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KUDOS FOR ISSUE #68

Yep, chalk up another 10 points for ON DISK MONTHLY. Great
job. Sure do like the .PCX graphics. Would like to see more
of those. The ones for Print Shop were real nice, also.

I'll get a couple dozen hours of enjoyment out of this disk.
Keep up the good work.

                                  Ron Hawkins
                                  Whiting, IN

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SAYS WE'RE LISTENING

Regarding my comments about issue #67, I would say that you
took my suggestions very seriously. I suggested the menu was
too slow--you speeded it up; I suggested you could add more
mouse support--you added a LOT of mouse support; I suggested
that several of the programs were too text-based--you added
more programs with increased graphics. You've been listening
and responding.

Great job on the "Brain Teaser," "Square One," and "ODM
Indexer Update" programs! Especially the fact that you are
going to make the "ODM Indexer Update" a regular feature of
ODM. Great thinking...I love it! Anything that will help me
reduce the amount of work to maintain my ever-increasing
software collection is greatly appreciated. Also, the
increased use of mouse buttons and mouse support in the menu
structure and programs was really a bonus. It was exciting
to find that there was even mouse support in some of the
programs (like the PCX Clip Art Viewer), even though there
was no "formal" mouse cursor.

Keep up the improvements and continue to make your product
the best available on the market.

                                  Fred Reese
                                  Kennett Square, PA

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NOT HAPPY WITH NEW INTERFACE

I am disgusted with the new interface, as of issue #67. If I
wanted a Prodigy look-alike/act-alike, I would have kept my
Prodigy subscription. Even on a fast 386 the wait for the
menu is much too long, and actually having to hit a key,
twice, instead of just clicking the mouse again, after
selecting an option, takes away all that was gained when
you made the menu mouse friendly several months ago.

As for the advertisements that are the reason for the long
wait for the menu, please put them where I can look at them
(including the wait) if I feel like looking at them. I won't
accept ads that are shoved down my throat.

I also noticed that some of the programs had screens that
LOOKED like a Graphical User Interface, which one would have
reasonably expected to be mouse friendly ("Word-Up" comes
immediately to mind), but the mouse did nothing for the
programs.

I wasn't all that thrilled when you started heading toward a
GUI interface for the menu anyway, but at least the one that
you had (before) was tasteful and not too intrusive.

                                  Edward R. Shoulta
                                  Memphis, TN

EDITOR'S NOTE: We solved the menu slowness problem on issue
#68. And this issue gives you the option of "turning off"
the ads--though none contain large graphics that will slow
down the menu. We've made the menu more attractive, and our
recent issues HAVE contained more "mousable" programs than
ever before (this trend will continue). We will, in fact, be
adding mouse support to Word-Up in a future issue--as well
as the ability to "read" previously published "Word-Up" quiz
files into a copy of the program (keep reading the Word-Up
Help text for this documentation). In regard to how the
mouse works in the menu, you're seeing pretty standard mouse
action (thanks to Macintosh and Windows influences). A
single click selects something for copying, etc., but a
"double-click" (in rapid succession) on an icon runs or
opens it. Finally, you mention "Word-Up" as an example of a
text program than has a "GUI-looking" interface. You're
right--all our programs will now sport a consistent look and
use consistent commands. Our "GUI" is here to stay. Read the
"Editor's Corner" on this issue for more on how and why the
"new" menu system was developed.

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WANTS TO PRINT LABELS

Thanks for the Bonus Disk and my first shipment, issue #67.
Regarding "Label Printer" on the Bonus Disk, could you alter
it to include a phone number and make it usable as both a
telephone directory and label printer...similar to the
Commodore's "Name Game"?

I have had a C-64 for eight years. The "Name Game/Word Game"
program was included with the original purchase and I have
probably used the "Name Game" more than any other single
program. As you probably know, "Name Game" allows each entry
to be used in two different categories and permits the
inclusion of several bits of information about the entry.
Then it can be printed either as a two-column telephone
directory or as mailing labels. Can your program be revised
or is there a program similar to the "Name Game" available
for MS-DOS?

                                  Florien Wineriter
                                  Salt Lake City, UT

EDITOR'S NOTE: You'll find several "label-making" programs
in our Back Issue Catalog, but you seem to want a program
more like "Address Book" (issue #68) that also prints
labels. As published, "Address Book" prints a telephone
directory and card file cards. Looks like you've given us a
good idea for an addition to "Address Book."

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                  SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
                  Attn: Ronda Faries
                  ODM Mailbag
                  606 Common St.
                  Shreveport, LA 71101

Letters may be edited for clarity and length or to highlight
specific ideas or questions. No anonymous letters will be
published. Please include your full name, city and state.