THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 31, 1995 TAG: 9507290050
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: The Gateway: Exploring the Computer World
SOURCE: BY LISE OLSEN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
IF YOU BUY A computer these days, you'll be getting a CD-ROM player, too.
So whatta you do with it?
With all of the information/multi-media disks floating around, often for more than $50 a piece, it's becoming a major investment decision to select which CD-ROM to buy.
If you want to use your CD-ROM to play games, this list is not for you. Instead I'm offering a starter kit for those who might want to use their CD-ROM for work or research: Here are 10 suggestions about useful informational CD-ROMs. Most are ones we've used at The Virginian-Pilot. I don't claim to have tried them all. If I've forgotten your favorite, please e-mail me with the name and pertinent information at lise(AT)infi.net. Most of these are available at local software stores; prices vary.
1. A national phonebook on CD-ROM:
With phone companies charging you every time you dial information, a national phonebook may actually save you money over time. We use PhoneDisc's PowerFinder. It's a national criss-cross directory that you can search in seconds by last name, business category, city, state, address, phone number. (About $150)
selectPHONE and several CD-ROM phonebooks published by American Business Information are the competitors. American Business Information products (including the ``American Yellow Pages,'' and ``70 million households phone book'' are generally less expensive. They cost $30 to $50. But they cannot be searched in as many ways. selectPHONE and PhoneDisc are similar in price and format, but you can download more information from PhoneDisc.
2. An encyclopedia.
My favorite is Encarta. Microsoft spent a lot of money making it, and it shows. The videos, and photos are very nice, though the entries themselves may not be as long as those in other products. Cost: about $90.
3. A map.
There are lots of choices here, from aerial photo-driven maps (a product called ``The Cities Below'' for about $30) to travel planners, like Rand McNally's ``TripMaker.'' (around $50)
We use DeLorme's Street Atlas USA (about $80) and have found it to be pretty reliable, though some city maps are decidedly out-of-date.
4. A medical reference book.
Each of these is different: Some emphasize family health, others anatomy, still others (like PharmAsssist) provide information on prescription drugs.
One product that claims to do it all is Mosby's Medical Encyclopedia, which sells for about $40.
5. The census
The U.S. Census Bureau itself puts out demographic information on Virginia on CD-ROM for about $100. For anyone who's doing a lot of research on Virginia and living conditions here, this is a big improvement over paper documents or the regular databases.
6. A cookbook.
What other kind of cookbook allows you to search by the ingredients you have in your refrigerator? Many are available. Choose one that fits your tastes.
7. A movie book.
Cinemania, also by ever-present Microsoft, is hard to beat. Lots of film clips. You can search it by actor, director or part of a film name. It costs about $60.
8. NY Times on CD-ROM
This is a very expensive service, but if you use the NY Times a lot, it may be worth it. If you don't want to spend so much money, Time Magazine puts out its back issues on CD-ROM at a fraction of the price. (Time is about $40.)
9. The Bible:
If you do a lot of Bible study and find yourself searching for the appropriate parable, or want to quickly consult the Hebrew translation, one of several biblical CD-ROM products might be useful for you. We've used ``Straight from Heaven,'' which includes several versions of the Bible, the Koran and some information on Judaism as well. There are lots of competing products, most of which cost $30 or less.
10. Nothing you like here?
If nothing here makes you want to shell out the bucks, try slipping your favorite music CD in the CD-ROM drive. That works too. Then, with the miracles of multitasking, you can listen to your favorite tunes as you do your other work. by CNB