STRIPED SUITS AND BOWLER HATS

Program: Mini Office
Producer: Database
Memory Required: 48K
Retail Price: £5.95
Author: T. Williams

If you've ever been taken in by the office-set brigade who, clad in the pinstripe uniform of the City, whisk into the 9 o'clock commuter train and whip their Epson portable out of their elegant leather briefcase, managing a lap full of work by the time the train gets to Waterloo, now's your chance to join them (and lick them). Forget boasting about the Wordstar, Lotus 1-2-3 and Open Access mumbo jumbo, leave that to the grown-up kids with their IBM's, Apricots and Olivettis. Get your photon-damaged and laser-blasted Spectrum out of the cupboard and load Mini Office, the next best thing since mini-skirted nail-varnishing private assistants....

Heck, anybody has heard about wordprocessors, databases and spreadsheets. Everybody knows that half the office staff gets made redundant, typewriters get chucked out of the window, and filing cabinets get converted to drinks bars. Word processors, sure they create neat, intelligent and tidy letters (even if a dumb blonde types them in), Database prevents you from mixing up your girl- or boy-friend's phone numbers, spreadsheets help managing directors create a false rosy vision for the future when a larger bank facility (Corniches cost a fortune!) is required from the forever doubtful bank managers and the graphics help visualise the great con-tricks. Sure, everybody needs computing power in the office, even if it costs an arm and a leg. The software alone can set you back anything between £600 and £2000, but think of the savings in time and salaries. The secretary, who used to type out your hand-written or dictated letters, will now be able to handle all the mail-outs, keep the files updated and still have enough time to make your coffee. But how do these programs actually work and why does the suave secretary manage to keep her boss so happy and yet look so unruffled, why does the boss think the world of her floppies and why does he succeed in his wily ways without ever dropping a boob or creating a major flop, why does the bank manager fall for the bait and still manage to feel quietly confident and happy about it, who monitors the drinks-infested filing cabinet and where does all the booze go to, and why doesn't anyone get killed by flying typewriter-debris....

The answer to these and many more questions can be found in this article, which accidentally was produced on a word processor. No, not by a secretary nor has anyone been seen near the filing cabinet.

To help answer all these formidable questions, Database software has come up with a truly olympic feat: Mini Office replaces the traditional doll's house and provides the back-up for an entertaining office game for the price of a mere £5.95. The idea of the game is not to imitate the big boys and girls in the office, but to get the hang of some of the facilities offered by the automated office. This includes a word processor, a spread sheet and graphics facility. That these disciplines can be performed so well on the 48K Spectrum, is a compliment to Database. Serious users and particularly small businesses may well want to use the program in earnest, but the limitations come with the existing Spectrum hardware. It is for this reason that Mini Office only caters for 32 column wide printers such as the original ZX printer or the more dependable Alphacom 32. Mini Office does not provide an output facility for 80 column printers via an aftermarket Centronics interface, so the field is left clear for the ubiquitous Tasword II to clear up the 'professional' applications. Mini Office comes in cassette form and storage of textfiles is via the cassette medium. While this should not be a great handicap in respect of loading and saving time for a medium sized letter, the user can quite easily convert Mini Office to microdrive and so gain faster access to his or her files. Database is quite clearly marketing Mini Office as an educational program and with this in mind it has generated a program for the basic hardware configuration.

PROCESSING WORDS

If you write a letter or report, you usually have to be very careful not to change your mind about something you've already written, or not to just clumsily make a typing error, as the correction with Tippex will always look a mess. With a word processor the entire creation of the document is made on screen, not on hardcopy. This means that any errors can be erased and modifications written until the entire document is satisfactorily completed. As the word processor has a memory, whole chunks of text may be stored and relocated or inserted within the document. The word processor can look for the occurrence of a particular word (string) and replace it with another. Professional word processors such as Wordstar, Super Writer etc. have a tremendous amount of special facilities and the usefulness is only limited by the user's prowess of gaining access to all these operations without consulting the operating manual for hours. Once the text has been edited, the document can be output to a printer and voila, a neat and tidy letter appears. Multiple copies? Any amount required and the text can be stored on disc for later use.

Database' s Mini Office word processor is a scaled down version of the real thing and yet it contains all the main features of any self-respecting word processor. Once loaded or pressing Break (Caps Shift and Space) anytime during the program, a list of all the available features is displayed and these can be accessed with the keys 0 to 9.

1 selects the editing mode with double size screen characters and 16 characters per line. This option may be used for educational purposes in classrooms etc. or when Romeo wants to write a letter to Julia (Too much sex makes you short-sighted).

2 selects the normal-size character editing mode with 32 characters per lines.

Pressing option 1 or 2 will display your 'writing paper' on screen. In the middle of the screen there is a Start and End displayed which marks the beginning and end of the document. The text to be written will sit between these two markers. To keep you on tenterhooks, three values are displayed at the top of the screen and are constantly updated. The total edit time that has elapsed, the number of words written and the number of characters that can be keyed in before the memory is full. Pressing Caps Shift and 3 in editing mode will compute the typing speed in words per minutes for the present text file based on the number of words in the file and the total time spent in the editing mode. These values are saved with the text file so that the correct typing speed can be shown for a particular file when created over several editing sessions.

3 selects the printer option. Several formatting parameters may be chosen. These include the number of characters per line (between 5 and 32), the width of the left margin in character widths and the character size bearing in mind the overall limitation of 32 character widths, paged mode with a selected number of page lines and display of the page number. Paged mode will take into account any end-of-page markers inserted in the text with Caps Shift and 9. If paged mode is not selected, then page end markers are ignored and printing is continuous.

The text may be previewed on screen with the chosen format, although only with normal character size. The preview can be interrupted and restarted by pressing any key. For the actual print-out there are 3 different print character sizes to choose from, normal, double-height, doubleheight and double-width characters. This together with an alternative character set (option 9) enables up to 6 different character styles to be used. There is no provision for print commands within the text, so the individual styles cannot be freely mixed within one print-out.

4 enables the Tab key to be set. There are four tab values and these have to be selected in ascending order. Once set, the Tab key in editing mode (Symbol Shift) will move the cursor to the next closest column position to the right of the cursor. Option 5, 6 and 7 enable the saving, verifying and loading of the created text to and from cassette. The text file requires a title for saving. No merge facility is available, so a document cannot be assembled by loading several existing text files. A text file in the working area will be destroyed when loading a file from tape.

8 is a help facility and enables all the editing functions to be reviewed for consultation.

9 replaces the normal Spectrum character set with a more bold face. The special face is very appealing and much more readable. Although the character sets may be toggled to and fro, practice will show that the special face will be used most of the time, as the printout on the ZX printer and the Alphacom 32 is much stronger and more readable with this face.

0 erases the file in memory and this action is secured with a confirmation request prior to the execution.

In editing mode, all the editing functions are obtained by pressing Caps Shift and key 5, 6, 7 and 8 represent the cursor controls, 0 is the character delete key, 3 displays the typing speed, 2 is the Caps Lock key and Symbol Shift represents the Tab key. 4 enables a section of text to be copied to the cursor position. The destination point for the copied text is located with the cursor in position and Caps Shift 4 pressed. Next the cursor is positioned to the start of the text to be copied and the Copy key (Caps Shift 1) pressed. This displays the line of text to be copied at the top line of the screen. By pressing the Copy key repeatedly the text will be copied character by character to the required location. The left and right cursor controls move the line of text being copied. The rest of the keys behave normally, inserting text at the current cursor point. Caps Shift 4 kills the Copy function.

The functions supplied, although very limited, are sufficient for general word processing use and the access to the various functions is excellent. This enables the user to get acquainted with the program within minutes and this is sometimes more useful in a program than a large library of hidden functions. It is however a pity that no find-and-search facility has been provided, as this can prove rather useful at times.

ELECTRONIC FILING CABINETS

You need more than a power cord to convert your filing cabinet into a powerful Database. Your girlfriend's (or boyfriend's) particulars are probably stored in alphabetical order of surname and if you want to examine Koo's statistics, you will find the record under the main heading S and the file name Stark. If you can't remember her surname, you had better cut back on the amount of friends you have, as you will not be able to find the record unless you go through the entire filing cabinet. The database program enables you to find a record using any particular from the record as a search parameter. In the unlikeley event of knowing two different Koos (not KooKoos), you may include the colour of her eyes in the search parameter. If you are considering throwing a party, you may extract a list of all suitable friends (young, entertaining and attractive), but important is that all these details are stored under individual fields in the database. It is important to this purpose that when the database is initially set up, all the search parameters are considered and separate fields for all these pieces of information created. These fields are all linked to the one record. They can be either of the numeric or the string type. On a sort the records will be displayed or printed in alphabetical or numeric order of the selected field. With this in mind getting started on the database program is straightforward.

The structure of the record has to be set up. Selecting option B (Setup New File) from the menu the program requests the amount of fields per record. Each field is given a name such as NAME, ADDRESS, EYECOLOUR, ENTERTAINVALUE etc. For each field the type and the amount of characters has to be entered. A summary of the record structure is displayed and amendments can be effected. The structure size determines the amount of records that can be stored within the memory area and this together with the number of records already entered is displayed at the bottom of the menu. At any time the field structure can be called up using option D (Field Summary). The records are entered with option C (Add Records). The records can be listed with option F. Start and end record may be input and the first record will de displayed. Pressing N will allow you to move to the next record. Pressing A will allow you to alter the displayed record, pressing D will delete it. M will return you to the menu. Should Koo decide to change her address, the record may be modified directly from the menu screen with option E.

Unlike the word processor program DBASE offers the possibility of replacing a given string or a part-string in a field for another new one (option H). What makes the database program stand out is the powerful field search (option G) and multi-field sort facility (option I), which provides fast access to individual records. The search parameter can be any of the record's field contents. If the field-typeselected is a string, the program will search for any record containing a field with the characters identical to the search parameter. If however you want all the friends listed who have blue eyes, the program will not find the friends with dark-blue or light-blue or babyblue eyes. To include these as well, the search can be made for a part-string blue, and the program will trap any record containing amongst other things the character sequel blue. For a numeric field there are four options. A search can be made for a specific numeric value, for a value greater or smaller than the parameter or for values between a given set of parameters. Similar to a filing cabinet system the records can be sorted into numerical or alphabetical order of any given field or fields, but at a fraction of the time. Up to 4 different fieldscan be used simultaneously in order of priority and the sort can be done in ascending or descending order. The records may be examined afterwards by listing the records in their new order. Option J provides the facility for storing the current file on tape with or without a Verify. Option A loads existing files from tape. Option K is an exit from the database program with the option of saving the current file.

Dbase is a very easy to use and should demonstrate well the capabilities of a good general purpose database program. The amount of records that can be stored is considerable and operating with a large amount of records demonstrates the power of the program over conventional filing systems. At the same time the user learns that the setting up of the record structure should be carefully planned, so that maximum access can be gained to the individual records. Not all filing systems are worth converting to database format. A telephone directory will not benefit at all, as the access is always via the same field (Name) and in this case searching for a telephone number may prove to be more time consuming with a computer than with a proper telephone diary, especially if the database program has to be loaded first!

GRAPHICAL ILLUSIONS

The graphics program is an extended facility of the spreadsheet and can only be used with the datafiles created from the spreadsheet program. It can be loaded from within the spreadsheet program or directly from Basic. The spreadsheet file name must be entered, the datafile loaded and the row number of the row to be displayed to be entered. Pressing Enter at this stage will display all the row labels of the spreadsheet so that the right selection can be made. Next the program requires a decision on which columns are to be included in the graph. With all this information, the program displays the graph menu.

Graph provides three types of diagrams. In true business style there is a histogram, which is an excellent three- dimensional bar chart, the obligatory pi-chart (a piece of cake!) and the conventional X-Y graph. All three graphs are very well executed and give even the most absurd results a professional appearance. No values are displayed in either of the graphs with the exception of the X-Y graph, which indicates maxima and minima.

The menu does provide an information option, which displays a table of all columns together with their absolute and relative values and their total. This together with the graphs can be printed out with option 8 of the menu. Processing further rows is done with option 5, which provides a new selection. Similarly a new spreadsheet data file may be loaded from tape with option 6 or if completed, spread sheet may be reloaded for further calculations.

The four programs Word, Dbase, Spread and Graph are clearly explained in a 32 page cassette-size manual and sample datafiles are supplied for Dbase, Spread and Graph. Mini Office offers an excellent introductory business package for the uninitiated. Similar to the emergence of the low-cost ZX81 in a high-price home computer market Database has cut a lot of corners at the design stage to allow a rock bottom entry level into business software for anyone owning a Spectrum. And yet the programs can be used in earnest within the limitations of the basic Spectrum computer. Anyone seriously interested in joining the grey Epson brigade or intending participating in the office revolution, should read this booklet and practice with the programs on offer. Three things will emerge from the experience gained. Although the word processor does save quite some time over the conventional method, somebody has to still key in the same amount of text as before. The same goes for the database. The program can only output so much information as has been input by the user in the first place. But if the hungry database is fed regularly with the required dosage, it will reward the user with an enormous wealth of print-outs, which would not be possible on a manual basis. This leads to the third point. The office world seems to be heading towards a paperless future. This may be true, but with programs such as word processors, databases, spreadsheets and graphics at one's fingertips the chances are that the printer paper will be piling up high and fast on your desk-top.

Database Publications, Europa House, 68 Chester Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport SK7 5NY.
Price: £5.95

Business software has always tended to be more expensive than games software, partly because fewer copies are sold and partly because the development time is greater. So when someone offers you a complete office automation system with word processor, spreadsheet, database and graphics program for £5.95 you believe in 28 day delivery periods again.

With the release of Mini Office for the 48K Spectrum, Database Publications has done exactly that. What is, perhaps, more surprising is that the package represents excellent value for money. The individual programs are not the best you can buy, nor are they likely to tempt the serious user - indeed, you would not expect that. What they do provide is a good, simple introduction to office automation either for the classroom, or for the new user.

The word processor offers two typefaces and two character sizes - normal and double-sized. One menu, which also acts as a return point for any illegal entry, runs the program.

The usual range of print, save, load, and verify options for text files is also offered. Left and right margins can be set prior to printing, as can the number of characters per line - up to 32 - and the number of lines per page.

Other facilities include tab stops, page end markers and copy. The last facility copies a letter at a time and is slower than a block copy but because of the way it has been implemented - only the starting point for the move is defined - it is nevertheless effective.

Excellent use of colour helps to distinguish between text which has been typed in and information, such as the number of words and the amount of free space for text.

The database is a much scaled down version. The first thing you notice is its limitations; a maximum of 12 fields with up to 21 characters in each. Using all of those would leave room for only 75 records. Fields can be either numeric or string, but numeric fields are really only useful in searches. Those can be performed for any sequence of characters in a string field, or for values equal to, less than, greater than or between two values.

Although a replace function allows all or parts of fields to be replaced, it is limited - at least with part of a field - to replacing the same number of characters. The database can also be sorted on up to four fields.

The spreadsheet contains most of the necessary elements. Formulae can be used to link boxes, and can also be copied from one box to another, updating for the new row or column in the process. Although the first row and column are reserved for labels of up to eight characters, those labels are not used to define rows or columns. One useful function brings back the previous number in the box. A major restriction is the size of the sheet, which can only extend to a maximum of 30 rows by 20 columns.

The graphics program is, perhaps, the most disappointing. Data for the program must first be set up in the spreadsheet and saved, before it can be reloaded into the graphics program. Once the spreadsheet file has been loaded, the row and then the individual columns of data to be used must be specified. An option does exist to change those to any other in the spreadsheet at any time.

Histograms, line graphs and pie charts can all be drawn. The histograms and line charts are both drawn to include negative values and in all cases the columns are referred to by their letters - A, B, C... and so on - rather than their labels. There is no method of altering any piece of data from within the program.

A version of Mini Office is being released on the Opus Discovery disc system. Unfortunately, Database Publications seems to have simply transferred the tape program to disc adding the option of loading from or saving to disc in the appropriate place. That means that to get from one program to another - except from graphics to spreadsheet - the unit has to be switched off and the disc reloaded. Other routines which are usually a standard feature of disc-based software - such as the ability to list the files on a disc from within the programs - have also been omitted.

It is impossible to recommend Mini Office if you are looking for a complete working system unless finance precludes buying the best individual programs - Tasword II the word-processor, Masterfile the database, Omnicalc the spreadsheet and Projector 1 for the business graphics program. However, if you are looking for an inexpensive way of learning how a word processor, database and spreadsheet work then it is to be wholeheartedly recommended.

A WORD IN YOUR SPECTRUM

The Spectrum is under-estimated as a word processing machine, says John Wase. Here he reviews eight programs in support of his argument.

Word processing does not require much computer power. PipeDream on the new Z-88 uses exactly the same Z-80 chip as all versions of the venerable Spectrum. Thus the Spectrum, too, should, in theory, provide good word processing facilities, although in practice there are limitations like memory. A 48K Spectrum has around 41K for both program and text file, around 110K for the 128K version, and the screen display at only 32 columns.

Nevertheless, I found eight readily-available packages, plus variants for various models, of assorted prices, features, sophistication and complexity. Each has been written with some particular purpose in mind and all have virtues and vices associated with what is, after all, a compromise, for no word processing program suits everyone or all applications.

The constraints of the 32-column screen are overcome in a variety of ways. In some programs text lines continue along a second or third display line and end with some recognisable symbol, while in others the screen is re-defined to up to 80 characters per line, further augmented by multiple lines or sideways scrolling, giving as many as 148 characters per printer line.

While it is possible to provide a good deal of the information about the packages in tabular form, it really gives little feeling for the strong and weak points, the aims and the overall success of each package. Therefore I have chosen a combination of tables and comment to provide sufficient information to guide you in choosing packages suitable for your needs. The packages are Mini-Office, a suite of programs for younger children; Ramprint, an add-on printer interface with integral word processor; Spectral Writer, bundled with Wafadrive; WordMaster; Word Manager; The Last Word; The Writer and finally, the Tasword family. They are listed in table one, along with the outstanding features of each package, the cost and supplier.

The easiest thing to do is to take them in groups. First, Mini-Office, which has a very simple set of instructions on a cassette-sized book; interpretation by an adult will be necessary. There is a simple test piece to be typed-in; it appeared in big letters an inch or more high in yellow on a black background on my old TV; it is very easy for a child to write a simple letter but with very little more scope.

The normal mode is insert and there is also a crude copy, so letters or lines can be added or deleted; crude tabs complete the features. The main menu offers the usual save, verify, load or options with a further choice of double height, double width, margin setting and characters per line.

It could have been an excellent program to introduce a child to an integrated suite had it been revamped but there are no facilities to use a printer other than the obsolete Sinclair gadget or compatibles, and the other options integrate badly into the word processor. You would need a suitable printer for your child to make the most of it.

The next pair are proper programs, both intended for the serious user, and both released relatively early. Tasword 2, a development of Tasword on the ZX-81, provides a 64-character line, a fixed text length of 320 lines - 10-and-a-bit pages of double-spaced A4. Spectral Writer is similar but with squarer letters some say much more legible. In both programs insertion is by opening a word or a line and then re-justifying; there is no auto insert mode.

LINE AND COLUMN

Line and column are given on-screen but there is no word count. The cursor will move by line, character, or to the start or finish of the text; in Tasword 2 it is very slow. Word wrap is automatic, characters and lines can be deleted, blocks can be moved and copied and there is a crude search and replace.

Text can be justified with smooth or ragged right margin and centred and margins can be set for tables but there are no tabs in Tasword 2 and no headers, footers or auto-page numbering, no mail-merge, conditional printing or macros; just start and finish lines, one copy only. You can put eight printer codes in the program at once and change them whenever you like.

Both programs are good, straightforward, very simple word processors. You can achieve professional results very quickly Spectral Writer scores by having tabs, a line-end bell and is a little slicker but it normally is only bundled with Wafadrive, Tasword 2 is ubiquitous and bundled with Microdrives.

The chief advantage of both programs is that they are very simple; much is in Basic and is easily user-adapted. The major disadvantage is that printer control codes in the text destroys WYSIWYG concept unless you adopt low cunning or a patch. For simple letters of only a few pages they are easy and adequate.

The other processors are, in general, more sophisticated and it is probably easier to deal with their main features in a large table and just comment briefly on their strengths and weaknesses. The simplest is probably Ramprint, a printer interface and joystick port with a built-in word processor on ROM. I found the documentation brief but the gadget easy to use.

Although it contains most features one needs, there are disadvantages. It will work only with tape or Microdrives, for instance, and it will display only 32 columns when you are entering text, making complex work almost impossible, although it will display a 64-column screen to show you what the work will be like at the end.

That apart, having the works in an EPROM means that there is no software to load; plug it in, type one command and go. For straightforward documents, also those needing underlining, italics and other such fancy bits, even page numbering, it works and works well.

Word-Master again is for the Spectrum owner who has no discs. It works well with tape or Microdrive and an EPROM-driven interface. Within limitations I found a program which was specifically aimed at crude desk-top publishing. The documentation could be improved and I did not particularly like its 64-column character set. A further problem is that right justification could not be implemented on-screen, although was satisfactory when printed; that does not help DTP layout.

Against that, several files can be held in memory at once, page numbers, headers and footers are catered for and printer control codes are handled beautifully, either in a command line which does not print but affects the text below or as special characters for the more common sorts, so that H2O can be printed readily without upsetting justification.

PICTURES

Pictures can be incorporated with the graphic commands and text can be printed either to the right or to the left of it; again, instructions are a little sparse. Graphmate, a separate, stand-alone program, produces bar charts or pie charts easily but with provision for labelling axes left to Word-Master. The programs are independent and the products of Graphmate have to be saved before incorporation.

Cardex also supplied Headliner on a separate tape. It will produce headlines in a variety of styles for subsequent incorporation. This is a useful suite as it stands; further development and the production of disc/128K versions using more interfaces would make it still better.

Word Manager 4 is aimed at a different end-user, evident from its being bundled with Mail and Address Manager II. The review version 4.2 has a number of improvements over earlier issues, including a completely re-written Address Manager II. All saves and loads are in Basic and I liked particularly the single keypress to modify and transfer everything to disc. The 64-column character set looked almost like script, unlike any of the others; I liked it. The normal screen is bright. Lines longer than 64 characters are wrapped round and shown on the line below - not bright.

The instruction book was adequate. Some features were easy to use but I did not like the constant switching between modes to use cursors and delete, the lack of on-screen prompts - particularly caps - or the way in which paragraphs were completed before on-screen justification took place.

Page numbering is there but not headers or footers. Address Manager II is a database specific for Word Manager; Mail Manager takes the text from Word Manager and the names and addresses from Mail Manager and integrates them. There are conditional indices for Mr. Mrs. M/s or Miss but no real conditional printing is available.

For circulation of simple club letters or even, at a pinch, a short club magazine, this would do the trick satisfactorily if you get used to the vagaries involved in editing and, at the price which includes all three programs, it is unbeatable.

In contrast, The Last Word has a very well-produced and extensive manual. I found it very easy to use. Again, all the loads and saves are in Basic but you will have to type-in some new lines - supplied - to get it working from Microdrive or disc; a novice might not like this.

The screen display is changeable from 40, 48, 60 or 80 characters per line - not too good on a monitor, better on a large television set where the slight fuzz causes the eye to assume a good deal. It has most of the features one might expect, like headers, footers, page numbers, selected printing from Basic and mail-merge, with its own data files.

Because lines are terminated by a carriage return symbol there is no insert mode; you have to split a line to insert letters or words. Screen refresh is a trifle slow and the program is 48K, although the author says that there is the possibility of a 128K program in the future.

That said, everything else is good. Control codes do not disturb justification; by screen wrap-around you can get up to 148 characters per line; formatting is very flexible, exiting into Basic to insert your own routines is encouraged and examples given.

Tutor files loaded from tape help you to learn to manipulate text and load and save mail-merge information. Although I had never used it previously and am very familiar with another processor, I found the keys logical and liked the program.

NO COLOURS

The Writer is in two versions, 48K and 128K. Although Softek was very helpful on the telephone and promised to send both programs, plus The Artist, plus a pre-release version of The Filer, they did not arrive in time for this review. Fortunately I was able to borrow a 48K version of The Writer. It is well-presented with a good instruction book. No colours are used; the screen is uniformly white letters on a black background and looks very smart.

The 64 characters a line lettering is clear, square rather like Spectral Writer - and easy to read. The normal text manipulations are on symbol or extended mode and the program starts in insert mode. Press "Edit" and move the arrow over the top-line menu; up comes an overlay menu with obvious choices for all the things like file handling, saving and so on.

Printing includes mail-merge, conditional printing and can include calculations. All in all, a very impressive package. I found it easy to use, too, and liked it. The 128K version contains a pagemaker facility which imports pictures from The Artist. I had hoped to be able to look at this, too, and compare it to the Word-Master DTP facilities.

Finally, the Tasword series. Tasword 3 uses the same black on white character set as Tasword 2 - adequate and readable but scarcely exciting - but there the similarity ends. Because, unlike several of the other programs, all loads and saves are in machine code, there are a number of versions to fit various machines and devices, including Microdrive. Opus and Disciple discs, but there is no tape version, because to fit in all the features and still keep a respectable length file, the main menu is fed in as an overlay; it is frustrating to have to wait seven seconds for it to load from Microdrive or Opus.

All the standard features are present; mail-merge from Masterfile or from its own address lists produced from within the program, headers, footers, pagination, plenty of control codes to send, print several text files sequentially, print multiple copies, customise program, overtype - standard - or insert mode, word count, space remaining - do not fill it too tightly, though.

The main menu is, like all the Spectrum Taswords, accessed by symbol shift and A; the rest is easy. The manual is well-printed and laid-out and a tutor file is included. The 128K versions are almost exactly the same, except for the control key for insertion and some tidying as the Amstrad Spectrums no longer have symbols on the keys.

The main menu appears instantly and the text file is large, between 40 and 50 pages of double-spaced A4, which is a tremendous advantage if you write complicated documents and need to keep referring to what has gone before. The new +3 version appears similar to the user but contains code enabling a spellchecker to work and the extended mode bug which locks the main menu has been fixed.

The biggest disadvantage is the lack of justification when control codes are inserted - redeemed by a patch from Seven Stars Software; against this is the ease of use and the fact that Tasword and Masterfile are both available on a range of machines, even PC compatibles. Again, I liked Tasword; it works well and is good value.

Compared to most other machines, the choice of word processors on the Spectrum is wide and some are technically very good. There is no need to buy that new Amstrad or PC-compatible if all you want is a word processor, particularly if you have a +2 or a +3 with their good keyboards. After all, Tasword is very similar on the PC. Moreover, the PC will not play budget games as well when you are not using it.

Database Software
Spectrum 48K
£4.95

A selection of mini business programs on one tape. On one side you get a word processor and database, and on the other, a Spreadsheet and graphics program.

These programs do have their limitations, so if you're running a large business I would look for something a little more suitable. However, if you run a small shop or clubhouse and have limited funds you may find this ideal for your needs.

The tape itself comes in a standard cassette case with an easy to follow, 31 page, cassette size instruction manual. Taking each program in turn, I first looked at the word processor. It's not the world's best, but it is adequate for letter writing and suchlike. It carries out the same sort of functions a standard typewriter would do, with the added bonus of being able to change or finish off your letter before it's actually printed One useful feature is that if your eyesight is not up to scratch, you can enlarge the characters to twice their normal size. It also gives you four Tab positions and the ability to count the number of words used as you type. The maximum is 30,000 which is an awful lot.

Moving on along the tape is the database. It's not bad, and I've seen worse. It will hold 12 fields per record with a maximum of 131 records You can use numeric or strings wherever you want and the search routine will find part or whole strings. This can be carried out in separate fields if needed. One nice item is that it will multi-sort, either alphabetically or numerically. You can of course delete/add records if needed and LOADSAVE data if wished. An ideal database for names and addresses, club members etc.

Flicking over the tape is the spreadsheet. If you want to know what a spreadsheet is, read my review in the last issue. If you didn't buy one, serves you right.

This spreadsheet has 20 columns and 30 rows and will perform most of the functions on the Spectrum. Commands are easy as a1 + b1 + c1 = d1. It also has the ability to carry functions across rows and columns with one press of a key. You can LOAD/SAVE data and this is where the graphics program comes in. After saving the spreadsheet data you load the graphics program and then reload the data. The graphics program will then produce a histogram, pie chart, line chart or percentage information. The data can be saved for re-use back into the spreadsheet.

Overall a nice little package. Though limited, it will carry out all the basic needs of the mini user. Mini Office is available from Database Software, Europa House, 68 Chester Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport.