Copyright: Copyright® 1993 ZiffNet


Contents
Volume 1, Issue 1 - August, 1993

© Copyright 1993 Ziff Desktop Information, All Rights Reserved.

Welcome to the first edition of the ZiffNet Monthly Shareware Review.  This periodical is dedicated to bringing you the latest news and highlights about downloadable software available on ZiffNet.  It features in-depth reviews and updated information on the newest and most popular shareware programs available.  For Information on how to download programs from ZiffNet, click here:   What is ZiffNet?

In This Issue:

About ZiffNet Shareware Review

Newest Titles

Top 10 Downloads

Reviews

Opinion Column: Trust in the Shareware System

This Month's Shareware Tips

Featured Author

Special Report: The Shareware Industry Awards 1993


About ZMSR
ZiffNet Monthly Shareware Review

The ZiffNet Monthly Shareware Review is a publication of ZiffNet/ZDI.
© Copyright 1993 Ziff Desktop Information, All Rights Reserved.

Editor: Scott Arpajian (ZiffNet/CIS ID: 72241,1517)
ZiffNet Executive Editor: Craig Kerwien
ZiffNet Software Manager: Reed Butler
Review Staff: Steve Conners, Dave Burton, Jim Edwards, Dick Mathes, Jeff Frownfelter, Al Thompson, Marcia Meier, Joyce Mosier.


Newest Titles
The Newest Additions to Our Library

Below are listings of some of the newest files available for downloading on ZiffNet for CompuServe.  ZiffNet for Prodigy members can always find up to date lists of Newest Titles right on the service by selecting "Newest Titles" from the ZiffNet Software menu.

Downloading from ZiffNet

Windows Applications

ICON MANAGER (ICM33.ZIP)
PBS Applications, Library 1
Comprehensive Windows icon management utility.

DRAG AND ZIP   (DRAGZP.ZIP)
PBS Applications, Library 1
Zip Shell for Win 3.1 File Manager or any file manager that supports Drag and Drop.

WINSPELL (WINSP2.ZIP)
PBS Applications, Library 7
Spell checking program for Windows.

SYSTECH TYPECAST  V1.0 (TYPECA.EXE)
PBS Applications, Library 1
TypeCast is a Microsoft Windows Version 3.1 font previewing program.

MS VIDEO FOR WINDOWS RUNTIME (MSVID.ZIP)

ZiffNet Software Library (GO ZNT:SOFTLIB)

The Microsoft Windows-Video for Windows Runtime.

DOS Applications

BIZWIZ FINANCIAL CALCULATOR (BIZWIZ.ZIP)
PBS Applications, Library 1
An HP12 clone with a flashy interface and features HP forgot.

EXECUTIVE ADDRESS BOOK, v.3.1 (EXADB.ZIP)
PBS Applications, Library 6
Easy to use phone number and address tracking program.

PRETTY GOOD PRIVACY (PGPRIV.ZIP)
PBS Applications, Library 1
PGP uses public-key encryption to protect E-mail and data files.

BOXER, v.5.0b (BOXER.ZIP)
PBS Applications, Library 1
Boxer Text Editor 5.0b - top rated editor!

DDKey,  v.2.0 (DDKEY.ZIP)
PBS Applications, Library 3
Redefine your keyboard and assign macros to keystrokes.

Virus Detection

MCAFEE'S VIRUSCAN (SCAN.ZIP)
PBS Applications, Library 1
Version of 9.17V106 of the classic virus scanning utility.

MCAFEE'S VIRUSHIELD, v.5.41v105 (VSHIELD.ZIP)
PBS Applications, Library 1
VShield is a virus prevention program for IBM PC and compatibles.

Windows Entertainment

HEARTS FOR WINDOWS (HEARTW.ZIP)
PBS Arcade, Library 1
A fantastic adaptation of the popular card game.

YAHTZEE FOR WINDOWS (WINZEE.ZIP)
PBS Arcade, Library 1
A Windows version of the classic dice and strategy game.

OUIJA FOR WINDOWS (OUIJA.ZIP)
PBS Arcade, Library 1
Contact the "Otherworld" with your computer.

DOS Entertainment

CROSSWORDS 1.10 (CROSSW.ZIP)
PBS Arcade, Library 1
A game whose object is to guess the theme of the crossword puzzle.

OUIJA FOR WINDOWS (OUIJA.ZIP)
PBS Arcade, Library 1
Contact the "Otherworld" with your computer.

ZiffNet Originals

PC MAGAZINE VOLUME ARCHIVE, NO. 14 (V12N14.ZIP)
ZiffNet Software Library (GO ZNT:SOFTLIB)
A complete archive of all the PC Magazine utilities from Volume 12, Issue 14.

CALENDAR OF INDUSTRY EVENTS (CALEN.ZIP)
ZiffNet Software Library (GO ZNT:SOFTLIB)
A calendar of events for the second half of 1993.  In ZVIEW format.

PC MAGAZINE VOLUME ARCHIVE, NO. 13 (V12N13.ZIP)
ZiffNet Software Library (GO ZNT:SOFTLIB)
A complete archive of all the PC Magazine utilities from Volume 12, Issue 13.


How To Download
How To Download from ZiffNet

If you are a ZiffNet member on CompuServe or Prodigy, you can easily download all of the programs mentioned in this publication.  If you're not already a ZiffNet subscriber, you can find out how to join by selecting "Becoming a ZiffNet Subscriber" below:

Becoming a ZiffNet Subscriber

ZiffNet/CompuServe

All of the programs mentioned in the ZiffNet Monthly Shareware Review are available directly from our Software Library (GO ZNT:SOFTLIB) or in one of the Public Brand Software Forums, PBS Arcade (GO PBSARC) and PBS Applications (GO PBSAPP).  The correct forum is indicated in each program highlight, along with the specific library in which it can be found.

ZiffNet/Prodigy

All of the programs can also be found on the ZiffNet for PRODIGY service.  Simply [JUMP]: ziffnet and select "Software" from the menu.  Then perform a Search by Title for the program you're interested in.


Become a Subscriber
Become a ZiffNet Subscriber

Anyone with a modem and communications software can discover everything ZiffNet offers for themselves.  It's easy!  CompuServe members can simply type GO ZIFFNET.  If you're not currently a CompuServe member, just follow these easy steps:

1. Set your communications software to seven data bits, even parity, one stop bit.  Select a data transfer rate (bits per second) of 1200, 2400 or 9600 baud.  Have your modem call the local ZiffNet number.  (To find your local ZiffNet number: By modem, dial 800-346-3247 and at the User ID prompt type PHONES; By voice, dial 800-635-6225.)

2. Respond to the prompts by entering the information below:

When you connect: Press CTRL+C

Host Name: CIS
User ID: 177000,5555
Password: ZIFF*NET
Agreement Number: SREVIEW

3. Register your name and credit card number for billing.

You'll receive your permanent User ID and temporary Password on-line.  Write them down and use them to log on.  You'll receive your permanent Password within 10 days, as confirmation of your new ZiffNet membership.


Top10 Lists
Zip to the Top

The Top 2 Applications on ZiffNet this past month were PKZip, version 2.04g and WinZip, which is a handy front-end for the PKZip utilities that runs under Windows.  Several new games, including DeathWatch and Monster Bash made their way into the Top 10 Arcade list very quickly.

Rank	Program	Filename/Location
1	PKZip	PK204G.EXE
	Compression Tool	PBS Applications, Library 3
2	WinZip	WINZIP.ZIP
	Windows Zip Front End	PBS Applications, Library 1
3	HomePlan	HOMEPL.ZIP
	Design the interior layout of your house	PBS Applications, Library 8
4	NeoPaint	NPNT1.ZIP, NPNT2.ZIP
	Full-featured paint program for DOS	PBS Applications, Library 8
5	Secrets of Credit Repair	CREDIT.ZIP
	Hints for repairing your credit rating	PBS Applications, Library 6
6	Paint Shop Pro	PSPRO.ZIP
	Image editing program for Windows	PBS Applications, Library 8
7	Zip Key	ZIPKEY.ZIP
	Quick Zip Code look-up database	PBS Applications, Library 9
8	FontShow	FNTSHW.ZIP
	Display all your Windows fonts	PBS Applications, Library 7
9	WinPost	WINPST.ZIP
	Post-It Notes for Windows	PBS Applications, Library 7
10	Drag & View	DRAGVW.ZIP
	Drag & Drop file viewing in Windows	PBS Applications, Library 7
Rank	Program	Filename/Location
1	DeathWatch	DWATCH.ZIP
	3D Fantasy role playing adventure	PBS Arcade, Library 3
2	Ken's Labyrinth	KENLAB.ZIP
	Underground 3-D action	PBS Arcade, Library 3
3	Jill of the Jungle	JILL.ZIP
	Action adventure in the jungle	PBS Arcade, Library 3
4	Monster Bash	BASH.ZIP
	Spooky arcade game	PBS Arcade, Library 3
5	Commander Keen	KEEN.ZIP
	Epic real-time adventure game	PBS Arcade, Library 3
6	After Dark Screen Savers	ADMODS.ZIP
	Bungee Jumping Cows!	PBS Arcade, Library 8
7	StarFire	STARFI.ZIP
	Space age shoot-em up.	PBS Arcade, Library 1
8	AquaMan	AQUAMN.ZIP
	Underwater adventures	PBS Arcade, Library 3
9	Major Stryker	1MAJOR.ZIP
	3-D parallax scrolling arcade game	PBS Arcade, Library 3
10	WinRoach	WROACH.ZIP
	Roaches run on your Windows desktop	PBS Arcade, Library 4

About the ZiffNet Top 10 Lists

The ZiffNet Top 10s are compiled monthly and are calculated using download statistics from both ZiffNet and ZiffNet for Prodigy.  You can download the top 10 files each month by searching for them individually or by browsing the Top 10 Special Collection found on both services.


Reviews
Controlling the Chaos

This month we take a look at several shareware programs that help you to get organized.  The first, Time & Chaos version 4.0, is a sophisticated Windows PIM (Personal Information Manager) that features an excellent user interface.  We'll also look at Pro-Stamp, which helps you to organize stamp collections and Time Trax, a simplified calendar and scheduling utility.

Also reviewed is the easy to play but hard to win strategy game, Hexxagon.

About the Ratings

Time & Chaos, by iSBiSTER International, is a Personal Information Manager for Windows with several professional features that put it in a league with the many commercial PIMs available.  It's most noticeable asset, however, is its attractive and intuitive user interface.  For the feature-hungry, Time & Chaos has several calendar formats, an appointment book, a to-do list with prioritization capability, telephone books (Yellow and White pages), and an auto dialer.  It also sports a fast search function, full printouts and because it's a Windows program, it has full cut & paste capability.

Time & Chaos is Network-ready, so several users on a LAN can share information.  The Timebar function allows you to superimpose your schedule on top of those of your co-workers.  Meetings, tasks and projects can be efficiently scheduled using this effective time management approach.

Program Info: Time & Chaos

If you're a stamp collector looking for an easy but efficient way to get a handle on organizing your collection, Pro-Stamp is the answer.  This full-featured DOS program tracks stamp collections in a worksheet style.  It features pull-down menus, on-line help, and printing.

Program Info: Pro-Stamp

Time Trax is an extremely simple calendar and scheduling program that runs under Microsoft Windows 3.1.  It allows you to assign times to events in half-hour increments.  It also has the ability to track recurring annual events, such as birthdays, holidays and anniversaries.  A friendly reminder pops up 15 minutes before any appointment.

An interesting aspect of this program is that it may be distributed royalty-free under a system described by the authors as "Ad-Ware".  By registering your copy for $45, you can have your company name placed on the title bar and then distribute the program as an electronic freebie to your customers.

Program Info: Time Trax

This exceptional VGA strategy board game will challenge your mind and delight your senses with top-notch graphics and sound.  It adapts features from a variety of popular board games such as Go and Othello and combines animation and SoundBlaster support to produce an amazing example of how good shareware games can really be.

The game board is configurable, and play can be between two human opponents or one-player vs. a computer opponent, the "Craniac", who can play at three different levels of difficulty.  The easy Craniac can be conquered with little difficulty, but be prepared for a hard-fought battle against the nerdy hard Craniac (who appears with standard-issue bow-tie and glasses).

Program Info: Hexxagon


TimeChaos
Time & Chaos

Windows Personal Information Manager

TCHAOS.ZIP - PBS Applications, Library 7 (Window Applications)

Time & Chaos is a Personal Information Manager for Windows with a perpetual calendar, appointment book, To-Do list, and more.  Features an excellent user interface, and full printing and cut & paste support.


ProStamp
Pro-Stamp

Track Your Stamp Collection

PSTAMP.ZIP - ZiffNet Software Library (GO ZNT:SOFTLIB)

Full-featured system to track stamp collections in worksheet style.  Features pull-down menus and on-line help.  Calculates the value of the total collection, and can print the entire file, or a range of entries.


Time Trax

Simple Calendar and Scheduling Utility

TTRAX.ZIP - ZiffNet Software Library (GO ZNT:SOFTLIB)

A calendar and schedule utility for those who don't require a large, complex program.  It allows you to assign times and who/what/where on half-hour increments, and to assign recurring yearly events like birthdays, holidays, etc.  A reminder pops up 15 minutes before each appointment.  Particularly suitable for home rather than office use.


Hexxagon

Top-Notch Strategy Board Game

HEXX.ZIP - PBS Arcade, Library 3 (DOS Games)

Strategy board game that incorporates the best features of many popular board games. The object is to move your pieces, zapping your computer opponent, and control as much of the board as possible. Animated playing pieces, SoundBlaster support and a sense of humor make it a fun game to play. Mouse support, multiple levels, and a configurable game board. Registration brings an expanded version.


Monthly Tips
Summertime Fun

There's no doubt that the event of Summer '93 is the hit movie, "Jurassic Park." Your children can create their own version of Jurassic Park (slightly smaller and a lot less scary) with the educational program called "Bert's Dinosaurs."  One of this month's tips will show you a few tricks for getting young children started with this excellent learning tool.

If you're yearning to run outside, but the weather's not cooperating, check out our second tip on the game "Capture the Flag."  This classic game of strategy moves from the outdoors to your computer screen amidst top-notch animation and sound.  Our Tips Staff will give you insights into the complex strategy surrounding this ZiffNet Favorite.

Bert's Dinosaurs

It's happened. Dinosaurs are on everything from your television screen to Junior's lunch box. Some of the oldest remnants of life on earth have suddenly become the latest media craze.  But how do you tell a stegosaurus from a Brachiosaurus? Bert, an on-screen talking coloring book dedicated to dinosaurs, can help you figure it out.

Selling your kids on the idea of on-screen coloring won't be hard: It's easy, fun, and offers more options than crayons--and you can even print these images. Heck, you might even start to like it yourself (as I did).  It's an entirely mouse-driven affair; you simply select and clicks options from a graphical menu bar that runs down the left of the screen.

Bert gives you six background scenes from which to choose. These include a schoolhouse and five other more prehistoric landscapes. For starters, it's probably best to choose the schoolhouse--a familiar image with easy-to-fill geometric shapes. If you're raising a more advanced computer artist, have him opt for the more finely detailed mountainous landscapes.

Pick from any of twelve walking and flying creatures to fill in the living parts of the landscape. These include the popular Tyrannosaurus Rex, the winged--and rather evil looking--Pterodon, and the Stegosaurus.  (You know, that flat, squatty one with the pointy things going down its back?) Once you make a selection, Bert flashes its name up on the screen as a screechy little voice spits out the polysyllabic classification from your PC speaker. Sounds simple, huh? Yet, how many of us really can tell a branchiosaurus from a stegosaurus?

Unlike paper coloring, the Bert coloring book offers some great electronic options. If you don't like the color you've selected, simply re-pour another color over it--no ugly blending like on paper. If you don't like where you dropped that Corythosaurus, just press "Erase" and its gone. In addition to a basic 14-color palette, there's also a corresponding set of crosshatched patterns.

Once you're satisfied with your creation, printing is easy. Just tell Bert once whether you have a dot-matrix, ink jet, or laser printer and press Print. The program also lets you save your works as .BMG files.

Bert's author promises additional drawing options and updates with registration. All in all, Bert is a pretty neat and painless way to catch up on those little pieces of natural history you may have been snoozing through the last time you went to the museum.

 Ron Bel Bruno

Program Info: Bert's Dinosaurs

Capture the Flag

Feeling cooped up inside, in front of your computer? Play a game of Capture the Flag, and you'll be running over hill and dale searching for a hidden flag while trying to avoid entrapment. This program's beautiful graphics and charming animations will have you thinking you're in the countryside.

In Capture the Flag, you direct the Blue team's players across forests, fields, and streams in search of the Red team's flag. From your bird's-eye perspective, you see the whole playing field--but parts your players haven't explored yet are blacked out. As you explore new territory, you can see more of the green countryside. Once you discover the Red team's flag and move 1 of your players onto it, you've won the game!

Though it's a DOS-based game, Capture the Flag runs fine from Windows, too. When you first start the game, run the demo to get an overview.  Pull down the File menu by clicking on it with your mouse or by pressing Alt-F. Then choose Demo/Tutorial from this menu. After you've seen enough of the demo, press any key or click a mouse button to stop it. To start playing, choose New Game from the File menu. As you play, helpful instructions appear on-screen. There are 3 views of the field. The playing area is the largest window, and it's where the action happens.  The detail map in the upper right corner is useful for getting your bearings, since it shows a wider area of the field. To see the global map, which shows the whole playing field, click the right mouse button.  Use the mouse to move the smaller selection box around this global map, and then click the left mouse button to zoom in to the place you've selected.

You move your people one at a time, selecting each in turn. Click anywhere on the playing field to make the selected player move in that direction. When the player's "movement points" for that turn are almost used up, change the player's stance to a "standing" position so you can see more territory. When standing, however, you're also more conspicuous.  If you run into a Red team player on your side of the field, try to capture that player and send him or her back to the other side. But watch out--you too can be captured, on the Red team's side!

When all your players' movement points are used up, or you don't want to move any more of them, click on End Turn. After a moment, you'll get to see the Red team's moves that were visible to your players. Click on the Play button to watch the Red players run. After you've seen all you can, it's your turn to move again.

Once you get the hang of this game, choose Options from the Commands menu, and click on the Learnmode box to stop the instructions from appearing as you play. The Help menu offers a wealth of further instruction, but you can have fun knowing just the basics. Capture the Flag is an addictive game, and you'll spend hours running around the "countryside" looking for that elusive flag!

 Dylan Tweney

Program Info: Capture the Flag


Berts Dinosaurs
Bert's Dinosaurs

Educational Coloring Program

BERTDN.ZIP - PBS Arcade, Library 6 (Education)

Children of all ages will delight in creating their own stories with pictures of dinosaurs in this easy-to-use and friendly coloring program.  Dinosaurs can be placed anywhere on the screen and then be "painted" along with the backgrounds.  Story text can then be added, and the whole image can be printed or saved to disk.  The program was designed to be used by young children with minimal adult assistance.  Requires 512k RAM, a VGA display and a mouse.


Capture the Flag

VGA Strategy Game

CTFLAG.ZIP - PBS Arcade, Library 3 (DOS GAMES)

The goal in this game is to capture the opponent's flag by searching through their territory before they capture yours.  You must analyze your defensive team's skills and develop tactics to intercept and capture the opposition raiders.  The game can be played against the computer or a human opponent.  Support for Ad-lib and SoundBlaster sound cards.  Stunning graphics, great animation, and synchronized sound.  Requires 640k RAM, an 286 processor or better, and a VGA monitor.


Featured Author
Dan Baumbach

Author of "Drag & Zip" and "Drag & View"

Name

Dan Baumbach

Computer System

486-33 local bus with SVGA and monochrome monitors. CD-ROM.

Favorite Text Editor

QEdit, Codewright, Brief

Language/Compiler of Choice

Borland C

Programming Hours

Full-time.  9am - 7pm.

Favorite Programming Snack

Iced Coffee & Fruit

Marital Status

Married

How Programming Affected Marital Status

They bought a second computer.

Last Non-Computer Book Read

"Listening Woman" by Tony Hillerman

Other Hobbies/Interests

Mountain biking, Hiking, Wood working, African music, "New Age Stuff"

Favorite Pizza Topping

Meatballs and garlic

The world of fashion photography and the excitement of driving a cab in the streets of New York City just can't match the enjoyment of becoming a full-time shareware author.  At least that's how Dan Baumbach sees it.  Dan is a relative newcomer to the shareware arena, moving to full-time just three months ago.  But his incredible recent success, including a Shareware Industry Association award for his popular Windows utility, Drag & View makes us confident that Dan will be around for quite some time.

Dan got his start with computers about 8 years ago.  Although he had a sharp programmer's mind, he was cursed with terrible typing ability.  True to his creative spirit, Dan successfully developed a hard disk menu program to help get around the unforgiving world of the DOS command line.  In 1988, he released his creation, Hard Disk Director, as shareware.  Dan claims that the current version, 5.2, is just as powerful as anything else out there.

Now living and programming in the San Francisco area, Dan is enjoying the success of his two intuitive Windows utilities, Drag & Zip and Drag & View.  Both programs are designed to take full advantage of the Windows 3.1 Drag and Drop interface.  Drag & Zip provides a front-end to the PKZip archiving program, and Drag & View lets you quickly browse through files, supporting several different formats.

Dan describes his programs as follows:

DRAG & ZIP

"What I tried to do with Drag And Zip is bring the visual ease of working in Windows to PKZip and PKUnzip and at the same time not sacrifice any of the power of using these utilities from the command line.  With Drag And Zip, you drag selected files from Windows File Manager (or any file manager that supports Drag And Drop) to an icon, fill out a dialog box with the Zip file name, Zip options and an output directory and DZ will run PKZip on them.  Wherever possible, I've tried to use the power of Windows to make your work easier.  There are easy check boxes and combo boxes for frequently used Zip options.  However, there is also a command line arguments field where you can enter any obscure PKZip switch that you may want.  There are browse buttons for choosing output directories, but if you enter a path that doesn't exist, Drag And Zip will allow you to create it.  The viewer/extractor of Drag And Zip is called Zip View and it is activated whenever you double click on a Zip file in your file manager.  UnZipping a file is as easy as Zipping it.  Zip View also has a drag and drop interface that is especially helpful for working with self-extracting Zips that have .EXE extensions.  Drag And Zip is $25 including shipping and handling."

DRAG & VIEW

"Drag And View brings file viewing to Windows File Manager or any file manager that supports drag and drop.  Like Drag And Zip you can drag selected files to the Drag And View icon and a window comes up displaying the first file in the list.  There are buttons labeled "Last" and "Next" that allow you to scroll through the files.  Want to view more than one file at a time?  Click on the "New" button and a new window will open up with the same listing of files.  You can drag more files to any window and they will be added to the windows file list.  When you drag more files to the DV icon, a new window will open up displaying just those files.  ASCII and Hex, most word processors, databases and spread sheets are supported as well as bit mapped
graphics, Windows sound (WAV) files and Windows Metafiles.  All viewers have search and go to functions.  Drag And View is $25 including shipping and handling.  Drag And View Plus is $35."

Drag & Zip

Hard Disk Director

Drag & View


Drag and Zip
Drag & Zip

Windows ZIP File Manager

DRAGZP.ZIP - PBS Applications, Library 7 (Window Applications)

Windows front-end for PKZIP/PKUNZIP.  Tag files for extraction and deletion.  View files inside archive by dragging them to Zip View.  Supports PKZIP 2.04g.  Easy check boxes for zipping and unzipping.  Can also create self-extracting archives.  Requires Microsoft Windows 3.1.


Hard Disk Director

A DOS-based Hard Disk Menu Program

HDD.ZIP - ZiffNet Software Library (GO ZNT:SOFTLIB)

Full-featured hard disk shell that copies, moves and deltes marked files and directories.  You can even work with entire branches of the directory tree.  Fast, easy and well-designed.  Views and extracts ZIP files.  Comes with complete documentation and ASCII/Hex viewer.


Drag and View
Drag & View

WINDOWS FILE VIEWING UTILITY

DRAGVW.ZIP - PBS Applications, Library 7 (Window Applications)

Windows file viewing utility.  Drag and drop files - view multiple files simultaneously.  Supports: ASCII, hex, Microsoft Word for Windows, WordPerfect for Windows, FoxPro, Excel, Quattro, Quattro Pro, PCX, ZIP, Windows Write, AmiPro, Clipper, Lotus 1-2-3, GIF, LZH, ICO, TIF, Paradox, and Symphony.  Requires Microsoft Windows 3.1.


Special Report
Shareware Industry Awards - 1993

In late June, hundreds of shareware authors and vendors gathered in Indianapolis at the Summer Shareware Seminar, hosted annually by Public Brand Software.  The highlight of the four-day event was the presentation of the annual Shareware Industry Awards, given to the best products in several categories.

Here is a complete listing of the winners.  For information on how to download the winning programs from ZiffNet, simply click on the green highlight text for each program.  For more information on downloading from ZiffNet or how to become a ZiffNet subscriber, click here:

Downloading from ZiffNet

THE WINNERS

Best Utility

PKZip, by Phil Katz/PKWare.  This essential file compression system has long been the de facto standard.  In the Spring of 1993, PKWare released the long awaited second version of its PKZip and PKUnzip utilities.  PKZip beat out several other popular utilities in this category, including List, ZipIt, and the StuffIt compression utility .

PKZip

Best Application Software

As the first complete desktop publishing system released into the shareware market, Envision Publisher proved that great shareware can honestly compete with brand-name commercial products.  As a result, this high-powered and feature-rich program was rewarded with the Best Application award.

Envision Publisher

Best Graphics Application or Utility

Draft Choice prevailed in this category, beating out Neo Paint, the Desktop Paint series, and Graphics Workshop.  Draft Choice is an extremely easy to use CAD (Computer Aided Design) program which allows the amatuer user to experience the world of CAD without having to first obtain a degree in higher mathematics.

Draft Choice

Best Business & Finance Application

Exploiting the organizational and calculation potential of the computer, the winning program in this category simplifies one of the most dreaded tasks known to mankind: Income Taxes.  AM-Tax, featuring full tax-form printing capabilities, won the prize out of a competitive field, including Capital Gainz, Checkmate Plus, and WinCheck.

AM-Tax

Best Educational Software

Math Rescue, with its clever storyline and great animation captured the Educational category.

Math Rescue

Best Entertainment Software

When Castle Wolfenstein first appeared on the scene, it revolutionized the world of shareware gaming.  With its 3-D look, incredible speed, and fearsome soundtrack, it set a new standard for all computer games.  Its continued unparalleled success earned it this year's award for Best Entertainment Software.

Wolfenstein 3D

Best Home or Hobby Software

Genealogy is a hobby that lends itself to the organizational capabilities of the personal computer.  Family Tree Journal, an outstanding genealogy tracking program, was recognized as the winner in the Home and Hobby category.

Family Tree Journal

Best Technical, Engineering, Math, or Programming Software

There are literally hundreds of programming toolkits available as shareware, but only one boasts the depth and ease of use of the Technojock Turbo Toolbox for Turbo Pascal programmers.  Thoroughly documented with examples, this toolbox rates as a "must have".

Technojock's Turbo Toolbox

Best New Utility/Technical Product

The popularity of Microsoft Windows has spawned many new utilities, serving a variety of purposes.  The inherent simplicity and usefulness of Drag & View sets it apart from the rest, and earned it top honors in a field with many deserving candidates.

Drag and View

Best New Business/Applications Software

As noted before, Envision Publisher marks a turning point for shareware with its speed, features, and design.  As a recent entry into the market, it earned top honors in the New Applications category.

Envision Publisher

Best New Entertainment, Education, or Home & Hobby Software

An interesting tie, involving two radically different programs was the highlight of the Awards Ceremony.  Wolfenstein 3-D, a fast-paced action shoot 'em up game situated in Nazi Germany and Cross Stich Designer, a program for cross-stitch enthusiasts walked away with the honors of Best New Entertainment Software.

Wolfenstein 3D

Cross-Stitch Designer


PKZip

File Compression Utility

PK204G.EXE - PBS Applications, Library 3 (DOS Utilities)

File compression utility which can compress files up to 30-70 percent of the original size. ZIP files can be password protected. Paths can be saved with each file, and recursive directories can be zipped. Multi-volume backup can be done. Supports 386 instruction set, EMS/XMS and 32 bit DPMI. Ver 2.04G.


Envision Publisher

Complete Desktop Publishing System

ENVIS1.ZIP, ENVIS2.ZIP - PBS Applications, Library 6 (DOS Applications)

The first truly WYSIWYG desktop publishing program in shareware.  Powerful DTP features with a graphical user interface, mouse support, scalable fonts, object drawing, scaling, and editing.  Support for CGA, EGA, and VGA.  Requires 512k RAM, a hard disk, and a CGA or better monitor.  A mouse is recommended.


Draft Choice

The Easiest CAD System Around

DRAFTC.ZIP - PBS Applications, Library 8 (Graphics)

While not on the par with AutoCAD and Generic CAD, this Computer Aided Design application isn't aimed towards the same audience.  It suceeds at being the easiest to use CAD system on the market, while offering the features that an amateur needs.  Requires 384k RAM and a CGA or better monitor.  A mouse is highly recommended.


AM Tax

Tax Return Preparation Software

PBS Applications, Library 9 (Business & Finance)

Does all calculations and prints your 1040 and schedules A, B, C, D, E, F, R, and SE.  Handles multiple returns.  Very good program.  Always shows the bottom line for "what-if" testing.  Prints the front page on a blank 1040 form.  All other schedule and forms may be submitted on standard paper as printed by the program.  (1992 version).


Math Rescue

Educational Numbers Game

MATHR.ZIP - PBS Arcade, Library 3 (DOS Games)

A crisis has struck. Reports of missing numbers are pouring in from all corners of the world. Numbers are missing from speed limit signs, street addresses, and Wall Street. Glancing out the window, you spot a creature who is stealing your house numbers and loading them into a garbage truck. You embark on a mission to outwit this creature. Has three levels of difficulty: easy (ages 4-7), medium (ages 7-10), and hard (ages 10 and up). Requires 640k, an EGA or better monitor, and a hard disk.


Wolfenstein 3D

Spectacular 3-D Adventure Game

Available on ZiffNet for Prodigy

Deep in the belly of a Nazi dungeon, you've only a knife, a gun, and your wits to aid your escape from the enemy.  Wolfenstein 3-D is a landmark game for shareware.  It has soe of the fastest 256 color VGA graphics of any computer game.  AdLib/Soundblaster music and heart-pounding digitized sound effects keep you on the edge of your seat.  Intense and action-packed.  Requires a 286 processor or better, a hard disk, and a VGA monitor.


Family Tree Journal

A Genealogy Program

FTREE1.ZIP, FTREE2.ZIP - PBS Arcade, Library 5 (Home & Hobby)

This genealogy system keeps all the normal information plus 1-page biographies and 5 free-form fields that can be used for cause of death, occupation, burial place, etc.  It prints nice family trees (putting five generations on a page), ancestor charts, descendant charts, time lines, and even a list of missing information.  Multiple families are handled easily via separate datasets.  It can produce a nice book.  A hard disk is recommended.


TechnoJock
TechnoJock's Turbo Toolkit

Turbo Pascal Programmer's Toolbox

TECHN1.ZIP, TECHN2.ZIP - PBS Arcade, Library 10 (Programming)

Provides ultra-fast screen writing based on TPU's and objects for small size, quick execution, and quick compiling for Turbo Pascal 4 or 5. Includes windowing and screen saving, excellent menu and data input routines, numeric/string conversions, mouse support, and DIR lists. Makes scroll bar, pull-down, and nested menus. Also screen writing, keyboard handling, time, and date routines. Excellent documentation and good author support. Ver 5.02b.


Cross Stitch Designer

Cross-Stitch Design Program

CSD.ZIP - PBS Arcade, Library 5 (Home & Hobby)

An easy to use cross-stitch design application.  Use full, half, quarter, and outline stitches on 11, 14, or 18 count fabric.  Up to 30 different thread colors per pattern with user-definable colors.  Patterns can be saved, edited, copied to the clipboard, exported as a bitmap (.BMP) file, or printed.  Ver. 1.1.  Requires Microsoft Windows 3.x.


Column
Trust in the Shareware System

by Scott Arpajian

There's a dangerous misconception that shareware is "free" when in fact, it is not.  Shareware authors release their programs to widespread electronic distribution for two reasons.  First, potential users get to try the program out before they buy it.  Second, the authors save a lot of money on advertising, packaging and distribution costs.  As a result, users can try out a program over an evaluation period.  If they decide to keep using the program, they need to pay the author and register their copy.  In a perfect world, it would be a win-win situation for authors and users.  But the shareware concept is admittedly far from perfect, and a lot of the authors are losing.

Several extremists, who are not necessarily the authors, haunt the various nets calling people who don't register their shareware "thieves".  The logic behind their reasoning is that by not registering a shareware program, you have, in a sense, stolen it.  It is illegal to use a shareware program beyond its evaluation period.  But this analogy of theft doesn't help matters at all. It's not quite theft if the author is giving you the program to try for free.  You're not a thief if you don't register your shareware.

Shareware is a concept that depends on trust.  The author is trusting you to pay the modest registration fee if you continue to use that program.  You are bound by a combination of self-respect, conscience and sense of fairness to make a decision.  You don't have to pay for every shareware program that you try out, only the ones you continue to use.  Either you pay for your shareware, or you stop using it.  By continuing to use unregistered shareware, you're exploiting the author of the program and leeching off of his or her talent and efforts.  Even worse, the entire system of shareware suffers.

When you stop to think about it, shareware is a pretty good deal.  You get to try out a program for thirty days or so and see if you like it.  That's a very long time to test out a program.  Try bringing back a copy of  Lotus 1-2-3 to most software stores after a month.  Chances are you'll have a hard time getting a full refund.

Registering your shareware is more than simply payment for a product.  It is an act of encouragement to the authors who continue to release new programs into the market.  Shareware is still largely unproven and many talented programmers are testing the waters before they throw themselves in.  In order for the system to work, new authors need to be confident that they're not wasting their time.

As users, we are rewarded by new programs or updated versions of existing ones appearing on a regular basis.  And if authors can make a comfortable living selling their software under the shareware concept, they'll be able to devote more attention to their programming, resulting in much more elaborate applications.  The authors are willing to let you try out all of these programs before you commit to a purchase; but if you decide to keep them, you've got to register.  The entire shareware industry depends upon this simple bond of trust.


What is ZiffNet?

ZiffNet is the on-line information service all about computing.  It is the first place to turn for the best in software, plus all kinds of useful information about buying, using, supporting and understanding personal computer products.

Created by Ziff Communications, publisher of the leading PC and Macintosh magazines, ZiffNet brings together the best in downloadable freeware and shareware selected for quality and reliability, discussion forums where you can talk to industry leaders and product experts, buying advice to help you make the best purchasing decisions, technical support to help you get the most from your PC, and computing news to keep you up-to-date on the industry.  In addition, ZiffNet gives you access to editors and writers from the major Ziff publications, including PC Magazine, PC/Computing, PC Week, MacUser, MacWEEK, Computer Shopper and Windows Sources.

The ZiffNet membership fee is just $2.50 a month.  Standard CompuServe connect-time charges apply for certain services like downloading software.  For more information on the rates please check on-line.

For details on how to sign up for ZiffNet, please see Downloading from ZiffNet

PRODIGY members can [JUMP]: ziffnet for full details on the ZiffNet for PRODIGY service.


About the Ratings

All of the shareware ZiffNet offers is provided through Public Brand Software, one of the leading vendors of shareware in the world.  PBS has the industry's largest dedicated staff of professional reviewers, and each program is put through rigorous testing before it becomes available on-line.

Part of the review process is the assignment of a program rating.  This rating is measured is stars, on a scale from 1 to 4.  In addition, the best programs for a particular computer task are assigned a "Trophy" rating (5 stars).