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    You already know Big Blue Disk as a great source of inexpensive, easy-to-
 use software for your IBM PC or compatible computer.  You already know that 
 you can depend on Big Blue Disk to deliver productivity, entertainment, and 
 educational software to your doorstep every month for a price that can't be 
 beat. 

    But now Big Blue Disk can also be your gateway to an even greater variety 
 of MS-DOS software and services.  In this issue--and in issues to come--you'll 
 be able to preview commercial software from the comfort and convenience of 
 your own home.  Our new Feature-of-the-Month program will highlight software 
 or a service that we think will make your PC more productive, more fun, or 
 more educational to use. 

    Big Blue Disk doesn't simply review commercial software like print 
 magazines do, but actually gives you the opportunity to try out the software, 
 at no risk to you or your budget.  You can make up your own mind, decide for 
 yourself whether the software is right for you--you won't have to depend on 
 someone else's opinion, someone who may not have any idea what you need in 
 software.  And then if you like what you see, you can pick up the phone and 
 order the package from Softdisk.  It's a unique, and we think revolutionary, 
 way to learn about and shop for computer software. 

    This month, Big Blue Disk is proud to present ^1Minitel^0, a new entry into the 
 electronic information marketplace.  Immensely popular in Europe, where it 
 first appeared, the graphic-intensive Minitel telecommunications service 
 specializes in online chatting, games, news, and shopping.  Colorful screens, 
 context-sensitive help, and an eight-key operation make Minitel simple to use. 
 And because there's no signup fee or monthly minimum, you can try Minitel 
 without a big investment. 

    All you need to connect with Minitel is your PC, a modem, and the Minitel 
 telecommunications software.  We've included the Minitel software in this 
 issue of Big Blue Disk.  Simply select it from the Big Blue Disk menu as you 
 would any other program, then read the documentation, copy the software to 
 another disk, or install it on your hard disk.  Follow the Minitel software's 
 setup procedures, make a phone call, provide a credit card number for billing, 
 and you're ready to go. 
 
    To make your Minitel experience even more productive, we've arranged with 
 Minitel for 30 free minutes of online time.  If you log on between October 1 
 and October 31, 1989, your first half hour of connect time costs you nothing.  
 It all adds up to a truly exceptional offer. 
 
    Next month, we'll be presenting a different Feature-of-the-Month.  The 
 highly-acclaimed geographical database program ^1PC-Globe+^0, and its new 
 companion, ^1PC-USA^0, will be profiled in an interactive demonstration created 
 especially for Big Blue Disk.  Both packages are perfect for business, school, 
 and even home use--making maps and uncovering statistical information has 
 never been easier. 
 
    Big Blue Disk is as committed as ever to providing you with top-notch 
 software at an economical price.  The Feature-of-the-Month program in no way 
 changes our policy of delivering a variety of PC software to you each month. 
 (For proof, just take a look at the terrific utilities on this issue of Big 
 Blue Disk.)  But by offering up previews of such state-of-the-art services and 
 software as Minitel, PC-Globe+, and PC-USA, we believe you'll be a better 
 informed, more productive PC user. 
 
    Try out Minitel and look for future Feature-of-the-Month software in issues 
 to come.  We're excited about making Big Blue Disk the indispensable on-disk 
 resource for every kind of PC software.  We think you will be, too. 
 
 Gregg Keizer
 Publisher