   ______                            _   __      __
  / ____/___  ____ ___  ____  __  __/ | / /___  / /____  _____
 / /   / __ \/ __ `__ \/ __ \/ / / /  |/ / __ \/ __/ _ \/ ___/
/ /___/ /_/ / / / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /|  / /_/ / /_/  __(__  ) 
\____/\____/_/ /_/ /_/ .___/\__,_/_/ |_/\____/\__/\___/____/  
                    /_/                                       
                         This Week's Contents:

My Notes:
1) Our Summer Vacation!
2) Windows 95 Thoughts . . .
3) Columnists?

News:
1) 10X Drives are Here! Amazing!
2) Mustang Wins Internet Award!

Reviews:
1) Net Chameleon Reviewed by Robert Hering (crhering@acy.digex.net)
2) The Big Basics Book of Microsoft Office for Windows 95 Reviewed by
   Herbert J. Lidstone (lidstone@eznet.net)
3) Government Online Book Reviewed by Stephen Jackson
   (jacksosm@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu)
4) WordPro 96 for Windows 95 Reviewed by Judy Litt (jlitt@qualitty.com)

Web Sites:
1) The Tax Man Cometh!
   (http://www.mindspring.com/current/financial.html)
2) Searching the Smart Way!
   (http://www.profound.com)

FTP File:
1) Easter and Passover Salute . . .

Interview:
1) Some Other Thoughts About WordPro!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date  : April 5, 1996     |CompuNotes is a weekly publication available
Issue : 41                |through email and many fine on-line networks.
--------------------------|We cover the IBM computing world with
CompuNotes is published   |software/hardware reviews, news, hot web
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Patrick's News
         Being The Publisher and Managing Editor Has Its Perks!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINAL VACATION PLANS!|
----------------------
    Thanks to all for sending suggestions on the vacation! We've decided
to vacation in Bethany Beach, Delaware. We've rented a wonderful beach
house for the week of June 15-22. If anyone has an tourists ideas, let
us know.
    We'll also be visiting two other places where I used to live. One is
in Valley Forge, PA. We lived on Old State Rd. Does anyone know about
this? Also, is Sal's Pizza still there?
    The second place is Burke, VA. We lived on Dove's Nest Court. Burke
is about 14 miles from DC. Is Ravensworth Elementary still around?
Thanks!

--------------------------
WINDOWS 95 THOUGHTS . . .|
--------------------------
    I'm just about ready to write my piece on Windows 95. Before I
unleash it on you all I want everyone to understand that CompuNotes is
dedicated to the IBM Compatible genre.
    Why do I say this? Well, we have received a bunch of flak from
folks saying we don't do enough OS/2. I would love to do more OS/2 if we
had folks who could review for it. If you are interested in reviewing
OS/2 items, let me know.

------------
COLUMNISTS?|
------------
    We are thinking about adding monthly columnists to our ranks. Is
this you? Remember, we don't pay, but we do offer you a platform and
some neat gifts! Email me at pgrote@inlink.com if you are interested.
Describe what you would like to cover and why . . .

-------------------------
Buy My Booklet, Please! |
-------------------------
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booklet called "10 Huge Mistakes Every SOHO Business Owner Should
Avoid". How's that for a title? They have been sent to the printer and
will be available in a day or two.
    This booklet details the ten huge mistakes that every SOHO business
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEWS OF THE WEEK| This section is dedicated to verified news . . . All
News (C)opyright  Respective Owner - Will Only Reprint
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pinnacle Micro Meets 10X Challenge . . .|
-----------------------------------------
    LAS VEGAS, April 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Pinnacle Micro, Inc. (Nasdaq:
PNCL) today introduced the world's first 10X speed CD-ROM drive for the
consumer and home markets.  This announcement comes from the Networld
Interop show in Las Vegas, one of the world's largest networking trade
shows, where Pinnacle is exhibiting this new technology.
    The 10Xtreme(TM) is the fastest IDE CD-ROM system on the market
today with a 1.5 Megabyte per second data rate.  This advanced
generation CD-ROM drive is available for use with any PC/AT or
compatible computer.
    10Xtreme has a suggested retail price of $299 and ships with a free
copy of "UP!", a unique multimedia CD with 100 digital videos.  The
10Xtreme is slated to ship in late April.
    "Users can now quickly access volumes of data with amazing speed,"
said Don Johnson, optical product manager for Pinnacle Micro.  "Computer
games that once appeared sluggish will become challenging.  CDs
containing graphic images, multimedia presentations and titles with
video and animation will run without undesirable pauses or delays."
    With its internal 5.25" half-height form factor, the 10Xtreme fits
into any available 5.25" open bay.  The included interface cables and
IDE controller allow the drive to be quickly and easily installed making
it a simple add-on to any system.  The 10Xtreme uses a motorized CD
loading tray which makes changing CDs a snap.
    "CD-ROM technology has witnessed explosive growth the last few years
and is now almost synonymous with multimedia and electronic publishing,"
states Gary Brach of CD-ROM Professional (April 1996).  "The adoption
and growth of CD-ROM and CD-R strongly parallel the usage of print in
the modern world."
    "This is the first product for Pinnacle that directly targets the
mass, consumer market," said Scott Blum, Pinnacle's executive vice
president.  "And with the widespread acceptance of compact discs as a
distribution tool, we anticipate strong demand through retail
distribution centers like CompUSA, Computer City, MicroAge and
MicroCenter."

CD-ROM STORAGE FEATURES
CAPACITY PER DISC                 650 Megabytes
TEXT CAPACITY                     300,000 pages
IMAGE CAPACITY                    1,000 - 40,000 images
AUDIO CAPACITY                    1 to 48 hours audio
VIDEO                             1 to 5 hours video
FORMAT                            international standard - ISO 9660
LONGEVITY                         25 to 250 years
-- CD-ROM Professional, April 1996

    Pinnacle Micro, Inc. is the recognized leader in recordable CD
technology and optical storage systems for general data storage and data
intensive applications such as network storage, imaging, desktop
publishing and prepress, as well as emerging applications such as
digital audio/video editing and commercial multimedia.  Founded in 1987,
Pinnacle Micro, Inc. is headquartered in Irvine, CA with offices in
North America, Europe and the Pacific Rim.
    Note:  The "X" used to describe CD-ROM technology denotes a CD-ROM
drive's speed, or the rate at which data is transferred from a CD-ROM
disc to a computer.  First generation 1XCD-ROM drives have a data
transfer rate of 150 kilobytes per second.  The technology has advanced
so that CD-ROM drives are available in 1X, 2X, 4X, 6X and now from
Pinnacle Micro 10X speed, with a data transfer rate of 1.5 Megabytes per
second.  This differs from the magneto-optical storage industry, which
advances new generations in terms of capacity.  A 1X optical drive is
650 Megabytes, 2X is 1.3 Gigabytes (GS), 4X is 2.6 GB, and 7X, available
only from Pinnacle Micro, denotes a 4.6 GB optical drive.

-------------------------------------------
Mustang Wins Internet Award for Wildcat 5!|
-------------------------------------------
    WASHINGTON, April 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Mustang Software, Inc.'s
(Nasdaq: MSTG) Wildcat! 5 has been selected as "Best New Internet
Product" in judging at the 1996 Federal Operating Systems Exposition
(FOSE) held through today at the Washington Convention Center.  Wildcat!
5, which shipped on March 25 and is just beginning to reach retail
shelves, is a dual purpose Internet and Intranet platform designed to
fill government, business, and consumer needs for online interactive Web
presence and internal Intranet ap plications.  Award nominees were
judged for FOSE '96 by the editors of Government Computer News.
Internet Software category runner-ups included:  Netscape Navigator Gold
2.0, Netscape Communications Inc.; The Caldera Network Desktop, Caldera
Inc.; SafeNet, MCI Communications Corp.; askSam 3.0/Professional and
askSam Web Publisher, askSam Systems Inc.; and ISYS Web, ISYS/Odyssey
Development.
    FOSE is the largest federal information technology trade show
nationwide.  Traditionally focused on microcomputer products, the annual
show has recently expanded its focus to include workstations;
client/server computing/key enabling technologies; and other technology
solutions within the Federal Government market.  FOSE attendees are
comprised of buyers and sellers of information technology products,
including government end-users, IRM professionals, technical staff,
program managers, systems integrato 8(a)'s resellers, and VARs.
    "We're honored that Wildcat! 5 has been named as Best New Internet
Product against such competition," stated Jim Harrer, President and CEO
of Mustang Software, Inc.  "Wildcat! 5 is breakthrough technology that
offers business and consumers the opportunity to build powerful online
Web sites and online communities with exceptional interactive messaging
versatility.  Wildcat! 5 also gives business and government a flexible
and robust Internet solution, with the ability to give users access to
Internet-publ d documents and resources."  Access to a Wildcat! 5 system
can be through Internet, direct dial or company LAN.
    Wildcat! 5 uses graphical, easy-to-navigate HTML pages offering
users full interactive and threaded messaging, real-time
teleconferencing, local E-mail, and access to file library areas.  The
system also offers the ability to link to the Internet (with the
optional Internet Connectivity Package) allowing Wildcat! system users
to receive Internet E-mail, access relevant Usenet newsgroups, and
utilize outbound browsing for research on the 'Net.  Wildcat! 5 also
allows system managers to set security level r controlled access to
various system message and file areas.
    One of the Wildcat! 5 features receiving attention is the Wildcat!
Navigator, a Windows-based program which callers use to access Wildcat!
5 interactive features.  "Only a small percentage of computer users have
direct access to the Internet, so Wildcat! 5 offers a solution," said
Harrer.  "Federal agencies and business need the ability to freely
distribute a single program to any computer user without worrying about
installing TCP/IP.  The Wildcat! Navigator has solved this issue by
allowing any user w Windows and a modem to access the Internet simply by
connecting to Wildcat! 5.  The Wildcat! Navigator addresses the needs of
the very basic consumer, while Internet-savvy consumers have the ability
to access the Wildcat! 5 site with their favorite browser."
    Wildcat! 5 is included on the GSA Schedule 1996/99.  Wildcat! 5 is
distributed by Ingram Micro, Merisel and DistribuPro.  Resellers include
CompUSA, Egghead, Computer City, Software Etc., Babbages, Best Buy,
Micro Center, Media Play, Fry's Electronics and Office Max.  The
Wildcat! product line is a leader with an active install base of more
than 50,000 sites.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEWS OF THE WEEK | Interesting software/hardware you may need . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product:  Netmanage Chameleon NFS - Version 4.6
Reviewed By:  Robert Hering  (crhering@acy.digex.net)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    This review was performed on a Pentium 90, using Windows 95 w/ 16MB
RAM, 1 Gb mass storage, 4 speed CD Rom drive, and Number Nine video
card.
    The installation was an upgrade to my previous Chameleon Ver. 4.5,
and the review is limited to the Internet connection features and
E-Mail/Messaging only.
    Chameleon NFS (Network File System), Version 4.6, is a very robust
suite of fifty (50) applications, supporting individual TCP/IP
connection to the Internet, workgroups (LANs and WANs), peer to peer PC
networks client/server functions, network whiteboard with audio and
video conferencing, and minicomputer and mainframe connectivity.  The
updated user interface changes are a definite improvement over the
earlier version.

System Requirements:
    386/486 Enhanced Mode, Windows 3.1 or later, DOS 5.0 or later.
InPerson requires 486/66, and 12MB of RAM.

Diskette Installation:
    Chameleon 4.6 consists of 10 diskettes.  The installation went
smoothly, with the program detecting Windows 95 at initial setup.  The
program creates six (6) folders that contain the basic program
categories.  They are Host Access, File & Printer Sharing, Workgroup
Collaboration, Internet Access, and E-Mail & Messaging.  Depending on
the options you select, the program uses approximately 24MB to 26MB of
hard drive space.
    You are given the choice of using the Netmanage or Microsoft Windows
95 TCP/IP stack.  The notes that came with the package refer you to
Netmanage's web site which contains additional technical details on the
difference between these choices (http://www.netmanage.com).  In
general, the site information is clear and informative.

Using Internet Access:
    Chameleon NFS supports SLIP, CSLIP, PPP, and WinISDN dial-up
connections. Internet access features include the "Websurfer" browser
which supports HTML Version 3.0, Gopher, FTP, Telnet, Archie,
newsgroups, IRC, True Speech, Talk, and Real Audio.  There is an
"Automatic Internet" utility that assists you in the selection of an
Internet provider for new dial-up accounts.  One nice feature, the
"Netshooter" application, lets you jump to e-mail or the Web from any
Windows application.
    The browser is quick and smooth, the only limit being the speed of
your connection.  The browser supports HTML3 extensions, in-line video,
folder- based hotlists, a history list, connection status, and WYSIWYG
style schemes for creating WWW pages.  The help file is comprehensive
and provides on-line tips for taking advantage of the browser's many
features.
    The Telnet applications allow you to login to any other networked
computer with a Telnet server. All emulation applications provide
logging with playback, copy, and paste, scripting, scalable fonts, and
drag-and-drop keyboard remapping.
    The access features worked well. Direct access to Gopher, Archie,
and FTP is convenient for those searching for specific files and topics.
One nice assist is the Ping utility that permits you to test the
connection to the server or ISP site.  Reading newsgroups is
accomplished via the browser, or through "Newtnews," an independent
program.

Using E-Mail/Messaging:
    E-Mail/Messaging features include email, phone tag, and "Newtprofs",
a Windows front end to IBM PROFS (Office Vision) mail system.  The email
application also include spell checking, MIME attachments, and
uuencode/uudecode features.
    The program allows you to insert files into the body of the message
directly, or as an attachment. The direct insertion is particularly
useful for ASCII file contents.
    Another utility, "SmartPOP", lets the user choose the maximum
message size to be downloaded.  The "PhoneTag" feature will trigger a
pop-up note on another user's screen, and there is a "NEWTCal" group
calendar and scheduler.

Conclusion:
    This program goes beyond the basics for Internet connection and
email. Its primary focus is on workgroups and a wide range of
connectivity. The many features can be overwhelming initially, but once
you complete the learning curve, most should feel it was time well
spent.  Using other programs that lack some of these tools leaves you
wishing they did.  The program offers much more than the typical "shell"
or browser capabilities, has many useful network tools, and you can even
create your own HTML documents.  At startup, the program even creates
your own web page.  Based on previous versions, Netmanage continues to
make significant improvements, particularly networked solutions.

Pricing:
    The list price for Netmanage is $475.00.  Netmanage is currently
offering up to 20% discount on the list price. An optional maintenance
fee permits the user to receive two (2) free updates per year. The
maintenance fee is 15% of the selling price.
    One other thing.  If you simply want to surf the web through a
dial-up account only, Netmanage offers Internet Chameleon.  The list
price for that product is $75.00, and also provides for the maintenance
update option, at 15% of the list price.  Street price should be
somewhat lower.

                             Netmanage, Inc
                       10725 North De Anza Blvd.
                       Cupertino, CA  95014-9714
                  West Coast Sales Phone: 408-973-7171
                    West Coast Support: 408-973-8181
                  East Coast Sales Phone: 603-888-2800
                    East Coast Support: 603-888-3500
                      West Coast Fax: 408-973-8272
                   Web Site: http://www.netmanage.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product: The Big Basics Book of Microsoft Office for Windows 95
Reviewed By: Herbert J. Lidstone (lidstone@eznet.net)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Big Basics Book of Microsoft Office For Windows 95, by Sherry Kinkoph, 
Joe Kraynak, Ed Guilford; 589 pages; illustrated; 81/2"X11"; $19.99; Que.

    I recommend the book.  It is big, 8 1/2 by 11 inches, fat, 589
pages, plenty of illustrations, starts with the basics of Windows 95 and
progresses to combining Excel data and charts with a Word document.  In
between are basic Office 95 skills, managing files, printing, Word,
Excel, PowerPoint, and Schedule+.  Appropriately so, the book is
recommended for the new to casual user, and not for the accomplished nor
expert user.
    The book begins with the operating software;  use Windows 95, start
Windows 95, stop Windows 95, move, view, use Explorer, and manipulate
Windows.  Then the topics that cross all the applications are discussed;
Office 95 Shortcut bar, start Office 95, exit Office 95, use basic
Office 95 elements, menus, dialog boxes, toolbars, and how to get help.
The explanations start with a description of the function, followed by a
guided tour.  The guided tour illustrates and describes the action
necessary to perform the function.  The guided tours are the heart of
the book and provide the tool to be able to independently perform the
functions.
    The Word topics covered are; typing in text, moving around the
document, moving text, copying text, find text, replace text, spell
check, printing envelopes, printing letters, formatting text, aligning,
lists, margin manipulation, headers, footers, and columns.  All the
necessaries to be able to create professional looking word processing
output rather efficiently. Throughout the discussions are shaded boxes
with pointers, such as, "... mark an X on a piece of paper and put it in
the paper tray with the X up ...", and alternative methods, such as,
"You can also start Spell Check feature by clicking ..."  These shaded
boxes are not intrusive, are small enough to be ignored if desired, and
are not too frequent.  Just the right blend of elements to make them
very useful.
    The Excel topics covered are; worksheets, enter data, ranges,
formulas, absolute addresses, functions, edit, delete, move data, copy
data, fill in data, insert, delete, format, alignment, borders,
patterns, resizing, page breaks, headers, footers, charts, edit charts,
change type, format chart, chart titles, create database, enter database
data, edit records, search, and sort.  Upon completing the Excel
instructions you should be able to make relatively simple spreadsheets
look very attractive, not a trivial accomplishment.  Again, shaded boxes
provide additional information to those interested.
    PowerPoint is covered in just fifty-two pages.  Fortunately,
PowerPoint almost makes the presentations for you if you accept the
models as given.  Even so, change text, change alignment, drawing, add
clip art, change color, customize backgrounds, and add special effects
are covered adequately to enable the brave to be a little inventive.
    The last application, Schedule+, is a powerful product for the
exceedingly busy.  Making up your schedule with appointments, events, to
do's, tasks, projects, and contacts, are shown in a simple way.  The
organization of this topic, Schedule+, and all the other topics, is such
that you can learn as much of the product as you wish.  Stop after the
first thirty-one pages, and you will be able to track every conceivable
appointment you make and birthdays for everyone in town.
    One of the major advantages of using a suite of products is the
seamless interface between the applications in the suite.  The book
describes the Microsoft Office Shortcut bar, copying between
applications, linking, embedding, and using binders.   These functions
make it easier to share the data between applications.
    Several typical applications are described that illustrate the
working together functions quite well.  Combining Excel data with Word
documents is explained by inserting an income statement into your
monthly business report, creating a quarterly report that updates
itself, copying an analysis chart into a letter to prospective
investors, adding explanatory text to your quarterly sales sheet, and
inserting a letter into your quarterly report.
    The section on Finding a Job with Microsoft Office covers creating a
Word resume, faxing the resume, creating a PowerPoint resume, keeping
track of potential employers with Schedule+, and organizing your
portfolio using binders.  The Organizing Your Home and Personal Finances
section details how to reconcile your checkbook balance, create an
address book, calculate interest on personal loans, create a workable
budget, create greeting cards, keep track of birthdays and
anniversaries, and creating a family tree.  The section On the Job with
Microsoft Office describes composing a newsletter, creating an invoice,
putting together a custom purchase order, creating a brochure, writing a
memo, and preparing a comprehensive report.  These applications allow
you to see the functions of the software applied to solve real problems.
If you do not use the output exactly as shown, you will be able to use
the methods learned to customize your own versions.
    Not every step of every process has a screen graphic.  I like to
check that what I was told to do did achieve the expected results.  When
the result screen graphic is missing, I am sort of left hanging.  Some
of the resultant screen graphics are missing.  I know this is a personal
preference, but I do not like the feel of the paper.  It feels and looks
like newspaper.
    The item that is missing to make this the perfect book to learn
Microsoft Office 95 are copies of files that could be used along with
the guided tour. Perhaps to keep this book under $20 the files could not
be included.  Overall, I recommend this book as the next best thing to
an on-site instructor.

                            Que Corporation
                         201 West 103rd Street
                        Indianapolis, In  46290
                       WWW:   http://www.mcp.com


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product: Government Online - Book
Reviewed By: Stephen Jackson (jacksosm@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    One of the most unfortunate manifestations of "newspeak" today is
the expression "information superhighway."  It is unfortunate because it
is both vague and misleading.  The words "information superhighway," as
Max Lent, author of GOVERNMENT ONLINE, makes clear, are meant to refer
to a  national communications infrastructure which will enable everyone
on the planet, or at least everyone on the planet who is appropriately
"wired," to search the world's libraries for answers to our most burning
questions.  The end result of this process is that we will soon evolve,
if we haven't already, as Marshal McLuhan once predicted, into a kind of
global village where everyone's business becomes electronically
connected with everyone else.
    Whether or not this is a good thing is a matter for sociologists to
ponder. But if anyone believes we are just around the corner from having
immediate and easy access to the wisdom of the ages, then GOVERNMENT
ONLINE should set you straight. Experienced internet surfers have known
for some time that what is needed today is not more information, but
more and better tools to enable you to locate the information you are
seeking. Without an experienced guide to help you in your search, you
may soon find yourself getting lost in a labyrinth of bureaus,
departments, agencies and archives, both federal and state, whose doors
are often locked behind acronyms and signs known only to insiders.  Max
Lent's GOVERNMENT ONLINE can get you inside those doors.
    GOVERNMENT ONLINE is a directory of electronic federal, state, and
local government resources available online to anyone with a computer
and a modem.  Thousands of databases, containing everything from the
latest studies on air borne carcinogens, to Congressional hearings on
the licensing of nuclear power plants, information that heretofore was
beyond the reach of the average citizen, are now available online-- IF
you know where to look.
    One of the nice features of Max Lent's book is the clarity of its
information.  It was not designed merely for information retrieval
experts, but for anyone interested in going online.  He succinctly
explains how to get online and what you can expect to find when you get
there.  A detailed table of contents provides you with a clear and
sensible view of the book's overall structure. Early chapters include
getting started with the basics, a description of the internet, and an
overview of commercial online service providers.
    The best part of this book, as you might expect from its title, is
devoted to listing numerous online resources of government agencies.  As
the author freely admits, any gathering together of online resources, no
matter how well intended and comprehensive, is bound to be incomplete.
The internet today is simply too vast for any individual to index.  It
is, in fact, a rapidly expanding universe whose constellations have
scarcely been identified, much less catalogued.
    At the time this book was written, just one short year ago, the
world wide web had not yet assumed the dominant presence on the internet
it has since achieved through the wide distribution of web browsers like
Mosaic and Netscape.  Some of the author's remarks about the instability
and unreliability of the web may seem dated and suggest a lingering bias
against the use (or abuse) of web pages. But with today's broad
acceptance of the new 28.8K standard for modems and improved performance
from upgraded versions of Netscape, there is no longer any reason to
abstain from the web.  However, Lent's caution that a significant volume
of government resources is still accessible only through electronic
BBS's and gopher sites remains true.  And given the idiosyncratic nature
of electronic bulletin boards, it is certainly helpful to follow in the
footsteps of someone who has already tread these difficult paths,
mastering the logon procedures and search strategies for BBS's which are
usually privately funded and maintained as a public service.
    At $15 a shot, GOVERNMENT ONLINE is worth every penny in the time
and aggravation you will save when going online. If you are in the
market for a good reference tool that unlocks the mystery of government
online resources, look no further.

                            HarperPerennial
                    Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.
                          10 East 53rd Street
                           New York, NY 10022
                             (212) 207-7000

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product: WordPro 96 for Windows 95
Reviewed By: Judy Litt (jlitt@qualitty.com)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    WordPro . . . WordPerfect . . . Word . . . do you get the feeling
that these companies want us to be confused? It seems, IMHO, that word
processors are locked in an eternal war of leapfrog. One pulls ahead
with nifty new features, then the other two scramble to catch up. Then
another leaps ahead of the competition -- but eventually they all pull
pretty much even.
    I started out using Ami Pro. I still use it, but I use Word as well,
because most of my clients do. I wasn't planning to upgrade from Ami Pro
to WordPro -- but then this opportunity came along and I grabbed it; I'm
glad that I did.

Installation
    Make sure your hard drive is cleaned up -- because this program is
space hungry. There are three different install modes:

                            Default -- 41 MB
                     Minimum -- 17 MB (for laptops)
                               Customize

    I chose customize, which gives a "pick & choose" option under the
following categories:

                            WordPro Program
                             Proofing Tools
                           Text file filters
                          Spreadsheet filters
                            Database filters
                            Graphics filters
                         SmartMaster Templates

    Even after picking and choosing, the program still weighed in at 32
MB.

First Use
    WordPro has definitely caught up with Word -- and begun to look a
lot like Word, too. It opens with a dialog box where you can choose to
use a SmartMaster or create a new document.
    There's now a smartcorrect feature -- which automatically corrects
commonly misspelled words, a lowercase following a period, etc. -- as
you type. Help has been changed to something very similar to wizards and
cue cards (I'll get into that a little more in depth later).
    You can still drag and drop text; doubleclicking still selects word,
etc. But WordPro also makes full use of the right click button.
Highlight a word, right click, and you can:

                                  Cut
                                  Copy
                                 Paste
                              Change Style
                              Select Word
                            Select Sentence
                            Select Paragraph
                          View Text Properties
                          View Page Properties

    If you choose to view either text or page properties, you get one of
WordPro's new infoboxes. Infoboxes combine all formatting options into
one box. So you can easily choose fonts, text size, alignment, color,
spacing, and more in one box (for those of you familiar with CorelDRAW!,
it's similar to the rollups in that program). Best of all: the box stays
on the screen until you close it, and it can be collapsed down to a
title bar so that it does not take up much screen space.

It's in the Details
    It's attention to details that makes us prefer one program over
another. For instance, it's easier than ever to bold or italic a word.
Just click in the word and click the appropriate button; you don't have
to highlight the entire word.
    "Ask the expert" is a new and innovative feature. Basically, it's a
help facility. What's different is that you can ask for help in your own
words. Just type "how do I create an envelope" and sure enough a box
pops up with step by step instructions. Related topics are also shown,
as is a history of questions you've asked before.
    And speaking of envelopes, WordPro 96 has some great new features.
It's mind boggling easy to make envelopes. If you're already in a
letter, just click on create envelope. You can change the size. And if
you print the letter, the envelope will print automatically -- to the
correct bin -- at least on my printer. And for the first time I was able
to do something I've never been able to do in any other word processor
-- place a graphic on the envelope. Perhaps Word for Win95 has these
features, but at present time I don't have it.
    The print envelope bar, the ask the expert bar, and spell check are
all among WordPro 96's new "modeless" bars. They go across the screen
just below the toolbar, and they stay there until you turn them off.
    WordPro 96 will even open html documents -- and the display is
semi-WYSIWYG. Inline graphics are displayed, but not background
graphics. Things that are centered appear centered.

Bugs
    Life is never perfect, and neither is software. The manual that
comes with this program is a joke -- it's possibly the slimmest manual
I've ever seen. I know to some people that's a good thing, but sometimes
it's easier to find answers in a manual than in online help.
    There are some things I still can't figure out. For instance, I
created a new style that has the proper margins for my letterhead -- but
I haven't figured out yet how to make that appear as a choice in all
documents. Right now it's only a choice in the document where I created
the style. Apparently it's lost in the great style black hole.
    As easy as envelopes are to set up, the recipient address is
printing way over to the left. It's not as easy as it was in Ami Pro to
fix it.

Conclusion
    There's a great deal of "team" stuff that I couldn't explore, being
a sole proprietor. The ability to set up a whole group of editors,
attach notes, set different levels of access to certain editors.
    I wouldn't have gone out and bought this program, but I'm glad I got
it. I'll probably use it more than Word. I don't know if it's the fact
that I started out on Ami Pro, but I still like the program. However,
think about what you need in a word processor before you buy one. Do you
need to be compatible with other companies or clients? Then find out
what they're using.

                            Lotus WordPro 96
                               Requires:
                       Windows 3.1 or Windows 95
                                8 MB RAM
                         35 MB hard disk space
                        Lotus Development Corp.
                        Word Processing Division
                          1000 Abernathy Road
                         Bldg. 400, Suite 1700
                           Atlanta, GA 30328
                          CompuServe: GO LOTUS
                   WWW: http://www.support.lotus.com/

------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEBSITES OF THE WEEK! | This section is devoted to cool WebSites . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MindSpring's Tax Help!|
-----------------------
    ATLANTA, April 3 /PRNewswire/ -- If not, don't despair!  MindSpring
has put together a web page of helpful tax sites on the Internet.
    No more last-minute drives around town trying to find an open Post
Office or library!  You can download forms to print out, courtesy of
NetTax '96.  Links are provided to Federal forms, and to the State forms
for the Southeastern states that have provided the forms on the
Internet.

The page also includes:  

-- General Tax Sites - Full service tax sites with great information.

-- Includes the Twenty-Five Most Common Tax Preparation errors from the
Ernst & Young Tax Guide 1996.

-- Government Tax Sites - Go Straight to Congress or the IRS! 

-- Real Estate Tax - Calculate your mortgage or real estate taxes. 

-- CPA's - Visit the pages of accountants and other tax professionals.

-- Tax Publications & News - Get the latest tax news, magazines & books.

-- Tax Groups - Learn about tax advocates & protesters. 

-- Tax Software - Get the latest tax preparations software. 

           MindSpring's Tax Page is on the World Wide Web at:

            http://www.mindspring.com/current/financial.html

    MindSpring Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSPG) is Atlanta's largest
regional Internet service provider.  MindSpring began offering Internet
access services in June 1994 and now has more than 22,000 subscribers in
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Tennessee and in the Washington DC area.  MindSpring currently
offers service in 29 cities, and plans to roll out local access in
additional markets throughout the Southeast.  To learn more about
MindSpring visit the MindSp ring Web site at
<http://www.mindspring.com>, or call 800-719-4332.

------------------------
Profound Searches . . .|
------------------------
    NEW YORK, March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Since the Internet hasn't
embraced a common industry method for indexing information, users of
Internet search services, like Yahoo(R), InfoSeek(R), Alta Vista(R),
Excite(R) and Lycos(R) sometimes encounter irrelevant results when
searching the Internet.
    Some of the most popular Internet search services, such as Yahoo,
categorize the Web sites into several main topics, and sometimes further
subtopics.  This refinement at the front end of a search enables the
search to be conducted among categories chosen by the search tool
provider.
    Profound's InfoSort indexing system -- which searches the company's
proprietary databases of business information through the Profound Web
site (http://www.profound.com) -- employs hundreds of thousands of
search terms amassed over the ten years that Profound has refined the
technology.
    More important than gathering new category names, InfoSort actually
links new terms with established ones.  This ensures that when a search
is conducted using the latest industry vocabulary, the results are not
limited to information sources that only contain the new term.
    Attempting to link new industry terms with thousands of existing
ones across terabytes of historical information would be a monumental
task. However, since InfoSort has been in use for 10 years, links to
hundreds of thousands of search terms are not only maintained, but
extended to new search terms everyday as information is added to the
Profound service.
    In addition to locating relevant information resources without
wading through long menus and directories or using estoteric command
systems, InfoSort:

-- Saves users time and money by allowing them to purchase only the
information they need;   

-- Enables simultaneous searching of all Profound databases by
standardizing search terms across all of its databases using a common
search language, increasing the accuracy and scope of information
retrieved;   

-- Speeds the viewing of documents by allowing the user to jump to
sections of a report by clicking on the corresponding portion of the
index;   

-- Generates a detailed index for market research and broker reports
before the user of user views or purchases the information, showing the
precise location of the information sought;   

-- Ensures that users won't miss relevant information by providing
"one-stop shopping" for all of a user's business intelligence
requirements. 

    Profound's InfoSort indexing system features specialized artificial
intelligence software, employing rule-bases, thesauruses and proprietary
procedures for sharpening the focus of a seamless search through the
system's more than 4,000 sources of information.  This translates into
an inviting user interface by relegating Profound's complex searching
mechanism to a background function that is invisible to the user.
    Every piece of research information added to Profound's database is
indexed using InfoSort methodology.  Each research document and broker
report, for example, is read by a Profound research specialist who
creates a detailed table of contents, or index, for the document, page
by page.  When Profound delivers the index to the user, he or she can
pinpoint exactly where in a document the information sought resides. The
precise data can then be easily extracted, saving users time and money
by allowing them to purchase only the information they need.
    Conducting an Internet search on the crude oil market using popular
Internet search services could identify thousands of Web pages that
incorporate the words, "crude," "oil" and "market," whether or not they
are relevant.  Using Profound's InfoSort technology, a subject category
such as "crude oil" is automatically translated into a number of search
terms that have been identified by Profound information scientists over
the past 10 years.  To further refine the search process, terms that are
broader in scope -- or narrower -- than the original search term can be
employed by the user.  As the crude oil industry, or any other industry,
invents new terminology, those terms will also be added and linked to
existing terms.
    Rather than simply looking for and locating the phrase "crude oil"
in the text of an article or research report, InfoSort technology
enables Profound to search for the notion or essence of the subject, not
just the term.  This greatly increases the speed and intelligence of the
search process, which treats all Profound databases as a single file
that is searched simultaneously.
    Similarly, terms unique to a particular country or region are also
linked, so that a search for the latest news article on gasoline
consumption worldwide would also automatically include the terms
"petrol" and "fuel."
    The accuracy, relevance and scope of the information retrieved is
also greatly improved, since searching is achieved using both the
original search term as well as additional search terms that are linked
through InfoSort.  The actual "linking" of search terms -- based on
indexing rules established by information scientists -- is accomplished
by Profound research specialists, who identify related information in
each document before it is added to the Profound system.  A  search
under "beer," for example, would automatically include searches under
related headings such as beverages, alcoholic beverages and brewing.
    Since research specialists actually read each and every report or
document, results of searches are more comprehensive and relevant.
InfoSort cross-references in such a way as to permit searching across a
wide range of information sources, thereby resulting in enhanced user
applicability.  The system's prepared contents tables are able to target
relevant information in a way which responds rapidly to selected
criteria.
    Since the indexing information delivered by InfoSort is so highly
specific, users can save time and money by locating the type of
information they need in the index of each document identified by the
search, and only retrieving the information they need.  This enables
Profound users to download specific information without having to
download (and pay for) unnecessary information, or waste valuable time.
    For more information on Profound, connect to http://www.profound.com
or contact Profound, Inc., 655 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10021;
1-800-624-3462.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
COOL FTP FILE OF THE WEEK | You may need this file . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    When were the gospels written? Who ruled Babylon and Egypt during
Biblical times? BIBLE TIMELINES/WIT lets you sort and selects individual
people and events, or groups and factions, to develop new insights and
trace patterns across different eras and cultures. You can modify or
expand any of the datasets.

      You can find this as WITBLT11.ZIP in the following FTP site:
          ftp.asp-shareware.org/pub/asp/religion/witblt11.zip

------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERVIEW WITH ????? | Weekly Interviews with the Movers and Shakers!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Our interviews return next week!
             Here are some other thoughts on WordPro . . .

    Time for me to say something about this about this Ami Pro/MS
Word/Word Pro situation.... (warning: this could be a bit long <G>)
    I have been agonizing the last little while as to what to do. It's
been clear to me that Ami Pro is just far too out dated for my needs. It
doesn't have features I really could use (such as font embedding). But
where do I go?
    I'm a person who has a PASSIONATE and INTIMATE relationship (!!!)
with my word processors. It absolutely breaks my heart to leave old ones
behind. We have shared so many WORDS together! And Ami Pro is the most
loved and favorite word processor of any i've had. I absolutely love it
to pieces. The interface design, the way it feels (fluid! Flexible!)....
and on and on.

Where do I go?
    Well i have to admit, out of desperation, i've got Word 7.0 on my
system now. I've been working with it for several days. Converting
documents mostly-- becoming familiar with with Word "way" of doing
things. It has some nice features, to be sure... um, but really, it
stinks! I may be biased, but Ami Pro is a far better product. So much
more intuitive. Does things so much faster. Some of my more obvious
favorite things about ami pro simply don't exist in it (in spite of
their best efforts to rape old ami pro functions and incorporate them).
I happen to like ami pro's shaded margins! I like having several clean
screen options. And I like peppering my documents i'm working on with
pop up notes! How can i live without that? And the list of things goes
on and on.
    I've been trying SO hard to like Word 7.0... i don't think anyone
has ever tried harder to like any software! Because I need to upgrade.
But the most I can achieve is low grade bitterness at my loss of Ami
Pro, and numb resignation to the seemingly inevitable.
 
              Especially in light of this Word Pro fiasco.
 
    But guess what... You people here have poisoned me against Word Pro!
The denunciations of it are so pervasive and vehement and overwhelming I
really thought it was a forgone conclusion that it's completely
different than Ami Pro, and for the most part ... unworthy.
    But just yesterday i finally got a chance to see it for myself. I
didn't have too long to play with it a few hours. And i was SKEPTICAL
because of all I read here. But you know what? IT'S NOT THAT BAD!! I
feel hope timidly creeping back into my heart.
    Yes, it's quite different than Ami in some ways. But it's also
REALLY NEATO in many ways, with totally bizarre interface design like
i've never seen before in any word processor. The flexibility of all the
views and tools at organizing documents is phenomenal. The page layout
dialog is... stunning! Okay, it's total overkill in many ways, but it's
also quite interesting.
    Sigh, gone are the shaded margins... but maybe i can fake it with a
macro using frames and page colours. It does have faint grey lines up
both sides of the page where the margins currently are. Is there a way
to turn it off? It is a bit ugly, however I like it better than Word's
nothing. I like very much to be aware at all times of my margins.
perhaps it's just a quirk of mine. (-:
    True the on-the-fly spell checking is a lot slower than word, and
uglier-- about the only thing I really liked about word were the little
squiggley red underlinings of misspelled words. heheh. But then, Word is
annoying checking each word as typed it seems which on my 8 megs ram
sometimes especially when just starting a new document and the speller
isn't loaded in memory yet (presumably) halts screen output completely
for a few seconds while i keep typing that's annoying. Word Pro is
slower. Doesn't seem to check until you've been idle for a second (at
least from what i saw), but on the up side... there is no slow down in
typing and no pauses in screen updates. Spell checker understands
typographical markings now (astounding eh! <G>) and converts apostrophes
and "smart quotes" on the fly as you type... same was Word 7.
    Another thing I really like about Ami is how the status bar at the
bottom are also buttons. I find this a few beautiful and unobtrusive way
of doing things. I really hate that drop down font/size box on the Word
7 default menu bar. It's big and ugly. Word Pro maintains that Ami-style
interface of button-type status line.
    Unless i was missing some stuff i was a bit disappointed there
didn't seem to be as much user customization flexibility as I thought
there should be. But hey, even so, even in my mere two hours working
with it, it has a lot more customizable than i've found working
several days with Word.
    All the same old Ami Pro buttons for button bars are there... though
they are sort of tired and old looking... i've heard that Word Pro can
be configured with optional 256 colour icons.. that would be nice.
Toolbar support seems to be enhance. though I didn't have much time to
play with it so can't really comment on that aspect... multiple
detachable toolbars it seems.
    My most often used mode in Ami is zoom to fit margins in the window.
Word Pro has that build in now (don't have to use extra macro) and it
works well... Word doesn't have it at all.
    The new design of the spell checker shocked me. I had to take
several deep breaths to re-orient myself... but really it's quite neat
idea!
    I really like how page/text layout boxes stay open on top, but allow
you to still access your document underneath (multithreaded design), and
any changes you make happen right away on the page so you can see them.
    In short! In spite of it's rather huge size, some ugly quirks, i'm
actually EXTREMELY RELIEVED!! I think that Word Pro is a viable upgrade
from Ami Pro after all (sniff, sniff.. boo hoo!!).
    I dislike Word quite a bit, and in spite of days of trying to like
it I still don't. And that was a heavy burden on my soul! Now, if not
light at the end of the tunnel, at least the grey, drizzly horizon is
visible off in the distance. I am almost certain i'll be dumping Word 7
and moving to Word Pro permanently when the Windows 95 version comes out
(what's he hold up?!).
    I'm not saying here i don't desperately wish there was Ami Pro 4.0.
I do!! But in the choice between Word and Word Pro, it seems to me Word
Pro is in spite of everything a far more interesting, flexible and
Ami-Like product. I'm so relieved! All you people in this conference had
caused me to loose all hope!! If i had to use Word much longer i'm sure
i'd begin having nightmares of bill gates sneaking into my room and
smothering me with a plastic bag on my head or something! i'm so
relieved!!
    It has clean screen options!! I"m not forced to have a stupid
redundant "return" button somewhere on the screen taking up precious
work space. Heaven be praised!!
    I have a lot of respect for the recent flood of people CONFESSING
that Ami Pro actually fulfills all their needs, when they think about
it. I think that's great! I think that's courageous! I think that's
amazingly honest in this world of constant feverish upgrades. Because
honestly, although i can see the need for certain new features for my
own particular uses-- i can't see now most people would -need- to
upgrade from Ami, myself. Ami is just about the perfect general use word
processor. It's amazing.
    But to those of you will be upgrading for whatever reason (whether
you really need to or not) and have been under heavy oppression at the
dark prophecies of this conference, hear me! I bring you light!! Okay, a
dim light, a quite dim light. Maybe a haze. But a bright shimmering
haze! But really, give Word Pro a chance! It's still, from what I can
see, although heart breakingly deviant from Ami in some respects, an
excellent product, worthy of your consideration.
    I'm surprised to be writing all this. I really thought Word Pro was
going to be a total dud. But it's not! It's not! In spite of all the
things said here (and i understand Ami-Lovers' heart brokenness... i
really do!). Hallelujah!
    I was astounded at Word: what does it come with... filters to import
old Word documents and the ubiquitous Word Perfect... not much else. I
counted the Word Pro filters installed... 33!!! And on top of that I
think there were 9 spread sheet filters, and three databases.  It makes
one dizzy to think of it! I can't imagine what anyone would need all of
them for... but it's the thought that counts... and it shows flexibility
and open mindness on the part of Lotus i think. Word seems to be
designed to squeeze you through a funnel from which there is no
return... it makes me claustrophobic!
    But now i feel those walls turning to sand beneath my feet, and
although i'm not 100% convinced yet of Word Pro, I am, as i said, more
hopeful than i was. Much more hopeful, and perhaps even slightly
excited. Hurrah!
    Also all that "team" support stuff... i can't imagine a use for it
myself, but i must say... it looks really neat!

    Happy writing, my friends.
 
                                --END OF ISSUE--

