A&B Computing


One Disc Home Office
By Doctorsoft
BBC B/B+/Master 128

 
Published in A&B Computing 1.09

This program, complete with a very clever title, is probably one of the best ideas I think that I have seen in a long time.

It is a fully integrated, mutli-purpose package, containing a word processor, a letter writer, a small financial spreadsheet, a calendar, and a pre-defined names and addresses database.

The main principle of the package is that all of the programs are inter-linked, for instance at the start of the program, you are asked to enter the current date, and if you don't know, you just type in "?" and a calendar will be displayed!

After returning to the main menu and entering the correct date, let's just assume you want to write a business letter to your Bank Manager, but you can't remember his address, so go into the database, called Directory, search for his name, or any piece of relevant information, then when you have found it, go into the letter write mode, and the screen prompts give you the option of a business letter (where the recipient's address is printed in the top left of the letter) and away you go.

On letter, having altered the relevant lines according to the instructions, your address is always printed in the top right, and if needed your name at the foot of the letter. Four function keys have been programmed to print out commonly used statements: "Yours Sincerely,", "With best wishes," and "Thank you for your letter of".

The word processor program, although not very sophisticated, is extremely comprehensive, having all the major functions of other commercial word-pro's, including word count, print, and review features.

The final program on the disc is called Calculate, and is a small spreadsheet program, small, but like all of the other programs, very powerful. It enables figures to be manipulated to get totals, and subtotals; it can calculate VAT, work out the average, and give a grand total; for either columns, or for the rows, or indeed both. And, like all the other programs, it can be inter-mixed into the wordpro.

As I said at the beginning, one of the best packages I have seen, definitely out in a class of its own, and something other software houses should be working towards, total integration, therefore giving exceptional value for money.