering your
question. If anyone would like to reply to Michael's questions, just drop
us a line and we'll publish the letter for everyone else's benefit.

-------

I enjoyed reading the latest PNR (and the response from rbarclay is quick!).

But the tail material repeats a bit of misleading information about the
cica mirror on dec.gatekeeper.com.

It's not in .2/micro, as claimed but in .f/micro. Evidently the gatekeeper
ran out of room and moved it without telling the cica administrator.  I
don't know how long it's been in .f, but I'm glad, 'cause cica is filled,
slow, and recently deceased, awaiting resurrection.

Another advantage of gatekeeper is that they have a site-specific command
to search through all the files.

					- Robert I. Block

-------

If you set Reply-To: to the address that readers are supposed to write to 
get current issues, they could simply press reply in their news-reader and 
post there. (Cut & Paste doesn't work on most text&terminal based 
Unix-systems.)

					- Michael Ratava

	Michael, we listen to our readers and have implemented your
suggested starting with the March 1994 issue. Once we post messages that 
the issues are available, all users will need to do is push reply (instead 
of remembering who to send it to). This should be easier for us, as well 
as our readers.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*> Jury Rules Against Microsoft In Stac Patent Case	|  NEWS
   ------------------------------------------------	|       U-CAN
   by Ed Williams					|              USE
							-------------------


	LOS ANGELES, CA--A US District Court jury ruled recently against
Microsoft Corporation in a patent infringement suit filed last year by
Stac Electronics, maker of the Stacker data compression program.
	In awarding the $120 million verdict, the jury estimated a value for
the data compression technology at $5.50 per copy of MS-DOS 6.0 and 6.2
sold, both versions of which included DoubleSpace.
	The jury also awarded Microsoft $13.7 million on one of its seven
counterclaims against Stac.  The claim ruled valid was that Stac had
misappropriated a trade secret preloading feature and incorporated it into
Stacker.
	From all indications, this is the first time Microsoft has been tried
by jury for patent infringement.  And although a verdict was handed down,
the issue is far from resolved.
	The immediate effect will be on computer users.  By the time this PC
NEWS Review article is released, Microsoft will already have ceased
producing copies of MS-DOS with DoubleSpace.  The new version, designated
MS-DOS 6.21, will be in all other ways identical to its predecessor but will
not contain a data compression tool.  Microsoft has indicated the price from
MS-DOS 6.2 to 6.21 will not change.
	Microsoft officials said they feel no copies of MS-DOS in the retail
pipeline will be withdrawn, that these are covered by the $120 million
award.
	Even so, there is no certainty any money will change hands between the
two companies--at least in the near future--despite the verdict.  Microsoft
says it will immediately file a motion to overturn the patent infringement
ruling.  Failing that, it will appeal the judgment
	It is important to note the jury did not find the patent infringement
to be a willful violation.  As reported in PC NEWS Review (formerly
CompuNews Online) last year, Stac and Microsoft were in negotiation in
1992 to use Stacker as the compression tool licensed for MS-DOS.
Negotiations ended with Stac feeling Microsoft had not offered fair
compensation for the technology.  When asked if he would consider
reopening talks with Microsoft, Gary Clow, Stac's president and chief
executive officer, responded, "We've had a third party that's impartial
put a value on the technology.  To the extent that might help us come to
an agreement, I'd be willing to talk to them."


	Ed Williams has been professionally involved with computers and
data processing for over a decade. He's been writing about computers and
business almost as long.  In addition to PC NEWS Review, Ed has written
for MicroTimes, Computer Monthly, Computer Currents, the Orange County
Business Review, and the Los Angeles Times, among others.  Presently, Ed
is an Information Services consultant, in addition to being a writer.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*> Stacker 4.0						|
   --------------					|     Review
   by Ed Williams					|
							-------------------

EVALUATION AT A GLANCE
----------------------
  Company Information:  Stac Electronics
                        5995 Avenida Encinas
                        Carlsbad, CA  92008
                        (619) 431-7474
                        (619) 431-0880: FAX

         Retail Price:  $149.00
        Upgrade Price:	$49.95

 On a scale of 1 to 10
----------------------
          Ease of Use:   8
             Graphics:   9
           Innovation:   9
                Sound:  N/A
   Versus Competition:  10
           Usefulness:  10
        User Friendly:   9
        Compatibility:  10
          Reliability:   9
                Value:  10
        Documentation:   8

       Overall Rating:   9.2


        Quick Summary:	High-efficiency, on-the-fly data compression utility
                        that increases hard drive storage space up to 150%.

                 Pros:  Improved compatibility--a single version for all DOS
                        and Windows users; tightened compression that yields
                        an average up to 50% more disk space than previous
                        versions; slick new customizable Windows interface;
                        added safety and control features; better handling
                        of Windows permanent swap files; reduced memory
                        overhead for users of DOS 6.x; more flexibility with
                        compressed floppy disks

                 Cons:  Some difficulties encountered with installation
                        procedures; printed documentation less detailed than
                        it could be.

               Thumbs:  Up

MINIMUM INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS
---------------------------------
	Stacker 4.0 runs on DOS 3.2 or higher.  DOS 6.x machines on 386 or
higher platforms need 17K memory available under 1Mb.  DOS 5 users on 286 or
higher computers require 43K RAM.  All other configurations need 51K RAM.
	The listed requirements seem minimal because Stacker 4.0 covers a lot
of bases.  You need at least a 286 with a hard disk and DOS 3.2.  From
there, you can hike all the way up to a Pentium Novell server and compressed
disks up to the DOS limit of 2 gigabytes.

TEST SYSTEMS
------------
	Two systems were used to provide a thorough test for this new version
of Stacker.

     SYSTEM ONE:
                  CPU:  4 MB 386SX/16
               Drives:  80 MB Conner IDE hard drive, 1.44 MB floppy drive
                Video:  Paradise WD chipset, in standard Windows 640x480x16
     Operating System:  MS-DOS 5.0
              Windows:  3.1, basic installation
                Other:  Math co-processor; Racal Interlan Ethernet NIC
                        running with Novell NetWare's NETX v3.26
     SYSTEM TWO:
                  CPU:  20 MB 386DX/33
               Drives:  120 MB Maxtor IDE hard drive, 240 MB Maxtor IDE hard
                        drive, 1.2 floppy drive, 1.44 floppy drive
                Video:  Trident 8900C, proprietary driver in 800x600x256
     Operating System:  MS-DOS 6.2
              Windows:  3.11, basic installation with several items loading
                        under Startup
                Other:  Math co-processor; several TSR device drivers

OVERVIEW
--------
	Stacker is a memory-resident software utility that operates invisibly
to provide a functionally larger hard disk.  It does this by automatically
compressing files as they're written to disk, then decompressing them as the
computer calls on them.
	On even nominally powered machines like our test 386SX/16, the resultant
slow-down in performance is hardly noticeable, and Stacker includes a
utility to let users balance, through a 10-step gradient, the degree of
compression versus speed of access.
	This new release offers a full-step upgrade to version 4.0, which is
useful for anyone who needs to squeeze more disk space from existing hard
drives. Stacker 4.0 keeps Stac Electronics ahead of the competition.


FEATURES AND ANALYSIS
---------------------                                          COMPATIBILITY

	There are several impressive additions to version 4.0, additions that
make us realize version 3.1 was a brief, market-response measure to the
introduction of MS-DOS 6.0, and that Stac's engineers were likely working
on this version all along.  Indicative of this is that Stacker is now
compatible with MS-DOS 3.2 through 6.2, PC DOS 3.2 through 6.1, Compaq DOS
3.31, and Novell DOS (formerly DR DOS) through release 7.0.  One version
of Stacker handles them all.
                                                    LOWERED RAM REQUIREMENTS

	For DOS 6.0 and higher, Stacker has introduced the ability for
most of its operating kernel to load into extended memory, above the 1Mb
mark.  To do this, it takes advantage of the Novell DPMS (DOS Protected
Mode Services) specification.  No doubt an offshoot of Stac's 1993
strategic development agreement with Novell, the addition of DPMS support
means the amount of memory Stacker needs in the valuable under-1 MB range
is reduced by a whopping 60%.  All that's required now is an easily
manageable 17K, and even that can be nudged lower by an experienced user.
The loading of Stacker is accomplished at boot-up, prior to the call for
the  CONFIG.SYS file.  This allows all new Stacker drive letters to be
active  before CONFIG.SYS, or any other program, sees them.  For those
running DOS  versions prior to 6.0, Stacker's installation routine is
smart enough to  configure its setup appropriately.

                                                                 COMPRESSION

	From the standpoint of a pure utility, Stacker 4.0 breaks the previous
2:1 compression boundary and delivers more additional disk space than ever
before--and more than any of its competitors.  Incorporating Stacker
SmartPack into version 4.0, Stac claims an expected 2.5:1 average
compression ratio.  The patented LZS compression algorithm remains
unchanged, but SmartPack lets data from multiple logical clusters or files
be stored in individual disk sectors.  That's the new magic, and it scores
high on our Innovation Rating.
	On our test machines, we achieved 2.24:1 compression on the 386SX/16, and
2.43:1 on the 386DX/33.  A ratio of 1:1 indicates no compression.  Those
fractions are meaningful.  On a 100 MB hard drive, for example, each tenth of
a point represents 10 MB of functional space.  On our test 386DX's 120Mb
drive, we achieved less than a 1.9:1 average compression under Stacker 3.0
and 2.43:1 under Stacker 4.0.  That equated to a very handy 65 MB of extra
free space.
	On the basis of file type, the chart below shows the amount of
compression achieved under Stacker 4.0 compared to versions 3.0 and 3.1:

                    |    Stacker 4.0    |    Stacker 3.0/3.1
        File Type   |    Compression    |    Compression
     -------------------------------------------------------
         *.EXE      |       1.7:1       |       1.6:1
         *.HLP      |       1.7:1       |       1.5:1
         *.TXT      |       2.5:1       |       2.1:1
         *.DLL      |       2.0:1       |       1.8:1
         *.DOC      |       2.8:1       |       2.3:1
         *.XLS      |       3.5:1       |       2.7:1
         *.DBF      |       5.6:1       |       4.4:1

                                                                       SPEED

	With all on-the-fly compression utilities, there is some sacrifice of
speed.  All data reads and writes have to be manipulated by the compression
program.  To test the real-world performance of Stacker 4.0, we used our
slower machine to perform several timed and averaged runs at two identical
tasks, both prior to and following Stacker installation.  The first involved
using DOS to copy almost 6 MB of varied file types into a new directory.
Prior to compression, an average of 35.54 seconds were required.  After
Stacker 4.0, the task needed an average of 52.49 seconds.  The 47.7%
slowdown represents the biggest hit you'll face under Stacker because it had
to decompress and compress each byte of data.
	For the second test, we simply timed the loading of Windows from the
execution of the WIN command until Program Manager was fully drawn.  Without
Stacker, the time averaged 29.58 seconds.  Following Stacker installation,
it took Windows an average of 31.35 seconds to load.  This 1.37-second
differential, or 4.6%, represents a more practical measurement of the
slowdown you'll experience in day-to-day computing under Stacker 4.0.

                                                           WINDOWS INTERFACE

	With version 4.0, Stacker is more truly a Windows program than it has
ever been.  Much of Stacker's installation and tuning has to run outside of
the Windows environment, but at least now all the activities can be launched
from Windows and will return you back after they're complete.
	The new Windows Toolbox impacted our Graphics Rating, even though a
utility like Stacker might normally call for "N/A" in that department.  The
improvement over 3.0/3.1, though, demands attention.  The new Toolbox also
drove our Ease of Use Rating high.  With the ability to customize all
settings and include audible and visual alarms when thresholds are reached,
Toolbox provides graphical instrumentation for disk capacity, overall
compression ratio, disk fragmentation, and backup status.  When reduced to
an icon, Toolbox is a live gauge that continuously shows the total size and
remaining capacity of your disk.  If you're familiar with version 3.0/3.1
and wondering about the previous Stackometer, it's essentially intact but
greatly expanded.
	Another compatibility improvement of major note makes handling a
Windows permanent swap file far easier than before.  No longer do you have
to juggle the size allocation of the uncompressed volume against Windows'
settings.  While it must be performed using Stacker's new Windows Toolbox
or via the virtual memory icon that Stacker installation adds to Control
Panel, you can now place a permanent swap file on the compressed drive.
Stacker actually blocks out that space on the disk and leaves it
uncompressed for maximum speed and to allow Windows' 32-bit disk access to
function.  It worked like a charm on both our test machines.
	Let's not forget the previously awkward problem of not being able to
mount a Stacked floppy drive from within Windows.  That's been corrected and
there's even a way now to automatically mount a designated removable drive
at system boot-up.  Of course, Stacker Anywhere is still present and allows
compressed floppies to be used on computers that don't have Stacker
installed.  High density, 3.5-inch disks will now store over 3.3 MB of data
with version 4.0.
                                                          SAFETY AND CONTROL

	When considering a transparent disk compression utility, data safety is
a foremost consideration for any user.  Stacker 4.0 earned a 9 on our
Reliability Rating because no utility like this can be absolutely perfect,
but Stac has introduced more safety features than any competitor.  So, for
now, it's as close to perfect as you can get.  After installing and
uninstalling Stacker nearly two dozen times in our tests, and running
benchmarks and every application we could throw at it from Ventura Publisher
to FoxPro to Novell NetWare, we didn't experience a single hiccup in
operating performance.
	The introduction of DPMS in 386 protected mode operation is one new
safety feature.  It moves Stacker's critical programs out of the 1 MB area
where rogue software might otherwise cause a conflict.  Another introduction
is AutoSave, which automatically saves a spare copy of the vital data
structure information to the uncompressed portion of a disk.  AutoSave is
activated at every system boot-up but, under Windows, it can be set to
operate in the background at intervals the user specifies.  Stacker also
maintains two File Allocation Tables for the compressed drive as well as a
spare of the FAT from the host drive.  This improves the odds of full
recovery if either of the FATs are damaged.

COMPETING PRODUCTS
------------------
	Stacker 4.0 is head and shoulders above the competition.  Compared to
its chief market rival, DoubleSpace, which was included with MS-DOS 6.2,
our tests showed Stacker was faster by an average of 14.4%, and compressed
tighter by a margin of 55.6%.  Throw in the other features Stac brings to
the table with this version, and you understand why we gave it a 10 on our
Versus Competition Rating (the rating is based only on comparison to
DoubleSpace, not other products).
	What's more, Stac is releasing 4.0 with a guarantee it will outperform
any real-time data compression product on the market, or you can return it
within 60 days for a full refund.

DOCUMENTATION
-------------
	The printed manual earns a lukewarm response.  In the evaluation tests,
we encountered one problem and two questions.  None were answered in the
manual.
	Understandably, Stac faces the task of balancing a product that
performs sophisticated work against the trepidation users may feel with a
program that gets down to the very operating guts of their computer.  To a
degree, a thinner manual is better; it may reduce intimidation.  Publication
cost may also be a factor.
	Both the Ease of Use and Documentation Ratings were impacted by the
Stacker user's guide.  It's attractive, but leaves a great deal of
information unpublished.
	Looking solely at the manual, the Rating numbers would have been even
lower.  Coming to the rescue to offset the printed document's shortcomings
is Stacker 4.0's Windows Help file.  I have nothing but praise for the depth
of this addition.  The obvious drawback is that Windows Help is available
only after a successful installation, or if a user is savvy enough to read
through it from the floppy disk before installing the product.

PROBLEMS
--------
	On our test 386SX/16 machine, running SETUP.EXE hung consistently.
Not a serious problem to fix--it was caused by Stacker's attempt to
automatically go DEVICEHIGH in CONFIG.SYS, so booting from a floppy and
editing the file to load the program into lower memory was all it
took--but this would be an intimidating obstacle to a novice.  The problem
did not occur on the 386DX machine running QEMM.
	After completing a hung installation which had been launched from
Windows, Stacker failed to setup the Stacker Group in Program Manager.  An
easy fix, but another failing of the printed documentation.  A call was
necessary to Stac's responsive Technical Support department.  An executable
file, SGROUP.EXE, is run following disk compression as Windows restarts.  In
our case, due to the hung installation, the program never executed.  All
that we had to do was run it.
	Another oversight was encountered when attempting to increase the size
of a compressed drive that had been setup under Stacker 3.0.  Even though
13 MB was free on the uncompressed, host drive, Stacker would not allow
access to any of it.  It seems Stacker uses a method of accounting for
allocated space that determines the maximum size of a compressed drive
following the initial installation.  Having left a large amount of
uncompressed space under 3.0 to allow for a Windows swap file meant that 4.0
could no longer see that the space was now available.  There is an
undocumented, command line solution to this, but it stumped the first-line
tech support folks, too.  One of Stac's senior staff members called us back
with the solution within 15 minutes of the report of the problem.

TIPS
----
	Stac distributes its disks uncompressed and in a sane, DOS-copyable
mode.  Be sure to view the README.TXT file before you proceed with
installation.  It's easy to forget this step, but it's highly recommended
for Stacker 4.0.  For one thing, there are minor, but potentially confusing,
compatibility issues with some versions of Norton Utilities, PC Tools, QEMM,
386MAX, and PKZIP.  These are all documented in README.TXT and take no more
than a few minutes to implement.  Particularly with the memory managers,
it's good to have this information up front.
	Another note concerns anti-virus programs.  For certain functions,
Stacker works at a low machine level on your disk.  This can cause false
alarms and other problems with certain anti-virus applications that monitor
system integrity.  The Stacker Windows Help file contains detailed
information.

SUMMARY
-------
	Stacker 4.0 was released February 14 and PC NEWS Review received it
shortly thereafter.  Operating systems and environments, and programs like
Stacker that are constantly involved in the use of your computer, require
a significant period of testing to accurately return a verdict.  We've
been stressing Stacker from the day we received it.  It's performed
impressively.
	Our Value Rating is an unequivocal 10.  Stacker 4.0 does what it says
it'll do, and does it better than anything else that we have seen on the
market.


	Ed Williams has been professionally involved with computers and
data processing for over a decade. He's been writing about computers and
business almost as long.  In addition to PC NEWS Review, Ed has written
for MicroTimes, Computer Monthly, Computer Currents, the Orange County
Business Review, and the Los Angeles Times, among others.  Presently, Ed
is an Information Services consultant, in addition to being a writer.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*> The Norton Desktop 3.0				|
   ----------------------				|     Review
   by Jerry J. Davis					|
							-------------------

EVALUATION AT A GLANCE
----------------------
	 Company Info:	Symantec Corporation
			10201 Torre Avenue
			Cupertino, CA 95014-2132

			(800) 441-7234
			(408) 255-3344: FAX

	 Retail Price:	$179.00
	Upgrade Price:	$49.00


 On a scale of 1 to 10
----------------------
	  Ease of Use:	 8
       User Interface:	10
	   Innovation:	 7
	   Usefulness:	 9
	User Friendly:	 9
	Compatibility:	10
	  Reliability:	 8
		Value:	 9
	Documentation:	 6
	      Overall:	 8.4

	Quick Summary:  Enhances Windows 3.1 with superior file management,
			data safety and backup, and full-featured DOS,
			Windows, and Hardware utilities.

		 Pros:  Faster than version 2.22, despite added features.
			More ability to customize the look and feel of
			the product to the user's needs and tastes.  Many
			added features that make the product more useful,
			especially to novices.

		 Cons:  Staggers windows performance on lower-end machines.

	       Thumbs:  Up


MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
--------------------
	4 MB 386SX

TEST SYSTEMS
------------
	SYSTEM 1
		  CPU:	386SX/25
	       Drives:	Conner 120/Seagate 130
     Graphics Adapter:	Generic VESA SVGA with 1 MB
	      Display:	Standard VGA

	SYSTEM 2
		  CPU:	486 DX2/66
	       Drives:	Conner 240
     Graphics Adapter:	Onboard VESA SVGA with 1 MB
	      Display:	640 x 480, Super VGA 800 x 600


BRIEF OVERVIEW
--------------
	The Norton Desktop for Windows is Symantec's attempt to give the
Windows 3.1 user all the features and utilities that many feel should have
been included with Windows in the first place.  This replacement for
Program Manager is both easier to use and much more powerful, adding file
management features that simplify tasks and widen the horizon of what can
be accomplished from the Windows environment.  With all The Norton
Desktop's features a user can go weeks or months perhaps longer without
ever having to resort to the DOS prompt.

FEATURES AND ANALYSIS
---------------------
	PKZip version 2.x compatibility has been built into the file
management system.  Files can be compressed into (or uncompressed from)
the PKZip format with click, drag and drop simplicity.  Compressed files
can be viewed as either files, like normal, or like directories.  When
handled like directories, they appear in the file tree like a directory
with the exception that the little file folder icon has a C-clamp on it.
Like a directory, the compressed file's name is displayed in the left
section, and all the files it contains are displayed to the right.  You
can copy or move files in and out of the compressed file by dragging and
dropping.  Any file dropped into one of these compressed "directories" is
quickly compressed, and saved that way, taking up much less disk space on
the hard drive.  This innovation can be very handy for storage of files
that would normally take up a lot of room, such as TIFF or Targa graphics
files.  For many users with limited hard disk space this could make the
need for disk compression software such as DoubleSpace or Stacker less of
a priority.
	PKZip's ability to encrypt and decrypt files is also fully
supported, thus increasing the security of your stored data.  Since it's
PKZip compatible, files you compress and encrypt with Norton Desktop can
be sent to your associates across the country and be uncompressed and
decrypted with the readily available DOS version of PKUNZIP.EXE but,
of course, they would need the password. One of Peter Norton's most used
DOS utilities, Speed Disk, is now a Windows application that comes with
Desktop 3.0.  For those unfamiliar with Speed Disk, it is a highly-rated
disk optimization program that defragments files on your hard disk for
faster disk access and less wear and tear on your hard drive.  The value
of being able to run Speed Disk as a Windows application is that it
doesn't tie up your CPU for hours while it works you can continue
using your word processor or spreadsheet while it works in the background.
	Another Desktop 3.0 feature ported over from Norton's DOS
utilities is the Rescue Disk.  During installation, or at anytime
afterwards, you have the option of creating a rescue disk that stores all
kinds of system information including FAT tables and CMOS data on a
bootable floppy disk.  After a virus or system crash kills your hard disk,
or even something simple like your CMOS battery dying, this rescue disk
can avert a disaster.
	Also included is FileAssist, which attaches to the file open
dialog box of most Windows programs and adds a full-array of file handling
options.  This makes it possible to create new directories, copy or move
files, and attach and view file comments to files without having to go
outside the application you're using at the time.  It's seamless,
appearing as an extension to the bottom of your file window on most
applications.
	There's now a Day Planner program built-in, comparable to most
other day timers and personal organizers on the market.  It has an
appointment calendar, to-do lists, a phone book, and note taking ability.
There's nothing spectacular about it except that it's fully integrated
with the Desktop, and it does its job.
	All the menus within Norton Desktop, including the menus within
the features and sub-programs, have fully customizable toolbars.  These
can be displayed as full-sized icons with text, or as mini icons without
text, or as text buttons alone.  Any menu selection available (and even
items such as Norton's scripted macros) can be made into a button and put
on a button bar.  Menus can be turned off and replaced entirely by the
toolbars.  On the desktop, menus, toolbars, and even the program header
bar at the top can be turned on and off.  You can go from a blank screen
with only icons visible, to a screen with no icons and everything
available on a series of menus.
	The degree of customization is at a high point with this version,
helped by a centralized customization screen called the Graphical Control
Center.  On it you will find a small sample screen in the middle, with
option buttons each pointing toward the parts of the screen that it
controls.  These buttons are labeled Menus; Drive Icons; Drive Windows;
Quick Access; Toolbars; Tool Icons; Confirmation; and Desktop Layout.
Each of these bring you to another series of menus, which give you the
ability to control and customize everything in The Norton Desktop from a
single starting point. Other new features include an on-line tutorial,
which guides you through some of the Desktop's more prominent features,
and "Treasure Chest" icons available nearly everywhere that give you tips
and tricks pertaining to the task at hand.
	Not new, but enhanced, are the Virus Protection and Norton Backup
features.  The anti-virus program now detects over 2,300 types of computer
virus, and boasts to be the "leader in detecting polymorphic/mutation
engine viruses and unknown viruses."  Whether it's the leader or not is
still to be seen, with McAfee's anti-virus software owning 60 percent of
the market, but Norton's did find and ruthlessly eradicate a GenB virus on
a few disks of mine not more than two weeks ago.  The backup program
boasts more tape drive formats supported, including Colorado Memory
Systems, Iomega, SCSI, QIC 0/2, QIC-40, and QIC-80.


TIPS
----
	When installing The Norton Desktop, agree to making the Rescue
Disk.  It only takes one 1.44 diskette (I'm sure a 1.2 disk will work as
well) and about 5 minutes to create.  It is time well spent.  The DOS
version has saved me personally more than once, so I have nothing but good
things to say about a Windows version.  Remember also to back your
computer up once in a while, too.


PROBLEMS
--------
	There is a downside to adding a program like Norton Desktop to
your Windows system.  If you're running a lower end machine, such as a
386SX/25 or lower, you are going to notice a substantial performance
loss.  With all its bells and whistles, you can bet there's a lot of
overhead involved with this program.  Going through the various stages of
development from version 1.0 to the current version, Symantec has made
constant improvements in speed, and despite it having more features than
ever before this latest version is the fastest.  Regardless of this
progress, a faster machine is recommended. The "Treasure Chest" icons
embedded at the right side of nearly every title bar in the program sounds
like a great idea.  However, I found most of the items in the "treasure
chests" less than useful.  To a complete novice perhaps they'd be a boon,
but to an experienced user these "tips" are a bit on the obvious side.
	The back up program, which supports the QIC-40 and QIC-80 tape 
formats, does not support the popular Irwin Accutrack format.  It also 
neglects the popular parallel port tape backup systems such as Jumbo 
Trakker. If Symantec is bothering to support tape drives at all, it 
doesn't make much sense to do it so half-heartedly.
	The disk optimizing program that comes with Norton Desktop, while
being nice to look at as far as the user interface is concerned, does not
work well because of the nature of Windows itself.  It can't move files
that are in use, and Windows of course opens lots of files.  I personally
recommend that any disk optimizing you do should be from a DOS prompt
without Windows loaded. There's at least one bug in the program, as my
editor found out; apparently Norton Desktop has problems with saving setup
files with names that begin with a tilde (~).  According to Vernon Balbert
of Symantec Product Support, you should check to see if you have any files
that begin with this character.  "In most cases," Balbert says, "files
with this character are temporary files and can be safely deleted, but you
should make sure before you start removing files wholesale."  For further
information, or for anyone out there who may be experiencing problems with
Norton Desktop 3.0, you can contact Symantec on America Online using the
keyword "SYMANTEC."


SUMMARY
-------
	As highly as I regard Symantec and their product Norton Desktop
3.0, it could be better.  They should include a format and disk copy
routine that runs in the background while you're working (PC Tools for
Windows managed this in their first version).  Their disk copy routine
should also have the option of writing disk images onto the hard drive for
storage or modem transfer.  While their handling of PKZip is fine (and
very fast) they could have been more creative with it.  For example, they
treat the Zip files as directories, yet you can't create an empty Zip file
and then copy files into it.  You have to create a Zip file using the
initial files you want to Zip.  Also, there didn't seem to be an easy way
to zip the entire contents of a diskette to a file while also archiving
the volume name, as you can with PKZIP.EXE at a DOS prompt using the -$
switch.
	More than once I've been forced to abandon a desktop replacement
for Windows, and each time I was surprised by how useless and naked
Windows seemed without one.  I suppose, over time, one could build up a
set of programs and utilities one by one that would eventually balance out
Window's shortcomings and give it a nice set of clothes.  It would not
come close to matching Norton Desktop's integration.  Norton binds with
Windows and transforms it into something much more than it was.

	Jerry J. Davis is a professional technical writer and certified
IBM, Compaq, and Apple hardware technician.  He is also a published
Science Fiction writer.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*> Flight Simulator 5.0					|
   --------------------					|     Review
   by James Klaas					|
							-------------------


EVALUATION AT A GLANCE
----------------------
	Also Reviewed:	New York Scenery Add-on
			Paris Scenery Add-on

	 Company Info:	Microsoft Corp.
			One Microsoft Way
			Redmond, WA  98052-6399.

			(206) 882-8080
			(206) 936-7329: FAX

	 Retail Price: 	$64.95 - Flight Simulator
			$39.95 - New York Scenery Add-on
			$39.95 - Paris Scenery Add-on

 On a scale of 1 to 10
----------------------
	  Ease of Use:	 6
	     Graphics:	 8
	   Innovation:	 9
		Sound:	 6
      vs. Competition: N/A
	   Usefulness: 	 8
	User Friendly:	 6
	Compatibility:	 8
	  Reliability:	 9
		Value:	10
	Documentation:	 7

	      Overall:   7.7

	Quick Summary:	A realistic flight simulator with many options.

		 Pros:	Highly customizable.
		 Cons:	It is a DOS program.

	       Thumbs:	Up

MINIMUM INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS
---------------------------------
	A 386-class computer with 1 MB RAM, 14 MB of free disk space and
an EGA display with 256K video memory is required.  Unfortunately some of
the fancier graphics that this software promotes cannot be used in the
minimum configuration.

TEST SYSTEM
---------------------
		 CPU:	12 MB 386SX/25 with math-co
	      Drives: 	330/125 MB IDE / 110 MB Hard Card
	    Graphics: 	See text
	     Monitor: 	Multi-Frequency VGA.

OVERVIEW
--------
	Microsoft Flight Simulator is a software flight simulator with
good graphics and high realism.  It is designed to appeal to the
neophyte as well as the expert pilot.  It has a realistic interface that
is easy to use.  Since this is a DOS program, installation was
primitive, but it was easy to use.  Flight simulator should appeal to
many people.


FEATURES AND ANALYSIS
---------------------
	Flight Simulator offers four different planes to fly: Cessna
Skylane RG, Learjet 35A, Schweizer 2-32 Sailplane and a Sopwith Camel.
The Cessna and the Camel are both single engine propeller planes, and
the Learjet is a dual engine jet plane.  Flight Simulator has seven
major metropolitan areas from which to fly. These include not only the
major airports but many smaller local airports as well.  The United
States includes Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and
Seattle.  In Europe there are Paris and Munich.  The New York and Paris
Scenery add-ons increase the number of airports in those areas.
	Dual-player flight is available using a serial port using a null-
modem cable or a modem.
	Perhaps the greatest asset of this flight simulator is its
ability to grow in complexity as the user grows in skill.  For instance
there are two different modes of flight coordination.  Flight
coordination deals with whether the tail section (the elevators and the
rudder) are coordinated with the ailerons (the main wings) or not.  If
they are not, then the pilot must control the elevators and the rudder
manually.
	"I found the Cherokee simulation passable, and on my dinosaur 386,
it runs well enough to learn/practice instrument scan for landings and IFR
approaches," said Sean Long, a private pilot with more than 80 hours
logged and student in the Air Force Flight Training program. "This helped
me enough that every instructor I have ever flown with has commented that
I get info from the panel more quickly than most."
	When Flight Simulator is started the plane sits at the beginning
of the runway, ready to take off.  The first lessons in the manual are
for Ground School.  This entire section is devoted to explaining the
basics of flying, and it will probably be skipped and learned later,
after the experience of virtual flying loses its novelty.  The Basic
Flight Training section of the manual, which follows Ground School,
starts out with taxiing around the airfield, a task not as easy as you
might think.  The other lessons of Basic Flight Training take place in
the air.  Each lesson offers three levels of difficulty:  basic,
intermediate, and advanced levels are available through the menu.  The
most difficult is also the most realistic with cross-winds and weather
thrown in.  The program only has the Basic Flight Lessons on-line, the
rest of the more advanced lessons are in the manual.  There is an
entertainment option for practicing flight maneuvers.
	When the pilot has mastered flying at a basic level, more
realism can be added by flying at different times of the day and
changing the weather from good to bad.  Advanced Flight Training deals
with additional topics like emergency maneuvers and air traffic.  The
manual also has an aerobatics course and a thick section on Navigation.

DOCUMENTATION
-------------
	The manual is logically laid out in easy to read format.  It
includes many resources for the newcomer as well as the expert.  Maps of
all the airports are supplied in the manual as well as all the
navigational tools necessary to use them.  Each scenery module add-on
includes additional airports as well as detail scenery of the local
area.  Maps and additional navigational aids are also included with the
scenery add-ons.
	As thorough as the manuals are, on-line help would be a real
asset for this program.  Since on-line help is nonexistent, the manual
needs to be kept handy for frequent reference of the more complex
options.

PROBLEMS
--------
	Over the course of installing and running Flight Simulator I did
run into a few glitches.  The use of expanded memory was annoying because
Windows as well as most newer programs do not require it; they use
extended memory. Additionally, Windows programs don't require that you
fiddle with the memory settings of your computer and, in my opinion,
neither should a DOS program as mature as Flight Simulator (after all,
this is version 5).

	The video and video drivers present another problem.  First and
foremost Microsoft only offers three levels of resolution: 640x350 in 16
colors, 640x400 in 256 colors, and 320x400 in 256 colors.  Many people
have mutli-frequency/resolution monitors with higher resolution and should
be able to use those resolutions.  The After Dark screen saver presented a
video problem. Because After Dark's DOS screen blanker only pays attention
to mouse and keyboard input, it will activate after its set period if a
joystick is used rather than the mouse and keyboard.  It can be quite
disconcerting when your screen blanker activates during flight.  In one of
the video modes, the screen saver caused Flight Simulator to jump to a
different video mode requiring that I exit the program because the screen
was unreadable.  This problem is easily solved by turning off the screen
saver, but there was no mention of this in the Flight Simulator
literature.

SUMMARY
-------
	As a game, the Flight Simulator is a bit overwhelming.  For the
casual user it can be confusing and complicated.  It is better to think of
it as a long term investment in education that will outlast other games
many times over.  On the basis of its power and versatility, this program
is a good bargain.  However, given that most of the people that might buy
it probably have not got the time to invest in learning all the tips and
tricks, it may be a disappointment.
	The ability of this software to emulate reality is very good.
Additionally Microsoft has left the door open for developers to create
add-ons such as new aircraft or more scenery.  If you are in the market
for an excellent learning tool and a long term entertainment package, this
is for you.  If you like your games light and easy, look elsewhere.


	James Klaas is an engineer and is skilled in CAD, spreadsheets and
programming, including Fortran and Pascal.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*> Lotus Organizer 1.1					|
   -------------------					|     Review
   by Bob Garsson					|
							-------------------

EVALUATION AT A GLANCE
----------------------
	 Company Info:	Lotus Development Corporation
			55 Cambridge Parkway, Cambridge, MA 02142
			(800) 343-5414

	 Retail price:	$149


 On a scale of 1 to 10
----------------------
	  Ease of Use:	 6
	     Graphics:	 8
	   Innovation:	 5
		Sound:	 N/A
      vs. Competition:	 4
	   Usefulness:	 N/A
	User Friendly:	 3
	Compatibility:	10
	  Reliability:	10
		Value:	 5
	Documentation:	 8
	      Overall:	 6.6

	Quick summary:	Another Personal Information Manager (PIM), but
			appears to be lacking in many important features.

		 Pros:	The yearly planner would be one, but not as
			currently implemented.

		 Cons:	Not intuitive, either in usage or in choice of
			icons.

	       Thumbs:	Sideways

     System tested on:	8 MB 386/33
			211 MB IDE Seagate hard drive with Stacker.
			Groundhog Graphics VGA
			Seiko monitor


FEATURES AND ANALYSIS
---------------------
	Lotus Organizer for Windows is a Personal Information Manager 
(PIM), with basic sections for a calendar, to-do list, address/phone book, 
notes, yearly planner and anniversaries.
	In addition to those six basic functions, however, the user has 
the ability to add as many additional sections as desired, which can be 
useful in a number of ways. For example, keeping one address/phone section 
for business contacts and a separate one for family ands friends.
	The sections also can be used to build complete books of 
information specific to ones work. Such as a corporate policy manual 
accessible to all employees. Sections can be reorganized at any time to 
suit changing needs section tabs can be renamed and tab colors can be 
changed.
	The yearly planner enables the user to see a full 365 days at one 
time and can be very useful if one wants only a broad view of time periods 
without getting down to the nitty-gritty. It will let you see, for 
example, when your vacation is scheduled, but not where you want to be and 
what you want to do on a day-by-day basis during that vacation.
	The problem facing PIMs is that the people who use them aren't 
power users, and they don't have a lot of time to spend on PIMs, which are 
meant to save time, not waste it. What people need is something they can 
start to use--preferably without digging into the manual--the first time 
they bring up the opening screen.
	This is difficult, if not impossible, with Lotus Organizer for the 
most part because the many icons in the toolbox and on the toolbar are not 
intuitive. For example, when I see an icon depicting what appears to be a 
horseshoe, I do not automatically think of it as a magnet, which is what 
its intended to be in Organizer. The magnet is used to pick up an entry 
and move it across pages or sections.
	An icon with a graphic showing a sea anchor doesnt automatically 
make me think of linking information together, a two-sided medieval axe 
doesnt make my thoughts go to breaking that link and an icon with a set 
of footsteps doesnt turn on a light that tells me it will take me back to 
the last page I was on.
	After some experimentation, I found that pointing to an icon and 
holding down the right mouse button brought down a readout that explained 
the use of the icon. Its in the manual, but there is no listing in the 
index under mouse or right mouse button. I'm sure, however, that a regular 
user would quickly learn what each icon does.


PROBLEMS
--------
	A major problem with Organizer is the apparent inability to look 
at ones schedule for a full month at one time to see whats coming up and 
where open days might be. At best one can look at a two-week period 
without having to flip the pages to look at the next such period.
	I also tried, for example, showing a 10-day period in the yearly 
planner as vacation time. I was able to tell the calendar also to display 
this, but it did so in a weird way. It marked the days as vacation days 
and then refused to allow me to schedule specific things during those days 
because it blocked out the time from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. So if I wanted to 
meet a friend for lunch or play golf, I could not schedule it.
	The address/phone book section also has a problem. Entering name, 
company, address, telephone number and the like is made easy by using a 
template. But there is no simple way to list home and business addresses 
and/or phone numbers on the same template.
	In addition, while there is room for a (voice) phone number and a 
fax number, there is no space automatically available for cellular phone 
or pager or the like.


COMPETING PRODUCTS
------------------
	Had Lotus Organizer been my first PIM, I likely would have found 
it acceptable although considerably frustrating. However, it wasnt.
	I started out with Version 4 of Packrat by Polaris. It was 
excellent and I thought I was set for life. When version 5 came out last 
year, however, it was likely the buggiest program since an early version 
of MS-DOS and users talked about GPFs in the number per hour rather than 
the day or the week. A maintenance upgrade helped, but didnt solve all of 
the problems, many of which continue to exist, and many formerly happy 
campers deserted Polaris for a PIM called, strangely enough,  ECCO.
	Arabesque seems to have come up with a winner in ECCO and the 
comments I hear about it (along with my own experience) substantiate this. 
ECCO, in its simplified form, is easy to learn, easy to use and easy to 
get going. For powers users, there is ECCO Pro, which offers advanced 
options, which are nice to have for those who want and need them. There's 
a fourth choice in a PIM called Commence, which its users seem to find 
highly satisfactory.


DOCUMENTATION
-------------
	The users guide appears to be complete and is well illustrated 
throughout so that the user has no question about what a screen looks like 
or what various things do.
	I particularly like the fact that there is a special section on 
using the application on a laptop.
	Another section  of the users guide focuses on DDE (dynamic data 
exchange) and includes instructions on how to do a mail merge with three 
popular word processors--Microsoft Word, Ami Pro and WordPerfect.
	In addition to the users guide, Organizer comes with a separate 
six-page quick reference card, explaining how each of the functions works, 
identifying the icons and listing keyboard shortcuts. This is extremely 
helpful while learning to use the Organizer. 
	The on-line help file is complete and easy to use. One nice 
feature is the inclusion of a section headed "How do I ?" It contains a 
good number of frequently asked questions and their solutions. This of 
course eliminates pouring through the manual or the regular help file and 
is a time saver.


SUMMARY
-------
	I havent tried Commence. But of the other three, I found Lotus 
Organizer to be the least satisfactory. I need to say that there is 
nothing inherently wrong with Lotus Organizer. It works well, albeit 
somewhat awkwardly, and it even has a few things I would like to see in 
the PIM I use on a regular basis: the ability to split the To Do 
List into sections can be useful when working on more than one project at 
a time and the yearly planner is a feature I wish I had available to me 
every day for looking at the broad aspects of the year to come.
	If you decide you do want to try Organizer, the least expensive 
way to do so may be via the upgrade route. From now until May 15, Lotus is 
offering an upgrade version of its 1-2-3 Release 4.01 for Windows 
spreadsheet together with Lotus Organizer 1.1 for just $149. The same 
offer is valid with a competitive product upgrade. This turns out to be a 
pretty good deal, considering that $149 is the standard list price for 
Organizer alone.


	Bob Garsson is a freelance writer with many years of experience in 
newspapers and non-fiction writing.  He is highly familiar with many 
aspects of PCs and Windows.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*> WordPerfect Presentations 2.0			|
   -----------------------------			|     Review
   by Jerry J. Davis					|
							-------------------

EVALUATION AT A GLANCE
----------------------
	 Company Info:	WordPerfect Corporation
			1555 N. Technology Way
			Orem, UT 84057-2399

			(800) 451-5151
			(801) 222-5077: FAX

	 Retail Price:	$495


 On a scale of 1 to 10
----------------------
	  Ease of Use:	 8
       User Interface:	 8
	   Innovation:	 8
	   Usefulness:	10
	User Friendly:	 9
	Compatibility:	 6
	  Reliability:	 9
		Value:	 9
	Documentation:	10
	      Overall:	 8.5

	Quick Summery:  Solid, intuitive graphics package designed
			primarily for business presentations but also
			useful for technical or illustrative design.

		 Pros:  Packed with more features than most people would
			ever use.

		 Cons:  Slows to a crawl during certain tasks on
			lower-end machines.

	       Thumbs:  Up

TEST SYSTEMS
------------
	SYSTEM 1
		  CPU:	386SX/25
	       Drives:	Conner 120/Seagate 130
     Graphics Adapter:	Generic VESA SVGA with 1 MB
	      Display:	Standard VGA

	SYSTEM 2
		  CPU:	486 DX2/66
	       Drives:	Conner 240
     Graphics Adapter:	Onboard VESA SVGA with 1 MB
	      Display:	640 x 480, Super VGA 800 x 600



OVERVIEW
--------
	Say you have a color bitmap file you want to edit.  It could be a
PCX, BMP, TIFF, or some other format. Or, what if it's a technical drawing
you are working on?  You want something object-based, with sophisticated
features but without the complexity of an AutoCad-type program.  Then
again, maybe it's a presentation your boss wants you to put together - you
need to convert your spreadsheet data into impressive charts, and make a
slide show program with recorded dialog, sound effects, and a snappy
musical background.
	What program does this?
	The answer you will get from most people is that you need three,
maybe four different programs.  A bitmap editor, like PC Paintbrush; a
technical drawing program, such as Micrografix Designer; a business
graphics program like Lotus Freelance or Harvard Graphics; perhaps even a
multimedia program such as MacroMind Director.  As it turns out, however,
there is a package that includes all of these in one.


FEATURES AND ANALYSIS
---------------------
	Back before Microsoft Windows and WYSIWYG took over the PC world,
I wrote and illustrated technical manuals using a really handy combination
of programs: WordPerfect 5.1 and DrawPerfect 1.1.  Using WordPerfect's
shell program, I was able to jump back and forth between the two as if
they were one.
	I chose DrawPerfect primarily because of this feature, and also
because I had been using WordPerfect since version 3.0.  Even then,
DrawPerfect had a duality about it.  While it was not the most
sophisticated object-oriented drawing program around, it was a very solid,
handy tool, and it also had built into it a rudimentary version of a
presentation program much like Lotus's Freelance Graphics or Microsoft's
PowerPoint.
	DrawPerfect is now built into the current versions of WordPerfect,
and is no longer offered as a separate package.  There is a successor, however,
which is WordPerfect Presentations.  Although I am no longer the
WordPerfect fan I used to be, Presentations for Windows has surprised and
impressed me.  It seems WordPerfect made a list of everything a business
user would need a graphics-type program to do, and crammed every single
feature into one seamless and easy-to-use package.
	Since this is a Windows program made by WordPerfect, I should tell
you up front that I have yet to have it crash.  I mention this because,
the omnipresent bugs and shortcomings that finally caused me to abandon
WordPerfect's word processor seem not to afflict this product.  I
installed it on my test machine, a 386SX/25 with 8 megabytes of RAM and
standard VGA, running Microsoft's DOS 6.2 and Windows 3.1.  I chose to
install everything but the Adobe Type Manager (and ATM fonts).  It took 22
megabytes and approximately 40 minutes.
	The first thing I noticed is that it gave me a truckload of
TrueType fonts, many of which used to be included in the WP.DRS file that
came with the original DrawPerfect for DOS.  (I also recognized a lot of
the fonts from the last time I tried installing WordPerfect 6.0 for
Windows.)  To some this may be a boon, but for others with slower,
lower-end machines - or for those who may already have 200 fonts on- line
- this deluge of WordPerfect's fonts may not be so welcome.  Fortunately,
installing the fonts is an option.
	Other extras that Presentations includes with its full install
are: a small collection of WAV files (Windows sound files), a larger
collection of MIDI files (music in MIDI format), and a very generous and
well-organized selection of WordPerfect clip art (WPG format).  The clip
art isn2t entirely new - a fourth of it I recognized from WordPerfect 5.1
and DrawPerfect 1.1 - and though it isn2t as extensive as the collection
that comes with Corel Draw, in my opinion, the selection of images
themselves are much more useful and relevant to the average business
user.  Which means, even though the collection may not be as large, you
are more likely to find what you want due to the practical nature of the
images.
	The first thing I explored was the technical drawing abilities.
Until recently, my favorite has always been Micrografix Designer or its
little brother Windows Draw.  They were, to me, the most intuitive, easy
to use, and at the same time powerful drawing tools I have used in the
Windows environment.  I still hold them in high regard, but Presentations
has really won me over.  It has all the features that I liked, plus a few
more, and they are easier to use.  To be honest, I'm not sure if a person
who was trying these programs for the first time would pick Presentations
hands-down as a design or illustration tool.  I am sure that a person who
has used DrawPerfect (or WordPerfect 6.0's drawing tools) would not only
feel instantly at home, but would be ecstatic at the power suddenly
available.  The familiar tools are there, but enhanced, and there are
added features within every menu.
	Besides all the standard tools that most drawing programs share
(boxes, circles, curving lines, etc.) there are incredible little gems,
like SPACE EVENLY.  Say you are drawing a ladder and need all the rungs
spaced evenly.  Draw one rung, copy it as many times as you want (for the
number of rungs you want in your ladder), and then block them all. SPACE
EVENLY and, wham, they are spaced evenly apart from each other.  Align
them with another command so that the edges are all square and you're
done. What if you drew your ladder vertically and you realize you want it
horizontally?  No problem - like most other drawing programs you can
rotate an object.  But what if we want to setup the ladder into a 3-D
sketch using perspective?  Select the object (such as the ladder), click
the right mouse button to bring up a little menu, and choose rotate
again.  Here you can change the center where the object will rotate, and
then skew the object to the angle and appearance that will fit the
perspective of your 3-D sketch.  Then size it to the a matching scale and
paste it in.
	Want your item to cast a shadow?  Select your object, bring up
the SHADOW option, enter the density of shadow you want (full black or a
shade of gray), and enter the X and Y coordinates you want the shadow
offset from the object.  This is done with two slide bars and an on-screen
example of how your shadow is positioned.
	Another nice feature is the ability to draw one shape at one end,
another shape at the other, and tell Presentations to fill in the gap in
between.  It draws a series of shapes, each one less like the first and
more like the last, until you end up with a wire-framed outline of one
long object.  Start with a square and end with a circle, you get a bar
that starts out with corners and gradually becomes round and smooth.  With
a little tweaking, you end up with a 3-D effect that is impressive and
effortless to create.  It is one feature you have to play with to
appreciate.
	Other handy tools include the ability to align text along circles,
curves, squiggly lines, etc.  This is particularly useful in designing
logos.  If you need to draw an arrow, you no longer have to do it by hand
or pick it out of clip art - there is an arrow tool.  You simply specify
the size, length, and direction by clicking and dragging a line.  You can
even bend it, as it comes out like a "rubber" arrow unless you constrain
it.  And there is another nice addition; the ability to constrain anything
without using separate tools or settings.  Press and hold a key while you
are creating a box or circle, and it produces a perfect square or a
perfect circle.  Press another key while you are drawing, and your box or
circle will start from the center and explode outward instead of starting
from one side and expanding toward the other. Want to use some bitmapped
clip art in your program?  Like other programs, you can import a bitmapped
image, use it as an object, trace it, and convert it into line art.  But
unlike most others, you can also switch over to a bitmap screen and have
virtually all the tools you had in the line drawing mode at your disposal
in bitmap drawing mode.  This is very handy if you are importing a GIF or
other picture format file to use in the background and need to do some
"airbrushing" here and there.  In fact, you can scan images directly into
Presentations and work with them (during installation, without me even
knowing about it, Presentations had found my scanner and scanning software
and incorporated them in the FILE menu under ACQUIRE IMAGE).


COMPETING PRODUCTS
------------------
	Other packages like Micrografix Designer can have a single drawing
span up to sixteen pages.  I thought that Presentations was limited to a
drawing per page until I explored the settings available under FILE, PAGE
LAYOUT. I discovered an unusual button that read Poster: 1 x 1.  Clicking
on this I discovered the multi-page abilities of Presentations, allowing
you to create one drawing spanning up to 36 pages, which you can later
print out and put together like a giant puzzle.  Using legal sized sheets,
that would create a drawing that would cover most of my bedroom wall.
	Like other slide show graphics programs, such as Lotus Freelance,
Microsoft PowerPoint, and Harvard Graphics, Presentations starts you out
with templates that help in quickly putting together signs, charts, and
other graphics using pre-defined formats.  The impressive part of
Presentations, however, is that it concerns itself with the whole
presentation, not just the graphics you are putting together. While
putting your presentation together (my test presentation, aimed at my
kids, was entitled "Brush Your Teeth Or They Will Turn Black and Fall
Out") you will find some handy additions to the program that really make
the task easy and fun.  One was a feature called SPEAKER'S NOTES where,
while you are putting the slide together, you can quickly go to jot down
ideas of what you want to say during that particular slide.  And later on
you can go back and actually flush your notes out into a full- blown
script, which Presentations keeps track of right along with your slides.
	Another helpful feature, though it's one I know you can find in
other programs, is the ability to create an outline for the presentation
that will keep you organized and on track during your slide creating
tasks.  One thing that struck me was that when you bring it up, it looks
like a lined piece of college ruled binder paper.  Why they did that I
don't know, but it did make me comfortable in creating the outline.
	Once your slide show begins to take shape, and you have finished
with most of your graphic slides, you can start playing with the sequence
they will be shown in, and the method of transition between one slide and
another.  Well, this is nothing special, as it's practically identical to
other programs.  You can dissolve, slide, fade, etc., from one picture to
another.  But here we start playing with that 90's buzzword,
"multimedia."  Because now you can start adding sound effects, recorded
voice-overs, and background music right into the slide show.  In my test
presentation about tooth care, I had the Jaws theme playing as one tooth
after another was lost to the dreaded tooth decay, and a crunching sound
as each tooth crumbled.  Despite the fact that I have never put together a
presentation such as this, it turned out quite well.  At least my 7 year
old daughter was impressed.
	Once your presentation is done and you have worked all the bugs
out of it, you choose CREATE RUNTIME.  This will save your slide show as a
separate, independent executable set of files complete with all the bells
and whistles you programmed into it.  The presentation can be shown on any
computer running Windows, whether it has WordPerfect Presentations on it
or not.


DOCUMENTATION
-------------
	WordPerfect's printed documentation has always been a strong point
in their product line, and Presentations 2.0 is no exception.  There's a
small, quick-start booklet for those users who are experienced and can
jump right into an application.  To back it up is a complete reference
guide with every feature and command ready to look up with the flip of a
page.  Then there's the learning guide, which teaches the user by example,
and includes lessons that take one through the entire program step-by-step.


PROBLEMS
--------
	I did find a few things that I didn't like about the program.  For
one thing, certain parts seemed to slow the computer down to the point
where I wondered if the system had crashed.  One of those areas is the
bitmap tracing feature, where you turn your bitmapped images into line
drawings.  The positive side of this is that it did a wonderful job of
tracing my test bitmaps.  Since you only have to do this once per bitmap,
I don't think it would stop me from using this feature.  It might, on the
other hand, persuade me to go out and buy a faster motherboard.
	Another area where Presentations was annoyingly slow was in the
cataloged clip art files -- granted, this test machine is a lowly
386SX/25, several other software packages with clip art libraries have run
quite fast on this CPU.  So there is no excuse for WordPerfect sticking
their customers with this slovenly code.  They should speed it up.


SUMMARY
-------
	In summary, I think WordPerfect has come out with a real winner
with Presentations 2.0 for Windows.  Anyone who is looking into getting a
graphics package for business or illustration should give Presentations
2.0 a try.


	Jerry J. Davis is a professional technical writer and certified
IBM, Compaq, and Apple hardware technician.  He is also a published
Science Fiction writer.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*> HealthDesk						|
   ----------------					|     Review
   by Song-Muh Jong					|
							-------------------


EVALUATION AT A GLANCE
----------------------
  Company Information:  HealthDesk Corporation
                        1801 Fifth Street
                        Berkeley, CA 94710
                        (510) 843-8110
			(510) 845-8305: FAX

	 Retail Price:  $99.95
        Upgrade Price:  N/A

 On a scale of 1 to 10
----------------------
	  Ease of Use:   9
	     Graphics:   9
           Innovation:   7
		Sound: N/A
      vs. Competition: N/A
	   Usefulness:   8
	User Friendly:   7
	Compatibility:   7
	  Reliability:  10
		Value:   7
	Documentation:   8
	      Overall:   8

	Quick Summary:	HealthDesk offers an almost complete package to 
			help users maintain their personal health.

		 Pros:	A very good list of diseases, exercises and various
			precompiled forms to keep track of medical conditions and
			treatment.

		 Cons:	Not much flexibility to customize for personal needs. No
                  	option to output for other Windows programs.

	       Thumbs:	Up


TEST SYSTEM
----------------------
		  CPU:	8 MB 486/33
	       Drives:	210 MB IDE Western Digital Hard Drive
	     Graphics:	Paradise and Tseng/ET4000 color graphics cards
	      Monitor:  14" non-interlaced color super VGA at 1024x768


OVERVIEW
--------
	HealthDesk is useful for non-medical professionals who would like
to easily keep track of their health and medical records in an organized
manner with pre-built forms. Installation is a breeze, and the graphical
environment is quite comfortable to work in. The only annoyance is that
you have to click on an OK button in a disclaimer dialog box every time
the program loads.


FEATURES AND ANALYSIS
---------------------
      HealthDesk is designed with three goals: health education, tracking
your health, and medical record-keeping. It fulfills all the three with a
database structure that takes advantage of its graphical environment.
	It provides a list of symptoms and diseases that average
people will encounter. The on-line-help file has the dual role of providing
general program help, as well as being an educational tool. By clicking on
the names of various diseases, descriptions of the selected disease pop
up. This offers an intuitive method to give people a general medical
background on the subject.
	"HealthDesk serves as a single, centralized resource for personal
and family health management and education," said Jim Williams, of
HealthDesk Corporation.
	HealthDesk has a form to record your own symptoms. By filling out
the form and printing it out before a visit to the doctor, you can save
time in explaining your problems. Another form helps keep track of your
family disease pattern, which is useful in determining those unwanted
family inheritances, diseases. The Vaccination form provides a list of
most vaccines and allows you to enter the vaccination date. The Medication
form contains the medications you take and the doctor who prescribes them,
as well as financial information such as the split between what the
insurance pays and what comes out of your pocket money. The Doctor Visit,
Hospitalization, Testing, and Finances form are also similar in design.
      In addition to the mentioned record-keeping features, HealthDesk
provides five Health Managers: Exercise, Weight, Stress, Heart Health, and
Women's Health. It appears that the program is designed with the Women's
Health in mind, and the default of your record is female. Because of that,
male-specific symptoms are largely ignored. This is one of the
shortcomings in the program. Nonetheless, each health manager provides a
thoughtful layout of items for you to fill out.
	The menu design is totally different from standard Windows
programs. Rather, it looks like a DOS program with a graphical interface.
It does not follow the rules of Windows and does not allow the many menu
choices of Windows. Compared to DOS programs with graphical interface,
HealthDesk does not show much innovative designs. However, the various
entry forms do show some thoughtful designs and cover various aspects of
health information.
	Overall, HealthDesk is very easy to use, however, there are some
tricks (such as double clicking to call up the disease information) which
require reading the on-line help file to figure out. It is intuitive to
use, but users are confined to its predefined format.


DOCUMENTATION
-------------
	There is no printed manual except for a tutorial which covers most
of the features. Moreover, the tutorial booklet does not contain an index.
The table of contents is the only place to look for possible places for
answers. The on-line help is better and covers a broader range of topics.
Overall, the Help is sufficient for this program.
      The Online Help is very extensive and covers everything you want to
know about the program and its uses.

PROBLEMS
--------
	The setup program for HealthDesk program should check existing DLL
files. Instead, it expands the files: AAPLAY.DLL, COMMDLG.DLL, and
VBRUN200.DLL into the HealthDesk directory. If you have a previous copy of
those files, you end up with duplicate copies of them on the hard drive.
Moreover, the DLL files that come with HealthDesk are dated earlier than
the ones in my Windows directory, making me wonder that some functions may
not be up-to-date.
	HealthDesk employs good graphics, but the color of text and screen
are so close that it is sometimes difficult to read the text.
	It would be helpful for HealthDesk to let users output the forms
in text format so the records can be incorporated into other Windows
program files. It also doesn't take the possibility of getting input from
other Windows programs into consideration.
	When printing, HealthDesk defaults to a portrait form and does not
allow for changing the format. The printing dialog box is totally
different from standard Windows programs, and the normal option of setting
up a printer is not available. The Windows printing dialog box provides
more functionality and hopefully will be adopted in a future release.


SUMMARY
-------
      HealthDesk seems to be targeted toward non-medical professionals,
and it provides some useful features. It is essentially a database program
specially designed for recording personal medical information.
Health-conscious people who are prepared to devote some time to track
their health profiles should find the program satisfactory, as long as
they don't expect the program to accommodate any changes they may want to
make to the forms.

	Song-Muh Jong was a biology major in college and has five years
of experience in using PC's.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*> Mayo Clinic - The Total Heart			|
   -----------------------------			|     Review
   by Song-Muh Jong					|
							-------------------

EVALUATION AT A GLANCE
----------------------
	 Company Info:	IVI Publishing
			1380 Corporate Center Curve, Suite 305
			Eagan, MN 55121
			(612) 686-6895
			(612) 686-0721: FAX

	 Retail Price:	$59.95
	Upgrade Price:	N/A

 On a scale of 1 to 10
----------------------
	  Ease of Use:	8
	     Graphics:	6
	   Innovation:	5
		Sound:	5
      vs. Competition:	N/A
	   Usefulness:	5
	User Friendly:	8
	Compatibility:	6
	  Reliability:	6
		Value:	2
	Documentation:	8
	      Overall:	5.9

	Quick Summary:	The Total Heart is a comprehensive guide to heart
			health and heart disease. It's basically a copy of
			the book "Mayo Clinic Heart Book" plus animations,
			video and audio illustrations. It is easy to use,
			but needs some improvements to achieve its goal.

		 Pros:	A good collection of facts and medical knowledge
			about the heart health and diseases.

		 Cons:  Many of the topics are either too simplified or
			still full of medical jargon. Many tables are
			copied directly from a book and should have been
			transformed into the Windows Help format.

	       Thumbs:	Down


MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
--------------------
      4 MB 386, a CD-ROM drive, and a sound card will enhance the sound
effects (but the PC speaker with a headphone is enough to hear the sound
clearly).

SYSTEM TESTED ON
----------------
CPU:              8 MB 486/33
Drives:           210 MB IDE Western Digital Hard Drive
Graphics:         Paradise color graphics cards with 1 MB video RAM
Monitor:          14" non-interlaced color superVGA at 1024x768
CD-ROM:           PCDL internal CD-ROM drive (not SCSI)

OVERVIEW
--------
      The Total Heart is a joint effort between IVI Publishing, Mayo
Medical Ventures, and Sony Electronic Publishing Corp. to enhance the
learning of heart health and heart diseases. It is a multimedia version of
the book "Mayo Clinic Heart Book" published by William Morrow and Co. It
is a remarkable effort: a 400-page book on CD-ROM.


FEATURES AND ANALYSIS
---------------------
	The Total Heart on CD is essentially an encyclopedia about the
heart. It combines a hypertext search engine with some sound files to
explain a few key features of the heart and heart disease, as well as a
few pictures and animations to explain the various anatomical parts of the
heart. I emphasize "a few" because there are not many pictures or sounds,
leaving much room for improvement. The drawings and pictures that
illustrate the anatomical parts of heart and some heart and vessel action
are not very impressive. The sound of the Total Heart is impressive during
the program startup, but that's the beginning and the end of great sound
effects. Most of the other sound is limited to a brief declaration of a
specific part or action. For a program meant to cover so much information
as the Total Heart, the sound part is too weak to be useful.
	Since it functions as an encyclopedia, I am particularly alert to
the deficiency of detailed information, such as the diagnostic details,
drug actions, side effects and dosage information. In short, the Total
Heart is targeted toward non-medical people, and assumes that a primary
school level of knowledge is enough for the user.
	On the other hand, there are several big tables of symptoms and
emergency treatment that are simply copied from medical textbooks, and
require a huge computer monitor to view the information clearly. These
tables should be modified into the Windows Help format. Much of the medical
jargon and names should have been fully explained in layman's terms. The current
version of the Total Heart is still in a primitive form and needs a lot of
work to make it acceptable and worth the attention of health-conscious
people.
	The search feature of the Total Heart is pretty good. When you
choose the View/Search menu, the dialog asks you for the search name, and
a smaller box lists all the keyword that can be searched. While typing the
search word, the keyword that matches what you are typing becomes
highlighted. Another feature is the spelling function where the program
looks for keywords that are similar to what you have just typed and allows
you to replace the search word with any of the listed alternative
keywords. The search feature makes turns this product into a very good
database. However, you are not given the option of adding any information
to the existing database, which could have been accomplished by using a
temporary file on the hard drive.


TIPS
----
	Always make sure that you have more than 3 MB disk space before 
using the program. Running the program without much disk space can cause a 
general protection fault at any time.


DOCUMENTATION
-------------
	There is no documentation in the package, except a single piece of
paper on installation and trouble-shooting. The installation guide is
clearly written. However, there is an ambiguity in the program
installation (see PROBLEMS).
	The on-line help feature is rather extensive and provides all the
details you need to move around the program. In fact, the entire program
is designed to be read on-line. A large monitor will help to ease the eye
strain of reading the small text in windows.


PROBLEMS
--------
	The first problem that one may encounter is the program setup.
The setup program will copy some critical files onto the hard drive and
declare that the installation is complete. If you choose to run the
program, however, you will get a GPF error. You need to install the MCI CD
AUDIO driver from the Control Panel/Driver option in Windows before you
run the program. This is a one-time installation and, after the initial
step, you can run the program directly by double clicking on its icon. It
would be more convenient if the setup program would automatically install
the AUDIO driver for you, or at least remind you to install it after setup
instead of declaring installation complete when it is actually not.
	The Total Heart requires a lot of disk space to swap temporary
files. It also leaves many temporary files in the Windows temporary
directory after its exits. The disk space requirement is
very critical to the Total Heart. Any Windows activity that creates disk
files will reduce the available space to the Total Heart and may very well
cause a GPF error.
	The Total Heart is designed to run in either full screen or as a
minimized icon. There is no option to run the program as a window for
interaction with other Windows programs.
	There are minor design problems with the Total Heart. When a 
window of text appears, the scroll button is always activated no matter 
how much text is in the window. A good Windows program will cause the 
scroll bar and button to disappear when all the text appears in the 
current window and nothing is hidden. Another problem is that most windows 
cannot be resized or moved. The only option is to scroll text up or down. 
The print option is also problematic. It is active when nothing is on the 
screen, but is usually disabled when a window with information shows up.


SUMMARY
-------
	The Total Heart is easy to use. However, you need to spend some 
time to become familiar with the structure of the information tree in 
order to find a specific piece of information quickly.
	The Total Heart is full of information. However, its content is
suited more for casual browsers than for serious users. For that reason, I
believe the list price is too high.
	The design of the Total Heart is very primitive. The program does 
not show any thoughtful design. Rather, it appears to simply pack some 
information into a few windows, with some sound effects and very limited 
animation of graphics. I particularly dislike their copying of tables from 
medical textbooks and showing them as scrollable figures with very tiny 
characters in windows. Although it must have been a great effort to put 
the current information on CD, I'd expect something more than an abridged 
textbook from a multimedia product.


	Song-Muh Jong was a biology major in college and has five years
of experience in using PC's.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*> PC LIFE: Time for an Apple				|
   -----------------------------------------		|     Opinion
   by Alan Frayer					|
							-------------------


     Fruits never were big around our house, but then, neither were 
vegetables. A dietitian could make a bundle off of us, if we ever agreed 
to let one plan our menu. Much of what we eat is junk; the food that isn't 
fast is heavy in starch. Pasta, rice and beans (courtesy of Bocona's 
Puerto Rican heritage), ground beef, these are the foods of a busy 
lifestyle.
     I took another look at fruits after noticing how many sweets Debbie 
consumes. If it isn't candy, it's desserts. Cakes and pies are her 
favorites, and she'll make time to bake them, rather than buy pre-made 
pastries from the store. Looking to satisfy her craving for sweets in a 
somewhat more healthy manner, I started visiting the produce department in 
the store. I had forgotten just how many different fruits there were.
     With all the choices available, it's surprising people still think of 
apples, and I'm not just talking fruit, now. The Apple computer lines are 
suffering from all the competition, with traditional marketing ploys 
insufficient for giving the company back its share of the personal 
computer industry.
     Perhaps a sign of desperation, Apple has finally made some moves that 
should have been made ten years ago. In separate announcements, Apple 
declared it would finally open the Macintosh architecture and would port 
the System 7 operating system to Intel processors.
     By opening the Mac architecture, Apple has finally given permission 
for other companies to develop Mac clones, a concept that had proven very 
successful for IBM at the introduction of the PC. The question remains 
whether Apple's share of the computer market is sufficient to encourage 
third-parties to take advantage of the change in policy.
     Of more likely benefit to Apple is the second decision. There has 
been little argument about the quality of Apple's System 7 operating 
system. People rarely buy Macintosh computers for the capabilities of the 
hardware; the shining star of the Mac has always been its extremely 
friendly operating system. The Mac operating system is so friendly, it 
inspired Microsoft to develop Windows. If System 7 is actually ported to 
Intel processors, it stands a chance of wrestling a prominent position in 
the battle for the OS market.
     Already the OS market is fragmented, with supporters behind 
Microsoft's MS-DOS and Windows, IBM's OS/2, and Novell's Unix and Novell 
DOS. As Microsoft moves into the 32-bit OS market, warning users that 
compatibility between vendors will be hard to find, a key question will be 
which OS will be supported by the major application publishers. If Apple 
ports System 7 to the Intel- based machines, users will have available a 
32-bit platform with a large, existing base of familiar applications. 
Apple could possibly displace Microsoft as the king of PC operating 
systems.
     Apple has made a commitment to developing for the IBM world, with an 
attitude of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." The future of the company 
no longer depends on the success of one product. This was the right move 
for Apple, and will certainly liven competition in the PC market.
     With all the exotic fruits I find in the produce section, I could 
sample a different one each week and never be bored, but I happen to like 
apples. Apples may be just what my family needs.

				     Copyright (c) 1993 by Alan Frayer, CNE
						        All Rights Reserved

	Alan Frayer is a professional writer, published in InfoWorld, the
Clarion Tech Journal and Sarasota's Business Magazine.  He is also a
member of InfoWorld's Review Board, as well as a certified NetWare 3.11
administrator.


What is PC LIFE?

	PC LIFE is a column where the author shares his opinions on the
issues surrounding the PC industry and occasionally mixes in product
reviews. The columns are written in an entertaining, tongue-in-cheek
style, meant not only to entertain but also educate.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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NEWS Review, contact the Editor for details. Please do not send
unsolicited articles prior to offering a summary by mail or FAX. Articles
submitted must be the author's own work.


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
---------------------
	All written comments, suggestions, and questions regarding PNR are
read by the editors. We reserve the right to publish and edit all
submissions. You can indicate that information such as your name, city, or
state be withheld (we do not publish actual street addresses in any case).

PNR DIRECT
----------
	Direct subscriptions to PC NEWS Review are available on disk, via
FAX, or via e-mail. Base rates via e-mail are $12 per year. These include
news flashes sent in between issues.  On disk/via FAX: $24 per year.
Contact us for details.

WHERE TO FIND PC NEWS Review
----------------------------
Internet:	Type ftp 129.79.26.27 or ftp ftp.cica.indiana.edu. Once
 		you log on, the system will ask you for your name. Type:
		FTP.  Next it will ask you for your password.  Type in your
		name (i.e. username@u.something.edu).

		Once you are at the prompt, type bin to switch to binary
		mode.  Next, type: cd pub/pc/win3/uploads.  Finally, type:
		GET PNR_x.ZIP (where x is the issue number).  To logoff,
		type: BYE.  This will transfer the file to your local
		directory.  If you have any questions about this process,
		send us e-mail.  Older issues should be available in the
		pub/pc/win3/misc folder.


CompuServe:	Type "GO WINSHARE" PNR files are in the General Win Apps
		directory

GEnie:		Windows Roundtable (page 1335), Library 11

		Also a discussion section is in Category 20, Topic 46 of the
		Windows Roundtable.

Delphi:		In the New Arrivals section of the PC section. (type GO
		COMP/PC from the main menu, then type Databases, and enter
		New Arrivals when the system asks for the topic)

NVN:		In the Windows section (type GO WINDOWS, and select option
		3, Data Libraries).

America Online:	In the Windows Forum download section: Reference (subtopic:
		Windows Topics Text)

		Discussion is in the Windows Forum (in the General
		section under topic: PC NEWS Review: Windows Edition).


PC NEWS Review STAFF
--------------------
Editor:			Steven O. Steele

Assistant Editors:	Ross Barclay
			Bob Garsson
			Kathleen A. McNelley

Contributing
Writers:		Reiner D. Bohlen
			Jerry J. Davis
			Edward Decowski
			Alan Frayer
			Bob Garsson
			Gregory C. Mehojah
			Jay Morton
			Keith Whitton
			Ed Williams

PUBLISHING INFO
---------------
	PC NEWS Review (PNR) is a monthly electronic publication with
current news and reviews of Windows related subjects. All material
Copyright 1994 by Bolt Publishing Co. unless otherwise specified. All
rights reserved. No material may be reproduced in any form without the
express written permission of BPC. PNR does not accept commercial
advertising from companies whose reviews have appeared in recent issues
of PNR to maintain the integrity of the reviews. Opinions expressed in
PNR are those of individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the
opinion of PNR or BPC.  BPC, its writers and editors, and PNR are not
responsible for any injury or property damage resulting from the
application of any information in PNR.


TRADEMARK INFO
--------------
	PC NEWS Review and News-U-Can-Use are trademarks of Bolt
Publishing Co. (BPC)  "Windows" is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation
(MSFT).  PNR is an independent publication not affiliated with MSFT. MSFT
is in no way responsible for the editorial policy or contents of PNR.
