COMPUTER SOFTWARE REVIEWS

Learn to TypeIf
you are trying to learn how to type, you'll love the software program -
Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. It's available for $34.95 from Global Software
(1-800-8-GLOBAL). This program is well worth the money because it actually
making typing fun. I tried this out on my friend Laurie, who had never sat
down at a computer in her life. She was labeled as the "typical" hunt andpeck
typist. However, she even loved this program.

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing is menu driven and the more you use it the more
it adapts to your particular strengths and weaknesses. (Aren't computers

smarter than ever now?) It also entertains you while you learn by providing

2D and 3D graphics, lifelike keyboard and "guide hands" to show you the
perfect technique for added convenience. We especially liked the Racing Game,
where the faster you type the faster your race car travels.

Help For Dot-Matrix Printer Owners Emulaser, exclusively available from TigerSoftware (1-800-888-4437) for
$69.95 is worth every penny! It's the best thing I've seen - especially if
you own a dot matrix printer. Emulaser enables you to print Postscript

smooth, typeset-quality type, Postscript graphics, halftones - even

spectacular color images. Emulaser gives you the power to also scale type
for optimum quality from 1 to 1000 points! A friend used this on his 9-pin
printer and it almost matched the same print-out from my Hewlett Packard

LaserJet. When used on my LaserJet _ the output was close to LinoTronic

(the best available). You'll love Emulaser _ especially if you are on a
tight budget and cannot afford to upgrade your printer at the present. Emulaser also comes with 24 professionally designed borders and over 70
premium fonts including a host of symbols and graphic images! (The only
problem you may encounter is if you have one of the older IBM-compatible

computers, such as an XT or 8086. Emulser may not properly print within

the designated margins due to the restrictions of this older machine. It's
probably safe to assume you need a minimum 286-based system with 1 megabyte
of RAM for Emulaser to run properly. 520K and 640K RAM systems just won't
cut it. Sorry.)

Thumbs Down on This One
CardsNOW is a software program for designing business cards. It's available

from Global Software (1-800-8-GLOBAL) for $39.95. First of all, business

cards are normally printed with a raised print. Anything less makes you look
unprofessional and amateurish. In addition, people will normally use a color
ink for their logo or company name. Both of these options are NOT available

with this program, which degrades the quality look of your business cards
considerably. So why spend $39.95 for a program and $10.95 for 25 sheets of
perforated business card paper, when you can send a camera-ready master to
any mail order printer and have 1,000 professional business cards printed

in RAISED lettering as well as 2-color for around $30? How long does 1,000
business cards last you? That's about a 6-month supply for us, which would
not warrant the extra money to spend on this software program.

A Low-Cost Graphics Library
Lotus SmartPics, exclusively available from TPC Connection (800) 800 5555
for $75. No _ you don't need Lotus software to take advantage of this

magnificent package of graphics. This is an excellent way for any desktop

publisher to add to their collection! Over 2,000 high-quality and professional graphics to enhance all your documents, flyers, memos, reports,
bulletins, presentations and other business communications. And they're

flexible too. Choose a vector format to size, rotate and edit images or
choose bitmap for editing in paint programs. And as an ADDED BONUS, when
you order Lotus SmartPics you get FREE Bitstream L'il Bits Winter Holiday

Font Pack. These fonts are also a designer's dream. You get unique ones like
SnowCap, the ornate Cloister Black, the elegant Shelly, Allegro, or the
ghostly FreeForm 721. Now all you have to add are turkeys, snowflakes,

bells, sleds and candy canes to name a few. Grab this package today!