| August, 2002 Diablo Blue Page 3 |
| But wait, Microsoft has some neat things too. Word for Windows Create Envelope feature lets me address and print an envelope in less time than it takes to lick a stamp. The outlining feature, something I’ve ignored in stand–alone programs because it was so hard to get to, was addicting. The Page Preview functions in Word for Windows are glorious. Too bad I can’t combine the best features of both and call it BassWord WinPro. Need a Database? The one program that I’m still up in the air about is a Windows database. The two software giants are slugging it out, each vying for my attention, trying to get me to buy their database. And if you played your cards right, you cashed in on the ridiculously low prices. I mean, Microsoft’s Access for $99 bucks. Hell, it’s almost like buying shareware. Then Borland, with its stock wallowing in the low twenties, (it looked like it dropped a point for every day Paradox was delayed), tempting you with user group specials. Paradox for Windows for $125 and, for another $55, Quattro for Windows. At the Borland meeting, one guy bought five copies and said he was a commodities broker. Sure, I’ll take a hundred pork bellies, a bushel of soy beans and a handful of PDX/WIN’s. Look, the prices are low because there’s a lot at stake for both companies. Generally, the product you start with is the one you’ll stay with because you’ve spent so much time learning the keystrokes. So if they can get the product into your hands before the other guy, well, you get the picture. And we’re in the catbird seat because they look at user groups members as Influential End Users. They figure that if you buy one and like it — and with any luck use it — you’ll likely tell ten other users. Then if you like it and you’re MIS, well, they’ve really hit the jackpot. But I Digress... Hey, did I get off the subject? Both Access and Paradox for Windows are great products. Microsoft’s tempts you with Wizards and Templates while Paradox for Windows mesmerizes you with power, speed and, the best of all, familiarity. You already know Paradox, why learn something new? So which one are you going to choose? It’s the perennial battle, the one you face with every program you see at Egghead. Remember, this article was published in 1992; many of the products and vendors mentioned are no longer with us! Steve Bass is a Contributing Editor with PC World and runs the Pasadena IBM Users Group. He's also a founding member of APCUG. Check PCW's current edition at www.pcworld.com/resource/toc/index.asp and sign up for the Steve Bass online newsletter at www.pcworld.com/bass_letter. |
| Many of us use e-mail on a daily basis and we use different e-mail programs depending on what we want from it. Here are a few that are available. Free Programs such as Juno do not require you to have an internet account with anyone. They simply let you send and receive e-mail (including attachments) without any internet surfing. This means that you have no monthly or hourly charge to worry about. E-mail programs that require an Internet account is what most of us use, be it thru providers like AOL, Prodigy, MSN or an independent internet provider where you would use programs such as Outlook Express, Netscape Messenger, Eudora or my favorite IncrediMail. http://www.incredimail.com/ Many of you have not heard it, and I would like to take this opportunity to speak a little about it. |