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AutoRun is the handy Windows feature that automatically starts a program when, for example, you insert a CD-ROM in your PC's drive. Whether you're a network administrator or a newbie, an installation program that starts right up with a professional-looking interface is a reassuring sight. Good installation programs don't design themselves, though. Someone put it all together and put it on disk. You can, too, with AutoRun Pro Enterprise II from Longtion. It's designed to let anyone create interactive front ends for downloads, CD-ROMs, and other such applications, regardless of skill level. It lets you bring … Read more

TreeDraw enhances family trees imported into the program from "Kith and Kin Pro" databases or from GEDCOM files produced by other genealogy programs. Once you import your family tree data into TreeDraw, you can add text, photos, and graphics to the file or combine family trees.

TreeDraw's interface is easy to navigate and use. The Help file automatically launches the first time you open the program. It offers tutorials on getting started with TreeDraw as well as a PDF version of the user manual. TreeDraw is a great application for genealogy buffs who have family data saved … Read more

Back in the late 1980s when Jane's Addiction was in its prime, I saw an interview where front man Perry Farrell was asked about sales figures for their albums. His response: "If I wanted to sell records, I'd work in a record store." He knew that the key to success was touring, which the band did almost incessantly for about three years.

Flash forward 20 years, and it's harder than ever for artists to make a living selling CDs. According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, a speaker at the Future of Music Coalition … Read more

Stockwatch is a very basic way to view and monitor your stock values. With a setup that is incredibly simple to navigate and provides just the essential numbers, this is a great tool for beginning stock traders.

We had no trouble with the program's interface, since it was built with Excel and is basically a well-designed spreadsheet. At no point in running this program did we feel like we needed any guidance. We enjoyed the simplicity of Stockwatch; it contained simply a tab for Current stocks and one for Sold stocks. The program smartly included a box to fill … Read more

Ace Pro Screensaver Creator allows users to create screensavers using their photos. However, the program hits a home run by providing all the tools to protect and sell that screensaver.

We were surprised and very satisfied with this program's interface. A helpful wizard allowed us to input all the necessary pictures and data through a menu screen without needing to visit the Help file. The wizard allowed us to collect the perfect number of pictures, choose the transition times, and customize the effects for those transitions. These tools worked great for us, but were nothing out of the ordinary … Read more

Label Spirit Professional offers to help design custom labels for any purpose. With a simple layout and a fantastic level of control, this is a great program to meet shipping needs.

We were struck by how much this program's interface looked like a boring graphic design program with its menus of design options, but immediately felt at home while working through its helpful wizard. We surfed through the program's list of labels and were pleased to find practically every brand and style imaginable. The word-processing tool to input addresses was nothing outstanding, but very functional. The program really … Read more

MySlideShow Gold is an easy-to-use program that allows users to create basic photo slideshows. We were pleased with the program's intuitive layout and useful--if not mind-blowing--features.

The program's interface is comprised of a series of panes and it took us a moment to get a grasp on how it was organized, but it soon became clear. One box shows a tree-style display of the contents of the user's computer, which makes it easy for users to navigate to the photos they want to use. Once they select the appropriate folder, its contents are displayed in another pane, … Read more

ASCII Art Marker lets users convert existing images into ASCII and create freehand ASCII images. We wish we could tell you more about it, but the sparse interface makes it hard to get a handle on exactly what else the program does.

The program's interface is basic--too basic. Our first instinct was to open the Help file, because we weren't sure how the program worked. Unfortunately, although there is a Help menu, when we tried to open it nothing happened. So we had to try to figure things out on our own. We started with the ASCII Editor, … Read more

This timekeeping tool has limitless possibilities for both teachers and administrators. Educators can plan their schedules down to the most finite details with this exhaustive program.

aSc TimeTables has an attractive, colorful interface, resembling newer versions of Microsoft Word, but it's not so intuitive. Thankfully, the program has an excellent tutorial that we found necessary to watch in order to understand how to get started. There is also a Help tab that provides users with many resources for further information. The wizard feature made creating a timetable very easy. Users can create and customize all the necessary variables: school, … Read more