PCALRTYP.RVW   951109
                               Comparison Review
 
Company and product:
 
Company: Didatech Software
Address: 200 - 4250 Dawson St., Burnaby, BC   V5C 4B1
Phone:   +1-800-665-0667
Fax:     +1-604-299-2428
Sales:   
Support: 
Contact: 
Email:   
Other:   
Product: All-the-Right-Type v. 2.5
 
Summary: typing tutorial and practice program
 
Cost: 
 
Rating (1-4, 1 = poor, 4 = very good)
      "Friendliness"
            Installation      1
            Ease of use       3
            Help systems      1
      Compatibility           3
      Company
            Stability         3
            Support           1
      Documentation           2
      Hardware required       4
      Performance             2
      Availability            2
      Local Support           1
 
General Description:
 
Typing program with some general, and very basic, tutorial, but primarily drill
and practice.
 
 
                  Comparison of features and specifications
 
 
User Friendliness
 
Installation
 
As shipped for MS-DOS, the program is provided on one unprotected 720K floppy
disk.  We received a network version.  You are not able to install or use the
program, even after you have purchased it, without obtaining, by fax, a license
number.  (Even though we obtained the program direct from the publisher, we
were not, initially, provided with the license.)
 
A separate pamphlet is provided for installation on a network.  The options are
for Appleshare version 2, Appleshare version 3+, Corvus, Novell without ICLAS
and Novell with ICLAS.  The instructions are explicit in regard to system
rights and privilege settings required.  However, since they are not explained,
you must follow the directions exactly in order to have the system operate
properly.
 
An automated installation program is provided, and there is no provision for
manual installation.  The program installs to a directory named ART in the
drive chosen: there is no option or provision for change on this.  Because of
the network structure, we were unable to use this and had to copy the files to
another directory.  This created significant problems in getting the program to
run properly.  We were not able to obtain any meaningful assistance from the
company on this problem, although we were, eventually, able to get the program
running ourselves.
 
During installation you are required to specify two directories.  These are for
student records and for word processing files (if the "Mini Word Processor" is
to be used).  The entry format is very touchy, and is not explained.
 
Ease of use
 
Program operation is fairly simple, since there are very few functions.  The
interface is inconsistent, however, and quite confusing at times.  Sometimes
the "Return" key is used for "next screen": in other places the screen progress
is timed.  Usually the "Escape" key moves you back one level in the program,
but sometimes it doesn't function at all.
 
Help systems
 
There is no help provided, other than a list of key commands in the "Mini-
Word-Processor".
 
Compatibility
 
Worked with a wide variety of machines.  Colour choice is slightly garish, but
works well with monochrome screens.
 
Company Stability
 
This product has been available for a number of years.
 
Company Support
 
When we had problems in program operation, technical support advice was
unhelpful, sometimes contradictory, and sometimes flatly wrong.  In almost all
cases we simply had to resolve the problem ourselves through trial and error.
 
Documentation
 
The manuals are not well written.  The installation process is confusing and a
number of issues are not addressed.
 
System Requirements
 
The only stated requirement is for MS-DOS 2 or higher.
 
Performance
 
The tutorial material is minimal, limited to some tips on posture and the
finger placement on the home row.  Some options appear to have no function. 
(The "speed and accuracy" lessons allow you to choose, or set, minimum timing
levels, but these do not affect program operation in any way.)  We chose to
allow the use of the backspace key (as being more "word processor" like): when
backspacing over errors one character "remains", even when the entire line was
deleted.
 
There is provision for only thirty students per program, and no provision for
multiple classes (even though we obtained a school-wide license for the
program).  The only solution we were able to find or make was to install
multiple copies of the program in multiple directories.  This was subject to
the difficulties with the default installation name, as stated above.  It also
required multiple menu selections for the students and the setup of multiple
groups for network privileges.
 
Local Support
 
There is an 800 number which works from Canada (and presumably the US as well).
 
Support Requirements
 
Installation for other than a single class of not more than thirty students is
not a task for the faint of heart.  Once installed and debugged, however, the
program has run without further problems.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1995   PCALRTYP.RVW   951109

======================
DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters
Editor and/or reviewer        ROBERTS@decus.ca         rslade@vanisl.decus.ca
DECUS Symposium '96, Vancouver, BC, Feb 26-Mar 1, 1996, contact: rulag@decus.ca