The most useful new feature allows you to generate a variety of graphs. Just select a section of the spreadsheet and click on the Chart button. There is also a new ability to define animations. This means you can show your data either growing or decreasing as the period goes on. The animation is generated as IFF frames, so it can be displayed within TurboCalc or you can save the frames out and import them into any display package you want.

However, the course of true data input never runs smoothly. TurboCalc 4 came on CD with full on-line help and no manual. Finding a subject in the help was a real task and unfortunately the translation hasn't been proofed or spell-checked. I found the easiest way to figure out animations was to take the tutorial animation apart and then start from scratch with a simple two row spreadsheet. This worked fine until I tried to animate the data from a spreadsheet that I actually use. Creating data which animates well is easy enough if you have the animation in mind when you set out the spreadsheet, but if you have one already laid out, it may not be set out for animation. So whilst this is a good feature, it could do with a little more in terms of editing functions for cell inclusion.

There are plenty of other new features. The toolbar on the spreadsheet can be configured very easily through the interface and there are plenty of examples included. You can also zoom in and out so you can see more of a sheet. This isn't actually very useful because you really need to be able to read the data and that's not possible at 50%.

EPS output of sheets and charts means that you can get top-quality printouts when you need them. This links in nicely with the program's ability to import and export different file formats, particularly from the PC -- both Lotus 1-2-3 and Excel.

60 new functions included with 33 macros mean there is nothing I can think of that you are likely to want to do in a spreadsheet that TurboCalc can't do. TurboCalc 4 shows that the Amiga does have quality software capable of competing with the likes of Microsoft.

Working with animations is useful, but you end up using the example files and starting from scratch with easy data.

The toolbar for each sheet can be defined by yourself using the settings interface.

Files can be imported from the PC. Note also the right mouse menu commands which offer cell editing functions.