Product Description

Puts Eight Leading PC Tools Under One RoofDesigned with the specific needs of home computer users in mind, WordPerfect® Office 12 - Home Edition gives you eight leading home PC tools in one complete package. This compatible, feature-rich, value-packed suite is sure to make your entire household's home-computing experience more enjoyable, creative and secure. From researching projects, creating resumÉs and budgeting expenses to enhancing digital photos, burning music CDs and safeguarding your computer while surfing online, WordPerfect Office 12 - Home Edition has something for everyone! ... Read more

Features

• Encyclopedia Britannica Ready Reference 2005; Norton Internet Security 2005 suite
• 8 leading home PC tools in 1 complete package
• Quattro Pro 12 Home Edition versatile spreadsheets; word processing
• 50+ templates with WordPerfect OfficeReady - Personal Finance Essentials
• Compose and mix music CDs; Corel Photobook and Corel PhotoAlbum

Features

• Perfect solution for multiple-phone users or a family
• Extension of the advanced cell-phone data transfer suite, DataPilot
• Transfer contacts from 1 cell phone to the next in seconds
• Supports the most popular handsets on the market
• Includes 2 PC connectors and 9 different phone connectors

Reviews (14)

Overpriced junk software that is unreliable
First I bought the universal kit for a mind boggling $80, then had to pay $30 for the cable for my phone + $9 shipping handling (I'm supposed to get a $10 rebate, but I'm still waiting). After spending over $100 for this, I installed it, and appeared to have succefully installed the driver for my Audiovox 8910.When I load the DataPilot software and try to connect to COM3 (the Susteen cable), it does not recognize my device. After spending some much time with the ackward install process and having to pay extra for a cheap cable, I am returning this junk.

Very difficult to install! Very poor implementation!!
A very cool idea but not implemented well by this company.

Had to install the software twice. after the software installed, the program asked if I wanted to do "Updates." So I clicked "yes." Nothing happened. It turns out that one has to register the software before one qualifies for an update but there should be a registration form first before the update or even an error message.

After the first install w/updates, I connected the USB cable between the computer and my phone. The USB cable showed up as an "unknown device." [And I did not connect the cable until everything, including updates, was installed.] So I removed the entire installation, did a System Restore and re-installed the software. Then after second install, the program informed me that I had used up all 8 of my handset allowances--my husband and I just purchased 2 Motorola 551s, and I was moving MY cell phone book from my old v60 to the FIRST 551 [which is TWO phones by my count, since I hadn't connected the second 551 at all].

This package is not intuitive at all and does not work well or consistently. I have to agree with most of the other reviewers: it IS one of the worst software/hardware packages I've ever used.

I have been a programmer since 1979, have a degree in Computer Science and several certifications. It's not like I don't have some experience in software design and implementation.

If I don't get some satisfaction from Susteen, I will complain to Best Buy [where I got it] and my credit card company. For $80, it ought to work better than this.

Worked Perfectly
I purchased this product because a year ago I lost my cell phone with a 100 plus numbers in it.I lost over half of them because they were only store in the phone.I still haven't recovered all of the numbers yet.I wich I had this program then.The install was easy.It loaded the driver for the cable then another driver for the phone, which makes sense since they are two different devices.I have a Motorola 551 and the software read it with no problems.Even though it was not important to me at first, the ringtone editor is now my favorite feature.I have loaded many MP3s to my phone, using the Melody Transfer option.I did have to use a different program (Audacity) to reduce the length of the song down to a 30 to 40 second clip.I found that a full song uses a lot of the phone's memory.ALso, the image editor made it easy for me to download the pictures from the phone.I was trying to use the DataConnect part of the program, then I found that with Cingular, I would have to pay for their DataConnect service which is an additional fee, something like $20-$80 per month.Cingular's sytem doesn't let their subscribers log into other ISPs, like Earthlink.When I check more more into this feature, Verizon and T-Mobile services does.The Calandar featured worked fine with my Outlook. I can see myself using it when I travel and I want to put my flight information on the phone.All in all, I like the program and I wished I had it before I lost my phone last year.

Unusable internet connection
If you have any idea that using this software on a laptop with a cell phone would be a passable way to access the internet while on the road... forget it. It is PAINFULLY SLOW. Maybe it works well for sync'ing phone data, maybe it doesn't - either way, buy it on that merit - just don't expect real internet connectivity, or you'll be disappointed.

WORST support ever
Product worked just OK, but would not update.Benny Wong provided smug and terse responses to emails for support, obviously not reading the emails he was answering.Eventually he sent a link to a download that rendered the program completely unusable.After that, he stopped responding to all emails.Now I have a program that won't work and cannot be registered again to reactivate because it is already registered. ... Read more

Product Description

Best Software ACT! 6 for 2004.ACT! 6 for 2004 is the #1 best-selling contact management solution - used by millions and praised by experts around the world. Get instant access to every contact detail to better manage and build your business relationships. Instantly recall every contact detail! ACT! 6 organizes all your customer information in one place to give you instant access to every detail of every relationship. You'll be able to find anyone or any detail in seconds, including names, phone numbers, addresses, notes from previous conversations, upcoming appointment details, call histories, a list of follow-up activities, and much more - for any contact you choose! ACT! even manages your sales pipeline with forecasting tools and built-in reports and allows you to safely share complete customer information with your workgroup. It even works with Outlook, handhelds - both Palm OS and Pocket PC, and paper planners to propel your business to a whole new level.ACT! 6 System Requirements ⢠An IBM PC or equivalent computer with a Pentium 133 Mhz or higher processor ⢠VGA or higher resolution monitor ⢠At least 64 MB of RAM (more memory increases performance) ⢠At least 50 MB of free disk space on your hard disk for installation. (*Note In addition to the disk space required to install ACT!, you need enough disk space to accommodate twice the size of your database when you perform certain functions, such as backing up your database. For example, if your database is 10 MB, you need 20 MB of free disk space.) ⢠CD-ROM drive ⢠A mouse or other pointing device supported by Windows ⢠Windows XP Pro, Windows XP Home, Windows 2000, Windows 2000 Server, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows 98, (Windows 95 is not supported) ⢠Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.5 or later. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Awful, looking for a new contact manager
I had been an ACT user and fan for many years.That ended when I upgraded to ACT 6.I have a 2.8GHz computer with 1GB RAM, and still, ACT can only run if I shut down nearly all the other software. What a joke. I can't look up a customer phone number without shutting down everything else I'm working on. Endless lockups, bugs and problems.Useless waste of money! Shopping for a contact manager that actually runs.

Antique programming and absolutely no support!!
I've been using ACT! for five years. I have to admit I didn't do a lot of research prior to making this purchase and I have to say their marketing sold me on the software. The only contact software I had used previously was Outlook.

I am so frustrated by locking email downloads, corrupted databases, excruciatingly slow execution, software "upgrade" sales pitches every 18 months for upgrades that are totally useless (and expensive) and requests from the current owners of ACT! (four owners of the software company during the 5 years I've been using it!!) for $295 for one year of sofware support that I'm ready to go back to "Gates"ware, as much as I hate that thought.

WARNING!!!! IMHO, do not buy this software! You may very well regret it.

I'm out!
I was using ACT for several years. No considerable complaints with ACT6. But when I upgraded to ACT!7 I was very suprised by its performance. I spent a lot of time waiting it. I'm out! I'll better wait for Goldmine 7 or go to Terrasoft CRM

Worst Upgrade Ever
I have been a faithful ACT loyalist for 7 years...and never been disappointed until this upgrade. It is completely horrible and borderline useless. I have a very high end notebook (3 gigahertz processor and plenty of ram)and this program makes it slow to a crawl. Lookups that were almost instantaneous are now so slow that this program is totally useless. DO NOT BUY IT. I am trying to get a refund and go back to a previous version. If I cannot....I am going to change to another contact manager. Do not waste your money.If you have the previous version...keep it.

No free support, little improvement in years
I've been using ACT! since 1990 so have a huge investment in ACT! data and customization and would be therefore be very reluctant to discontinue its use.However, I'm disappointed with how little the product has improved in these many years. The thing I protest most adamantly is the lack of phone or email support.There's no way to communicate with ACT! support without paying a very high rate.It's not a way to create a good feeling of relationship with customers, and it's frustrating to have only expensive support available. ... Read more

Product Description

iListen 1.6.3 with Headset/Microphone ... Read more

Features

• Easy to install, train and use
• Speech recognition software
• Dictation in normal tone of voice and at a normal pace
• Dictate, format and edit directly in any application
• Correct and Update your Voice Model in almost any Application

Reviews (3)

Takes time, but it works
Just to prove the product works, I am dictating with version 1.6.6 right now.It is about 90 percent accurate for me. I have few complaints except the documentation, and the long list of things you can say often goes back to the beginning when you're further down the list. All in all though, I am happy with the product and I have saved a lot of hand use. It is virtually the only program of its kind for the Mac - you can dictate into any program in which you can type. You might want to consider buying the version without the microphone and purchasing the higher end microphone MacSpeech offers. You cannot go very fast, and you have to say things exactly like it requires, but if you have rsi like I do, it sure helps.

works for me!
I do some pretty arcane dictation with lots of technical vocabulary, and have found the system up to my demands. I have worked at training the system, and it keeps on improving. I do find some of the interfaces a bit awkward to work with compared to the system I use with my PC (Naturally Speaking Standard Edition), but then, I've worked with that system somewhat longer. If the recognition of iListen improves with use as well as Naturally Speaking has, I will change my rating to 5 stars.

Be glad I didn't enter this with iListen
I purchased iListen about three years ago. I found that it might have been useful for verbal commands to control computer functions, but it was useless for dictation. I upgraded to version 1.2.1, patiently went through at least three, new "training" sessions, and still was unable to create useable text via verbal input. When iListen kept sending me e-mail solicitations, I offered to upgrade if they could demonstrate that they had improved accuracy. They replied, "Because there are so many variables, and everyone has a different definition of what is acceptable results, all sales of iListen software are final."

My definition of acceptable dictation was that accuracy wassufficient to permit replication upon proof reading. I would accept errors, but not so different from what I had said that I could not reconstruct my text from its translation. It never even came close. Perhaps my voice is incompatible with iListen, and maybe it will translate your speech accurately. In either case, remember, all sales are final. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The 26 letters of the alphabet equal 26 opportunities to explore,listen, and learn in Alphabet Express Preschool. Add to this a handful ofadded-on games, imaginative short films, and freeform activities, and thisCD-ROM has both appeal and staying power.

As a trainload of critters chugs around the onscreen alphabet, kids click on aletter, and uppercase and lowercase versions fly, bounce, or pour onto the scenein a Sesame Street moment. The letters dissolve to a garden scene forG, an orchestra for O, and so forth. Click on the onion in theorchestra pit, and a kid's voice intones "Onion!" while the squirrel holding thething begins to cry piteously. There are similar scenes for every letter of thealphabet--though designers cheated a bit and combined X, Y, andZ. Kids can also paint different alphabet-emphasizing pictures, play asounding-out/letter-matching game, and look at instructions on how to write eachletter. A separate section of activities includes find-the-hidden-letter games,dot-to-dots that teach alphabetizing, and mazes that must be conquered bymatching objects to their beginning letter. Finally, and most delightfully,there's a movie theater where kids can watch a couple of priceless animatedshorts: one is a James Brown-esque ditty belted out by a chicken, listing the(alphabetized) items that make Hearty Chicken Alphabet Soup so special. Anchors,basketballs, and carburetors are a few of the secret ingredients.

The animation in Alphabet Express isn't smooth, but the audio is lush:O's orchestra section is replete with the dissonant sound of stringstuning up before the symphony; the tired old ABC song gets a hip-hop makeover; ahost of different (and non-annoying) kid and adult voices pronounce letters andguide visitors. Even if this weren't a strong CD-ROM, it'd be worth checkingout, just to learn the remaining ingredients in Hearty Chicken Alphabet Soup.(Ages 3 to 6) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Features

• PC: Microsoft Windows 95/98 or higher, 24 MB RAM, 640x480 16-bit Color Video, 16-Bit Sound Card 486 DX-66 MHz or faster processor,
• 40 MB free disk space, 4x CD-ROM drive
• MAC: Mac OS System 7.5.5 or higher, 24 MB RAM, 640x480, 16-bit Color Video, 16-Bit Sound Card, 40 MB free disk space, 2x CD-ROM drive
• School Zone Interact
• Mac and PC

Reviews (2)

Excellent software for children learning the alphabet
This software is excellent. My four year old would spend hours working with it if I let her. It is most imaginative and clever.

Alphabet Express is fun!
My son who is just over two got this for Christmas and he loves it.There are so many different activities in it that he can be occupied for 20-30 minutes - amazing for a 2-year-old boy.His favorite thing is to "paint" the different pictures.They are so detailed and well animated and there are lots of colors - not just the typical 4 or 5 in some programs.He's not quite ready for some of the more advanced activities that ask you to match letters with pictures of objects that start with that letter.But this just means he'll have plenty to grow into.It's a really good choice. ... Read more

Features

• Imports MIDI's; microphone headset included
• 20-lesson singing tutorial with real-time pitch recognition technology
• Automatically adjusts songs to specific vocal range; sheet music view
• Edit songs or compose new songs with compose mode
• Learn to sing with proper breathing and posture; measure performance

Reviews (8)

Amazing!
Wow I never thought that I could walk into a store and buy a piece of software that got my computer to teach me how to sing. But wow one does actually exist. This is one solid piece of software that really makes a difference.

I heard someone call it a "vocal Coach in a box." Boy where they right on the head with that one. There is no way I could afford vocal coaching for all three of my children so this is a great subsitute.

It gave them all the basic tools they need to learn about how to sing and it gives them a ton of ways of practicing and improving their skills. Lots of songs to choose from and really no end to the skills they can gain.

Caution
This could definitely be something to buy for your children, but be warned: It's very buggy. Expect glitches in the voice recordings analysis. Some notes don't even register in the software when hummed to (which is a very important part of learning a new song).

The cartoon characters are fun, but there is no way to turn them off in the lesson mode. In lesson mode the characters talk, demonstrate the lesson, and then it's your turn to practice. There is no way to bypass the first two steps, which means that you must listen to their entire dialog every time you want to repeat a practice lesson. This gets _very_ annoying when you've repeated a lesson for the 15th time.

The music editor/composer is a nice thing to have, especially for teachers. There are many software glitches here too. The editor is very unintuitive, and has no easy way to copy and paste parts of your composition. This makes creating drills and other practice lessons extremely tedious. Also, the undo and redo operations are very buggy: use at your own risk.

Awesome product!!!
I bought this product for my daughter who has wanted to improve her singing skills. She wants to be an actress. It has helped not only her singing skills but also her confidence when it comes to singing. In addition to be very educational it was also alot of fun.

Singing for joy!
I'm very enthusiastic about this product. Not only has Singing Coach Unlimited improve my awful singing, but it's just such a fun product to use. Since I bought it, me and my friends gather at least once a week (we call it our karaoke night)and just have such an awesome time competing for the best scores. Soon I will be entering a talent show at my high school, thanks to Singing Coach I feel confident that my performance will get lots of cheers!

Band player that couldn't sing
Singing Coach Unlimited is a great product, and I give it two thumbs up. I have always grown up with music in my family and I can play my Tuba great, but when it comes to singing my wife would say I'm no Elvis. I purchased this product to improve my singing secretly so that I could impress my wife at our anniversary. After practicing and practicing I felt and heard a dramatic change in my voice. And when I sung, "When a man loves a woman" to my wife I actually saw tears of joy as she had heard my newfound voice. When she asked me if I had hired a vocal coach I said no honey, I purchased singing coach unlimited and now we are both hooked on the software. ... Read more

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.

The Rosetta Stone Level I program offers a comprehensive course of study for beginning learners, leading to intermediate proficiency. The program contains over 3,500 real-life images and phrases in 92 lessons and more than 250 hours of mastery instruction in listening comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing. Systematic structure teaches vocabulary and grammar naturally, without lists and drills. There are reviews, exercises, and tests for every lesson with automated tutorials throughout the program. (Ages 6 and older) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

TurkishRosetta Stone
After my first lesson I was able to understand and speak more than over a years worth of personal training.
I first learned of the product from an airline publication and was "bargain" hunting for the same product. Amazon saved me almost 50% off what the airline publication was charging!!!
The lesons are complete and very easy to follow. Hats off to Amazon!! ... Read more

Product Description

PaperPort Professional is the first desktop product to combine the power of creating PDF files with the convenience of local or network scanning and the efficiency of document management, into a single, easy-to-use office productivity application. Ideal for individuals, workgroups and enterprise organizations, PaperPort Professional is the most efficient way to work with scanned paper, PDF files and digital documents. Revolutionary new features in version 10 like the innovative split-desktop deliver on the promise of truly effortless document management.

Why should your organization use PaperPort?

• To quickly turn paper into organized digital documents
• Provide a better way to organize documents on your desktop
• Easily create PDFs from Windows applications
• Assemble scanned and digital documents with drag & drop simplicity
• To ensure you never misplace a document, PDF file or photo again

Features

• Find documents, PDF files, photos, and paper instantly
• Efficiently organize, find, and share paper and PDF documents
• Exceptional document management system; high-speed scanning
• Quickly and easily create PDFs from Windows applications
• Assemble scanned and digital documents with drag-and-drop simplicity

Reviews (8)

Back to Paperport 9
I'm a huge fan of Paperport 9; I use it extensively.I was excited to see an upgrade and recently installed PaperPort 10.While the split screen and other features are a nice improvement, the software seems very buggy.

The biggest problem for me is that I can no longer scan multiple page items using an HP OfficeJet scanner.I spoke with their technical support about this issue and was informed that "PaperPort 10 is not as good as PaperPort 9 at scanning and stuff."These were the exact words of one of PaperPort's support engineers.At least this engineer was kind enough to tell me how to best uninstall version 10.

Wait until they get the bugs out. This software doesn't work
I would keep looking.

I installed v10 and was not able to get it working and I am a Microsoft Engineer. I do have a lot of software on my machine but with the lousy support that they have and the fact that they are making you pay to debug their software I would stay away from this unless you want to create headaches for yourself.

On their forums you can find many other users who requested their money back as I had to do.

The worse problem was that it broke the Version 9 that I had that was working and to add insult to injury, after they broke my system I had to pay $20 to have them get it back to working order.

I do not mind paying for support if it is my fault. But if you (scansoft) break it you should fix it.

Someone should tell the support line in India that if you are going to get a fake US sounding name and you are a female you should at least get a female name not one like Allen. This is just indicative of the lack of professionalism on the support line.

When you are a software company and your support line is a profit center you need to be concerned!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would have to agree with the comments previously mentioned.

I have to add a couple more negatives. If you want support, you have to pay for it. You get one free call and that's it. The documentation is weak, the knowledgebase is rediculously weak, and email is billable. The forums are the only free option for support and I have not been able to get a login setup for the forums.

I am a huge fan of OmniPage Pro 14 and I use it all the time. PaperPort will be part of my new routine for the time being. If I find a better product, I will fly quickly away since PaperPort cannot maintain indexes very well.

Paperless Paradise
A business associate turned me onto this product for my agency.Having never used the program I was skeptical.I originally bought the other version of Paperport also called Paperport 10 but not "Professional"Upon investigation it became clear that I made the wrong choice in my attempts to get by on the "cheap", so I decided to return the first copy and to go all out and get the professional version.I also decided I needed a new scanner to work with Windows XP. Mine was old and didn't have a document feeder.Let me tell you, sometimes change is good!After getting used to doing things the paperless way I soon discovered that this program is totally fantastic.One note of advice.If you work with PDF files then you MUST have the "Professional" version.I can't even begin to detail all the new and better ways I have discovered to work.There is a utility called Scan Direct that is great, it comes with another utility called PDF Creater that I cannot live without.I have since decided to get Omnipage and now I can scan in a file to Paperport and convert it to an editable Word document.The whole thing has changed the way I work. I subsequently purchased two more copies for the other workstations that don't even have a scanner.I highly recommend it.

NO NEED UPGRADE FROM VER 9 TO 10
I HAVE USED PAPERPORT FOR MANY YEARS IN OUR INSURANCE AGENCY.WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH ALL THE VERSIONS INCLUDING VERSION 9 WE HAVE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH THE FEATURES.WE SCAN ALL OUR DOCUMENTS AND PHOTOS INTO OUR NETWORK SERVER FOR ARCHIVING.WE HAVE GIVEN AWAY ALL OF OUR PAPER FILE DRAWERS.I PURCHASED VERSION 10 TO TRY IT OUT.I UNINSTALLED IT AND REINSTALLED VERSION 9 PROFESSIONAL THE SAME DAY.VERSION 10 HAS A SINGLE MACHINE INSTALLATION VERIFICATION PROCEDURE THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF.THE CUSTOMER SERVICE OF THIS PRODUCT IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.OTHER THAN THAT, IF YOU CAN GET IT INSTALLED AND CAN AFFORD TO PURCHASE A PROGRAM FOR EACH AND EVERY MACHINE YOU OWN, THEN OK.OTHERWISE I WILL STICK WITH VERSION 9.

I reinstalled Paperport 8
For many years I have used Paperport at home in conjunction with Quicken, scanning receipts, utility bills, etc., and attaching the scanned document to the Quicken register item it pertains to. (I am using Quicken 2001 Deluxe.) This was one of the primary things I'd do with Paperport.Unfortunately, Paperport 10 does not seem to function with Quicken, and as near as I can tell by web surfing, this holds true for newer versions of Quicken as well. The minute Iinstalled Paperport 10 (and it uninstalled Paperport 8) all the linked documents in my Quicken file disappeared!There was no longer an icon on the bottom of the page to export a scanned document to Quicken.

For many people, this may not be an issue, but for me it was a deal-breaker.I uninstalled the thing and reinstalled Paperport 8. ... Read more

Features

• Easy-to-use self-paced lessons let you learn at the rate that suits you best
• Carefully designed by music education professionals, it features 36 lessons that introduce all the important musical concepts
• Let Maestro Max teach you and challenge you while you develop your knowledge of important music concepts and skills
• Covers all the basics of music theory, rhythm, pitch, note reading, listening, and the keyboard
• Use the creative Doodle Pad for composing and hearing your own musical creations on the fly

Product Description

Word 2003 ... Read more

Features

• Read documents more easily online with the new Reading Layout view
• Communicate quickly and effectively with others--internally and across organizations
• Bring information into your documents for more timely access to the information you need
• Quickly find the information you need to complete your work
• Create impressive-looking documents that help you work better together

Reviews (5)

Still the best word processor for Windows.
Word is one of those products which has become a victim of its own success, and automatic features that are more annoying than the conveniences they were intended to be. Another issue is the almost non-existent backwards compatibility with previous versions, meaning that only the simplest layouts are likely to successfully transfer across versions. And it doesn't seem to matter whether you save as a rich text file (.rtf) or a previous version of Word.

To get around these problems, I switch all the auto-format features off, and ship anything that needs to be accurately conveyed as a .PDF (Adobe Acrobat), which Word is highly integrated with. Macros work okay, but are best written up in the macro editor. Text for use outside of Word is best saved as a plain Text file, and any formatting done within the destination application. Framemaker, for example.

Word is a good word processor and is not a DTP application to any useful extent. And used in its word processor mode, it does compare more than favourably with any alternative that I have tried. And that's quite a few. The font options and quality of rendition is particularly good. It's also a good idea to visit and subscribe to word tips, who have a huge amount of advice about Word in general and macros in particular.

All in all, there's not too much to complain about if the aforementioned is observed. Users requiring a more sophisticated product should consider Adobe's Framemaker.

The famously broken bits are still broken.
Pointing out Word's faults is like pointing out the pyramids are crumbling--it may be true, but they're still going to be there. Still, Word's Master Document "feature" is still the surest way to document corruption. And you'd better track down the internet page that gives detailed instructions on the convoluted way you need to set up heading numbering if you want to keep your Word documents from corrupting.

And so on. I doubt anyone cares. Word is a fact of life, no matter if it's constantly falling to bits. The new version's XML support does give you a new path to recovering a corrupted document: saving to XML and then converting that file back to Word format has saved me some time on a couple of occasions.

We use Word because we have to. On those occasions when I don't have to, I use WordPerfect, because I like to actually produce things, not spend my time dealing with software problems.

Justified Upgrade for some, but not all
Word 2003 is more powerful than ever.Unfortunately, most of the new features are aimed primarily towards large business.As a result, many end-users simply won't need them (or be able to use them).The users who will benefit most from upgrading are corporate users or users purchasing bundles with new PCs.

Pros:

Instant Messaging support is now integrated with Office applications.However, only MSN messenger is used.Users who predominantly use Yahoo, trillian, jabber, or ICQ will not find any utility in this feature, without signing up for a messenger account.

The user interface has changed for the better, and matches the Windows XP interface better.Personally, I like it.Also, fonts are rendered better, and consequently documents will look better on laptops (no more jagged edges).

The Reading Layout feature splits the text into a two column format for easier reading (think newspaper).

If you have Microsoft Server and SharePoint services installed on your network, you can share and track changes to word documents.Nice feature, but requires a significant investment on server software.

When typing an hypertext link, word no longer reformats the font of the URL.

Cons:

Product activation, which requires network access.

All of the Office applications now have a blended help system that first checks help files online first, before getting local help files.

XML is useless for end users.Programmers who use Word to write XML will find that Word no longer tries to autocorrect much of the XML, but you will still have the annoying red underline on many of your XML tags because the spellchecker flags them as misspelled.

Still, I think it makes a worthy upgrade for 97/2000 users, but XP users will find the expense difficult to justify.More specifically, if you are an end user without a lot of Microsoft back end software installed on your network (Windows 2000/2003 Server, SharePoint services, etc.) I would think very carefully before upgrading.

Keeps On Getting better
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.

Just keeps getting better!
I was lucky enough to get Office 2003 before the official release date.Microsoft has done a nice job on the interface.Everything looks cleaner, and it will pop up useful sidebars on the righthand side (such as the clipbook for pasting items you have copied, help items, etc).

Another thing about the interface is that it meshes nicely with Windows XP themes.It will take a soft blue color when paired with Windows XP's default theme.All of the bars will be blue.This is nice on the eyes.The same goes with silver - everthing will match.

As for upgrading to 2003 from older versions... this is a tough call.If you have Word XP, I would be hard pressed to tell you to upgrade.Even Word 2000 does a fine job.I don't know if there are enough new bells and whistles in this to warrant upgrading.If you like to have the newest of everything however, this is the best word processor out there for PCs.

For those of you on a tight budget, thers is hope.As good as Microsoft Office products are, there is a FREE alternative.You may want to give OpenOffice 1.1 a download.It is completely free and open source, and most importantly, compatible with Microsoft documents (word, excel, etc). ... Read more

Features

• Disaster recovery; intuitive user interface; easy to use
• Powerful migration tool for transferring info to a new PC
• Selectively migrate info at higher transfer speeds
• Moves all programs, settings, and data files
• Save to removable media for backup protection

Reviews (8)

Ultra control?No, ultra frustration!
I purchased PC Relocator Ultra Control after reading favorable reviews in two leading PC magazines.I should have paid more attention to the opinions of real users.

Loading the software on my old and new computers was straightforward, but the actual transfer of programs and files was anything but. My old computer ran under Windows 98SE; my new one has Windows XP.Like another Amazon reviewer with the same operating systems, I was confronted with the user name "mismatch" between the two machines that he described in his remarks.The instructions provided for resolving this problem were unclear--at least to me.

When I finally was able to proceed with the migration,I was left with a mess on my new computer.When PC Relocator transferred my data files, it moved only about half of them.The error log that was provided after the transfer showed--next to the file names--that the remaining files were not found.Yet these files were stored in the same directories and subdirectories as other files that were transferred successfully.I could find no pattern to what was moved and what wasn't.Furthermore, my e-mail messages were all thrown into my inbox folder in Outlook, even though they were stored in numerous other folders on my old computer.It would have taken me hours to move the files to their correct folders on my new computer.

I exhausted my options to get technical assistance from Eisenworld, the manufacturer. The web site noted that it could take several days to receive a response to an e-mail question.I didn't want to wait that long.I then tried to set up a "live chat" session on the web site with a technical support representative.No representatives were available. The Ultra Control version of PC Relocator comes with "free telephone support," so I called the company.All I got was a message saying that no one was available, and, if I left my number, someone would return my call (no indication of when).My last attempt was to use the "pay for support" option at $19.99 per hour, despite being entitled to free support.I figured that they would certainly have someone on the line for people who were willing to pay.Wrong!No technician.No "please wait for the next available representative."Just another "leave your name and number..."And this was all during normal business hours!

If, despite what you have read, you still want to try this product, don't purchase the box with the CD, as I did.Download the software instead from Eisenworld's web site.You'll have fewer hassles if you decide later to return it--which, based on the experiences of users like me who have reviewed this product--is a strong possibility.Eisenworld does not allow a merchant to refund your purchase directly, no matter who sold the product to you.You'll instead need to get an RMA number from Eisenworld (which is a pain in itself, since they don't respond quickly to your request).Then you'll need to ship the box to Eisenworld in Florida, after which you'll wait several weeks for your check, minus, of course, any sales tax or shipping fees you paid.If, however, you purchased the software from Eisenworld and downloaded the program files from the web site, they will issue your refund directly to your credit card.

The only good thing I can say about this product is that the "undo" feature works.I was able to reverse the faulty transfer of my my files and restore everything to its original state.That's small consolation, as I wasted many hours in a futile attempt to get this product to work.In the end, I bought an external hard drive and used it to transfer my files. That process also took time, but everything was moved properly, and I now have a second hard drive both for back-up and extra storage.It's what I should have done in the first place.

Clone Wars
Maybe this product would work for cloning identical systems, but for moving from an old computer to a new one? WORTHLESS. I wish I'd read the other reviews before I'd bought a copy at a local store.

I have no idea how the transfers would have performed -- I ran into so many restrictions that I never let it do anything.

1) My old W98SE machine had only one "user" on it... "default"; since W9x had no effective protection, I never bothered to create a "username" for it, but left it at the factory default. The new machine is a WXP (Pro) box, so of course I have accounts created.

The program complained that the WXP "root" (admin) account was not the same as the W9x "default" account. It wanted me to create an admin privileged account named "default" for "proper operation" (and, naturally, can't be run from a non-admin account).

2) The old box, partly to minimize the disk wastage on small files, had lots of partitions:
C: M$ OS and applications
D: 3rd party applications
E: swap file and TEMP directory (only 1GB)
F: games and downloaded files
G: text (wordprocessor, excel, database, programming source, etc.)
H: graphics (digital camera, scanner, 3d-renders; not downloaded)
I: MP3 files, and archived images
J: Intended for digital video captures
K: Intended for digital video to-be-burned
L: scratch stuff (archived downloaded installers)

C/E/F were on a 30GB drive
D/G/H were on a 40GB drive
I/J/K/L were on an external 160GB drive.

New machine had a 400GB drive split into:
C: OS and applications (50GB)
E: 275GB data (there's a few hidden DELL support partitions, and a 50GB space reserved for a Linux install).

Does PC Relocator let me specify where to put stuff? NO... It almost gloats about that. If a source partition does not have a matching writeable destination partition, it creates a C:/partition name. The only option the user has is to accept a partition transfer, or ignore it.

If you look at the above, this meant that ONLY the swapfile/temp data partition on the old machine would be move to the data partition of the new one (and that's the one partition I wouldn't be transferring). All the rest, close to 80GB worth, was going to be put into subdirectories of my 50GB C: (which already had 10GB of M$ software/OS installed). It was easier to just make all partitions on the old machine shareable, and then mount them on the new one, followed by dragging their contents to the desired destination...


3) In association with the above, the "relocated" applications would still be stuck in, in my case, a "C:/D" directory tree.

At the very least, this application should have allowed the user to EDIT the destination path for each source partition and, to live up to the box gloats, should let one specify a new destination for each application. It should then modify the related registry entries that it is copying. Heck, Partition Magic had a utility that could adjust the registry and INI files to allow for partition letter changes.

Unreliable Relocator Ultra Uncontrollable
I'm now on my 6th try to use AlohaBob PC Relocator.
I have been online 10 years and am a web professional.
This program does not follow instructions.
I set up the transfer in expert mode and low and behold PC Relocator keeps transfer documents I specifically instructed it not to !
On this last try, Im just 'letting' it transfer whatever 'it' decides toto my new pc.
When it's done, I ll delete the files it erroneously transferred over and then I'm turning the disk into a flying projectile and brak it into million pieces against my wall out of sherr frustration.


DON'T BUY THIS PIECE OF JUNK !

Not for the faint of heart...like me!
As I had only begun, the program crashed my old Dell with Windows ME.I was unable to contact Tech Support because they take weekends off.I am returning this product to Amazon, and it isn't their fault.I should have taken heed by the other reviewers not to purchase this program.

UNMITIGATED DISASTER!DON'T USE IT!!!
Not only did PCR UC fail to properly transfer applications from the old machine to the new one, the garbage it created in the process created many problems on the new machine.After all the time I spent on the phone with tech support at the various application vendors, it would have been quicker and cheaper to just manually reinstall the applications.For simple files and settings, the transfer wizard built into windows will do the trick.Don't wast your money or your time on this product. ... Read more

Product Description

Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2005 provides essential protection from viruses, hackers, and privacy threats. Norton AntiVirus™ is the world's most trusted antivirus solution. Norton™ Personal Firewall keeps personal data in and hackers out. And Norton™ Privacy Control, Norton AntiSpam™, and Norton™ Parental Control safeguard you and your family from other common online risks.

Norton AntiVirus™:

• Norton™ Internet Worm Protection stops certain damaging Internet worms at the point of entry.

• Automatically turns the firewall back on after a set period of time if you need to turn it off temporarily.

• Confidential information blocking now lets you send personal data to sites you trust while protecting you from sending it to sites you don't.

• Filters email coming to Yahoo!® Mail accounts.
• Helps detect and filter fraudulent and explicit email.
• Automatically synchronizes its Allowed List with your POP3 email address books.

• Works with Outlook to filter junk email from Hotmail® and MSN® Mail accounts.

Features

• Parental Control blocks access to inappropriate Web sites and newsgroups
• Essential protection from viruses, hackers, and privacy threats
• AntiVirus; Personal Firewall keeps personal data in and hackers out
• Privacy Control prevents personal info from being sent out without approval
• AntiSpam filters out unwanted email and helps protect against email fraud

Reviews (10)

Norton Anti-Spam is a hoax; how can they do this to us?
I have been using Norton internet security software for several years; I suppose the anti-virus and the firewall parts of their current package work OK; certainly they never stop up-grading, almost daily, to my considerable irritation.But the "AntiSpam" is a joke!I tell "AntiSpam", in the "Rules", to treat any e-mail with "Rate", "rate", "Rates" or "rates" in the "from" space as spam.But e-mail with these words in the "from" space get through ALL THE TIME.Is it so very hard to write software to check whether any of these four little words (or any four little words) are in a "from" space? I could give several other examples of the total failure of Norton AntiSpam to do anything like it claims to do, involving equally simple tasks like the "rates" one.I usea Pentium 4 at 2.5G with oceans of hard drive space.I think some, or all the, people at Symantec should be ashamed of themselves for foisting such a less-than-worthless hoax on us, the buyers.I say "less-than-worthless" because it wastes good hard drive space which could be used for better purposes, and because it suggests a false sense of security, at least for a while.If you are thinking of buying this product, please don't.Maybe if sales go down, then Symantec will decide to try and give some value for money.

Antispam fails, tech support fails
I've used Norton for many years with only minor annoyances and irritations, things I could live with because Norton is given high antivirus effectiveness ratings. This version taught me its time to find another. My three major issues: crashes, antispam, and tech support.
Crashes: My wireless laptop (just a normal Toshiba Satellite) crashes & reboots on startup, repeatedly. Workaround: disable Norton until after the system boots.
Antispam. Flat out does not work, on three different systems, my Toshiba laptop, my HP Pavillion desktop, my Dell desktop. Works for awhile, but eventually locks up outlook (both 2002 & 2003 versions). Sometimes crashes or locks up my entire system.
Tech support: A not-very-funny-joke. They take weeks, even more than a month to respond. They respond with cookbook fixes. They even repeated themselves once. I've spent over 6 months trying to get some resolution. Ha-Ha.
Bottom line, I've dropped Norton from my list. I can not trust their product or services. There's nothing left.

NIS is Crap.
I really like what Norton/Symantec wants to do. We need some tools to stop adware, spyware, popups etc etc. But I think Norton is going about it totally wrong.

Firstly they have a default list of blocks/permits which I think have been really badly chosen. Legitimate sites just don't work now.

Its totally crazy that a whole range of sites don't work when NIS is on. There also is no clear cut method for legitimate website developers to build around NIS because they seem to change their concept all the time.

NIS inserts javascript into every page that you open and often it inserts it in the wrong place and therefore gives errors on the browser. This will make some pages not open or not behave correctly.

If it works badly most of the time, I'd rather just turn it off. Then if I anyway leave it turned off... I'd rather just uninstall it. If I've uninstalled it... why pay and buy the damn thing in the first place.

Guys at Norton.... You've built great products in the past but this one is just nuts.

Norton Internet Security 2005
TERIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE.My life is too short to deal with this c$#p!I only wish I had read the reviews before I bought this junkie software.I also was a loyal Norton customer.I remember using Norton utilities in the good-old days of DOS and I never had any problems.Unfortunately, I suspect that Mr. Norton has long ago sold out to Symantec and he's on a beach somewhere.Now we have to deal with a faceless, heartless (and money grubbing) corporation.The anti-spam feature works intermittently and unreliably.Further, customer support is a JOKE.Here's the lesson I've learned:Before buying any important software or hardware, check the internet for user reviews!Ignore the "editor" reviews since that's nothing more than corporate hype.

PS.If you look at the customer reviews in this section, see if you can find the one that sounds like a corporate ad.I'll bet that guy works for Symantec.;-)

Great difficulty with Intrusion detection
There is a great deal of difficulty with installation errors especially with the Intrusion detection feature.Many of the home customers that I support are not sophisticated enough to go through the knowledge base solutions in order to fix these "permissions" problems.Also,sometimes they don't even work.I have to install and reinstall the software several times without success.
This is the first time in 14 years of using Norton products that I have had these problems.I am seriously considering switching to Zone Alarm Pro Security Suite. ... Read more

Product Description

You Scan. It Types! The IrisPen Executive is a pen sized scanner that allows you to enter data (text, numbers, bar codes and handwritten numbers) into any Windows® and Mac application. What you get is real editable text, right at the cursor position. You save time and you even enjoy that tedious data-entry. Simply slide the IrisPen over the text you want in your application! ... Read more

Features

• Handheld pen-sized OCR scanner
• Scans up to 1,000 characters per second
• Supports up to 56 foreign languages
• Reads font sizes from 6 to 22 points
• Text-to-speech lets you hear what you've scanned

Reviews (18)

Bad, bad, bad
Even if I carefully followed the instructions, it was impossible to get a clean text. Almost every word I scanned had one or two mistakes.The time to correct those mistakes amounts to the time it would take to type the text with two fingers, as I always type. Inshort, I have the Iris Pen "Executive" in the closet and I don't think I will ever use it again.

Excellent Scanner
The recognition is surprisingly good and it is very easy to use. I am a college professor and it has been a helpful tool in preparation for class.

This baby adjusts for colored backgrounds
This is not so much a review as a heads up to the reviewer (Roy Herron) who said it was useless to him because he scans on colored backgrounds.You can adjust for background color on the Executive model just for this purpose.You said you bought from a seller, so I'm guessing that you didn't get all the documentation with your purchase.So, call ReadIris Tech Support (1-(561)-921-0847) and they can tell you how.I use mine for scanning barcodes when packing books.Makes it easy to keep track of what's in each box.

Does not work on multi color forms...
This product is great for grad school in the stacks, but I purchased it to rapidly copy forms at the court house.It does not work for this application since the forms are shaded where I need to copy.The shaded area of the forms have the information I need to scan.OOPS, my bad for not checking this out at Best Buy or Circuit City to make sure it would work for my narrow application.So, I'm buying a portable flat bed scanner that can function in B/W mode.

It makes this a pretty worthless purchase for me; and I can't send it back to the seller.I wish I had purchased it from Amazon instead of from a seller, then I'd be able to return it for a refund.I'm kind of stuck with it now.

So, while it does work for normal B/W scanning, it does not work for me in one narrow application.Don't buy this thing if you need it to primarily copy data from back shaded text.

Wonderful
I initially submitted a review describing this product as terrible. However, after spending a number of hours frustrated with the results I finally found the solution to my problems. The solution lay in moving the brightness cursor in the scan test to the darkest possible position. Once I did this the success rate rose from less than 50% to around 99%. I'm hoping it will improve even further as I get used to using the scanner. One happy and relieved customer!! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Covers Everything!
From Pre-Algebra to Calculus, this collection of CDs covers every level of math that is taught in high school. Don't let the "high school" label fool you--the Calculus CD is good for college kids and the Pre-Algebra and Algebra discs are suitable for middle schoolers, especially with some schools now teaching Algebra I in eighth grade.

The examples are presented well, and are worth writing down. There are enough practice problems on each section to supplement what is in a textbook, and they too are well done.

One thing to note--I bought my MPM in May 2003, and at that time the Calculus CD did not have a Mac OS X native version. It runs fine through Classic, though.

Review for parents
I am very pleased with this CD.It does a great job of explaining math concepts, demonstrating problems, and allowing for return demonstration.I reviewed several pages of math CD's and even bought another CD.All of the reviews I read sited technical problems and the one CD I purchased had multiple errors preventing it from installing properly.I have not had any of these problems with this CD.If your child struggles with math concepts, this is the CD you want to consider.My child loves it!

Great for Adults
The middle school version of this program has been criticized as being overly childish in its presentation of the material.Let me assure you that this criticism does not apply to the high school version.This intelligently organized software is an excellent way for any adult to review high school mathematics from basic math and algebra to elementary calculus.If you weren't exactly paying attention in your high school algebra class this software is an excellent way to get ready for that first pre-calculus class in college.

Great Math Learning Software!
This math learning software is great for any kind of student!I purchased this software looking for some brush ups, however, they have brush up material plus!First of all, you can start all the way back at pre-algrebra.(If you don't have an understanding of basic Math, I do not suggest that you purchase this software right away)I didn't personally need pre-algebra software for my use, but I did have to use the algebra software.I am able to stay ahead of my class with it by simply reading and listening to the chapters inside the software.Every chapter you look at has step by step information on how to solve the problem.

If you are looking for more advanced mathematics help, I still suggest this software.The Algebra 2/Advanced Algebra software starts off with a nice review of Algebra 1.It covers factoring, etc.It's the same software as the Algebra 1 software, so you will still recieve all of the information that is needed to understand how to solve the problem.This goes for the Geometry as well.

I have yet to try the trigonometry software yet, but I would say that, from seeing the other cd's, it's just as good.

If you are looking for in depth info on Calculus, I would highly suggest that you look for pre-calculus help first.The calculus software skips when the instructor is talking, but he doesn't miss words.It does get annoying, however, when you can't listen to a steady voice without a skip in the middle of every other sentence.

I give this software five stars because it give you a great understanding of pre-algebra, algebra, algebra 2, and geometry.I am still unsure about trigonometry at this time, and the calculus software needs to be fixed.If you are looking for a home study course, advancement, or you want to brush up, this is the perfect software for you!

Invaluable software....
To master math you need to master the rudiments of arithmetic, fortunate for you this set of 6CD's is one of your best chance to understand numbers and their relationships. The first CD starts with the basic(addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals etc..) like all of the CD's it has definitions of terms which is crucial to understanding arithmetic because we reason with numbers and if you don't know the meaning of terms.. how are you going to reason? which that's one of the prominent reasons why many people don't understand arithmetic. Another essential feature's like definition it has "rules" and "formulas" which rules gives you the principles to solving a specific problem and formulas gives you a visual look at the different formulas so you can distinguish them apart so you can apply the rules! by overtime you will get the hang of it and EVENTUALLY, EVENTUALLY you'll understand everything and it will open the doors to many things(physics, chemistry, etc..) this software has some step-by-step procedure on certain problems to enhance your understanding to make things lucid. Overall I put it through rigorous testing... trying it at different mood modes from dead tired to wide awake... if your crying for help on arithmetic then this has your name on it. ... Read more

Product Description

Fast, easy, and completeThis easy-to-use tool will enable even the most inexperienced marketer to create and implement practical marketing plans to find customers, raise awareness of your business and increase sales. Let Marketing Plan Pro 6.0 walk you through the "ABCs" of marketing planning to quickly produce a professional and complete plan.

• Chose from over 70 Sample PlansDon't worry about writer's block-get started and finished fast, with all the examples you need from a variety of industries.
• Find Your CustomersThe software will lead you through the process of learning who your customers are, what their needs are and help you create a plan to reach them.
• Understand the TerminologyLearn and use accepted marketing tools including SWOT Analysis, channel strategy, sales and expense budgets, and milestones.
• PlusImport and export information from your existing software, including Microsoft Word®, Excel® and Business Plan Pro 2003®.

Reviews (5)

For Amateurs
I am a professional marketing manager, and this product was a great disappointment. We purchased it because of the great reviews, but I found it to be very cumbersome. The entire program is created in some sort of Web design software, and your documents are formatted in HTML. If you do not like the plain-jane layout that it offers you, YOU MUST GO IN AND EDIT THE HTML CODE to change it. In addition, the entire program was designed around marketing PRODUCTS so if you have a service based industry, or combination, you will spend great amounts of time deleting and adding categories. I finally gave up on the program and transferred everything over to Word. The only thing good about this software is the samples it provides, which I could have obtained free from a textbook. I wish I had my money back.

Not For Students
This program works great if you are trying to open a business from the beginning, but not for writing a plan for an existing business. I had to write a marketing plan for a class and it was helpful but there are many more resources out there that would be better.

Excellent Marketing Resource
I was referred to this product through a contact at the American Marketing Association.What a great piece of advice!

This is impressive software from every perspective.I found it easy to use, the content is excellent throughout, and the sample marketing plans were amazing.Check out "Interior Views" for example.The other resources, including the associated book, were also valuable for me.

My marketing plans looks great and I would not have been able to accomplish this task so efficiently without this software.

The New Version is Even Better
The latest version of Marketing Plan Pro has everything you need to create a solid marketing plan, and now it has an impressive library of sample plans.I found a couple plans that were very helpful to me as I created mine.

This sofware saved me hours and my marketing plan looks awesome!

It made me look like a marketing guru
I first learned about Marketing Plan Pro through a class I took that used Kotler's "Marketing Managment" text where the software is mentioned.This software was so helpful in creating a marketing plan, I just can't imagine doing one without it.Great wizards, good sample plans, and the graphics it created for me were incredible.

The plan looks great, my boss was blown away, and it is the easiest way for me to keep my marketing plan current and useful.

I recommend it without hesitation. ... Read more

Product Description

Best Software Peachtree Complete Accounting 2005 - Accounting - PCPeachtree Complete Accounting includes the robust, multi-user ready accounting features you want, and helps provide the valuable insight you need. Better manage your accounting and business with advanced features such as in-depth inventory, job costing, time and billing and fixed assets. Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theBest Soft PCW2005RT - PEACHTREE COMPLETE ACCOUNTING 2005 and all other Best Soft Software - Misc ... Read more

Features

• New-company setup wizard; multiple help options
• Robust, automated accounting features for small businesses
• Bill paying; check writing; invoicing; payroll solutions; audit trails
• In-depth inventory; over 125 reports; customizable forms
• Peachtree Today for an instant snapshot of business financials

Reviews (8)

Best Software Has Destroyed Peachtree
The "old" Peachtree and Peachtree Complete were good products.They allowed for essentially unlimited departments in the general ledger and multi-department payroll.Best's Peachtree calls these "segments" and forces you to purchase the too expense Peachtree Premium to get just FIVE departments.Their fixed asset system is limited to 200 assets...totally unacceptable....They are trying to force an upgrade to their MAS line of products.

It's a shame that they seem to want kill it.I've used Peachtree for nearly 20 years.The earlier versions were much more user friendly.I used to use Peachtree for a 300 person, multi-department payroll and for public accounting, departmentalization, and multi-company consolidation.I wouldn't recommend that anyone attempt this with Peachtree's current versions.Peachtree used to be the go to company for small business accounting....through Best Software's greed, they have been eclipsed by Intuit's Quickbooks.

Avoid Peachtree/Best Products at all costs.

Use with Caution.....
Unless your a bookkeeper geek, Peachtree is not something you can do alone.For those who enjoy bookkeeping and have assistance from a some-time Accountant, it is sufficently flexible to handle your needs.It's not cheap and to evaluate properly consider: training, 3rd party charges and Best Software nickel and diming you for every little thing. For example, this upgrade is totally unnecessary, except to obsolete their earlier versions.One finds very little changing and what does change, is unimpressive -- most items on the above feature list are not new.

Full of Bugs and Slow
We are forced here to give it one star - The program deserves NONE!

We couldn't agree more with the comments below. The product is
extremely unreliable and slow. We have been struggling with this for several years now and the last upgrade seemed to have made things even worse. We will have to look for another program.
Not recommended

There are better software out there!
Please look around and be more futuristic.
Peachtree has lots of unfixed bugs and is out dated. I tested some software and found some really good, with reasonable price: BusinessWorks, Small Business Manager (microsoft.com), Quick Business Manager (bisaim.com),Vision Point 2000 (ACCPAC), BusinessVision 32 (Softline).

Good Luck in your search.

Hard Har Har, Very complex!
We are not in an industrial age any more! We want better software, much easier to use, and better interface.Why Peachtree is that hard? Remember DOS? How hard it was when Windows came about? Now peachtree is like that if you have used better software: Old tech.

... Read more