Issue 5.1 January / February 2000
Michael Kleper, Editor • Scott Kleper, Associate Editor
This issue of KDP is sponsored by:
Secure Digital Content Server. One of the problems of incorporating images in a Web page is that site visitors have simple ways to copy the images, down to their last pixel. Most modern browsers provide direct support for doing this, and Macintosh and PC systems have easy-to-use operating system commands for copying screens. In addition, there are several commercial and shareware programs available for executing screen captures. What this means is that if a picture appears in a Web page, it can be copied and used, rightfully or not, by anyone.
The ease by which images can be ""lifted"" from a page is a disincentive for digital publishers who would like to display their most commercially valuable images. They are forced to withhold the images since it is virtually impossible to enforce anti-copying warnings, or to trace illegal use. Even digital watermark systems, which have been considered a first line of defense against image theft, have potential problems. First, hackers can remove or replace digital watermarks, further confusing the issue of image ownership. Second, a watermarked image is just as easy to copy as any other image, and if the watermark can be defeated, the image owner is rendered helpless. The answer is to keep the image files out of the hands of those who do not have the right to use them.
As a consequence of the potential for unlawful use, digital publishers will either degrade the quality of the image, or surprint a logo or identifying mark over it. The image can still be copied, but it becomes less valuable to the thief. Unfortunately, in the process, it becomes less representative of the quality of the image that it serves to represent.
A solution to this problem is Alchemedia Clever Content, a dedicated http server-based system that supports the display of any image, illustration, or design work, in any size but restricts the user to viewing only. The image can not be copied, saved, printed, or captured on the screen.
Images that are stored on the Clever Content server are marked for protection through the use of the Clever Content Manager, a remote management application that is run by the Web site administrator. Once the images have been protected, they are served, transparently, in the background. Viewing occurs through the site visitor's browser, however, any protected image that is requested from the Clever Content server is encrypted. The image is decrypted by the Clever Content Viewer, which the user has installed with a single mouse click. Each image is displayed ""normally"" within the browser window. The process is entirely transparent to the end user. The image is displayed in whatever fidelity chosen by the publisher, however it can not be copied, saved, printed or screen-captured.
If the site visitor elects not to download the Clever Content Viewer, then protected images appear as blank boxes.
Contact: Alchemedia, 300 De Haro Street, Suite 334, San Francisco, CA 94103, 800 561-8295, http://www.alchemedia.com, e-mail: sales@alchemedia.com
Productivity Reviews
Details 3.0 (MAC/WIN)
Details 3.0 is an innovative project manager that uses its own database to track, manage, and report on all project-related information. Unlike a conventional database, Details 3.0 is specifically designed to address the issues related to project management, and ships with 70 QuickStart Templates that have been constructed to meet the specific needs of various industries.
Using custom drawing and layout tools, users design forms that replicate standard business forms that are likely to be used in the work environment. The field types have been designed to meet specific project management needs, as opposed to conventional database field types which are primarily generic in nature. Legacy information, stored in standard database formats, can be imported.
Each form serves as a fascade for the underlying information. Reports can be generated easily to reflect exactly the set of information that is needed. Reports can also be captured in PNG file format and published on the Web or sent via e-mail.
Project managers can use Details 3.0 to produce colorful Timeline Graphs, Submittal Logs, Project Logs, and other forms of reports. The product is scalable for networks, and is available in multi-user packs.
A fully functional trial version is available at http://www.aecsoft.com/download. The demo version, which permits up to 10 records, can be converted into a fully working version when ordering. $299
Contact: AEC Software, 22611-113 Markey Court, Sterling, VA 20166, 703 450-1980, http://www.aecsoft.com, fax: 703 450-9786.
L&H VoiceXpress Mobile Professional Version 4.0 (WIN )
L&H VoiceXpress Mobile Professional Version 4.0 is a hardware and software system that unites the L&H VoiceXpress Professional 4.0 continuous speech recognition software application with the compact two-ounce Olympus DS-150 digital voice recorder. With the use of the DS-150, the user can dictate notes at any time, totally independent of a computer. The recordings can then be downloaded to a PC and converted, automatically, into text, using the VoiceXpress software.
The DS-150 is provided with 8 MB of built-in flash memory, combined with the high compression of the DSS file format, it yields up to 75 minutes of recording time. The unit supports the use of a headset, which can achieve high recognition accuracy, even in a high noise environment. Multiple sessions can be transferred to a host PC and batch processed, unattended.
The files that are produced for processing by VoiceXpress are in the WAV file format. They can be opened and edited, while still in an audible form, using any compatible sound editing application. This gives the user the added option of removing unwanted elements before converting the speech file into text. A WAV file can also be e-mailed to an associate for conversion at a remote location.
No speech recognition application is 100% accurate all of the time. In order to proof converted files, the user can apply Digital Pairing, which precisely synchronizes the recorded WAV file with the transcribed text so that the user can hear highlighted text. $229.99
Contact: Lernout & Hauspie, 52 Third Ave., Burlington, MA 01803, 781 203-5000, http://www.lhs.com, fax: 781 238-0986.
ViaVoice for Mac Millennium Edition (MAC)
ViaVoice for Mac Millennium Edition is the first continuous speech recognition program for the Macintosh. The package includes a disc with a 260,000 word vocabulary and a noise-cancelling microphone (with snap-on caps to match the iMac colors).
The user teaches the program to recognize his or her voice in a matter of minutes (the more training, the higher the accuracy). The text appears in a window from which it can be pasted into any open application. The user can create voice short-cuts, and can execute editing changes under voice control. Controls include the correction of dictation, text editing, text formatting, cursor movement, and the input of words by spelling them using military notation (alpha, bravo, charlie, etc.). $89.95
Contact: International Business Machines Corporation, 1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33401-9925, http://www.software.ibm.com/speec h.
Addition / Extension Reviews
Photo/Graphic Edges 10,000+ (MAC/WIN)
Photo/Graphic Edges 10,000+ is both a Photoshop plug-in and a standalone application for producing professional edge effects for photos and graphic images. The software, comprising 17 volumes of effects, provides considerable flexibility in applying sophisticated edges as well as overall image effects. The library of edges represents just about every imaginable variation, including Deckled, Feathered, Semi-Transparent, Impressionistic, Watercolor Fadeouts, Rubbed Charcoal, Splattered Airbrush, Vignette, and many, many more.
The special effects include carves, bevels, sepia tones, mezzotints, grains, glows, burns, distortions, textured and colored mattes, and more. The application of any effect or edge treatment is maintained in an Effects History log which can be used to record sets of effects, or to turn individual effect treatments on or off. A number of positioning controls, including Rotate, Scale, and Move, provide precise application.
Additional controls include over 200 Lighting tiles which are used to blur, sharpen, lighten, dampen, and smudge images. These tiles can be adjusted through Opacity and Softness controls, which can be applied to the image, the background, or both. Shadow effects are easily applied, and controlled in regard to Distance, Softness, Opacity, Distortion, Noise, Direction, Color, and more. Other image effects have their own sets of controls. $199
Contact: Auto F/X Corp., 31 Inverness Center Parkway, Suite 270, Birmingham, AL 35242, 205 980-0056, http://www.autofx.com, fax: 205 980-1121.
ProJPEG 4.0 is a major upgrade to this popular Photoshop plug-in that is advertised as "the most powerful tool available for creating optimized JPEG and progressive JPEG files for the Web." It adds two attractive features, the first being Target File Size Control." The user simply types in a target file size, and the program adjusts the image to meet that target. The second feature is Variable Image Compression, a process in which the user can specify different levels of compression for less important background image information, and the more important foreground image information.
The ProJPEG interface consists of two side-by-side windows; the one on the left shows the original image, and its size; and the one on the right shows the JPEG image and its size. Sliders below the images are set for Quality and Smoothing. Because the process is entirely WYSIWYG, even a novice can produce professional results. $49.95
Contact: Boxtop Software, Inc., One Research Blvd., Suite 201, Starkville, MS 39759, 800 257-6954, 601 323-6436, http://www.boxtopsoft.com, e-mail: info@boxtopsoft.com, fax: 601 324-7352.
Enhance Preview XT is an Xtension for QuarkXPress that provides high resolution previews in picture boxes. The crisp, sharp, preview images make it possible for users to achieve higher precision in placement, and greater confidence in page design. The preview images withstand enlargements up to 800%, and maintain image fidelity comparable to that displayed in Adobe Photoshop. $99
Contact: Koyosha Graphics of America (KGA), Inc., 821 Sansome St., San Francisco, CA 94111, 415 283-1800, http://www.koyosha.com, fax: 415 283-1801.
CD-ROM Reviews
Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia School Edition (MAC/WIN)
Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia (GME) School Edition includes a 125-page teacher's guide covering ten subject areas and twenty topics that are commonly taught in middle and high school. These include such lessons as: Manufacturing: The Shift from Farm to Factory; Psychology: Delving into Dreams; and Impressionism: Shimmering Light and Color. The guide is an invaluable aid to teachers who aim to integrate and align research and study skills with common academic subjects.
The curriculum guide, held in a 3-ring binder, is handsomely designed; and the topic areas are well-conceived and written. Numerous references are provided, including Web addresses, books, and multimedia presentations. The product not only represents a gold mine of ready lessons for teachers, but provides a structure that can be emulated for creating custom lessons based on the encyclopedia content.
References to the GME include numerous illustrations, which draw directly from the disc's content. The encyclopedia is feature-laden, containing 37,000 articles (6000 of which are new and or revised); over 500 articles that are updated monthly online; a 250,000 word dictionary; 1200 maps; 12 hours of sound; 7000 images; over 150 videos; 26,000 articles linked to the Internet; and much more. $79.95
Contact: Grolier Interactive, 90 Sherman Turnpike, Danbury, CT 06816, 203 797-3530, http://www.grolier.com, fax: 203 797-3835.
CD Do-it-yourself Business Card Kit (MAC/WIN)
The CD Do-it-yourself Business Card Kit addresses the need for the personal creation of business card size CD-ROMs. These new format Mini CDs measure approximately 2.5" x 3.1", and contain 50MB of writable storage. The kit contains 12 CD-R business cards, 16 self-adhesive labels, label design software, 12 vinyl storage sleeves, and a CD-R burner adapter.
The CD cards, which are commonly used to record multimedia presentations, run on virtually all tray- and spindle-based CD players, and can be sent easily in a standard letter-size envelope. $99
Contact: BizNetCard.com, 6915 South 700 West, Midvale, UT 84047, 800 772-0438, http://www.biznetcard.com, e-mail: info@biznetcard.com, fax: 801 561-8393.
Adobe Acrobat & PDF Workflow (MAC)
Adobe Acrobat & PDF Workflow is a title in the library of Desktop Interactive Learning, Publishing Series CD-ROM. The course covers all aspects of using Adobe Acrobat as part of digital workflow for the production of a wide range of products. Topics include the use of Acrobat Distiller, PDFWriter, Web to PDF, compression schemes, font management, and much more. $99.95
Contact: Digital Media Inc., POB 9, Bloomington, IN 47402, 812 355-3030, 800 355-6429, http://www.digitalmedia.net, e-mail: info@digitalmedia.net, fax: 812 355-6429.
Internet Reviews
dumpTRUCK! (MAC/WIN)
dumpTRUCK! is an exceptionally easy-to-use tool for submitting a batch of up to 25 URLs at a time to multiple search engines. It submits the URLs to the 14 most popular search engines, which generate over 90% of the traffic produced from user searches. The process requires a minimum of user input, and launches the submission with a single click. It's about as easy as it can get. $15
Contact: simple/CHAOS, St. Louis, MO, 888-236-2446, http://www.trafficstudio.com.
Sorenson Broadcaster is an application that supports the live streaming of QuickTime from virtually any Macintosh (as opposed to a dedicated server), to any Macintosh or Windows computer using QuickTime 4. The easy-to-user interface makes it simple for almost anyone to set-up a streaming audio or video presentation of a live or recorded presentation. The user has the option of recording a live presentation for archive or rebroadcast use.
The program has audio and video presets, making it easy for a novice to get started immediately. More experienced users can adjust the settings for meeting specific broadcast requirements. In either case, settings can be saved for reuse.
The program can be set-up to stream to an individual, to a streaming server, or to a multicast transmission. The system supports the use of program announcements, dispatched through e-mail, to alert listeners and viewers to upcoming broadcasts. The user can preview and monitor transmissions before and during transmissions. $199
Contact: Sorenson Vision, Inc., 2060 Walsh Ave., Suite 194, Santa Clara, CA 95050, 888 767-3676, 408 970-0696, http://www.sorensonvideo.com, http://www.s-vision.com, fax: 408 970-0906.
Conversa Web 3.0 is a voice-enabled Web browser that frees the user from the use of a keyboard or mouse. The hands-free application works by the user saying that they want either a link or a button. They then speak the first few words connected to that choice. The user can scroll, zoom, and activate check boxes, radio buttons, and dropdown menus. Users can enter URL addresses and text entries by spelling using a popup military alphabet list (alpha, bravo, charlie, etc.). The program also supports text-to-speech, so that users can listen to links, instead of reading from the screen.
The product ships with Microsoft IE 5.0 and a high-quality, noise-canceling microphone headset. No voice training or coding is required. $59.95
Contact: Conversa, 8522 154th Ave. NE, Redmond, WA 9802, 425 895-1800, http://www.conversa.com, fax: 425 861-8664.
Fireworks 3 is a leading Web graphics design and production application which provides highly useful tools for any site developer. It automates or simplifies the production and processing of virtually all visual aspects of Web design. The program maintains graphics in an editable form so that they can be altered at any time. The program works seamlessly with Macromedia Dreamweaver, or can integrate with any HTML editor.
As a graphic application that was developed specifically for the Web, Fireworks incorporates quite sophisticated solutions to everyday image-related Web file processing and production. Easy procedures are executed to produce animated GIFs, rollovers, and buttons; and to manipulate and process images for optimization, slicing, appearance modification.
Among the capabilities that increase user productivity are: a Library to store graphics, buttons, animations, and other objects that are likely to be reused; live preview of all output, including rollovers; creation of vector-based buttons that can be resized and reused; support for both vector and bitmap graphics; flexible file importing from digital cameras, scanners, and most graphic-based applications. $199
Contact: Macromedia, 600 Townsend, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415 252-2000, 800 326-2128, http://www.macromedia.com, e-mail: info@macromedia.com, fax: 415 626-0554.
Dreamweaver 3 is considered one of the best HTML editors available. It is unique in many respects, primarily in that it supports either WYSIWYG or hand-coding of Web pages. It produces what Macromedia calls "Roundtrip HTML(?)", which means that even when working in the visual mode, the program produces legitimate HTML codes that are recognized by all conventional applications. This is in contrast to other visual editors that sometimes produce convoluted code that can not be edited easily, or at all, outside of its original environment.
Dreamweaver has a very loyal following since it is a complete editing environment, and provides overall site management features. For example, if the location or name of a file on the site is changed, the program automatically updates all pertinent links. The user can also establish an easy-to-use FTP link with the Web server to easily exchange files as they are completed.
Dreamweaver 3 provides many advanced features, including: support for JavaScript and XML; support for third-party tags; CSS; Dream Templates to separate form from content; user-selectable keyboard shortcuts; color selection of any color visible on the screen through the use of the eyedropper tool, and conversion to the closest Web-safe color; visual development of tables and frames; Library storage of repeatedly used objects; a History palette to record moves for reuse; and much more. $299
Contact: Macromedia, Inc., 600 Townsend, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415 252-2000, 800 326-2128, http://www.macromedia.com, e-mail: info@macromedia.com, fax: 415 626-0554.
FileMaker Pro 5 Unlimited (MAC/WIN)
FileMaker Pro 5 Unlimited supports the deployment of FileMaker databases over the Web for an unlimited number of users. The package includes a full copy of FileMaker Pro 5 along with two Web serving options which address performance and security considerations. For corporate-based intranets with low traffic volume to FileMaker Pro web enabled databases, the Web server built into FileMaker Pro 5 Unlimited, called the Web Companion, provides the necessary performance. For higher-volume applications, such as a small Internet e-commerce site or an HR intranet application for a global company, FileMaker Pro 5 Unlimited can leverage popular Web servers via the included FileMaker Web Server Connector.
The FileMaker Web Server Connector, an easy-to-use Java servlet that relays requests from powerful Web servers to one or more computers running FileMaker Pro 5 Unlimited, can be easily integrated with the following leading Web Server software applications: Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) 4.0; Microsoft Personal Web Server (PWS) 4.0; Netscape Enterprise Server 3.62; WebStar 4.0; AppleShare IP 6.2; and Apache Web server (built into Mac OS X Server). Using the FileMaker Web Server Connector, users can leverage the security, performance and SSL (Secure Socket Layer) built into leading Web server applications for handling a wide variety of fast, secure transactions.
The program includes instant Web publishing features which eliminate the need for HTML coding or separate Web server software. Users can publish databases using layouts that have already been designed in FileMaker Pro. In addition, users can take advantage of five ready-to-use Web theme options (Classic, Wheat, Purple, Neutral, and Text Only), and two function themes (Search Only and Entry Only). $999
Contact: Claris, 5201 Patrick Henry Drive, Box 58168, Santa Clara, CA 95052-8168, 408 987-7000, 800-3-CLARIS, 408 727-8227, http://www.filemaker.com.
conexs is Macintosh client software that is used with the Smith Micro Software mass market Internet communications service that offers real-time Internet chat and telephone capabilities.
After a user installs conexs on their Macintosh they can register with the conexs.com Internet host server for free to establish a user account. The service links conexs users together. Callers use their e-mail addresses as their Internet telephony number and authenticator.
A call is placed by entering the e-mail address of the party being called in the call initiator pop-up box, pressing the call button, and waiting for it to be processed. The callee hears a ring on their computer, and answers, completing the connection. Since the call is carried on the Internet, it is free, regardless of distance or duration of the call. Once the call is established it can be conducted either by voice, chat, or both simultaneously. $9.95
Contact: Smith Micro Software, 51 Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656, 714 362-5811, 800 964-7674, WWW: http://www.smithmicro.com, fax: 714 362-2300.
Utility Reviews
PDF Creator (MAC/WIN)
PDF Creator is the first and only alternative to Adobe Acrobat for the creation of PDF files. It is an easy-to-use and cost-effective program that produces fully compliant PDF 1.2 files that work seamlessly with the Acrobat Reader and third party PDF tools and utilities.
PDF Creator compares favorably with the Adobe Distiller feature set, providing pre-configured settings for Press (2440 dpi), Print (600 dpi), and the Web (72 dpi). The user can create custom configurations as needed.
The program can create PDF files directly from any application, using the standard Print command. From the Print dialog box the user pulls down the printer option box to select the "5D PDF Creator" printer driver. The file name defaults to the name assigned to the file in the application, although the user can, at this point, rename the PDF file. The user selects the location where the file will be saved, and clicks OK. Alternately, PostScript or EPS files can be converted to PDF by dragging them onto the PDF Creator desktop icon. Windows users of Word 97 or Word 2000 can utilize a macro to capture structural elements of word processing documents, such as headings, tables of contents, and footnotes. $99
Contact: 5D, Guardian House, Borough Road, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 2AE, United Kingdom, 44 (0) 1483 426421, http://www.five-d.com, fax: 44 (0) 1483 419541. U.S. sales, Software Spectrum, 800 624-0503, Software House International, 800 766-6357
PDActivate is a suite of five software programs for the Palm organizer. They include: Launch 'Em, which allows the user to organize their application icons in tabbed folders wth a drag-and-drop interface; ListMaker, which simplifies the process of making and managing a list; SimpleSketch, which supports drawing doodles and free-hand notes; SynCalc, an advanced, programmable scientific algebraic calculator; and Today, which displays a view of the Datebook and To Do items on one screen. $39.95
Contact: Synergy Solutions, Inc., 71 S. Whitney St., Suite 1, Grayslake, IL 60030-1547, 800 210-5293, 847 231-4394, http://www.synsolutions.com.
4 Port USB Hub for Mac or Windows (MAC/WIN)
The Belkin 4 Port USB Hub for Mac or Windows allows the user to connect up to four USB devices to any computer that has a USB port. USB is up to 100 times faster than standard serial ports, is hot-swappable, and USB devices are auto-detected. The hub extends the number of devices that the computer is able to support at one time. The hub attaches to the computer, and four additional USB devices connect to the hub. The package includes a six foot Belkin Pro Series USB Device Cable so that the hub can be positioned away from the computer. Additional hubs can be daisy-chained, supporting up to 127 USB devices.
The front of the hub contains LEDs which show which hub is active, and that the hub itself has power. The Macintosh package includes multi-colored sleeves to match the Macintosh case. The hub carries a manufacturer's lifetime warranty. $59.99
Contact: Belkin Components, 501 West Walnut Street, Compton, CA 90220, 800 223-5546, http://www.belkin.com, fax: 310 898-1111.
MacDrive 2000 is a utility that supports the seamless use of Macintosh media on a Windows system. The program lets users open, edit, copy, delete, rename and save files on Macintosh floppies, Zip, Jaz, SyQuest, CD-ROM, and Orb media. The user simply inserts the media and it works. Once the software is installed it works transparently, simplifying the sharing of data in dual-platform environments. $59.95
Contact: Media4 Productions Inc., 2800 University Ave., Suite H1B-101, West Des Moines, IA 50266-1258, 800 528-7440, 515 225-7409, http://www.media4.com, fax: 515 225-6370.
TransType is a utility program that essentially does one thing, but it does it especially well. The application converts TrueType and PostScript Type 1 fonts in either direction, Mac to PC, or PC to Mac.
The issue of font translation has been somewhat problematic, since shareware converters do not always work, or do not always produce fully usable results. In addition, even commercial font editors are sometimes unable to accomplish platform conversions successfully. TransType is superior since it can correctly convert fonts with non-Roman encoding; controls the building of Macintosh font suitcases from PC font sources (fonts on a PC comprising a font family are converted into a single suitcase); and can generate bitmap fonts when PC Type 1 fonts are converted (provided that ATM is installed on the Macintosh).
TransType provides two windows: one lists the source files, the other, an initially empty window, displays the converted font files. The user can execute batch conversions of entire libraries and collections. $49.95
Contact: Pyrus NA Ltd., Box 465, Millersville, MD 21108, 410 987-5616, http://www.pyrus.com, fax: 410 987-4980.
CDFinder is a utility that supports the management of files that are not available on-line. This capability is highly valuable, since users of any type of removable media, from floppy disks (1.4MB) to Orb cartridges (2.2GB), will at some point have the need to quickly locate files that are stored on some form of off-line media.
CDFinder quickly scans the contents of removable media that is mounted on the desktop. Once scanned, the user can see the names of all files in a Finder-like interface. The main window lists the file names, sizes, and CDFinder catalog name that the user has assigned it to. The user can also add a comment to any or all files.
The value of the program is in locating the particular piece of off-line media on which it is stored. For this purpose, CDFinder utilizes a very fast search engine, with extended search options. $20
Contact: CDFinder, c/o Norbert M. Doerner, Mozartstr. 16, D-64546 Moerfelden-Walldorf, Germany, http://www.cdfinder.de.
Papyrus 8.0 is a bibliography system and knowledge manager that manages its database contents to conform with the rigid formatting rules for published citations. The program is capable of reformatting entries to met the particular demands of a scientific journal, academic society, or other form of publishing.
The program addresses three main areas. First is the issue of cataloging reference citations. Users can input entries manually, and thereafter edit and search them. Papyrus is a relational database that can support the storage of over 16 million records per database. Second is the issue of reformatting the entries according to generally accepted standards of form, such as APA, and the Chicago Style Manual. Papyrus is preconfigured with 16 types of reference (journal articles, book, dissertation, etc.), with 59 predefined fields (Author, Year, Title, etc.). Users can add an unlimited number of custom reference types and fields, and can output entries to satisfy a wide range of needs, including publishing the bibliography on the Web. Third is the issue of importing citations from a variety of sources, such as computerized collections, including those found on the Internet; and digitally stored collections, such as those typed in a word processor. The user can make use of prepared citations no matter where they may originate. Research Software Design (RSD), the publisher of Papyrus, will also create an import filter at no charge for supporting any new source that a user may uncover.
The program incorporates several features that help to insure that entries are properly constructed. For example, if the user types "3" for the book's edition, the program will automatically change it to "3rd." If the user types "smith, Jane" for the author's name, the program will ask the user to confirm that the surname begins with a lower case letter.
Completed bibliographies or reference lists can be formatted for print, with control over many attributes, such as font, margins, headers, footers, line spacing, etc. Output can also be exported to any Macintosh word processor using RTF or MacWrite file formats. Other output options include HTML, plain text, or TeX/LaTeX formats.
Papyrus supports the insertion of reference placeholders in word processors. The user selects the particular reference in Papyrus, and drags it to the appropriate location in the word processor document. When Papyrus later processes the manuscript, the placeholder will be replaced with whatever form is required by the current bibliographic style. A free limited version of Papyrus, supporting up to 200 references and notecards, is available at the RSD Web site. $139
Contact: Contact: Research Software Design, 2718 SW Kelly St., Suite 181, Portland, OR 97201, 503 796-1368, http://www.rsd.com; e-mail: info@rsd.com; fax: 503 241-4260.
Quicken Deluxe 2000 for Windows (WIN )
Quicken Deluxe 2000 for Windows is a complete personal finance management application that not only helps a user keep track of personal finances and obligations, but provides the tools to monitor investments, and plan a course of action. Associated tools are the Asset Allocation Guide, Asset Allocation Monitor, Portfolio Rebalancer, Stock Evaluator, Itemized Deduction Estimator, and more. Of special interest to the digital publisher is the quality of the charts and tables that the program is capable of producing. $59.95
Contact: Intuit, P.O. Box 7850, MS 2535, Mountain View, CA 94039-7850, 800 446-8848, http://www.quicken2000.com.
ShrinkWrap 3.5.1 is a utility that creates disk images that are exact replicates of the original. Unlike other copying methods, like drag and drop, and DiskCopy, ShrinkWrap makes a copy that is indistinguishable from the original. This means, for example, that a user could make a copy of a CD-ROM, and keep it mounted on the desktop, to free the CD-ROM drive for a different title, and also to access the contents faster. The Macintosh would consider the ShrinkWrapped version as a legitimately mounted volume. ShrinkWrap can also be used to create segmented disk images, and can compress them using Aladdin StuffIt Deluxe. The program also provides 40-bit password protected encryption. $30
Contact: Aladdin Systems, Inc., 165 Westridge Drive, Watsonville, CA 95076, 408/761-6200, 800 480-4011, Internet: cust.service@aladdinsys.com, fax: 408/761-6206, WWW: http://www.aladdinsys.com.
Multimedia Reviews
Mzzz Muzic (MAC/WIN)
Mzzz Muzic is a CD-ROM collection of 200 music tracks recorded in the .WAV digital audio file format at 16 bit 44.1 kHz stereo. The disc contains a wide variety of music categorized in the following groups: Alternate Rock, Children, Christmas, Classical, Comedy, Country, Dance, Drama, Easy Listening, Electronica, Holiday, Jazz, Lite, Military, New Country, Percussion, Rock, Romantic, Sports, and Travel. Clips are of various lengths, from less than ten seconds to more than one minute. The user is authorized to use the audio clips for Web site development, multimedia presentations, slide shows, and film and broadcast applications. $29
Contact: Sound Ideas, 105 West Beaver Creek Road, Suite #4, Richmond Hill, Ontario, CN L4B 1C6, 800 387-3030, 905 886-5000, http://www.sound-ideas.com, fax: 905 886-6800.
Captain Audio is a single cross-platform CD containing 450 sound effects recorded in .WAV format at 16 bit 44.1 kHz stereo. Among the sound effects are animal sounds, auto crashes, cameras clicking, cans opening, cloth ripping, crowds laughing, guns shooting, telephones ringing, and much, much more. $29
Contact: Sound Ideas, 105 West Beaver Creek Road, Suite #4, Richmond Hill, Ontario, CN L4B 1C6, 800 387-3030, 905 886-5000, http://www.sound-ideas.com, fax: 905 886-6800.
Video2000 is the first and only diagnostic testing tool for evaluating the digital video capabilities of a PC. The program tests MPEG 2 encoding and decoding, video decoder quality tests, and several other areas specific to digital video performance. $29.99
Contact: MadOnion.com, 80 Bloor St. West, Suite 505, Toronto, Ontario, CN M5S 2V1, 416 972-6275, http://www.madonion.com, fax: 416 972-9481.
3DMark2000 is a diagnostic tool for evaluating the 3D game performance of a given PC. It can be useful in assessing the appropriateness of a given system for the play of certain kinds of games, and can assist the user in determining what upgrades are likely to result in improved play. $29.99
Contact: MadOnion.com, 80 Bloor St. West, Suite 505, Toronto, Ontario, CN M5S 2V1, 416 972-6275, http://www.madonion.com, fax: 416 972-9481.
Media Cleaner Pro 4 is a tool that helps to resolve the technical needs of a given digital video project, and to process the output in an appropriate form. Nonlinear Video Editing applications, such as Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere, are excellent tools for assembling the content of a movie. However, once the pieces are put together, the movie must be rendered into a final form that meets the technical requirements of the system that will ultimately deliver it to its audience. The number of options in this regard has grown considerably, since there are several ways to compress digital content, and several forms in which to provide it to viewers.
Media Cleaner Pro 4 provides both a wizard and an expert interface, so that entry-level multimedia creators and professionals can both get acceptable results. The wizard interface provides an excellent summary of the complete range of options available to a digital movie-maker, and the step-by-step process that is necessary to create the appropriate product. These steps are instructional, and include: 1. Determining the delivery system. How will the movie be viewed? On the Web? On a CD-ROM? On a DVD? Or in some other form? 2. Selecting the format. Based on the selection from step 1, the user will be presented with appropriate format options. 3. Selecting the delivery style. Based on the selection of the format from step 2, the user is presented with all available delivery styles. 4. Selecting alternates. The user can select one or more transmission rates. 5. Selecting the soundtrack. The user indicates the type of soundtrack that is required. 6. Selecting the codec. The user selects from the codecs that can support the previous choices. 7. Selecting the dimensions. The user selects the required frame size. 8. Selecting the framerate. The user selects the playback rate, expressed as the number of frames per second. 9. Selecting options. The user selects from a list of available options. 10. Confirming all settings. The user confirms that all settings are satisfactory. At this point, several of the settings can be modified. 11. Processing the movie. The user initiates the process by clicking on the Start button. The movie(s) are produced accordingly. $499
Contact: Terran Interactive, 2 North First St., Suite 215, San Jose, CA 95113, 800 577-3443, 408 356-7373, http://www.terran-int.com, e-mail: info@terran-int.com, fax: 408 356-9373.
Sorenson Video 2 Developer Edition (MAC)
Sorenson Video 2 Developer Edition is a highly efficient codec for QuickTime video. This new version provides up to four times faster encoding, image smoothing, improved video quality, and support for QuickTime 4 streaming.
The codec works as a QuickTime system extension. Sorenson decoders are built into QuickTime 3 and later players so that viewers do not need to load any additional plug-ins.
The codec also supports the application of a visible watermark that can be added to each frame to make its identification obvious. A user-designed logo or other identifying mark is placed in a user-specified frame location. $499
Contact: Sorenson Vision, Inc., 2060 Walsh Ave., Suite 194, Santa Clara, CA 95050, 408 970-0696, http://www.s-vision.com, fax: 408 970-0906.
Studio Bundle Pro 2.0 (MAC/WIN)
Studio Bundle Pro 2.0 is a collection of 11 professional design tools composed of the following: Typo/Graphic Edges 3.0, for applying edge effects to type, clip art and graphics; Page/Edges 3.0, for creating page borders, frames, and special edge treatments; Photo/Graphic Patterns 1.0, for applying a pattern over an image; Ultimate Texture Collections Volumes 1, 2 and 3, for applying seamless textures for print, 3D or the Web; Photo/Graphic Frames Volumes 1 and 2, for enclosing images within a frame; Universal Animator, for including artwork within an animated GIF; Universal Rasterizer, for printing documents as rasterized files that can be opened in Photoshop; and WebVise Totality, a suite of six Web utilities that includes file compression, animation, watermarking, etc.
The tools have applications in print, multimedia, and Web design and work with any software that supports standard Photoshop plug-ins.
Auto F/X has built its reputation on the application of special edge effects and surface treatments. This bundle provides them in a single collection, representing an enormous design library of options, as well as a considerable dollar savings. The combined retail value of the software is $1250, but is available in this special collection for $199.
Contact: Auto F/X Corp., 31 Inverness Center Parkway, Suite 270, Birmingham, AL 35242, 205 980-0056, http://www.autofx.com, fax: 205 980-1121.
Inspiration version 6.0 (MAC/WIN)
Inspiration version 6.0 is a major upgrade to a highly useful visual learning and charting tool. The program provides libraries of symbols that can be arranged intelligently and linked to represent concepts and ideas. It has been used quite effectively to illustrate potential Web designs, showing the interrelationships of pages, sections, and sitelets. This new version supports the use of hyperlinks and e-mail addresses.
The program has two modes: outline and diagram. The user can work in either, and switch between them at will. The program maintains both modes simultaneously. For example, a user can type in an outline listing of a section of Web pages, and then switch to the diagram mode and see them graphically displayed. In the diagram mode they can be moved and edited, and appearance changes can be made.
Recognized as a very valuable tool for teachers, this new version includes over 1250 symbols, including photographic, animated, and high-quality illustration images. Users can also import their own symbols. In addition, the program provides templates that can be used to demonstrate visual learning techniques such as bubble diagrams, tree maps, flow maps, Venn diagrams, and other graphical organizers. $69
Contact: Inspiration Software, Inc., 7412 S.W. Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy., Suite 102, Portland, OR 97225-2167, 503 297-3004, 800 877-4292, http://www.inspiration.com, e-mail: info@inspiration.com, fax: 503 297-4676.
ImageAXS Pro 4.0 is a cross-platform digital asset management application that supports the storage and retrieval of more than 40 image, sound, movie, and other file types. This product was originally published by Digital Arts & Sciences, but has been acquired by Caere.
A unique feature of the program (Macintosh version only) is the capability to generate cross-platform read-only electronic mini-albums using the E-Zcard export feature. These mini-albums can be sent through e-mail or on disk, and provide the receiver with the capability to preview digital assets, but protect the asset owner since the receiver can not copy or otherwise use the elements.
The major purpose of a digital asset management system is, of course, locating publishing components so that they can be considered for use. A virtually unlimited number of keywords can be entered for each media asset improving the odds that assets will be located regardless of who may be doing the search.
ImageAXS Pro is compatible with ODBC-compliant applications and databases, providing more than 100 fields of descriptive information. Each field can be defined by type, length, placement, label, and other attributes.
Assets are displayed with thumbnail previews, which when double-clicked, reveal the full-size image. Multiple images can be opened simultaneously for side-by-side comparison.
Selected assets can be prepared for publishing on the Web automatically, generating all of the HTML code necessary to post the pages and make the assets available, and searchable, from any Web browser.
Some of the highlights of the feature set are: direct acquisition from digital cameras, audio and video sources, scanners, and removable media; multimedia file management of assets stored either on- or off-line; instant access to any available image editing application; and a duplicate image filter. $199.95
Contact: Caere Corp., 100 Cooper Court, Los Gatos, CA 05030, 800 535-7226, 408 395-7000, http://www.caere.com, fax: 408 354-2743
Street Atlas USA 6.0 along with the compatible Earthmate GPS Receiver, provides address-to-address routing and powerful mapping and navigation tools for both business travelers and vacation planners. Through the use of both products the user can first get very detailed directions and maps and then see exactly where they are on those maps.
The mapmaking capability of the Street Atlas program supports door-to-door routing, with a choice of quickest, shortest, preferred or most scenic. The user can print highly detailed full-color maps, along with route directions and statistics. Users can add map notes; search for street addresses, placenames, ZIP codes, area codes and exchanges, or latitude and longitude; draw circles or polygons directly on a map and calculate the area; measure distances between points in feet, miles, meters or kilometers; import addresses from a contact manager or database and plot their locations on detailed, street-level maps; and more. $49.95 for the software, $179.95 for the software and Earthmate GPS Receiver.
Contact: DeLorme, Two DeLorme Drive, POB 298, Yarmouth, ME 04096, 800 452-5931, 207 846-7000, http://www.delorme.com, e-mail: info@delorme.com, fax back: 207 865-7083, fax: 800 575-2244.
Milori Training Tools 2000 (WIN )
Milori Training Tools 2000 is a set of four easy-to-use applications for presentation via the Web or a computer projector.
PC Chalkboard is a program that uses the computer screen as an "overhead projector transparency." The presenter can highlight text, point out buttons, circle groups, create rectangles, and draw in freehand using a palette of colors and line weights. The drawing, or any part of it, can be copied, saved, printed, or cleared.
MagLens lets the presenter zoom from 100 percent to up to 600 percent by using keystrokes or mouse clicks. The presenter can freeze the image or change the shape of the window.
Finger Prince is an unusual application that lets the presenter play canned laughter after their jokes, applause at the end of their presentation, or other special effects. The user can assign their choices of keystroke combinations.
Audisee displays the shortcut keys (such as Ctrl-C) on the screen that a presenter uses during a demonstration, and sounds a loud burst when the mouse button is clicked. In this way the audience sees and hears exactly what the presenter is doing to execute various procedures. $69.95
Contact: SilverLake Tech.com, 55 Washington St., Bloomfield, NJ 07003, 973 259-9300, http://www.printscreenworks.com, e-mail: info@printscreenworks.com, fax: 973 748-3015.
OCR Reviews
OmniForm 4.0 (WIN )
OmniForm 4.0 is a forms processing application that supports the conversion of paper-based forms into their electronic counterparts. The program is a critical element in the construction of an all digital workflow for businesses and organizations of all kinds. Of particular significance is the program's capability to quickly and accurately convert a paper form into a Web form.
The program takes a scanned paper form and converts it into an editable electronic version that can be filled-in on-screen, and stored for the retrieval and manipulation of its contents. This new version has several improvements and innovations, including: Enhanced Logical Forms Recognition (LFR) which works to intelligently recognize the various parts of a form, maintaining its integrity as a replicate of the paper original; a new OCR engine which produces higher accuracy; a set of powerful drawing tools for modifying converted forms or drawing new forms from scratch; a Proofreading Wizard for correcting OCR errors; improved color handling and editing; control over the tabbing order of fields; support for hyperlinks both as converted and as entered by the user; a serialization option to populate forms with incrementing serial numbers; a new AutoFill Wizard that enables the use of drop down lists and database lookups; support for electronic signatures and security; automatic text sizing so that the point size of text will adjust if the amount of text exceeds the allotted space of the fill field; output to HTML and DHTML with absolute positioning; an option to save a form as a Fillable PDF with Form Marks; Save to the OmniForm Internet Publisher format (OFML) wish enables exact positioning of form elements within the browser and enables users to save forms to the Desktop for filling in on Windows and Macintosh systems; a new Publish to Web feature providing direct access to the Microsoft Web Publishing Wizard; collection of data from Web forms through the use of the free Caere CGI Wizard; availability of the low-cost OmniForms Filler companion product that enables users to fill out, but not modify, OmniForms forms; and more.
There is no other forms-based product that fulfills such a valuable function, offers so many options and controls, and sells for such a reasonable price. $149
Contact: Caere Corp., 100 Cooper Court, Los Gatos, CA 05030, 800 535-7226, 408 395-7000, http://www.caere.com, fax: 408 354-2743.
OmniPage Pro 10 is not only among the first programs to pass the version 10.0 mark, but is the unsurpassed leader in terms of OCR accuracy. In recent tests conducted at the Information Science Research Institute (ISRI) of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), showed that the next best performer produced 45% more word errors, on average, than OmniPage Pro 10. The tests included typical specimen images comprised of business letters, legal documents, Department of Energy documents, corporate annual report pages from 75 Fortune 500 companies, selected magazine pages from 75 popular magazines, and newspaper pages from the 50 largest-circulation U.S. newspapers. Test pages ranged in quality from clean, original business letters, to degraded photocopies and faxes, and included such error-producing characteristics as broken and touching characters, tables, skewed text, and text on colored backgrounds.
The high level of accuracy is the result of a new OCR engine that combines the features of three award-winning OCR applications: OmniPage Pro, WordScan Plus and Recognita Plus. Also included are additional dictionaries which cover compound and non-English words resulting in a combined advantage of reducing the number of errors by 30%, on average, over the previous version.
The user interface has been simplified and is presented in tab format. The tabs are used to select from three processing modes: AutoOCR , Manual or OCR Wizard. Each mode has a corresponding toolbox.
The new font rendering scheme attempts to match fonts on the basis of font metrics, such as character aspect ratio, as well as the appearance of the characters and the spacing of the text lines. This produces a processed document that retains significantly more layout integrity than previously.
Other technical improvements include: new de-skew technology for reducing distortion during the image straightening process; enhanced Anypage technology that increases the accuracy of scanning color and grayscale documents; an improved OCR proofreader (with five levels of zoom) to aid users in resolving misread characters and words; automatic interval scanning, for automatic scanning at regular intervals (such as every thirty seconds), to automate the input process for those without an automatic document feeder; and more.
Included with version 10 is a bundled version of OmniPage Web Personal Edition, a lite version (coverts up to ten pages) of the first application produced to automatically convert long paper documents into intelligently structured, completely hyperlinked Web sites. The program automatically produces a table of contents listing each section of the site. Users can control the level of specificity of the TOC, and can also apply one of nine predefined appearance themes to the site overall. The full version, available for an upgrade price of $149.95, provides support for documents of almost any length, Cascading Style Sheets, designation of HTML banners at the top or bottom of each page, an expanded set of 20 appearance themes, and much more. $499.95
Contact: Caere Corp., 100 Cooper Court, Los Gatos, CA 05030, 800 535-7226, 408 395-7000, http://www.caere.com, fax: 408 354-2743.
Networking Reviews
PowerPrint for Networks (MAC)
PowerPrint for Networks (PPN) is a hardware/software solution for Macintoshes enabling them to share a PC printer on an Ethernet network which may also include Windows and Unix computers. The system consists of a 10/100BaseT print server and Macintosh printer drivers that make it both simple and quick to provide shared print services from a single PC printer, which is not normally, nor natively, accessible to a Macintosh. PPN can be used either with an all Macintosh network or a network populated by a mix of different computer types.
PPN supports virtually any PC printer type, including inkjet/bubblejet, dot-matrix, impact, laser, or multifunction peripherals. There are over 1600 Macintosh printer drivers available, ensuring support for a very wide range of models. Users can print in the background while working on other tasks.
The PowerPrint for Networks includes: a CD-ROM with Macintosh printer drivers and print server configuration utilities; the 10/100Base-T Ethernet print server and power supply: an IEEE-1284 Parallel Printer cable; and the Quick Start Guide. $249
Contact: InfoWave Wireless Messaging Inc., 4664 Lougheed Highway, Suite 188, Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5C 6B7, 604 473-3600, 888 826-7881, http://www.infowave.net, e-mail: info@infowave.net, fax: 604 473-3699.
Digital Imaging Reviews
Studio Artist (MAC)
Studio Artist is described as the world's first Graphics Synthesizer. The program is so highly graphic, and so incredibly innovative, that it is not only difficult to describe in words, but even a good attempt would be rather inadequate. That said, here goes....
The program was introduced at Macworld in NYC in July, 1999, and won Best of Show. It consistently attracted crowds that were intrigued and delighted by the effects that the program produced from theapplication of editable presets.
Among the features of the program are: a hybrid imaging model that provides the richness of raster paint strokes with the editability of vector paths; the application of paint tools and custom art processes to both still and motion images; over 600 factory presets, each with hundreds of fully editable parameters; generation of action sequences formed from a series of paint and image processing operations; selective modulation of over 200 interactive paint parameters; and much more.
According to the publisher: "Studio Artist is the first commercial program for computer artists that incorporates research results from cognitive neuroscience investigations into the nature of visual perception in the brain. The program uses human visual modeling to construct an internal representation from a source image that is used to direct smart assisted painting and drawing. The result is that Studio Artist knows how to paint and draw. With Studio Artist, a user with little or no skills can now paint and draw easily." $295
Contact: Synthetik Software, Inc., 30 Sheridan St., San Francisco, CA 94103, 888 808-4188, 415 864-6582, http://www.synthetik.com, fax: 415 854-0433.
Attaché Personal Imaging Device (WIN )
Attaché Personal Imaging Device is a portable 12 oz. color scanner that is made for travel. The lightweight device, which does not require batteries or a power adapter, connects via a PC card port. It scans a letter-size sheet at 300 dpi, in three modes: 24-bit color (108 seconds); 256-level grayscale (48 seconds); and 1-bit B&W (35 seconds). The unit accommodates page sizes from business card up to legal size, in thicknesses from 0.08 through 1.00 mm.
The Twain-compliant scanner comes complete with a Type II PCMCIA PC-Card interface, CD-ROM with support software, carrying pouch, calibration sheet, and user's manual.
The scanner is bundled with software applications that support digital document management (Presto! PageManager), OCR (PageType OCR), and image editing (PageImage Folio). $149
Contact: Antec, 47900 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538, 510 770-1200, http://www.antec-inc.com, e-mail: antec-inc.com, fax: 510 770-1288.
The USB CameraMate digital film card reader is a versatile dual-slot card reader that supports the direct reading of either CompactFlash and CF+ Type II, or SmartMedia 3.3v or 5v cards in the same compact unit. Most competitive readers can support only one type of media.
The CameraMate eliminates the need to connect a digital camera directly to a computer using a serial connection. Not only is a serial connection slow, but it takes the camera out of use during the time that images are being transferred. In addition, if the camera is not supported with an AC adapter, a lengthy transfer session, which most transfer sessions are, will quickly drain the camera's batteries. Reading the camera's removable media outside of the camera, separates the image transfer process from the recording process, so that the camera can continue to be used with fresh media while image transfers take place on the used media. This is the only effective digital workflow solution, and is essential in any environment where multiple digital cameras are used.
The CameraMate transfers images over 30 times faster than a serial connection, without the hassle of connecting the cables, setting the camera and computer for communication, and relying on the power supplied by the camera to support the transfer.
The CameraMate makes image transfer as easy as inserting a floppy disk, since the insertion of a piece of digital media into the reader results in the appearance of its desktop icon. The icon can be opened to reveal the individual images, which can be dragged to a hard drive or other form of on-line storage. Free software includes ixla Digital Camera Suite SE (Win), ixla Web Easy trial version (Win), and PhotoFX PhotoFolio 2.0 (Mac).
The CameraMate is also compatible with the new IBM 340 MB and 170 MB microdrives.
Although the unit will find its most readily useful applications in digital photography, it can be used effectively in the transfer of data between any device that utilizes the supported data storage form factors. This would include digital music recorders, digital phones, digital voice recorders, etc. $89
Contact: Microtech International, Inc., 242 Branford Road, North Branford, CT 06471-1303,800 626-4276, 203 483-9402, http://www.microtechint.com, e-mail: info@microtechint.com, fax: 203 483-0129.
Photoshop Inside & Out: Tape 6 Channels and Masking (Part Two)
(MAC/WIN)
Photoshop Inside & Out: Tape 6 Channels and Masking (Part Two) with David Biedny is the latest instructional videotape from IDIG. Like previous titles, this one is packed with useful information presented in a professional and highly visual manner. Among the topics covered in this 2-hour tape are: edge-enhancement tricks, alpha channel manipulations, making masks from existing channels, selection tools, defringing and edge enhancement, advanced masking tricks, and more. $59.95
Contact: IDIG, Inc., POB 151498, 32 Alexander Ave., San Rafael, CA 94901, 415 721-0638, http://www.photoshopio.com, e-mail: sales@photoshopio.com, fax: 415 721-0658.
Picture It! 2000 is a low-cost, entry-level photo-editing application designed for consumers to manipulate their digital photos, enhance them (remove red-eye, remove dust and scratches, restore faded images), add special effects (add a border, apply a charcoal filter, etc.) and share them with family and friends. The program supports the production of Web pages, Web slide shows and Web photo albums, as well as incorporating photos into projects. The Web Posting Wizard takes the user through the step-by-step process required to post photos on the Web.
The set of two CD-ROMs includes 950 photo backgrounds, 150 fonts, and more than 400 project templates. Projects support the product of wallpaper, cards, calendars, magazine covers, trading cards, flyers, business cards, collages, and more. $54.95
Contact: Microsoft Corp., One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, 206 882-8080, WWW: http://www.microsoft.com, fax: 206 93MSFAX.
Miscellaneous News and Reviews
e.light (ALL)
e.light is a compact, energy-efficient, trim, task lamp. It is designed for flexibility, providing light to any particular area of a desktop. The low-energy light source produces relatively little heat, making the lamp exceptionally safe, as well as economical.
The e.light is available in six designer colors (orange, white, red, purple, blue and green), making it a particularly nice designer touch for iMac users, and others who have a flair for clean, modern design.
The head and base of the lamp are made from a polycarbonate, and the telescopic rod is made of quality galvanized brushed brass. The illumination is provided by three-watt Microlight Technology.Microlight Technology provides luminosity that is approximately five times higher than incandescent lamps. The light is diffused by a high yield optic device that ensures perfect flow control at a stable color temperature of 3,000 degrees K. There are no harmful emissions, such as thermal radiation or ultraviolet rays. The microlight has a nominal life of 20,000 hours, which is equal to approximately seven years of functioning eight hours per day. $129
Contact: Artemide Inc., 1980 New Highway, Farmingdale, NY 11735, 516 694-9292, http://www.artemide.com, e-mail: artemide_us@artemide.com, fax: 516 694-9275.
ORB 2.2 GB SCSI Drive (MAC/WIN)
The ORB 2.2 GB external SCSI Drive is the latest interface option released, joining the EIDE internal, parallel external, and the USB external models. The drive provides a common interface for both Macintosh and Intel-based systems.
The ORB drive delivers 2.2 GB of storage, with a 12.2 MB/second maximum sustained data transfer rate on each $39.95 removable cartridge, making it among the most cost-effective and high-density storage alternatives available. The company, which produces drives based on the latest magneto-resistive (MR) head technology (originally developed by IBM), was founded by Syed Iftikar, the inventor of the SyQuest data storage system.
Each ORB cartridge is a true hard drive, fast enough to support the recording of streaming audio and video. The capacity is equivalent to 22 100 MB Zip cartridges, or over 1500 1.44 MB floppy disks.
The ORB drive comes with ORB disk utilities which support formatting, one-click back-up, disk copying, and several other functions. $199.95
Contact: Castlewood Systems, 7133 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 200,
Pleasanton, CA 94566, 925 461-5500, http://www.castlewoodsystems.com,<
/a> fax: 925 461-5501.
ZAGAT Restaurant Guide is the Palm computing version of this popular
handbook for discriminating eaters. This complete electronic edition,
occupying only 150K, contains the same content as its printed
counterpart, but provides the benefit of being fully searchable.
Users can find restaurants by name, average meal cost, rated decor,
rated service, cuisine, special features, or location. After making a
reservation it can easily be transferred to the user's Datebook.
The initial purchase includes the choice of a guide from one
city...either Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, New
Jersey (the state), New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seattle or
Washington, D.C. Additional cities, included on the CD-ROM, may be
purchased separately at special pricing. $29.95
ZAGAT Restaurant Guide (PILOT)
Contact: LandWare, Inc., 690 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell, NJ 07649, 201 261-7944, http://www.landware.com, fax: 201 261-7949.
Book Reviews
Internet Directory for Dummies, Third Edition
Hill, Brad
A directory of over 900 carefully selected Internet sites that have been thoroughly evaluated and described. They are categorized in major sections, such as News and Information, and sub-categories, such as Weather. The accompanying cross-platform CD-ROM includes live links to all listings as well as shareware and evaluation versions of software.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0764505882/7550-9049184-39954 1.
0-7645-0588-2 377 pp. $24.99
Contact: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., 155 Bovet Road, Suite 610, San Mateo, CA 94402, 800 762-2974, http://www.idgbooks.com.
Photoshop 5 for Macs for Dummies
McClelland, Deke
An easy-to-follow guide to the major capabilities of Adobe Photoshop 5. The many figures and images, along with the clear, concise text, make the book understandable to everyone.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=076450391X/7550-9049184-39954 1.
0-7645-0391-X 358 pp. $19.99
Contact: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., 155 Bovet Road, Suite 610, San Mateo, CA 94402, 800 762-2974, http://www.idgbooks.com.
Upgrading & Fixing PCs for Dummies, 4th Edition
Rathbone, Andy
A hand-holding guide to diagnosing and fixing simple computer-related problems. The author clearly explains the purpose of each computer component, what can go wrong, and how to repair it.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0764504185/7550-9049184-39954 1.
0-7645-0418-5 354 pp. $19.99
Contact: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., 155 Bovet Road, Suite 610, San Mateo, CA 94402, 800 762-2974, http://www.idgbooks.com.
Webmaster in a Nutshell, 2nd Edition
Spainhour, Stephen; Robert Eckstein
This is the must-have guide for every Webmaster. It contains the essential skills that define the range of technical capabilities that individuals serving in this capacity are expected to have, from knowledge of HTML 4, to XML.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1565923251/7550-9049184-39954 1.
1-56592-325-1 540 pp. $24.95
Contact: O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., 103 Morris St., Suite A, Sebastopol, CA 95472, 800 998-9938, 707 829-0515, http://www.oreilly.com, e-mail: info@oreilly.com, fax: 707 829-0104.
Future of the Electronic Marketplace, The
Leebaert, Derek
A collection of essays written by the prime movers in major industries that are redefining themselves as electronic vendors. Their insights, observations and predictions help to establish both a perspective and a picture of the future.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=026212209X/7550-9049184-39954 1.
0-262-12209-X 383 pp. $17.50
Contact: The MIT Press, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 5 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 01242-1493, 800 356-0343, 617 253-2874, http://www.mitpress.mit.edu, e-mail: mitpress-orders@mit.edu.
St. Laurent, Simon
A well-written and concise handbook on XML technology and its applications. The author includes coverage of the process of creating custom tags and Document Type Definitions (DTDs), the design and management of well-formed documents, and much more. Several examples are provided.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=076453310X/7550-9049184-39954 1.
0-7645-3310-X 429 pp. $19.99
Contact: MIS Press,115 West 18th St., New York, NY 10011
Advances in Automatic Text Summarization
Mani, Inderjeet; Mark T. Maybury
The explosion of information has made it impossible to deal with reading and comprehending reams of text from a wide variety of sources. The Internet has added significantly to the glut of data which overwhelms readers daily. This book presents a clear picture of the technologies used to distill large amounts of information into more manageable portions. It is certainly the most comprehensive collection of papers covering all aspects of the process of automatic text summarization ever assembled.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0262133598/7550-9049184-39 9541.
0-262-13359-8 434 pp. $45
Contact: The MIT Press, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 5 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 01242-1493, 800 356-0343, 617 253-2874, http://www.mitpress.mit.edu, e-mail: mitpress-orders@mit.edu.
Adobe GoLive for Macintosh & Windows 4
Brisbin, Shelly
The Visual QuickStart Guide for learning Adobe GoLive 4. The author has broken down each step and procedure into a set of clear illustrations and descriptions. The reader can use the book to learn how to use the program, or as a desktop reference to review particular areas.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0201354772/7550-9049184-39954 1.
0-201-35477-2 340 pp. $18.99
Contact: Peachpit Press, 1249 Eighth St., Berkeley, CA 94710, 510 524-2178, 800 283-9444, http://www.peachpit.com, fax: 510 524-2221.
Padova, Ted
Everything that anyone would want to know about creating, modifying, using and distributing PDF files is here in this one volume. The author explains all of the capabilities and options of Adobe Acrobat. The accompanying cross-platform CD-ROM includes plug-ins, software demos, and sample documents.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0764532421/7550-9049184-39954 1.
0-7645-3242-1 702 pp. $39.99
Contact: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., 155 Bovet Road, Suite 610, San Mateo, CA 94402, 800 762-2974, http://www.idgbooks.com.
Lowery, Joseph W.
An in-depth treatment of Macromedia Dreamweaver 2, from a tour of its interface and menu system, to its application for deploying sophisticated Web sites. The author leads the reader through the various processes to build a site using basic and advanced Web technologies. The accompanying Windows CD-ROM includes demo versions of Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and Flash 3 as well as almost 300 Dreamweaver extensions.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0764533223/7550-9049184-39954 1.
0-7645-3322-3 1034 pp. $39.99
Contact: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., 155 Bovet Road, Suite 610, San Mateo, CA 94402, 800 762-2974, http://www.idgbooks.com.
McClelland, Deke
As weighty in content value as it is in size. This massive volume contains a treasure trove of information, processes, and examples, many in full color. Any Photoshop user will take delight in thumbing through the pages and stopping to learn something that they didn't know how to accomplish, or didn't know could be done. The two accompanying cross-platform CD-ROMs contain artwork, plug-ins, and more.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=076453372X/7550-9049184-39954 1.
0-7645-3372-X 944 pp. $59.99
Contact: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., 155 Bovet Road, Suite 610, San Mateo, CA 94402, 800 762-2974, http://www.idgbooks.com.
Willett, Edward; David Crowder, Rhonda Crowder
A hands-on guide to the suite of applications contained in Microsoft Office 2000. The book features a book-in-a-book, a quick start guide to get the reader up and running in a minimum of time. Time-saving tip s and techniques are provided for using the applications together to leverage their power and effectiveness, such as saving Word files in HTML format for the Web. The accompanying CD-ROM includes templates and sample documents.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0764532668/7550-9049184-39954 1.
0-7645-3266-8 1245 pp. $39.99
Contact: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., 155 Bovet Road, Suite 610, San Mateo, CA 94402, 800 762-2974, http://www.idgbooks.com.
Internet Core Protocols: The Definitive Guide
Hall, Eric A.
This is the essential guide for Internet network administrators covering the fundamental protocols of the TCP/IP suite: IP, TCP, UDP, ICMP, ARP (in its many variations), and IGMP. The accompanying PC CD-ROM includes a copy of Shomiti's Surveyor Lite, a Win32 packet analyzer.
Available for on-line ordering at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1565925726/7550-9049184-39954 1.
1-56592-572-6 472 pp. $39.95
Contact: O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., 103 Morris St., Suite A, Sebastopol, CA 95472, 800 998-9938, 707 829-0515, http://www.oreilly.com, e-mail: info@oreilly.com, fax: 707 829-0104.
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