Shareware Dispatch The weekly newsletter from CNET's SHAREWARE.COM Vol. 2, No. 12 Wednesday, September 11, 1996 http://www.shareware.com/ 170,000+ subscribers *********************** CONTENTS: 1. News and hot releases - Monster Truck Madness - Paint Shop Pro Update - Shareware Gold Glitters 2. What's hot this week: our top 10 downloads. 3. Featured applications for the PC. 4. Featured applications for the Mac. 5. Get on. How to subscribe/unsubscribe to our mailing list. *********************** 1. NEWS AND HOT RELEASES MONSTER TRUCK MADNESS AT MICROSOFT Yeehaw! Mudslinging mayhem has hit the Internet with Monster Truck Madness, the latest racing game from Microsoft with a mammoth twist. Trick out your truck with some big-old tires and become your opponent's worst nightmare. Realistic graphics and authentic sounds make for an immersive experience. To get down and dirty in the mud, pop the clutch and roll over to: http://search.shareware.com/code/engine/Find?archive=cnet-win95&cfrom=power&se arch=mtmtrial.exe&and=&orfile=on&name=&hits=25&sort=by+date+-+new+files+first PAINT SHOP PRO UPDATED TO VERSION 4.1 JASC's Paint Shop Pro has stood for years as the best shareware image editing tool. It has won several accolades, including the 1996 Shareware Industry Award for Best Graphics/Multimedia Program. The new version supports new features and enhancements, including dockable tool bars, enhanced selection options, built-in special effects filters, and support for new image formats such as Progressive JPG, Mac PICT, and PNG with transparency. Paint Shop Pro may not compete toe-to-toe with some of the more sophisticated paint programs like Photoshop, but with a registration price of $69, it can't be beat for most graphics needs. To grab the latest version of a shareware classic, jump over to: http://search.shareware.com/code/engine/Find?archive=cnet-win95&cfrom=power&se arch=psp41.zip&and=&orfile=on&name=&hits=25&sort=by+date+-+new+files+first SHAREWARE GOLD GLITTERS Chuck Miller of CNET's Gamecenter shares his gaming insights in September's edition of Shareware Gold. This month, Chuck offers updates and succinct descriptions of Shadow Warrior, Blood, and Prey. More in-depth reviews and screen shots are provided for Epic MegaGames' forthcoming strategic marvel, World of Wonders, and for an entertaining puzzler called Trogg. Also highlighted in Shareware Gold are Chuck's top picks from the cream of the crop in shareware gaming, and a candid feature called "the good, the bad, and the ugly." To stay on top of the latest in PC gaming, check out: http://www.cnet.com/Gamecenter/Exclusives/Shareware/ *********************** 2. TOP 10 DOWNLOADS FROM SHAREWARE.COM: #1 Netscape Navigator 3.0 Final for Windows 95 --> 21,462 downloads #2 Quake --> 20,521 downloads #3 Extreme Pinball --> 15,154 downloads #4 QuickTime for Windows --> 14,833 downloads #5 Windows 95 Tips and Tricks --> 9,996 downloads #6 WinZip for Windows 95 --> 9,060 downloads #7 One Must Fall 2097 --> 8,714 downloads #8 Norton AntiVirus Definition Set (Hare Virus) --> 7,905 downloads #9 McAfee's Virus Scanner for Windows 95 --> 6,749 downloads #10 Star Fighter --> 6,720 downloads For more information on SHAREWARE.COM's most popular files, check out: http://search.shareware.com/SW/Search/Popular/ *********************** 3. FEATURED APPLICATIONS FOR THE PC: DIG UP ANYONE'S EMAIL ADDRESS EmailFerret offers an easy way to locate email addresses of individuals and organizations on the Internet. The program automatically queries several popular search engines, enabling you to quickly and efficiently find exactly who you're looking for. It has the ability to utilize all or any combination of the available search engines and returns the results in a very readable format. EmailFerret eliminates the inherent duplication associated with performing separate searches, and it allows you to send mail directly to the person or save their email address to your address book for later use. Searches can be performed on the basis of a person's first name, last name, or corporate employer, and wonderful results can be obtained by entering your own name or the name of a former college buddy or celebrity. FACT FILE: Program name: EmailFerret Version: 0.8500 Size: 600K Developed by: Vironix Software Laboratories License: Freeware Requirements: Windows 95 To find a long lost friend or relative, check out: http://www.shareware.com/code/engine/File?archive=cnet-win95&file=win95%2finte rnet%2fEmailFerret085%2eexe&size=618496 BUILD A BETTER SITE HomeSite is a new HTML editor that provides a host of impressive features and sports an intuitive, easy to use interface. Complete HTML 3.2 support, advanced programming wizards, support for long filenames, right mouse button functionality, and support for tags specific to Internet Explorer 3.0 and Netscape 3.0 are only a sampling of what this editor has to offer. Enhanced features such as support for ActiveX controls, Java applets, and scripting, as well as utilities like find and replace across multiple files, project management, spell-checking, multiple-level Undo, and extensive online help distinguish HomeSite from many of its competitors. The application addresses the need for efficiency in Web site design; a powerful multilevel toolbar allows quick access to often used HTML tags, tools, and wizards. Without question, HomeSite effectively provides Web designers and HTML novices the tools necessary to incorporate the latest Web technologies into their sites. FACT FILE: Program name: HomeSite for Windows 95 Version: 2.0 Beta 2 Size: 1,000K Developed by: Nick Bradbury License: Shareware, $25 Requirements: Windows 95 To begin construction using the latest tools, point your browser to: http://www.shareware.com/code/engine/File?archive=cnet-win95&file=win95%2finte rnet%2fhs2setup%2eexe&size=1035166 NO GLASSES REQUIRED NearSite is a toolbar application that provides an array of time-saving utilities for Web surfers. The small desktop toolbar allows you to quickly access NearSite's features when you need them and hides out of the way when you don't. Power-surfing tools offered by the program include online and offline browsing in conjunction with Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, a bookmark utility, a cache viewer, and a Web page retriever called Autobrowse. In offline mode, NearSite allows you to browse the Web sites that you have collected in your cache, whether they have been automatically gathered by Autobrowse, or collected as a result of your standard online browsing. The bookmarks window is used to store and manage records of your favourite Web sites and can be configured with Autobrowse to automatically retrieve selected pages. The Cache Explorer shows you at a glance what's available in your own personal intranet, parsing collected materials into Web pages, images, and sounds. FACT FILE: Program name: NearSite Version: Build 528.2 Size: 540K Developed by: Info Evolution Ltd. License: Shareware, $49.95 Requirements: Windows 95 To automate your next browsing session, check out: http://www.shareware.com/code/engine/File?archive=cnet-win95&file=win95%2finte rnet%2fiens32%2eexe&size=548675 ALL THE NEWS FIT TO SEARCH NewsFerret offers an easy way to locate and download Usenet newsgroup articles from the Internet. The program automatically queries user- elected news servers that store the articles, to quickly find posts on the subjects you're looking for. It has the ability to search one or more news servers and returns the results in an attractive format. NewsFerret is a functional newsgroup client in its own right, enabling you to easily view and manipulate the contents of any articles once they are located. The application also has the added capability of automatically locating and combining various parts of multipart Usenet articles. FACT FILE: Program name: NewsFerret Version: 0.8600 Size: 600K Developed by: Vironix Software Laboratories License: Freeware Requirements: Windows 95 To query up to 16,000 newsgroups, point your browser to: http://www.shareware.com/code/engine/File?archive=cnet-win95&file=win95%2finte rnet%2fNewsFerret086%2eexe&size=622592 MULTIPLAYER METROPOLIS SimCity 2000 Network Edition is the new multiplayer version of Maxis's best-selling metropolis-building game that can be played over the Internet, on a LAN, or via a modem. The original game provided users with the challenge of successfully constructing and managing a thriving city as its mayor. This version, however, has players acting as city commissioners whose decisions such as issuing bonds, instituting pollution controls or increasing the school budget must be voted on and agreed to collectively. A chat feature even allows players to hold town meetings to discuss sharing of city resources. Because the success or failure of the venture is collective, players need to think twice before building a new nuclear power plant next to an opponent's favorite suburb. A multiplayer game of SimCity 2000 requires one player's computer to act as a host for the game. If this is arranged via the Internet, other players are required only to enter the host's IP address to initiate gameplay (for dynamically assigned dial-up users, this can be obtained by the host and emailed to other participants). Maxis's Web site will have an electronic bulletin board where players can post challenges and arrange matches. FACT FILE: Program name: SimCity 2000 Network Edition Version: Trial Size: 3,700K Developed by: Maxis, Inc. License: Commercial Demo Requirements: Windows 95 To accept your new position as City Commissioner, check out: http://search.shareware.com/code/engine/File?archive=maxis-win95&file=demos%2f windows%2fsetup2knet%2eexe&size=3879758 Page 4