This software was installed without a hitch. I just popped in the CD, ran Setup from the Windows 3.1 file manager and clicked a few more times and that was it!! One of the nicest features during the installation was that Netscape Navigator 2.01 is supplied along with the program so that you can go onto the Internet and access more current information regarding the particular subject you want to know about. You are also provided with Internet access from Concentric Network Corporation but you are not required to use their service to connect to the Internet. If you have an existing Internet account, you are allowed to configure Netscape to work with your existing provider or not to install it at all. The CD is an encyclopedia in and of itself, but it has an added strength in it's ability to go on the Internet and get links to multiple dynamic sites on the World Wide Web (WWW) to help you with your household chores and tasks.
Home Improvement Encyclopedia, version 3.0 on CD-ROM is the weekend handy man's dream companion. It allows you to search not only on the CD, but further than you ever thought possible by connecting you to the Internet. If you are planning a project, like to tinker around the house and do fix it jobs or just want to learn more about your house and how things work in it, then this software package is for you. If you are like me, you will find it an invaluable partner for getting you out of trouble or better yet, avoiding it in the first place by doing things the right way.
In the program itself, the menu is point and click easy. Have a question about tools, painting, electrical problems, heating and cooling, decks, landscape or even house or yard structure, then there is information available. Simply click on the large, easy to see icon and you are presented with topics and related subjects. You may also utilize the search tool to find more specific information. Type in the word, and the program gives you a choice of reading any or all of the items it finds that contain the search keyword.
The overall feel of the program was good and the menus were very easy to use. Topics may include illustrations, photos, videos or animations. The program also provides a Media Player that works in Windows, which allows you to display the videos. One feature of the software that I found particularly attractive was the Home Inspector, which takes about 5 minutes when you first install the program. It then generates a list of seasonal tips custom selected for your home based on your answers to a few questions. It is not comprehensive, but it does generate some good sense ideas.
Another feature is the Applets; there are two types, Selectors and Estimators. Selectors allow you to select materials from a database according to your individual needs. Estimators calculate the amount of material you need for a specific project. Obviously, this makes planning a project and actually carrying out the project more likely.
Although I haven't needed it, technical support is available either by calling a long-distance number or sending e-mail to their Web site. The software is available by calling 800-242-4546 x136 or by contacting their Web site at http://www.btw.com.
Larry Grosskopf is a clinical psychologist at the San Antonio State
Hospital.