Microsoft Office for Macintosh 2001 Review

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(More customer reviews)As a dedicated Mac user, I approach new Microsoft products with a healthy skepticism. However, I must have cross-platform reliability since I use Windows NT, too. So I took what I needed from MS Office 98, and I disabled the rest. Then I upgraded my Mac OS from 8.6 to 9.0 to 9.1. While Word 6.01a and PowerPoint 8.0 still worked, Excel 5.0 would not work with Mac OS 9x. Thus, I had to purchase MS Office for Mac 2001 in order to get an Excel program that would work with Mac OS 9.1 (and that I hope will work with the new Mac OS X). This software comes in a cute round plastic box, but there is no written manual included. I have found that it takes about a week or two to complete the usual de-bugging processes.
As with most "Value Packs" or "CD Extras," one needs to do a "custom install" because some of these "free" applications might be earlier versions than those which one is already running (if one has kept current with updates). As another example, I have been running Internet Explorer 5 for some time. I did not need to re-install it and re-configure my plug-ins and preferences. Also, I have Outlook Express 5.02; I did not need to re-install it. I did not like the way the these two programs "interfaced," so I have tweaked them so they that do not grab information from each other. (I highly recommend Aladdin Systems "Spring Cleaning 3.5" software's "Internet Cache Remover" feature to assist with this issue.)
With MS Office for Mac 2001, PowerPoint documents can now be "saved as" QuickTime Movies, which is a timesaver for creating presentations. This feature is quite an improvement over Office 98, even if it does grab a considerable amount of RAM. (Do check to see if you need to add more RAM to your Mac before installation of this software.) I have been keeping Virtual Memory turned on, with which I boost my RAM by 150 percent, with only a slightly detectable slowing of processing speed.
My vote is still out on the new Entourage program. I need to test it more to see if I like it, and if it will work efficiently with e-mail applications with proxies and with those behind firewalls. One bonus for Mac users has been the relative immunity to most e-mail generated viruses, worms, and trojan horses, so I plan to make the transition to Entourage with all due discretion. The ability to integrate with Palm OS is nothing new for Mac users; however, Entourage may simplify the process. ...
The instant access to "Encarta Dictionary" through Word may appeal to some users. I do not like "Encarta Dictionary" very much, although it is an improvement over the dictionary that was included in Word 6.01a. I prefer to use the only CD-ROM dictionary that I believe works with Mac OS at present, which is "The Oxford English Dictionary" 2nd ed. (However, it still seems necessary to keep it as the resident CD-ROM for it to work with the Mac OS.)
Finally, the main drawback to MS Office for Mac 2001 is that there is no manual in print now for users who run Mac OS 9.1. So be prepared to do your de-bugging, tweaking, and navigating without much written help until the various "after-market" print manuals are updated and reissued.

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Microsoft Office 2001 was created specifically for Macintosh and designed to give you all the tools you need, simply and effectively. Office 2001 contains Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the new Entourage e-mail and personal information manager. With these four tightly integrated programs and innovative Mac features, Office 2001 makes everything you do--from completing common tasks to managing information to communicating--easier than ever. Use Word to create stylish, innovative, professional documents for print publishing or the Web. Use Excel's comprehensive tool set to create, analyze, and share spreadsheets. Easily analyze your data with charts, PivotTable views, and graphs, then post your data to the Web for universal viewing. With PowerPoint, you can create powerful presentations quickly. And with Entourage, you have a personal e-mail and scheduling manager. All are designed for the Macintosh and its innovative and familiar functionality.

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QuickBooks Pro 2006 for Mac Review

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(More customer reviews)I really wanted to like this product. After one year, summarily, they've added Address Book syncing. Great, that's fine. It sounded like it had most of the modern features of its sister Windows product, except two fully functioning features that are critical:
Payroll and online banking.
As for payroll, you can either sign up for a monthly service, or if you have a recent PowerBook, use the included Aatrix's highly confusing and outdated TopPay software package (with expensive yearly tax-table updates).
Online banking is NOT well implemented here. Some folks can use Direct Connect, others cannot. Though this is no fault of Intuit, but rather the banks' lack of web services, Intuit could still open up their QuickBooks format to CSV, or QIF. Worse, there's a transaction "purgatory" register. Yes, that's a SECOND register for your banks' downloaded QBO file. You then manually go through each transaction to add it to your corresponding register. There's no command-key equivalent to add all, or even a single one: you have to select an item, then click a button. COMPLETELY INELEGANT.
There are some overpaid product managers out there. They would do well to hire interface designers/art directors/graphic designers (NOT decorators).
A major disappointment.

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QuickBooks: Pro 2006 for Mac helps you easily and accurately manage your accounting tasks, so you can save time and focus on your core business.New and improved features in 2006 will help you boost your efficiency and accuracy.

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Suse Linux Professional 9.2 Review

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(More customer reviews)First, for those of you who wonder if your PC can run SuSE, go to ftp://ftp.gtlib.cc.gatech.edu/pub/suse/suse/i386/live-cd-9.2 and download either SUSE-Linux-9.2-LiveCD-KDE.iso or SUSE-Linux-9.2-LiveCD-KDE.iso. You can burn these to a CD and then boot into a live SuSE system. Nothing will be installed, and it is a great litmus test to see if SuSE 9.2 will work as you expect on your target system. If it works as expected, then purchase 9.2 Pro and install it on your system.
Second, keep in mind that Linux is not Windows. It never has been and it never will be. If you want the features of Windows with the security of Linux, but you want it in a turn-key system, then buy a Mac. With a Mac you get ease of use as well as key Microsoft applications such as Word. The only problem with this is you are buying both hardware and software.
Third, today's distributions want contemporary hardware. If your system is running Windows 9x, then there's a good chance you'll have problems installing SuSE 9.2. The same thing can be said, however, for WinXP, especially with service pack 2.
Finally, with Linux, you need to know what you're doing and you need to have a real reason to change. If you are happy with your Windows system, don't buy any Linux. If you're having problems with your Windows installation make sure it isn't something that can be easily fixed. If you're a casual user, then by all means be very careful with Linux. It will bite you. But if you have a real need for a feature or features found in Linux, and you're comfortable with the idea of fixing a problem that may show up, go ahead and install SuSE 9.2. I run it and I'm quite happy with it. I would be more than happy to help others install and run it as well. But I always make sure that folks know exactly what they're getting into. I'm a OS pragmatist, not an Linux evangelist.

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SUSE LINUX Professional 9.2 from Novell combines a fast, secure operating system and more than 1,000 popular open source applications. It is the first complete Linux package to harness both the improved Linux kernel 2.6 and the recently enhanced KDE 3.3 and GNOME 2.6 user desktop environments.Ideal for Linux enthusiasts and developers, SUSE LINUX Professional 9.2 improves support for mobile users and delivers a host of essential tools. Wherever you go, you can use it to browse the Web, create and share documents, work with graphics and multimedia files, configure home networks and develop applications. And if you are considering deploying Linux in your business, SUSE LINUX Professional 9.2 gives you an exciting preview of upcoming open source technologies, many of which will soon be available in enterprise Linux products from Novell.

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Adobe Creative Suite CS3 Design Premium Upgrade Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a long-time fan of Adobe, and eagerly anticipated CS3. I hoped they would work out the many Macromedia bugs, but they managed to add a few of their own! And the promised product integration simply isn't there:
The Dreamweaver inteface is unchanged, except for renaming the Layers panel, and adding a new Objects tab. It won't correctly display interactivity in a SWF preview (the first click works; subsequent click are treated as a right-click, showing the FlashPlayer drop-down menu rather than the functionality in the SWF!)
Photoshop may be the reason most people upgrade, but its most touted new feature--non-destructive filters--is implemented very poorly. Rather than working like adjustment layers currently work, SmartFilters, as they are known, convert the underlying Photoshop layer into a SmartObject and places the SmartFilter on top. You CS2 users know that you can't edit a SmartObject in Photoshop--you have to go to the object's native application. So to edit the image under a SmartFilter, Photoshop opens it in a new document window (meaning you can't see its interaction with layers underneath as you edit it, and can't see how the various SmartFilters make the changed composition look until you save and return to the original document.
Flash was the reason I purchased this upgade: I was elated about importing layered PSDs and AI files. PSDs work great; AI files cause Flash to crash! (and Adobe tech support will not even respond)
Flash added a couple of new tools: shape primitives, which came from Macromedia Freehand: they allow you to easily edit the corner radius of a rectangle long after it's drawn--even editing each corner independently!
But do they offer a Primitive Star or Polygon tool like Freehand had (which allows you to edit the number of sides on stars and polygons)?
No.
Are the new Primitive Shape tools in Illustrator or Photoshop?
No.
Are the tear-off tool sets from Illustrator and ImageReady CS2 in Photoshop or InDesign CS3?
No.
Speaking of ImageReady, does it exist anymore?
No.
Can Photoshop CS3 open and edit multiple frames of an animated GIF?
No!(Don't delete ImageReady from your hard drive yet!)
Can you move the new collapsable tool panels onto your second monitor?
No.
Does Flash correctly auto-format ActionScript?
No.
Can you open an InDesign CS3 document in CS2 if no CS3 features were used (would be useful for all the non-early-adopters, such as printers receiving the jobs files)?
No.
Can you open a Flash CS3 .FLA with Flash 8, even if no CS3 features were used?
No.
Should you buy CS3?
No.
Not even at the academic price. It's a beta-version at best; wait for CS4.
UPDATE: A week later I'm STILL waiting for Adobe's reply, even after opening a second support case! It's like they outsourced their software development and support to Microsoft.

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Adobe CS3 Design Premium Mac Upgrade.Upgrade from Creative Suites Premium or Standard or Studio 8.

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Pc Tools Spyware Doctor 2007 Sb Cs By Pc Tools Review

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(More customer reviews)I had Norton Securities and was hijacked by one of those super computer hackers, Instead of "Lan" my computer was looking for "Wan", I already knew Norton was not so great but I was offered a good deal so I tried the new Norton. But yet again, Norton could not fix it. I then tried AT&T Securities, No Luck, Then I downloaded the "Free" version of Spyware Doctor. It removed the problem along with a lot of others that Norton or AT&T didn't find. I highly recommend Spyware Doctor!

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Item #: K65203. Winner of multiple awards from leading tech magazines, PC Tools Spyware Doctor provides the best protection against unwanted spyware other privacy threats. Defend your privacy from prying eyes and virtual trespassers with the most up to date and complete protection for your PC.A recent anti-spyware product comparison found Spyware Doctor to be the most effective in blocking spyware. The advanced tools work intuitively to block potential threats from entering your computer, while allowing trusted software and websites to run without unnecessary and intrusive alerts.Spyware Doctor can quickly and seamlessly update all critical aspects of the program, along with the threat database, through the proprietary update feature. You get the latest tools and signatures without waiting for a new version release or the need to reinstall the program, giving you the most up-to-date protection available.Spyware Doctor employs advanced technology that can safely go deep into your computer to detect and destroy spyware. Multiple and specialized scanners are designed to identify a wide range of privacy threats while intelli-signatures catch known and new, yet to be defined threat variants.Spyware Doctor is designed to quickly install and run without interrupting your computer activity. The straightforward interface walks you through the program where you can choose to easily customize the expert settings yourself or have them run automatically. Product Description: Spyware Doctor 2007 - complete packageCategory: Security applicationsSubcategory: Security - intrusion and vulnerability detection, security - adware & malware removal toolsLicense Type: Complete packageLicense Qty: 1 userLicense Pricing: StandardPlatform: WindowsDistribution Media: CD-ROMPackage Type: RetailOS Required: Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4, Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2, Microsoft

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Roxio Videowave Movie Creator Review

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(More customer reviews)This s/w came free on a new Dell computer. I've been transferring footage of a show done at my children's primary school to DVD. Goal is to produce relatively simple DVDs with about 2 hours of material, so NOT at full DVD quality. Have spent quite a few hours working on about 3 hours of material. Primarily used capture mode and the Story Line Editor; never used CineMagic or Story Line Builder.
It came installed, so I had no problems there. Applied an upgrade from the RVWMC site with no major difficulties.
The inital small spash screen remains on the screen long after the software has loaded, and clicking on its "x" does nothing. Just one of many annoyances.
The capture feature works ok and (unlike some others) RVWMC will allow capture of video in DVI format. However, it has what appears to be a poor MPEG encoder judging from results. I wanted to encode at a modest bit rate that will allow me to cram two hours onto a DVD. Experimented with different rates but it looked quite poor at low rates when compared to what Sonic could produce (see below).
Trim mode is pretty good - allowing precision of trimming down to the level of a single frame (half frame? dunno, I'm not Dr. Video). This is very useful, another advance over others.
The story line editor allows me to string clips together. Easy to get lost on a long story line; the individual pieces are not numbered and it only shows 7 at a time, with (as far as I can tell) no way to zoom out to get a feel for it.
My major gripe is that RVWMC has pieces of major features but they feel partially completed, not fully tested, not quite ready. For example, it can do a rolling credit with a variable font -- pretty nice if you're content with a few lines. But the textbox that accepts the text simply stops accepting characters after about 30 lines. Then what? For example, right-clicking on a piece of the story line shows a properties window, and various text boxes allow you to put the cursor in them -- but you cannot change anything. For example, you can put a solid frame in the story line and put plain text on top of it, but you cannot edit the text - the Done button cannot be clicked.
The lack of support is simply exasperating. Roxio points the finger at Dell in my case, but (as you can imagine) Dell's call center in India has nothing to offer. ...
Even on my relatively capable machine it feels slow. Switching among tasks takes seconds sometimes, which is longer than it should. What is it doing?
By comparison, for simple tasks, Sonic's MyDVD has fewer options but a better MPEG encoder, and in general works far more smoothly with fewer glitches and crashes. Sonic's "good" mode (basically VCD bit rate, I think) still looks acceptable. I finally gave up on RVWMC for this project and used Sonic.
Don't spend much money on this one, that's my advice.
Full details: my Roxio VideoWave Movie Creator has version stamp 1,6,676,1 according to Help/About. Running on a WinXP box, 2.4Ghz, 512Mb, lots of disc.

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Adobe Photoshop 7.0 (Mac) Review

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(More customer reviews)Adobe Photoshop 7.0 was a significant leap over 6.0. One great new tool is the Liquify filter, which lets you directly manipulate images. Obviously, Photoshop is the De Facto standard for image editing, and likely always will be. Since this is the last version that works with OS 9 anyways, it's not like I could use CS (though I've tried CS, and don't particularly like it).
Version 7.0.1 is very often faster than Photoshop CS is, so it's a good thing to have for very large files.
Invaluable... nothing beats it. Nothing.

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With each new version of Photoshop, Adobe never fails to come up with an awe-inspiring mix of great new features, productivity enhancements, and tweaks and treats. Version 7 is no exception. The major difference between this and earlier versions is that Photoshop 7 is Mac OS X compatible. Other main points of interest include a new healing brush that removes facial wrinkles and other surface blemishes with incredible ease, a long-awaited file browser that allows you to view image thumbnails and metadata, enhanced Web features, automatic color correction, and even a spell checker. One of Photoshop's many strengths is the versatility of its tools, and this has been stretched to new limits. Filter previews are bigger, the Liquify tool has been enhanced, brush parameters have been extended, and commonly used tool settings can be saved as presets. This means you can virtually do away with the toolbox, instead selecting tools with exactly the settings you need from the presets palette. Image Ready, Photoshop's Web-authoring and export module, remains a separate, linked application. Creation of rollovers is simpler and a new "selected" rollover state takes some of the repetitive strain out of nav-bar production. New output options include Picture Package, which allows you to print multiple images on a single page, and new templates and security watermarking for Web galleries. All in all, this is an upgrade guaranteed to keep Photoshop at the cutting edge of professional image editing. --Ken McMahon

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