Copyright: Copyright® 1993 ZiffNet


Contents
Volume 1, Issue 3 - October, 1993

© Copyright 1993 Ziff Desktop Information, All Rights Reserved.

Welcome to the third issue of the ZiffNet Monthly Shareware Review, 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

 Reviews

 Top 10 Downloads

 Author Spotlight: Ian Firth

 Opinion Column: Visual Basic and Shareware

 This Month's Shareware Tips


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/PRODIGY: VMDH31A)
ZiffNet Executive Editor: Craig Kerwien
ZiffNet Software Manager: Reed Butler

Copy Editor: Doreen Maciak

Review Staff: Dave Burton, Jim Edwards, Dick Mathes, 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

ZiffNet Originals

PC MAGAZINE VOLUME ARCHIVE, NO. 17 (V12N17.ZIP)
ZiffNet Software Library (GO ZNT:SOFTLIB)
A complete archive of all the PC Magazine utilities from Volume 12, Issue 17.

WINDOWS SOURCES CATALOG (WSCAT.HLP)

Windows Sources Forum, Library 1

A comprehensive guide to specific categories of Windows products currently on the market, in Windows Help format.

Windows Applications

MULTILABEL (MLABEL.ZIP)
PBS Applications, Library 7

WYSIWIG label design for Windows.

MOUSE ODOMETER (MODOMT.ZIP)

PBS Arcade, Library 1

Track your mouse's "mileage" in Windows.

ZEN AND THE ART OF THE INTERNET (ZENNET.ZIP)

PBS Arcade, Library 1

A comprehensive and popular guide to the Internet in Windows Help format.

CLIPMATE, VERSION 2.09B (CLPMTE.ZIP)

PBS Applications, Library 1

The latest version of this popular Windows Clipboard enhancement utility.

DOS Applications

GEOCLOCK (GEOCLK.ZIP)

PBS Applications, Library 5

Graphical display of sunlight and darkness around the globe.

AUTOMENU (ATTOOL.ZIP)

PBS Applications, Library 3

Powerful menu front-end for DOS programs.

PROGRAMMER'S TOOLS (PRGSPT.ZIP)

PBS Arcade, Library 8

Collection of useful aids for programmers, including ASCII, keyboard, and printer codes.

Windows Entertainment

STAR BAR (STARBR.ZIP)

PBS Arcade, Library 1

Windows clock utility for Trekkies. Shows current Stardate.

SLAM! Air Hockey for Windows (WSLAM.ZIP)

PBS Arcade, Library 1

Fast-paced air hockey game for Windows 3.1.

DOS Entertainment

WORLD WAR II TRIVIA (WWIIT.ZIP)

PBS Arcade, Library 6

Learn facts about World War II for fun or as a study aid.

NUMBERS & LOGIC (NUMLOG.ZIP)

PBS Arcade, Library 3

Three logic puzzles will confound you in this tricky collection.

GO-GO SAVINGS AND LOAN (GOGOSL.ZIP)

PBS Arcade, Library 3

Be a corrupt banker in this simulation of fraud, conspiracy and insider trading.

XOLO (XOLO.ZIP)

PBS Arcade, Library 1

Arcade-style space game with flashy VGA graphics.


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 online. 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
PKZip - Gotta Have It

ZiffNet announced that beginning on October 1, 1993 all of the files in its library would be converted over to the PKZip 2.04g format. ZiffNet members responded by downloading PK204G.EXE, a self-extracting archive that contained the PKZip utilities, enough times to help it retain its top position in the ZiffNet charts. In addition, two Windows ZIP file front ends filled the #2 and #3 spots in the Applications Top 10.

In the Arcade section, the ZiffNet exclusive screen saver, Bill Gates Does Windows, took top honors.

Rank	Prev.	Program	Filename/Location
1	1	PKZip	PK204G.EXE
		Compression Tool	PBS Applications, Library 3
2	3	WinZip	WINZIP.ZIP
		Windows Zip Front End	PBS Applications, Library 1
3	2	Drag & Zip	DRAGZP.ZIP
		Drag & Drop Zipping	PBS Applications,
4	6	Paint Shop Pro	PSPRO.ZIP
		Image editing program for Windows	PBS Applications, Library 8
5	8	Drag & View	DRAGVW.ZIP
		Drag & Drop file viewing in Windows	PBS Applications, Library 7
6	-	IconDOS	ICNDOS.ZIP
		Graphical Interface for DOS	PBS Applications, Library 6
7	6	NeoPaint	NPNT1.ZIP, NPNT2.ZIP
		Full-featured paint program for DOS	PBS Applications, Library 8
8	5	Time & Chaos	TCHAOS.ZIP
		Windows Personal Information Manager	PBS Applications, Library 7
10	9	Secrets of Credit Repair	CREDIT.ZIP
		Hints for repairing your credit rating	PBS Applications, Library 6
9	10	Zip Key	ZIPKEY.ZIP
		Quick Zip Code look-up database	PBS Applications, Library 9
Rank	Prev	Program	Filename/Location
1	-	Bill Gates Does Windows	GATES.ZIP
		A ZiffNet Windows Screen Saver	ZiffNet Software Library
2	7	Bio Menace	BIOMEN.ZIP
		Fast-paced action arcade game	PBS Arcade, Library 3
3	4	Jill of the Jungle	JILL.ZIP
		Action adventure in the jungle	PBS Arcade, Library 3
4	5	Monster Bash	BASH.ZIP
		Spooky arcade game	PBS Arcade, Library 3
5	2	DeathWatch	DWATCH.ZIP
		3D Fantasy role playing adventure	PBS Arcade, Library 3
6	-	Overkill	OVRKIL.ZIP
		Arcade-style shoot 'em up	PBS Arcade, Library 3
7	6	AquaMan	AQUAMN.ZIP
		Underwater adventures	PBS Arcade, Library 3
8	7	StarFire	STARFI.ZIP
		Space age shoot-em up.	PBS Arcade, Library 1
9	9	Commander Keen	KEEN.ZIP
		Epic real-time adventure game	PBS Arcade, Library 3
10	10	Major Stryker	1MAJOR.ZIP
		3-D parallax scrolling arcade game	PBS Arcade, Library 3

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

Highlighted in this month's reviews is an in-depth look at the latest release of Almanac, reviewed by Dave Burton. Almanac 3.1, a time-tested Windows Personal Information Manager, has recently been enhanced and released. Also reviewed are WinVelope, Font Monster and Household Register.

About the Ratings

Reviewed by Dave Burton

With business appointments, meetings, birthdays, anniversaries and other important information to remember, life is full of things that you need to keep track. Almanac for Windows is a program that can help you sort out all of these things and keep track of what's coming up.

One of Almanac's strengths is its flexibility. You can display a year, month or day view; you can customize the desktop to display the month or day, the schedule window, notes, to-do list and phone book, or any combination of them. Using the standard month view (just like the traditional wall calendar), you can quickly set up "overlays" that will display just the information you want to see. One overlay can be for business, one for personal information, one for just birthdays, and so on. Or you can combine all of your activities in just one overlay. A very nice touch is the ability to set your calendar as your Windows wallpaper, so it's always in view.

Calendar items can be set as either time-scheduled or unscheduled; you can quickly check via the schedule screen exactly how your time is blocked off, and you can optionally set an alarm to remind yourself of the item. Both types of items can be set as recurring (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.) which saves a lot of repetitive entry. You can attach free form notes to each day, which I find useful as a journal or diary of what's occurred, and the program has a nice to-do list that allows you to set item priorities.

With this newest version, a phone book and autodialer have been added, which extend the usefulness of the program even farther. It will track the usual type of contact information (name, address, phone numbers), and you can view them by categories you set up. It will also autodial the phone for you if you have a modem. The program now features some support for non-English speaking users; you can modify the text of the menus and displays to any language Windows supports.

The program will print out your information in a variety of formats, and prints monthly calendars, daily lists, your notes, to-do list or phone book.

While no program of this type will satisfy everyone, Almanac is one of the stand-outs in it's area because of it's ease of use and flexibility.

Program Info: Almanac

Reviewed by Marcia Meier

Winvelope, a Windows utility, simplifies the printing of envelopes. It is easy to use with a host of features and it can be minimized as an icon.

There are three ways you can get an address: First, with only a mouse click, you have direct access to a Windows cardfile. Secondly, it supports cut and paste from the clipboard, automatically prints in landscape, prints with mail merge from Windows cardfile, can create and save any size envelope, maintain as many return address files as needs.

Finally, you can add a message line, create templates for different sized envelopes and if desired you can convert your address to all capital letters, which is now recommended by the Post Office.

Additionally, it supports Windows Bitmap files (.BMP) in the return address, has fully adjustable print position, supports installed Windows printer fonts and prints 5-digit and 9-digit (ZIP+4) Postnet bar codes. What envelope could ask more than that?

Program Info: WinVelope

Reviewed by Marcia Meier

Font Monster, a TrueType and Type1 font multi-utility for Windows, is for fontaholics.

You can preview a TrueType before it is installed. You can also manage your .INI files. Font Monster automatically makes all the necessary changes in your ATM.INI and WIN.INI files, and manages your fonts when you delete them, too.

Font Monster can create font groups. These are special macro files containing a list of fonts to install. Activating one of these font groups with optionally uninstall the currently installed fonts. You can create as many of these font groups as you like. Font groups can be saved as an icon in Program Manager and activated by clicking on the icon. This eliminates the need to start up Font Monster each time you want to change font group.

It can print font samples and entire font catalogs. If you are a font designer, you can use the registered version to add your own trademark and copyright notice, as well as remove or change any of the string data the commercial programs inset.

It does not support AFM either Type1 or for OS/2. Changes made to a font will not change the shapes of the characters on the screen or  as printed, nor does it convert fonts from one format to another.

Program Info: Font Monster

Reviewed by Scott Arpajian

Household Register, quite simply, is one of those programs that everyone should be using. It aids the user in completing the ominous task of creating and maintaining a database of all household possessions. Having a record of what you own, where it is physically located, and an estimation of its value can be crucial, especially in the event of a disaster. Unfortunately, few people have the time to undertake such a project.

Household Register organizes and simplifies the task of cataloging your possessions. It holds up to 17 fields of information about every item in your household and allows you to manage your items by category. It allows you to store warranty information as well, including the date it was purchased and the serial number. Household Register allows you to generate several reports, including index cards for each item and a total value report for your entire inventory.

The program is very complete and thorough. Although the interface leaves a little to be desired, the program is functional and it simplifies an otherwise insurmountable task.

Program Info: HouseHold Register

Reviewed by Scott Arpajian

The football season is underway, and so are many office pools. Unless you're one of those people who can instantly recall total yardage statistics and performance against the spread figures, you could probably use a little help in making the right picks for next weekend's matchups.

Enter Pro Football Picks from ALC Software. This DOS program serves as a football handicapping system, and helps you pick probable winning teams based on statistical data from previous games. The program also takes into account the betting line for the upcoming week, and there is an option to use the previous season's data as well.

Of course, this means that the program's data needs to be updated weekly. You can do this manually, by entering the statistics from your local newspaper. For an additional charge, you can download complete statistical information directly from ALC's bulletin board.

Pro Football Picks has a comprehensive bet tracking system, and will track all bets made by the user over the course of a season. Professional gamblers will also appreciate features such as the inclusion of the "vigorish factor" which is a percentage that legal professional odds makers charge for a losing bet.

The program tracks several statistical categories, including total passing yards, rushing yards, and points. It uses these performance statistics combined with betting line information to determine which team you should pick to win. When running our own unscientific test of the system (for entertainment purposes only, of course), we found that it correctly predicted 80% of the outcomes.

The task of entering the data on a weekly basis can be monumental at times, but the comprehensive statistical analysis of this program makes the effort worthwhile. If you're serious about your football, Pro Football Picks is a safe bet.

Program Info: Pro Football Picks


Winvelope

Windows Utility that Makes Printing Envelopes a Breeze

WINVEL.ZIP - PBS Applications, Library 4 (Windows Utilities)

Envelope printing utility for Windows. Copy & paste, support for installed fonts, and the ability to create templates. Will also print postal bar codes. Ver. 4.2. Requires Windows 3.1. Shareware, $20.


Font Monster

Take Total Control of your Windows Fonts

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

With Font Monster you can edit TrueType and Type 1 fonts. It support TTF and PFM formats. You can change name, weight, style. Changes can be undone and you can view the final result. Ver. 3.3. Requires Windows 3.1. Shareware, $20.


Almanac

Full-featured Windows Calendar and PIM

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

  One of the premier calendar and scheduling programs for Windows. With Almanac you can define holidays and events, arrange the desktop, attach notes to an item, create a To Do list, and define overlay files allowing you to have different calendars displaying different information. The program will display yearly, monthly, or daily calendars. You can set calendar items as simple events, or schedule them for specific times; both types can be set as recurring events a number of different ways. The program also features a phone book that tracks names, addresses and phone numbers, and will autodial through your modem. Program info: Ver. 3.1 Requires a hard disk, Windows 3.1 (not compatible with 3.0), and a modem to autodial. Shareware, $50-80 registration.


Household Register

Home Inventory Database

HOUSRG.ZIP - PBS Applications, Library 6 (DOS Applications)

An easy to use database program to track your household items for insurance purposes. It records all of the information you should need to file a claim (item, quantity, model number, serial number, purchase price, replacement price, etc.) in the event of a loss. Ver. 3.11s. Shareware, $35. Requires 384k RAM and a color monitor.


Pro Football Picks

Football Pool/Betting Aid

PROFOO.ZIP - PBS Arcade, Library 5 (Home/Hobby)

An easy-to-use pro football handicapping system. Statistics are included for the 1992 season with complete information to help determine your betting strategy. Also includes a complete schedule for the 1993 season, user-defined spread and home field advantage figures, team vs. spread information and a quick look at last season's team performance history.


Monthly Tips
Take Command of Your Hard Drive

This month's shareware tip takes a look at the comprehensive file management application called Directory Freedom. John Taschek will give you some shortcuts to help you get even more out of this excellent program.

Directory Freedom

by John Taschek, ZiffNet

Welcome to the most important DOS utility you'll ever need. This program is the Swiss Army knife of file managers. What other utility lists all directories on every drive, lets you delete entire directory contents by tapping a single key, and lets you zip and unzip directory entries by pressing another? It's Directory Freedom, and it's going to make your life a little easier.

Let's get one thing straight. Directory Freedom packs more power per punch than any other file management utility. It's feature set closely resembles Lotus Magellan, whose life sadly hasn't been renewed. Next down the line is XTREE, which does just a few more things, but also costs megabucks and takes megabytes of disk space. Directory Freedom is also easier to use than either of those packages.

There's not much point in explaining how to use Directory Freedom--everyone immediately knows as soon as they start it up. After unzipping the program, enter DF in its directory to run the program, and immediately a list of all the files in the directory pops up on the left of your screen. The top of the screen indicates the source and target directories, and all the available commands appear on the right.

Source and target directories are mainly used for copying, moving, and zipping files. The source directory indicates the directory you want to copy the files from, and the target directory is where you want to copy them to. An easy way to change the source directory is to move through your drive letters with the left and right arrow keys. Press the one of the arrows, and your source drive changes. If there's a single drive letter, press the F9 key and move your up and down arrow keys to change this directory. Do the same to the target directory after pressing the F10 key.

Once you've mastered how to manipulate the directory structure, you can tap into the power of the program. To delete an entire directory structure, move your arrow keys to the directory you want to delete, and press F2. Directory Freedom asks you to confirm the delete, then zaps the directory when you answer with a Y for yes. To delete several files, mark the files by tapping the space bar or the plus key on the number pad, then press F2 again.

Directory Freedom puts the features you use most right on the main menu. But there's more! Press the Alt key and hold it down. A brand new list of features pops up. Do the same with the Ctrl key and yet another set appears. Altogether, you get 28 commands. Not bad for a program that started out as a "replacement for DOS's DIR command." Want to archive your old files? Mark the ones you want to stow away, and press Alt-F10. View the files by pressing Ctrl-F3. It's that easy.

Directory Freedom has a few more functions up its sleeve. You can sort the files in your window simply by pressing Alt (to sort up) and Ctrl (to sort down) followed by a letter indicating how you want to sort them. Press Ctrl-N to sort in descending order by name, use D for date, S for size. It's all on the menu. You can also prevent yourself from deleting important files. Placing attributes that make files read-only is no longer the tedious mind jarring experience it is from the DOS prompt. Press Alt A, R, H, or Y to add the Archive bit, read-only mark, hidden flag, or system file to your file or set of files. Press Ctrl and the corresponding letter to remove these attributes.

This new version of Directory Freedom also shows your system information. Press Alt-F7 to view how much memory you've got left and what video mode you're in. That's a lot of power in a small package.

Don't like your settings? Exit DF and enter DFCONFIG in the same directory. You can change your colors and menu options, and even add your own to the program. For the technical minded, Directory Freedom lets you create your own viewers for additional applications. I've set mine up to read WordPerfect and Microsoft Word files simply by pressing the Enter key on the file name.

These are just some of the features that make Directory Freedom so powerful. It's one shareware program that gives the more expensive packages a run for the money. No other software in world balances the power, the speed, the ease of use, and the fun as Directory Freedom does. Give it a try, and you won't be disappointed.

Program Info: Directory Freedom


Directory Freedom

Comprehensive DOS File Directory Management

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

This program lets you move, copy, tag, and view files. You can also create and view archived files, and change file time, date, attributes, and more. Advanced user-defined commands are included. This new revision displays detailed system information on screen, and is DESQview/Windows aware. It has improved large directory/disk support. It is very easy to navigate with a mouse or keyboard. Directory Freedom now supports PKZip, version 2.04g. Shareware, $20-40.


Featured Author
Ian Firth

Author of  "Prairie Dog Hunt for Windows"

Name

Ian Firth

Computer System

Tri-Star 486/33, 210MB, 17" IDEK Display

Favorite Text Editor

Norton DeskEdit

Language/Compiler of Choice

MS Visual Basic 3.0 Pro

Programming Hours

10:00 AM - 3:00 AM (currently unemployed)

Favorite Programming Snack

Pepsi® and Marlboro® Mediums (hard pack so they can withstand the weight of manuals)

Marital Status

Trying

Last Non-Computer Book Read

The phone book.

Other Hobbies/Interests

Motorcycling, Scuba Diving, looking for work.

Favorite Pizza Topping

Meat Lover with Jalapeños

It would be safe to say that Ian Firth is a strange man. A very strange man. For the last six years Ian has been staring at an AutoCAD display, designing and drafting. In the last year, he decided to pursue something as entertaining as it is creative. The logical choice: game design.

With no formal training in programming aside from 2 years of dreaded high school COBOL, Ian is a designer first and a nuts and bolts programmer second. He did play around with BASIC when he was 15, but then he got a car. It's a lot easier to impress dates with a Camaro than an Atari 800.

After loading Visual Basic 3.0 onto his newest system, he realized just how easy it was to put together a Windows application. Using his experience from drafting and graphical design, he set out to create a game. But what game? Colorado had a mild outbreak of plague during the summer, caused by Prairie Dogs: how convenient! Two weeks later, WinDog was uploaded to CompuServe. Following this came TailGunner, an attempt to bring decent space combat to Windows, instead of the "ships dropping from the top of the screen" arcade type. Voodoo Doll for Windows was inspired by the real voodoo doll Ian has hanging above his desk. So far, the ideas haven't stopped, and he plans on releasing a new diversion at least every month.

Here's what Ian has to say about his programs:

Prairie Dog Hunt for Windows:

"I really wanted to bring some color to the world of Windows gaming. The current selection of Windows games seemed rather drab and I wanted to spice things up a bit. Prior to WinDog, I had created the artwork for Andy Novotaks's WInFish 1.0. After finishing that project I decided to do my own coding.  There were quite a few aim-and-shoot games on the market, so I had to find something to kill that hadn't been done. Deer were out of the question, and I couldn't make a decent quack .wav sound, so no ducks. The plague had just sprung up here in Colorado, and Prairie Dog sounds were easy to create, so I chose them. The game play is straight forward, select how many dogs, select how much ammo, choose your weapon and blow them away. They scream in agony and blood erupts from their little chests as they die, it's lots of fun. The Prairie Dogs in the game are quite adorable and I thought I would recieve complaints about killing defenseless rodents, but the ASPCA never called.  It seems people really don't like prairie dogs. The registered version of the game (1.2) sports improved graphics over the shareware release,and version 2.0 will be out around Christmas, featuring moving dog  targets, increased firepower (UZIs artillery, gatling gun), scrolling terrain and the option to have the dogs return fire."

 Click this button to hear sounds from the game. (Click here if you are experiencing problems)

TailGunner for Windows:

"Writing programs for Windows at 1024x768 on a 17" screen can be a drag. Big colorful full-screen graphics look great, but to the user with a 640x480 display they just don't get to see it all without scrolling. Vice versa, small applications and games look very shrunken at higher resolutions. The solution was to make TailGunner playable for everyone. The game plays full screen at any res. and can be sized during play. The object is simple, destroy all enemy ships that come in range. There are a total of 500 ships during the ten waves of the game, and they increase in speed and manueverability as the game progresses. They also attempt to destroy you more often. As your shields get battered, you can transfer power to them from your weapons. Too much though, and you won't have any power to engage your lasers and cannons, leaving you open to a barrage of enemy fire. Version 2.0 of TailGunner should also be available by Christmas, and will include a better looking starfield, improved ship graphics and multiple targets. A spin-off of TailGunner will also be used as a combat module in the upcoming Frontier."

Voodoo Doll for Windows:

"Voodoo Doll came to me one evening while brainstorming. I figured that most people knew of Voodoo dolls but probably didn't know where to get one for themselves. So I drew a likeness of the one in my office, thought up some good and bad things one would wish on someone, added some style, and released it all in one evening. It's not as much a game, but a diversion, it seems to get you to think about people you see every day, or haven't seen in awhile.  You can effect good and bad spells on anyone, and they don't know anything about it... unless it works of course. There is a disclaimer on the functionality of the product however. It only works if you want it to work."

Coming Up:

"Next on the game slate is Frontier, an enormous space exploration and combat game. Features include unlimited star maps, starship resource management, 256 color rendered planetary systems, exploration, colonization and destruction. Played in real-time it should prove to be highly entertaining. Release date should be around Thanksgiving. Also due out by the end of the year are Antfarm and HabiTrail screen savers, and a collection of Windows General Protection fault bitmaps for use as wallpaper. On the serious (read useful) side of things are the Diversions Software OfficePack, featuring an area code finder, screen capture utility and units conversion. A Windows Dive Log for Scuba divers, and, dogBASE, a database of all known dog breeds with 256 color images, temperament and history of each breed."

Ian Firth

Diversions Software

CIS:76450,3711

(303)366.4854

Program Info.: Prairie Dog Hunt


Prairie Dog Hunt

WINDOG.ZIP - PBS Arcade, Library 4 (Windows Games)

Prairie Dog Hunt for Windows is an arcade style game for Windows. You can select your weapon from the choices of a pellet gun, .44 Magnum, or shotgun. Then it's just a matter of shooting the dogs that pop up on the prairie. Not recommended for young children or ASPCA members.


Sound Problems

In order to hear Windows Multimedia sounds (.WAV) with a Windows 3.1 Help file, you must have a device driver set up for your particular sound device, such as an Adlib™ or SoundBlaster™ card. You can also play .WAV files through your PC Speaker with the correct driver. You can download the PC Speaker driver from ZiffNet in the Software Library (GO SOFTLIB) as SPEAK.ZIP

In addition, the .WAV files must be placed in the same directory as the help file in order to be correctly played.

In this issue, there is only one sound file: DOGSOUND.WAV.

DOGSOUND.WAV contains sounds from the game Prairie Dog Hunt for Windows, and are Copyrighted by author Ian Firth. They have been used with his permission and may not be redistributed or re-packaged.


Column
Visual Basic and Shareware

by Scott Arpajian

Visual Basic for Windows has made an enormous impact in the world of shareware. More than just a programming language, it represents an entirely different approach to creating shareware applications. The result is a new set of standards and expectations for shareware as a whole.

First conceived by Alan Cooper in 1987, Visual Basic belongs to the growing family of Visual Development Environments (VDEs), which also includes popular programs such as ToolBook and Object Vision. The idea behind designing a VDE program is that you build it around the interface. A Visual Basic programmer creates the "look and feel" of the program first, and is forced to consider the application from the user's perspective. In layman's terms, this means that the programs are cleaner, friendlier, and easier to use.

For programmers, Visual Basic is a godsend. In the early days of Windows programming, you needed an in-depth knowledge of "C" and you were forced to become intimately familiar with the mysterious and foreboding Windows API. Understandably, not a lot of programmers were willing to commit the enormous time and effort to produce full-blown Windows applications. But the ease of Visual Basic has quickly changed that. Michael Whittingham of iSBiSTER International, the publisher of Time & Chaos, says that he chose Visual Basic for several reasons, including its fast development time and the wide variety of 3rd party custom add-ons.

That's great for the programmers, but what about the users?

The most distinct advantage is that Windows applications have become [image] easier to use and more powerful. Concepts such as toolbars, Object Linking and Embedding and database access were once reserved for the high-end commercial applications like Excel and Word for Windows. But with a tool such as Visual Basic, a programmer can easily incorporate these features, providing enhanced usability for the programs.

A subtle advantage for the users is that with the emergence of VB, there is a greater variety of applications, put together by a greater variety of programmers. Producing a working Windows program is no longer a Herculean task, limited to techno-wizards who live and breathe through function calls and structured data types. Virtually anyone can program in Visual Basic. All you need is a good idea.

Of course, the flip side is that it's just as easy for the bad ideas to be programmed as well. But then, that's the beauty of the "try before you buy" system of shareware: you don't have to purchase the program in order to evaluate it.

Another minor annoyance with the Visual Basic system are the notorious VB Runtime .DLL and .VBX files. In order to run a program compiled with Visual Basic, you must have a copy of the appropriate .DLL (there is a separate one for each of the three versions of VB) and copies of any custom controls (.VBX) that a particular program uses. The obvious strength of this system, however, is that the .DLLs contain all the information that would normally have to be included with the executable file anyway. Rather than compile all of this code into each .EXE file, Microsoft decided to distribute it in the form of a common resource file that every Visual Basic program would access. If you use several VB programs, the disk space savings alone more than makes up for the confusion.

On the whole, the emergence of Visual Basic as a popular language for creating applications has been and will continue to be a benefit for the shareware industry. The slick interfaces, enhanced usability and a wider range of features made possible by Visual Basic have helped shareware to overcome the myth that it couldn't compete with the "commercial" applications. Armed with Visual Basic, shareware authors have the tool that lets their ideas shine.


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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).