Amazon.com Review

Packed with multimedia features, Windows XP Home Edition aims to unlock the full potential of your personal computer. It also looks great, with rounded window corners, larger and more detailed icons, and a clean-look desktop.

The best thing about Windows XP is that, because it belongs to the Windows NT/2000 product family, it's designed from the ground up for reliability, security, and networking. XP Home users will soon see the benefits of this. The dreaded Windows crash-and-reboot cycle really is much less common with XP, and, provided the hardware is up to scratch, XP's performance is better, too. The downside is that using a different code base can make compatibility with old applications less assured. Business applications normally run fine, but older games, MIDI software, and system utilities may well cause problems.

Windows XP is more customizable than previous versions, including its visual themes that let you change the whole appearance of Windows in an instant. Fast User Switching is a neat feature for computers used by more than one person--it lets another user log on without killing the previous user's session, and when you switch back, running applications and open documents are as you left them. This is impressive, but what really counts is that XP understands how to deal with multiple users. Each user has their own special folders, such as My Documents, which cannot be seen by other users. And for those with more than one computer, the network setup wizard simplifies setting up a network.

Windows XP Home has many strong multimedia features. New Media Player lets you copy music from CD to hard disk, create your own playlist, and write your own music CDs if you have a CD writer. You can also play back DVD-Video (but only if a hardware or software DVD decoder is already installed) and play MP3 audio files and MPEG videos (but sadly not the popular RealMedia formats). Admittedly, Media Player does nothing that you cannot also do with free alternatives, but it is slick and nicely integrated. There is also Windows Movie Maker, a basic tool for capturing and editing videos that's fun to use, although too limited for serious work.

For Web browsing, XP Home comes with Internet Explorer 6.0 and MSN Explorer. The most significant new feature for Internet users is the built-in firewall. A firewall protects against one of the most disturbing security risks, in which other users unknown to you might connect to your computer while it is online, reading private files or causing other damage. XP's built-in firewall is a simple affair, but it does prevent most types of unauthorized connections.

The XP user interface is not a radical departure from earlier versions of Windows, but there are a number of small changes that together add up to a significant improvement. For example, you can add and remove shortcuts from the Start menu by right-clicking on the icon and selecting Pin or Unpin from the pop-up menu. Windows online help is integrated into a Help and Support Center that works like an internal Web site, with searchable help, tutorials, and walkthroughs. Laptop or other flat-screen users can set Windows to use ClearType for screen fonts, for a more readable display.

There are, of course, some pitfalls. Windows XP Home is demanding on hardware, and it would be a mistake to install it on less than Microsoft's recommended minimum. Business users note: unlike Windows 98 or Me, XP Home Edition cannot join a Windows server domain, so the networking is peer-to-peer only--see Windows XP Professional Editionfor this functionality. There is also no multiprocessor support, and a mildly annoying anti-piracy measure requires you to obtain a code from Microsoft for full installation and any future system changes. But don't let that put you off: this is Microsoft's best Windows yet. --Tim Anderson ... Read more

Reviews (914)

Smooth, Steady and Solid -- Well Worth the Price!
I recently upgraded to Windows XP from Windows 98 Second Edition, and I have been THOROUGHLY impressed! With Windows 98 I experienced frequent blue screens and crashes. With Windows XP all of those problems are now history. Also, many of the drivers I needed to load AFTER loading Windows 98 are now already included. My video card drivers were loaded, my CD burner functions were all present, and my scanner worked flawlessly without installing any additional software.

The biggest hurdle with this product is successful installation. If you have older components you may have significant problems getting them to function with the new OS. Some older apps are also likely to have difficulty. My hardware and my software are all fairly current, so I had no trouble.

I have upgraded my newer computer at home with Windows XP, but the older computer at my church study has Windows 98, and will have it for some time. I am reluctant to upgrade because of the installation problems inevitable with the older components.

This product is definitely worth the price, but some persons may need to upgrade components BEFORE upgrading their OS.

If you have a newer or brand new computer and are seeking the smoothest, steadiest and most solid OS, I HIGHLY recommend Windows XP.

Horror show
I am not a computer guru but I am very good at fixing problems on my machine and have been using windows since 95. I did a fresh install of XP home edition on Oct 30th. I still have not been able to get my CD writer to work properly. The burner worked fine with M.E. No matter how much I slow the write speed, the disks are corrupt. It burns the disk but the disk cannot be read (sometimes it can). Doesn't matter if it is data or music. This all happened when I installed XP. I have contacted support, updated the driver, replaced my IDE cable. It just does not work (I replaced the writer, just for fun - no change).

Also my DVD player will not read DVD's. I have purchased software to burn CD's and play DVD's that is supposed to work with XP but no luck.

I used to have issues about Microsoft's hardcore piracy protection. I like to reformat sometimes. I have read that you have to contact Microsoft and explain why you are installing again. This used to concern me but it has fallen low on the list.

Since I have installed XP, my machine is horrible at doing the things XP was supposed to be made for. I have had no luck with any support. I think I am going to bail on it. I am a beaten man...

MAJOR improvement over '98; Microsoft finally got it right!
I purchased a BYO system and went with an OEM version of XP Home edition. Given Microsoft's track record when coming out with a new OS (always wait at least 1 year to make sure most of the major bugs are out), I was skeptical; but, to my surprise I have been VERY pleased with XP so far. I leave my computer on 24/7, and I have not seen ONE B.S.O.D. since I installed it a month ago. In fact, I have not had to restart my computer ONE time due to a system crash/lockup.
I was also concerned about having to download drivers for all of my peripherals and plug-in cards; but again, Microsoft surprised me! My printer, network card, cd-rw drive, video card and gamepad installed almost instantly without me doing anything! XP comes preloaded with MANY drivers, and when the device is plugged in XP instantly recognizes it and loads the correct driver before your even done sitting down. No hardware wizard to mess with . . . just a quick painless install.
My recommendation? Backup all your files, wipe out your hard drive and install XP from scratch (NOT as an upgrade or on top of '98). This will ensure you get the smoothest operation. Also, as mentioned, XP may not support some older devices; but if it's not supported it's probably time for you to get a new one anyway.

Windows XP Professional
I have been a freelance translator for the past 15 years; and as such, was forced to learn how to operate a computer at a rather advanced age. That was during 1990. I started with a plain little computer, no WYSIWYG. . .and I can't even remember what the operating system was, but it was, most assuredly built by Bill Gates and was not yet "Windows".
I have FINALLY GRADUATED to this WONDERFUL version of Windows. . Windows XP Professional, the zenith of operating systems. I assure anyone who is reading this, that it is a most worthwhile investment. No more crashes. The computer even TELLS YOU when it has "indigestion". I love it. I cannot believe how good it is. I recommend it most heartily to everyone. You will certainly not be sorry once you load it on to your computer.

Turned my Dinosaur PC into a Performer
When I had Windows 98, my computer had a lot of problems. It was always stalling, it was unstable, and practically froze on me 2 times a day over an 8 hour usage. When I installed Windows XP the difference was completely noticeable. I stopped getting the stupid errors on the screen, and my computers functionality and power increased at least by 210%. Windows Xp has its downside though. It still has a compatibility problem with really old programs, (Try Nisus Missle Master 2.5 made back in 1992, for example). But who cares? All I've ever wanted is a computer that can go beyond its limits. Now, with Windows XP, your computer can pass every limit ever made. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Adobe Acrobat 6.0 Standard software lets business professionals quickly and easily convert any Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, or other paper or electronic document to a reliable Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file. Adobe PDF files preserve the visual integrity of documents so that they can be e-mailed to colleagues and then viewed and printed on a variety of platforms using free Adobe Reader software.

Acrobat 6.0 Standard software’s intuitive review tools allow business professionals to comment on documents electronically and make it easy to track, manage, and incorporate feedback into original documents. Acrobat’s full set of features help you streamline communications and reduce the costs and inefficiencies associated with paper-based review processes.

Password protection lets you secure files to prevent unauthorized users from opening and viewing sensitive documents. Apply permissions with 128-bit encryption that control whether users are allowed to view, edit, comment on, sign, or print Adobe PDF files.And with digital signature support you can approve final documents, verify authenticity, and build a list of trusted certificates. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Great Software
This software Create PDF files from almost any word processing or html programs with very effective compression ratio almost 1/10 the original size. You can also convert post script ps files into PDF files. You can extract pictures, text from any already created PDF files as well.
With this version you can also create an interactive electronic forms similar to the tax forms. This upgrade version will only install on your system if you have Adobe acrobat 4 or 5 installed. This version only works with windows XP, 2000, NT with latest service package.
The difference between the acrobat 6.0 and the acrobat 5.0 is not so big. The new version is optimized for intel P4 systems and it's slightly faster than the old version.

Upgrade is no help for Real Estate
As a Realtor who is pushing the envelope, attempting to move to digital file keeping, digital recording, digital faxing, and digital signing, the concept of Adobe Acrobat is extremely helpful. I've been using Adobe Acrobat since version 4. Version 5 was a very useful upgrade, worth every cent. Version 6 was a grand waste of money and has turned into a waste of time. Files take longer to save in Adobe Acrobat 6, but they do end up being smaller, so maybe there is a more advanced compression algorithm at work. Nevertheless, files do take about twice as long to save in the new version.

Furthermore, at least for my line of work, I see no useful additions to the software. The interface looks a little fancier, and a little more advanced with more curved lines and a splash screen with transparency...(everybody together now, "Oooooh, aaaaaaah"). But, at least for my line of work, I have not seen any productivity or security upgrades which make the investment worthwhile. Save yourself the money and stay with version 5.0.

Unfortunately, it seems that the other reviewers' negative comments are right on the money.

Waste of time and money.
I bought the 6.0 upgrade without reading the reviews. Woe to the foolish. It slowed WORD to a crawl, brought DtSearch to it's knees, and twice locked my system up so tightly I couldn't get the task manager open.

I didn't waste any additional time seeing how slow it was at its own tasks. I'll take everyone's word for it.

Less than one day on the machine. I've gone back to 5.0.

Lasted 1 day on my PC
I downloaded an evaluation copy of Acrobat 6 before I read the reviews here. I can confirm what others are saying: unlike the upgrade from 4.0 to 5.0, 6.0 doesn't offer the average user additional usefulness over 5.0.

It's also much slower to load and takes twice as long to creat .pdf files. The interface is completely different, so there will be a steep learning curve for users upgrading from previous editions. Sometimes, software developers just screw one up, and this one is such an upgrade.

Pay close attention to the features you need: If you just want to print files to .pdf, you don't need all the stuff 6.0 offers. You'll never use 80% of the features they've added.

After one day, I got frustrated, realized I didn't have the time to learn an entirely new piece of software so that I could simply continue to make .pdf files, and uninstalled it.

Lesson learned: Check for reviews FIRST.

Here is the Skinny on the Deal
By the time I was done reading the reviews for Adobe Acrobat 6.0 I was depressed. Not only do I not have Windows XP, or Windows 2000, or NT installed in my machine (The only operating systems that will work with 6) I also couldn't muster up the confidence in the product after so many people were giving it the thumbs down. I want to create an eBook, and Adobe Reader is the most popular reader out there, with some 400 million, to a half a billion users with it installed. What a dilemma. I kept coming back to read some more. Finally I found the answer. I bought a new Adobe Acrobat 5.0 here at Amazon from one of their vendors, and it works great with my Windows 98SE. I planned on buying the 6.0 upgrade after they got the bugs out, and or I got a new computer with XP. Then I found out that 5.0 was the only version before, and that was the professional version. 6.0 Standard is a geared down version of 5. Ok, so it has some additional features, but it is missing even more of them.
So what's the skinny on the deal? For what I paid for a new 5 that is the full program, unregistered, and upgradeable, plus what I would have to pay here at Amazon for the 6 Professional Upgrade, I saved 80 bucks, and wound up with both versions 5 and 6 pro. Which as I mentioned are both professional versions. If I bought 5 and upgraded to 6 standard, I would only spend a little more for both versions. (About 4 percent more for standard, and about 20 percent less for professional) That way if 6 standard turned out to be as bad as many were saying it is, I would have 5 also.
In the final analysis, I am using 5 and am super excited about the new capabilities that Adobe Acrobat gives you. I'm hoping that by the time I get a new machine with XP on it, Adobe will come out with 6.something, or a second edition of 6 etc. with the fixes built in.
I'm not the only one to come to this conclusion. I noticed in the sales rank at the time I bought it and wrote this review, that 5 was outselling 6. Also I noticed that in the "Those who bought 5 also bought this" section, it had a special note that said, 47% of the people who bought 5 also bought the 6 upgrade. If your running XP, 2000, or NT, get them both. That way all the bases are covered.
Check out the reviews on 5 you'll be surprised how everybody raves about it. To be perfectly honest with you, if I had an XP machine, I would have ordered the 6 upgrade at the same time. Hope this helps. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Microsoft Office XP's empowering document design tools, integration of voice recognition functionality, and impressive network- and Web-based sourcing capabilities should be enough to convince those interested in saving time and consolidating effort to take the leap.

In keeping with Microsoft's much-ballyhooed .NET strategy, Office XP introduces several features that utilize the vast infosphere inhabited by the 21st-century desk jockey. Smart tags beckon underneath recognized objects like misspellings or symbols, offering a stock quote here, a synonym there, or "Would anyone care to configure my auto-correction list?" The task pane looks similar to Microsoft Internet Explorer's Explorer Bar, and acts like an open tool chest pulled up alongside each application in the suite, providing readily configured searches for information or multimedia files. Putting up a team Web site that tracks projects and serves as an information hub requires only the use of one of the included templates, ready to be customized and uploaded to the server.

The Send for Review feature further streamlines the collaborative process by allowing the sender to view revisions made by multiple parties within the framework of the original document. Outlook now features a color-coded calendar and easier meeting management, along with instant messaging and variable e-mail account access. All user system errors can be tracked globally, and then network security settings modified remotely while anti-virus and debugging IT resources are diverted accordingly.

After firing up Microsoft Word, typing "Dear Somebody," and hitting the Enter key, we made a startling discovery. Up popped Clippy, Microsoft's publicly pink-slipped office assistant. Clippy might have aptly announced, "Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated," but instead predictably observed, "It looks like you're writing a letter." Once the groans of disbelief had subsided, we quickly right-clicked and banished Clippy to the silicon ether, presumably forever. --Dominic Johnson--This review refers to Office XP Standard Edition ... Read more

Reviews (100)

Over the top, but some great benefits and improvements
First, count me among the people pleased with the fact that Microsoft Office - and, in particular, Word - has become the de facto standard for document creation. Does anyone remember what life was like before...when we all wasted copius amounts of time sending and re-sending each other incompatible documents? Why anyone would yearn for those days is beyond me.

Feature-wise, I agree that the programs that comprise Office suffer by trying to be all things to all people. In the excellent book 'Microsoft Secrets,' I recall reading that extensive user testing revealed that the typical user of Word only made use of around 10% of its capabilities. So, in general, you're paying for a lot of bloat that you'll never access and never care about.

The problem with being Microsoft, of course, is that you've got to appeal to a *very* broad audience. That's because the 10% I use may be completely different than someone else's 10%. So, with that in mind, let me tell you about two great things in XP version of Word that I make use of on a continuous basis that you ought to know about.

First, there's the 'Track Changes' capabilities. Yes, this has always been present to some degree, but it got a major overhaul in XP. Now, when you turn the 'Track Changes' mechanisms on, Word shrinks the size of the entire text of the document (temporarily) and reflects all add, change and delete activity in an extensive right-hand margin. What this does for you is that you get all your tracking, while maintaining the flow and readability of the proposed new version of the overall document. You really have to see this in action to appreciate just how much this improves the process.

The other feature to point out is the sheer power and scope of Word XP's multi-language capabilities. I write many documents in Spanish and I am frankly blown-away by my ability to set the 'Language' spellcheck option to any a number of regional Spanish settings (e.g., Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, to name just a few of the many options). Then, as I'm writing, Word catches every little nuance for me - it checks all the many verb forms, even when attaching direct and/or indirect pronouns. Every skipped or misplaced accent is flagged for my attention. In short, using Word XP can dramatically improve your secondary language skills.

I'll talk about PowerPoint briefly - over the years, Microsoft has made it easier to manipulate and put together compelling presentations. In earlier versions, I always felt like I was locked into not much more than bulletized lists. Now, working in combination with Microsoft's built-in Design Gallery Live (and aided immeasurably by Google's Image search), you can piece together compelling visual scenarios *exactly* as you envision them, with no encumbrance from PowerPoint.

One final point is that you should always pair any Office product with a copy of Adobe Acrobat (the PDF *writer*, not just the reader). With Acrobat, you can remove any hint of incompatibility with anyone in the world, regardless of desktop platform, version, etc. Just convert any of your Word, PowerPoint or Excel files into a PDF and you've guaranteed yourself unfettered readability throughout the planet.

Great software.
This is great software but the price is too high when you consider there is software available for free that will acomplish the same or simaler things. www.openoffice.org

This software can be moved to a different PC
this software can be moved to a different PC, all you have to do is call Microsoft and tell them you want to move the software to a different PC and they will give you a code to enter which will allow you to do this

A Good Bargain, But Not Without Faults
I own a new Sony Vaio, which, unfortunately did not come with MS Office. I had PowerPoint as a standalone product, and Word (which came preloaded), but what I really needed was Excel. I am aware that this can only be loaded on one machine, and that the activation is a hassle, but this package is cheaper than any of the MS standalone products.

The bottom line for me was that, in exchange for a little loss in flexibility, I have a complete office suite for a very reasonable price. I had no problem registering or activating it, but understand that others have. I likewise understand that I can't move it to a new machine. My other qualm is that there is essentially no operating information, so if you have a problem in a program, you have no documentation to refer to, which meant for me, that I needed to buy the program information books at additional expense. It's a tradeoff, but for most personal or student users, it is still a bargain.

Mostly the Same Software, Mostly a Better Value
If you're looking to buy any of the programs in Microsoft Office and also happen to be a student or teacher, this package is a great way to get them.

Before you buy this package, make sure your school doesn't have a special deal on it (or its sibling packages)! Large universities are especially likely to have an arrangment where students and teachers may purchase all sorts of Microsoft software through them, at a fraction of even the "... for Students and Teachers" price.

Even though you can't upgrade this package, it's still great for people with slim pocketbooks. Students may wind up having to buy a full version of Office someday, but in all probability there will be a new version of it out by then. Teachers face a rosier future - instead of upgrading, just buy the new academic package. It'll cost the same, or less, and you won't have to deal with the potential instability of upgrading if you don't want to.

As far as the software itself goes, it's the standard by which other productivity packages are judged. It's the latest version of Word, Excel, Outlook, and Powerpoint... there's not much else to say. I certainly don't need Access, and I've found that the majority of my peers don't use it either.

Microsoft's activation schemes are irritating, but you probably already knew that.

Don't forget to consider all the options, though! There are several free Windows-compatible productivity suites out there - notably OpenOffice.org - that can do some things as well or better than Microsoft Office. Consider giving them a try before you purchase Office; most people don't stand to lose anything except an investment in software they don't end up needing.

Ultimately, this package is a good choice for academics who need the funcionality, support, or generally "safe" feeling of the latest Microsoft Office package. I've had a good (if uneventful) experience with this software, and I don't feel any qualms about recommending it to those who are eligible to use it. ... Read more

Features

• Get a preconfigured internal Web site based on Windows SharePoint Services
• Accommodate a mobile work force through the Remote Web Workplace
• Mobile users can access their information from portable devices
• Updated network administration features helps your network run efficiently
• Includes Windows Server 2003 and Exchange Server 2003 technology

Reviews (1)

No Terminal Services In This Edition
Be forewarned if you are wanting to use this as an application server. The Terminal Services included in this edition are limited to two users and will NOT run in Application Mode. Microsoft claims this limited for security purposes, but you can do this on their full blown product, so I think it is more for $ purposes (they want more). As far as the product goes, the value is pretty good. You get an Exchange server, POP3 mail connector (this distributes email from a POP3 account to the proper Exchange account), fax sharing software, and Outlook 2003. Most things can be done through the Wizard driven interface, which can be a hinderance if you are trying to customize the product. ... Read more

Features

• Centralized management of customer and prospect information
• More than 20 preformatted business reports
• Easy-to-use wizards to create e-mail news-letters and printed marketing materials
• Free access to business templates, clip art, and multimedia content
• Junk e-mail filtering and blocking of unsafe attachments

Reviews (2)

MICROSOFT - TERRIBLE SUPPORT
I made a terrible mistake in purchasing this upgrade. Having spent a total of 14 hours on phone with Microsoft Technical Support they were unable to get my PC to accept the upgrade. Microsoft grudgingly admitted they have a lot of glitches with Office 2003 and they plan to ship a revision on February, 28 2004. Meantime, Microsoft refused to issue a refund or offer any type of amicable solution. My battle with the 6,000 lb gorilla continues.

This upgrade will make your Small Business a Big Business
Word 2003 includes development tools that add dynamic features to documents making them powerful than ever. The power beneath all this is XML, allowing the user to embed components for updating data in documents such as stock quotes. Word 2003 offers simple, familiar yet improved features regular users are accustomed to. Majority of the features in Word 2003 are aimed primarily toward businesses and the Enterprise. But are still necessary for the average user because of the control over information across all the Office applications. Tools such as Information Rights Management (IRM), (this controls the flow of information to specific users), persons can be restricted on how they use your Office files; whether it's printing or sharing, very powerful! Reading view is an enhanced mode of print preview; documents are laid out in virtual pages reducing the need to print. The Task Pane is also improved by offering resources to look up information on a particular topic being typed; this is a feature across the core Office applications. Lots of other great features make Word 2003 a worthy upgrade.

Excel is a XML mammoth because of the integration with the language. The ability to migrate data between different storage sources and extraction of information to make it flexible in different scenarios. Tables can be transferred back and forth between applications such Word with ease. Excel can continually use the tables from documents as a data source for further expandability. It's the flexibility for data exchange that makes Excel 2003 very powerful.

Outlook, is so revamped, this alone is a worthy upgrade. Three panes in Outlook 2003 make e-mail an enjoyable experience. The Mail Pane holds all of the necessary tools found in prior versions of Outlook such as the Outlook Bar, and the different folders such as inbox, calendar, etc. The second pane gives an expanded view of the different items listed in the Mail Pane, like your incoming mail, contacts and calendar, which makes reading these information resources easier on the eye and productive by providing a better view. Reading your e-mail in the third pane (Preview Pane), the user views the message in portrait layout, more content is seen compared to prior versions. Its even better to view e-mails with "Clear Type" turned on for Windows XP users. Other features such as improved Virus and Spam protection makes Outlook 2003 a great upgrade. Outlook is not placed on the desktop by default, it can also be minimized to the system tray in Windows, for users connected to an Exchange Server, this displays all the network settings available.

PowerPoint 2003 offers the same features of version 2002, but what makes it an enticing upgrade is the package to CD feature that allows users to save presentations onto CD-ROMS. The PowerPoint Viewer included with each Package to CD allows it to be played on other computer systems even if PowerPoint is not installed. Windows media integration is also in PowerPoint 2003, which makes watching presentations more fun and exciting. The effects are fantastic when combined with these elements. The ability to integrate videos into Presentations to create home movies has long been a request of users, even if they have a DVD burner. For the PowerPoint 2000 user this is a worthy upgrade that provides simple yet Powerful tools to take presentation graphics to a new level.

Publisher has become a mainstream Office application because of its integration with other Office programs. It connects to product databases; the Mail Merge feature is much improved because it's the same one as Microsoft Word, which offers greater ease of use. The Start Center is awesome, which makes starting publications an organized experience for the user. The interface is less cluttered and more customizable. You can rename pages like Workbooks for better searching, if you are typing large publications. The website features are easier to use; it provides satisfactory integration with FrontPage, for converting websites created in Publisher. With a total of 45 design master sets, users can create attractive e-mails that are fully compatible with many messaging services. The ability to merge data sources using text and images is great. Compatibility goes back to Publisher 2000, which is a draw back for users who might be using Publisher 98 or under.

Outlook Business Contact Manager is an application that offers features for Small Businesses for generating customer reports and e-mailing customers.
Picture Manager has replaced Photo-Editor; it has better image editing tools, more functionality and ease of use.

Office 2003 is a worthy upgrade for many users, especially persons still in an existing Office 97 or 2000 user base. The tools it provides offers a powerful productivity experience that makes information accessible, controllable and connected for you the user.

The suite and all the Office 2003 applications are supported only on Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, Windows XP all editions. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Aimed at those who won't put up with limits in their project managementsoftware, Primavera SureTrak 3.0 provides an excellent all-around package forgetting control of time, resources, and budget. With excellent built-in Web andcollaborative capabilities, this is a program that can simplify any busymanager's life.

To get started, SureTrak 3.0 bundles the KickStart tool, which lets even thosenew to project management software get going productively. In testing, thiswizard asked us a series of questions about project phases, goals, people,potential obstacles, and the like, with extensive help from a built-in libraryof sample entries for many different industries. (If you have been usingMicrosoft Project, SureTrak supports importing and exporting to .MPJ files,which is another way to start.)

SureTrak features extensive support for the two traditional views for trackinga project: Gantt charts, which show a time line of various tasks, and PERTcharts, which show logically connected diagrams of tasks along withdependencies. We liked the support for distributing a variety of reports overthe Web using HTML. The product also allows managers to e-mail reports to otherteam members, plus you can add hyperlinks to any report or view.

Another notable feature included here is the ability to define custom resources(for instance, costs per employee, based on skill sets and project roles),"activity codes," and even specialized calendars. The control over costs inSureTrak is certainly one of the product's strengths. You can track every costassociated with a project and see exactly where you are with your budget at anypoint within the project cycle.

Finally, at a time when most printed manuals are being downsized in favor ofonline help, we appreciated the SureTrak's 500 pages of tutorials anddocumentation. Overall, Primavera's product delivers a well-thought-out projectmanagement package, one that can be used effectively by beginner and expertalike to track even large projects effectively. --Richard Dragan ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Best single-user PM software bar none
SureTrak was designed with features that practicing project managers need, not glitzy fluff. Although the two previous reviewers have made strong cases for SureTrak there are a few details that I'd like to add.

(1) Multiple calendars - you can have up to 31 base calanders per project, giving you absolute control that is not possible with other PM applications in this price range. This feature allows you to model different resource baselines, which is powerful. Also, unlike MS Project, SureTrak does not assume it knows better than you and change the project in strange and mysterious ways after you've made an adjustment. This alone makes SureTrak worth using.

(2) Earned Value project management is built in and works correctly. If you're a PMP you'll not only appreciate the solid implementation of earned value, but should also know that the earned value portions of the PMBOK were developed by members of the Primavera team--Quentin Fleming and Joel Koppelman--who also authored Earned Value Project Management, second edition. This adds a high level of trust in the way SureTrak works.

(3) Project resource leveling works (it's somewhat 'challenged' in MS Project), and the ability to automatically forecast resource shortages, trace PERT logic, use precedence diagramming method if you so choose, and the ability to jump from WBS, resource, activity or PERT views with a mouse click shows your project from any perspective. Another nice feature is the 'cosmic' view of the PERT view that shows the entire network in one window and details in another.

(4) The reports, profiling and analysis options are too many to list. Suffice it to say that if there is a view or report that isn't shipped with SureTrak (and I cannot think of any), you can easily create one.

Although it has serious features, it also has glitz: publish in HTML, add graphics to your schedule and customize bar legends. It also has team features, such as email management, the ability to manage multiple related projects simultaneously, and the ability to exchange files with MS Project via MPX files. Note that there are some losses when you exchange MPX files because SureTrak has features that Project doesn't have and they will not import correctly into MS Project.

If you make the leap from MS Project to SureTrak I strongly recommend investing in Planning Using Primavera SureTrak Project Manager Version 3.0 by Paul E. Harris, which will get you quickly started.

Professional Tool for Professional PMs
If you are planning, scheduling and controlling projects in accordance with the process laid out by Project Management Institute's Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) then you will appreciate this program's power and features.

The features that align to the PMBOK are: easy planning using a work breakdown structure, correct computations for earned value and resource leveling that works properly.

Features that I particularly like are: direct import of data into an Excel pivot table (this feature has been in the program since version 1.0, and takes a mouse click to accomplish), wide array of reports, and the ability to switch among Gantt (schedule in bar graph format), organizational view, work breakdown structure view and PERT view, and the ability to export and import between Microsoft Project using the MPX file format. While MS Project is not my tool of choice I have to adapt to what clients are using and it is a common application.

How does SureTrak compare to Microsoft Project? It depends on your approach to project management. If you consider Gantt charts to be a project plan and you can get away with it, then stick with MS Project. However, if you begin your planning and estimating with a work breakdown structure, analyze dependencies and find your critical path using an activity diagram, and are managing to deliverables using earned value, then SureTrak is the way to go.

Here are a few other facts that commend SureTrak: Primavera is a widely respected brand for high end project management software, such as their P3 product. Nearly every major engineering and construction project on the planet is managed with P3. They also played a key role in defining the earned value project management portion of the PMBOK 2000, which is not an international standard for project management. The makers of MS Project, on the other hand, is known for missed product releases. To me this means that they either do not understand project management or the tools they use to manage their development projects are possibly flawed.

Sure Trak Tracks All Types of Projects
The latest version of Primavera Sure Trak, version 3.0 improves an already great project scheduling product. Primavera's lead as the premiere author of professional scheduling software is bumped up another notch with this latest version. Project managers in all fields, not just construction or technical fields will find the Project Kick Start Wizzard a breeze to set up a project. Updating the progress of a project has never been easier using the progress spotlight feature. The built in tutorial walks any new user through the many new and useful features for formating and for setting up project schedules. As a construction professional with 25 years of varied project experience, this scheduling software is easy for even a first time user to quickly learn. As an instructor of construction technology for the last 10 years at a junior college, this software is my number one recommendation to all my students in the construction management program. ... Read more

Features

• Junk e-mail filtering and blocking of unsafe attachments
• Backward compatibility with older versions of Office programs
• Automatic backup and recovery of documents
• Create professional and effective documents using Word
• Access, analyze, and display data with Excel spreadsheets

Reviews (2)

Like Bugs? If Yes, Then Buy This!
I am writing with reference to Office 2003 Standard in both Upgrade and Full (non upgrade) versions.

The upgrade CD would not accept the 25 alpha numeric 'product ID' key. It would take 4 characters then jump to the next box. It would not allow you to return to the previous box and back fill the missing letter or number. In short, you could not ever enter the correct product ID. I can't say more about this version as I could not get past this point.

The Full (non upgrade) version seemed more stable. It accepted the 'product ID' key at least but that is where the problems began.

The first problem I had was that in PowerPoint there was no preview. Sure enough, less than 30 days out and there was a critical upgrade to fix this problem.

I went to the Microsoft Update page to download it. It failed several times. I then contacted Microsoft Technical support. This is a known problem and you must download (at least for now) all updated to your local hard drive and install from there. If they don't solve this problem, its going to be a major problem when there are more than a few updates for Office 2003 available.

I also started to receive 'run time error messages' when I used Microsoft Internet Explorer. Microsoft technical support says this is not an Office 2003 issue, but an Operating System issue. Sure it is! I did not have this problem before I installed Office 2003. The resolution was to disable all Third Party devices (such as the Google tool bar), and remove some other things as well.

The new Outlook interface looks great, but what good is a great looking interface if it does not work?

For some reason, email sent using Outlook 2003 is identified as 'Spam' by several spam filtering programs, including Spam Assassin. I found this out when some people I was sending email to did not reply. I telephoned one of them and said they had not received any email form me. They then checked and found it in the 'spam' folder. Here is the error message that Outlook 2003 generated:

> Content analysis details: (5.70 points, 5 required)
> FORGED_YAHOO_RCVD (2.7 points) 'From' yahoo.com does not match 'Received'
> headers
> MSG_ID_ADDED_BY_MTA_2 (0.8 points) 'Message-Id' was added by a relay
> (2) FORGED_MUA_OUTLOOK (2.2 points) Forged mail pretending to be from
> MS Outlook MISSING_OUTLOOK_NAME (0.0 points) Message looks like
> Outlook, but isn't

This is also a known problem to Microsoft Technical Support. The fix is to turn off all firewall and virus protection and to remove some networking package updates. I tried this but it still did not solve the problem. It remains unresolved.

I had more problems but I think this illustrates the point that this product was just released to soon.

If you enjoy 'bleeding edge' technology, this is for you. If you are looking for something that works without 'bleeding edge' features (bugs or problems) then take to heart the advice I was given by Microsoft Technical Support; ". . . I usually wait 6 months after a release before I upgrade. By then most of the major problems have been resolved."

Sage Advice!

As for me, I am returning to an earlier edition of Office at least for a while.

Here is the phone number for Microsoft Technical Support. If you buy this product right now, you are going to need it: 1-888-346-5229

Good Luck, your going to need it!

Essential tools with powerful enhancements!
Word 2003 includes development tools that add dynamic features to documents making them powerful than ever. The power beneath all this is XML, allowing the user to embed components for updating data in documents such as stock quotes. Word 2003 offers simple, familiar yet improved features regular users are accustomed to. Majority of the features in Word 2003 are aimed primarily toward businesses and the Enterprise. But are still necessary for the average user because of the control over information across all the Office applications. Tools such as Information Rights Management (IRM), (this controls the flow of information to specific users), persons can be restricted on how they use your Office files; whether it's printing or sharing, very powerful! Reading view is an enhanced mode of print preview; documents are laid out in virtual pages reducing the need to print. The Task Pane is also improved by offering resources to look up information on a particular topic being typed; this is a feature across the core Office applications. Lots of other great features make Word 2003 a worthy upgrade.

Excel is a XML mammoth because of the integration with the language. The ability to migrate data between different storage sources and extraction of information to make it flexible in different scenarios. Tables can be transferred back and forth between applications such Word with ease. Excel can continually use the tables from documents as a data source for further expandability. It's the flexibility for data exchange that makes Excel 2003 very powerful.

Outlook, is so revamped, this alone is a worthy upgrade. Three panes in Outlook 2003 make e-mail an enjoyable experience. The Mail Pane holds all of the necessary tools found in prior versions of Outlook such as the Outlook Bar, and the different folders such as inbox, calendar, etc. The second pane gives an expanded view of the different items listed in the Mail Pane, like your incoming mail, contacts and calendar, which makes reading these information resources easier on the eye and productive by providing a better view. Reading your e-mail in the third pane (Preview Pane), the user views the message in portrait layout, more content is seen compared to prior versions. Its even better to view e-mails with "Clear Type" turned on for Windows XP users. Other features such as improved Virus and Spam protection makes Outlook 2003 a great upgrade. Outlook is not placed on the desktop by default, it can also be minimized to the system tray in Windows, for users connected to an Exchange Server, this displays all the network settings available.

PowerPoint 2003 offers the same features of version 2002, but what makes it an enticing upgrade is the package to CD feature that allows users to save presentations onto CD-ROMS. The PowerPoint Viewer included with each Package to CD allows it to be played on other computer systems even if PowerPoint is not installed. Windows media integration is also in PowerPoint 2003, which makes watching presentations more fun and exciting. The effects are fantastic when combined with these elements. The ability to integrate videos into Presentations to create home movies has long been a request of users, even if they have a DVD burner. For the PowerPoint 2000 user this is a worthy upgrade that provides simple yet Powerful tools to take presentation graphics to a new level. ... Read more

Features

• Designed for rental property owners; ideal for fewer than 10 rental properties
• Easily organize rental income and expenses in one place
• Two-step set up; simply install and enter basic property information
• Details property performance; instant answers to questions about profitability
• Schedule E category list shows what's deductible.

Reviews (1)

User Unfriendly
Poor program.It is not compatable with any other quicken software, and does not allow for any bank/ccard downloads.You need to enter each item individually, making it very time consuming.This is no better than a simple excel spreadsheet. ... Read more

Features

• Word processing combined with professional script formatting
• Designed for writing movie scripts, television episodics, and stage plays
• Automatically paginates and formats script to industry standards
• 50+ templates; text to speech, have your script read back to you
• Syd Field's Screenwriting Workshop DVD for all skill levels included

Reviews (1)

What They Write With & How To Do IT!!
Okay, so I found out that Final Draft is the Industry Standard in Tinsel Town. Great. I'll buy one. Check out who uses it on their website. Wow! But the software alone doesn't tell us, say, what goes where and why in a screenplay. It just lays there, blank, with blinking cursor... waiting for some brilliance to be entered by me. Enter Syd Field. I have his books on screenwriting and, although the DVD is a little 'talking head'-like, it did make me understand more about the craft of screenwriting, like plot, story structure, action points and character arcs - the things that make up a really great movie. Take notes while watching the DVD! It made me better and less insecure about taking the movie idea out of my head and Final Draft is a cool tool that formats for you and types things you type alot for you. An excellent combination!! Highly recommend. ... Read more

Product Description

The QuickLink-Pen Elite is the latest version of the very popular and successful QuickLink-Pen, providing users with new and improved electronic note-taking capabilities: reads notes and definitions aloud; beams to Smartphones, as well as to PDAs and PCs; includes English dictionary definitions; USB connection to PC.Used just like a yellow highlighter, the QuickLink-Pen Elite allows the user to collect, electronically, notes from any printed text - anytime, anywhere!The QuickLink-Pen Elite is ideal for students, doctors, business people, or researchers who need the ability to quickly and easily take notes whenever and wherever they might be - in a library, on a plane, or in a business meeting. ... Read more

Features

• USB and IrDA infra red ports, PC compatible
• Stores up to 1,000 pages of text; text-to-speech software
• Supports English, German, Swedish, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and French
• Exports data to Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Internet Explorer
• 97% OCR accuracy, recognizes 6-22 point font sizes

Reviews (4)

Doesn't work with OS X
I want to like this thing, but I can't, for it does not work at all with OS X.

So, if, like me, you run Apples, just pass on by this page because the thing will not work for you.

Not as good as the C-Pen 800C
I'm measuring, first and foremost, ease and precision of scanning. Speed of scanning and ease of installation on the computer are, in my mind, about the same for both this, the Wizcom QuickLink Elite, and the C-Pen 800C. They differ sufficiently, however, in the primary question of ease and quality of scanning. For the record, I bought both at the same time, with the intent of keeping the better of the two. You can just go ahead and buy the C-Pen 800C.
I have had one horrible experience with a pen scanner by Siemens, the "Pocket Reader." It was truly useless. It scanned so poorly that I just put it aside. By the time I though to return it, Siemens was no longer making it, and I couldn't get customer service here in the U.S.
The Wizcom QuickLink Elite is not so bad. It's serviceable. I don't think it lives up to its 95% accuracy guarantee, but perhaps meets a 90% threshold, measured impressionistically. It's interface is also reasonable and satisfactory.
However, the C-Pen 800C is even more precise, truly approaching 95%. Moreover, if you discount errors in spacing from this accuracy percentage, its precision is even higher. Whereas the Wizcom is just as likely to make a content error, misread letters, etc., the 800C's errors are more likely to be the absence of a space when there should be one. A rare missed space doesn't make you puzzle over the text when you come back to it two months later.
C-Pen is also lighter, and it's rechargeable, so while it's more expensive, in the long run, you'll save on batteries.
Both have comparable single-language dictionaries, though Wizcom has more built in or for free (C-Pen allows you one free dictionary, including bilingual ones). Wizcom is a only a bit slower on the uptake, but significantly more likely to warn you "Scan too fast." I've never had that from C-Pen, and again, the precision at any speed is appreciably better with C-Pen.
Both have comparable PC and PDA compatibility capacity.

Too much capability can be a bad thing....
I chose this device over the competitor products based on (1) ergonomics, (2) local device controls, and (3) independent operation from the PC.Unfortunately, the device software has fallen prey to the age-old issues of any device that tries to perform "smart" syncing operations.It gets confused...

My goal was to use the pen as a remote scanning device and then be able to upload the scanned text to either my home PC or my laptop.I installed the desktop application on both machines with no apparent problems.However, after successfully syncing with one machine, a subsequent attempt to sync with the second machine failed miserably.One such failure caused me to permanently lose 2 hours worth of scanned input.I was horrified.

I need a scanning pen that is exactly just that.A scanner.I don't need a smart device that wants to 'remember' what I've done or what I want to do.I don't get this type of behavior with my digital camera or my flatbed scanner, so I don't expect it from a pen.When you perform an alleged upload operation, the software tries to write information back into the pen.If I'm "uploading" then I don't want anything to be "downloaded" into the pen... period.This is the bane of my tests and the failures.

There are certainly other factors that affected decision to return the equipment to the manufacturer for refund, such as sluggish processing times between scans, and extremely poor ability to read Times New Roman (note: all their samples are in Arial, but find a textbook that isn't TNR!).I could still have lived with these ideosyncracies if it weren't for the high risk of data loss.This was intended to be a time saver, but it simply wasn't.

My rating here is based on the hardware.This device could be vastly improved with a change in software philosophy.Just upload the data and don't second-guess the operator.

Portable, useful, and easy to use
I received QuickLink Elite pen today and have been testing it for the past 6 hours. Now I am finished, I would like to share my thought about this device with you. The box came with the content as described by Amazon. My surprise was that the 135 page color manual, I thought those were extinct! That is in addition to the PDF one in the CD.

Installation on Windows XP Pro. SP2 (Tablet edition) went smoothly, the instructions on the self run CD were easy to follow. You basically install the driver for the cable [serial at the device connector to USB (II in my case) at the PC end], then you install the desktop application which is a very basic utility that lists the files on your pen, and allows you to communicate, change settings, transfer data, and add software to your pen. Once you install the software, you will be asked to connect the device to the computer to start the communication. Initially I had a problem connecting to the device because it conflicted with Bluetooth serial ports. So I disabled the Bluetooth serial ports and removed some extra unused serial COM ports from the computer device manager. I reinstalled the pen drive from the CD, restarted the computer but before I connect again I did one more IMPORTANT step that is not mentioned anywhere. You Baud rate on the pen (go to settings, communications, baud rate) must be the same as your computer COM port (go to device manager, right click on the new COM port), choose a rate, in my case 57600 worked best. After that I managed to exchange files, install software to the pen. In addition, It tried the IrDA with my laptop, the text file was transferred instantly. PDA (iPAQ) recognize the device but transfer of files needed third-party software (Peacmaker $15). In their website, they say there will be an upgrade where third party will not be needed.

After that scanning the text went smoothly, I also scanned small image ( max 8 mm wide), installed the tables software on the pen, scanned directly on the PC ... all went very well. I scanned a type font 10 textbook, out of the total 543,24 were mis-recognized (some missing one letter, some had capital letter in the middle, while others were just a mess). That is about 95.5% accuracy, not bad, considering that I get about 85% with a flatbed scanner. It takes me about 5 to 6 seconds per line (about 5 minutes per page), so this is truly for text snippets rather than a whole page scanning. Image scanning is useful for signatures, Greek letters, etc. Quality is just OK, you can also scan tables, business cards (to outlook), URLs (get sent to favorites) with the included add-ins on the CD, and bar codes (additional downloads from the wizcom website). All in all I will recommend this device for students, researchers, & people who type slow or rather collect different set of texts from books, journals, etc. It fits 1000 pages internal memory, besides scanning directly to your word processor. It has built in English dictionary, good for language students. It also read aloud any text that is scanned (I do not see the use of this one) but the pen comes with earphone with volume controls.
All in all, this pen turn out as it was described and I think it is a keeper. Thanks for reading this long review and I hope it helped someone.
... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Scan and store all your business contacts quickly and easily with the IRIS Business Card Reader II. Perfect for scanning new contact info at trade shows and fairs, or as a handy addition to your office desktop, this lightweight (just 220 grams) and portable color scanner will save you from hours of tedious data entry.

An optimized OCR engine quickly and accurately converts scanned business cards into database records and CardIris organizes the information and automatically sorts it into appropriate fields. CardIris offers automatic orientation, de-skewing, cropping, field analysis, and even zoom options.

With user interface language options in six languages, the IRIS Business Card Reader II supports you almost anywhere in the world and recognizes character text in up to 55 languages. The USB interface lets you connect easily to most computers, laptops, and PDAs. Contact info can be directly exported with a single-click into Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Symantec ACT!, IBM Lotus Notes, Palm OS, FrontRange GoldMine, vCard, HTML and comma delimited text. The IRIS Business Card Reader II also offers synchronization with Pocket PC, Outlook, ACT!, Lotus Notes, Palm OS and Goldmine. ... Read more

Features

• Lightweight, portable business card scanner
• Scans business cards and photos up to 4.2 by 12 inches
• Exports directly to most contact-management software systems
• Recognizes characters from 6 to 48 points, grayscale, and color images
• USB connectivity; menus in 6 languages

Reviews (2)

Great Quality and Portability
After getting this reader and getting use to putting the cards in the correct way I love it. I love the fact that it is powered via the USB port. The quality is great and the text recognition is wonderful. I have scanned multiple business cards from conferences that I attend. I love the fact that I can export the contacts and separate them from the different events. The price is also reasonable.

The portability is a plus and I would recommend its purchase.

SUPER USEFUL!
I do not have that many cards but I just hate retyping them... retyping 10 cards is a waste of time and I have dozens...
I purchased this product with a "try and see" attitude (I am sincerely a tough customer to please when it comes to theses types of technologies) but I really am very satisfied with this product, not only because it does what it says it does but also because of the special advantages. I discovered this little scanner also scan pictures! I scanned ALL my 4X6 pictures in Photoshop in half the time of a regular flatbed!
Very nice product! At this price, it is a no brainer! ... Read more

Features

• A productivity suite with a host of ground-breaking new features
• Easily share ideas across platforms and around the globe
• Confidently create stunning documents with impressive new tools
• Spend less time managing info and more time using it
• Includes Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac Version 7

Features

• Centralized management of customer and prospect information
• More than 20 preformatted business reports
• Easy-to-use wizards to create e-mail news-letters and printed marketing materials
• Free access to business templates, clip art, and multimedia content
• Junk e-mail filtering and blocking of unsafe attachments

Reviews (1)

Great Software for Business or Home!
As the owner of a quickly growing business I need a software that will provide all of the word processing capabilities with the graphics capabilities and Microsoft Office SMALL BUSINESS 2003 does all those jobs very well with Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Business Contact Manager AND Publisher which allows me to do my communications, my record keeping, my client contact management, my presentations AND my own business cards and letterhead and brochures and flyers that look GREAT! I am very happy with this since I do not need Access as a database it saves me money. ... Read more

Features

• Save, invest, and track profits in minutes
• Download banking, credit card, and brokerage transactions
• Track spending; manage investments; prepare for tax time
• Track portfolio performance; read news stories related to holdings
• Track home inventory and value; convenient iCal calendar

Features

• Over 100 feature improvements on popular tools
• Connect instantly to bank, credit card sites, and 401(k) providers
• Manage finances by setting up automatic transactions
• Quickly and easily track investment holdings
• Plan for financial goals by viewing net worth over time

Amazon.com Product Description

Learn a new language with the award-winning method used by the U.S. State Department to train diplomats. Proven effective by NASA astronauts, Peace Corps volunteers, and millions of students worldwide, the Rosetta Stone Language Library teaches new languages faster and easier than ever before.

We all learn our childhood language by associating new words and phrases with the world around us. The Rosetta Stone method replicates this process by presenting vivid, real-life images to convey the meaning of each new phrase. Instead of translating, memorizing, and studying rules of grammar, you actually learn to think in the new language. Vocabulary and grammar are integrated systematically, leading to everyday proficiency.

This comprehensive program provides up to 550 hours of mastery instruction in listening comprehension, reading, writing, and speaking. Systematic structure teaches vocabulary and grammar naturally, without lists or drills. Previews, exercises, and tests accompany every lesson, and there are automated tutorials throughout the program. Graphical speech recognition displays your voiceprint and compares it with the native speaker to help improve your pronunciation. (Ages 6 and older) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is great but too expensive

I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 because I think some of the vocabulary you have to learn wasn't well chosen, for example the parts about cowboys and also there are some tools I don't even know the names of in English. Also you learn numbers kind of haphazardly. The vocabulary is repeated in subsequent lessons instead of being all new in each lesson. I guess that is ok but since you can review the old lessons anyway if I were buying this I would want as much as I could get for the money. The lessons are easy, most of the lessons are beginning, not intermediate, with short sentences or just words. But occasionally you come across some harder lessons.
This is good if what you need is listening and speaking practice. You can always get a grammar book at the library. I am currently trying the online version and so far I like it just fine. I wouldn't mind having my own copy but it is a little too expensive for me.

The ONLY worthwhile language learning software.
The Rosetta Stone series of language instruction software is "Pimsleur" level of effectiveness and unfortunately, Pimsleur level cost as well.

The programs work on a total immersion basis, with no English used at all. There are several types of drills, ones where you hear a word or sentence and pick it out of a group of pictures, another where you read the text of the word and pick out the pictures, etc. There are also typing drills in your language to help you spell (without having to download special fonts), pronounciation drills that allow you to hear a word, speak it to your computer and hear your voice in comparison to the native speaker played back to you.

This is the first program of it's type I've found where this feature actually works!

I own both German and Russian 1 and 2. There is a LOT to learn here, especially if you do all the types of drills for each lesson. You learn grammar from inference, such as word endings when the subject is "in" something rather than "on" or "under" it. You see the same endings used, compare them with the pictures and you start to recognize patterns.

But one of the best things about this software is the user interface. Since it's an immersion program, there's no English used and by it's very nature needs to be intuitive. This is how it should be done. I've used other types of language software that had a klunky, confusing interface with features that didn't work, etc. None of that is the case with the Rosetta Stone software.

On another note, I switched to Mac about nine months ago and Fairfield Language Technologies sent me out a new Mac OS X systems disc for free, no questions asked. At this price level you'd think this would be commonplace, but it's not. Adobe allowed me to change from PC to OS X when I upgraded from Photoshop 6 to 7, but Macromedia wouldn't and expected me to buy all new software (I didn't). So kudos to FLT for their stellar customer service!

Is it too expensive? I'd say yes, but this is a serious language learning tool for serious self students, and it's a lot cheaper than classes at the U. The axiom is true with both this and the Pimsleur method tapes; you get what you pay for. ... Read more

Features

• Create a forecast of income and expenses for the year ahead, based on your existing QuickBooks data with the click of a button.
• Build a professional, accurate business plan more easily than ever.
• Track inventory assemblies and finished goods.
• More easily apply payments, such as overpayments, underpayments, credits and refunds.
• More easily merge QuickBooks data into Microsoft Word [2000, 2002 or 2003] letters and envelopes for quick, professional mailings to customers, vendors or employees.

Amazon.com Product Description

Learn a new language with the award-winning method used by the U.S. State Department to train diplomats. Proven effective by NASA astronauts, Peace Corps volunteers, and millions of students worldwide, the Rosetta Stone Language Library teaches new languages faster and easier than ever before.

We all learn our childhood language by associating new words and phrases with the world around us. The Rosetta Stone method replicates this process by presenting vivid, real-life images to convey the meaning of each new phrase. Instead of translating, memorizing, and studying rules of grammar, you actually learn to think in the new language. Vocabulary and grammar are integrated systematically, leading to everyday proficiency.

This comprehensive program provides up to 550 hours of mastery instruction in listening comprehension, reading, writing, and speaking. Systematic structure teaches vocabulary and grammar naturally, without lists or drills. Previews, exercises, and tests accompany every lesson, and there are automated tutorials throughout the program. Graphical speech recognition displays your voiceprint and compares it with the native speaker to help improve your pronunciation. (Ages 6 and older) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Four stars BUT....
A high quality, effective interactive learning system. Two complaints:

1) No obvious explanation of grammar. It took me forever to figure out what various particples and other "connectors" meant. If figured this out in an hour at a Japanese class and I am much the better for it.

2) Romaji (spelling Japanese words phonetically with roman/english letters) is a waste. There are differing opinions on this. But my suggestion is to go through the comphrehension and speaking exercises, skip the word recognition and spelling exercises, and supplement the writing with a good book on Kanji and the Kana. Think about it, would a Chinese try to learn German by first trying to spell out all the German words with Kanji? Well, duh...

Fairfield Technologies will send out OS X disks
I had initially reviewed this software more negatively because of the software being shipped with disks fo