home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
The World of Computer Software
/
The World of Computer Software.iso
/
ctm9302.zip
/
ART4
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1993-01-27
|
9KB
|
158 lines
╓─────────────╖
║ Ami Pro 3.0 ║
║ for Windows ║
╙─────────────╜
by Tony Curro
Back in, December 1988, Ami was released as the first full-featured
graphical word processor for Windows. In, October 1989, Ami Pro 1.0
shipped as the first advanced word processor for Windows, beating
out Microsoft Word by two months. Ami Pro 3.0 is now available.
Usually when you mention Lotus, people think of a spreadsheet named
1-2-3. Today, you must also think of several other programs: Lotus
Notes, SmartPics, Lotus Works, and Louts Organizer to name a few. We
must also think of word processing. In, December 1990 Lotus
purchased Samna Corporation, maker of Ami Pro, and Lotus has set up
their Word Processing Division in Atlanta, where Samna was based.
Ami Pro 3.0 is a much improved version of its predecessors. It has
more than 30 new, improved, or enhanced features. Among these are:
* Fast Format - This is like a 'text paintbrush.' You create a
style, and then 'load' it into your mouse. Moving the mouse to
another location and clicking creates the style at the new location.
You can do this anywhere in you document.
* StyleSheet Preview - Preview any style-sheet before you load it.
* Automatic Envelope Printing - Click on the envelope SmartIcon, to
quickly print an envelope.
Ami Pro comes with style sheets for many of the popular Avery
labels. No formatting is required. Simply load the style sheet for
the labels you use, type in your information where you want it to
appear, and print it.
The full, unabridged version of Houghton-Mifflin spell-checker
includes extra word lists for legal, financial and scientific
writing. Houghton-Mifflin grammar checker is also included to make
sure your documents have that professional touch.
All programs are getting better, and they are also getting bigger.
Ami Pro 3.0 is no exception. A full installation requires 15MB hard
disk space, and requires a 386 or higher system with at least 2MB
RAM (4MB recommended). Both disk sizes are included in the same
package, and it comes on 7 - 3.5" and 8 - 5.25" high-density
diskettes, and works with both MS Windows and HP New Wave.
Ami Pro 3.0 comes with WordPerfect SwitchKit. This is a training
tool for people who are upgrading from WordPerfect to Ami Pro. It
makes the transition easier.
There is full on-line context sensitive help by pressing F1 or
clicking on the help icon located in the upper right corner of each
dialog box.
Quick-Start Tutorial is a half-hour learning tool explaining many of
the features and abilities of Ami Pro. This tutorial comes in six
sections, and can be completed one at a time. You do not have to do
them all in one sitting. Topics include: Quick-Tour, Smart Icons,
Style Sheets, Frames, Tables, and What's New?. I experienced a
problem running the tutorial in 1024x768. Calling technical support
I was told to try it in 640x480. This did solve my problem.
Ami Pro 3.0 comes with many style-sheets. Included is a 60-page
Style-Sheet Guide, which shows samples of all the style-sheets
included with Ami Pro 3.0. Using one of the newsletter style-sheets,
I was able to import an ASCII file, and print a two page newsletter,
in about the time it took to read this paragraph. When you start a
letter style-sheet, you are prompted with name and address of
recipient, via a dialog box. This information is then placed in your
document, as is your name and closing of letter.
Formatting options are on the bottom of the screen. There are bars
with text and paragraph options, font style, and font size. Clicking
on font style, for example, will list all available fonts. Then you
select the one you want to use. You also can select size of font,
and paragraph style the same way.
SmartIcons, which were part of Ami Pro 2.0, have been improved in
3.0. You can separate icons by features. For instance, printing
icons can be apart from text-formatting icons and so on. These
simplify many tasks even further. You can change almost anything by
clicking on these icons. You can create and save specialized icons
in palettes or sets, for different jobs, then quickly load the set
you want. Clicking on the right mouse button when on a SmartIcon,
will cause a scrollable window to pop-up giving text descriptions
describing what that SmartIcon image represents. As mentioned
previously, clicking on the envelope print icon, will allow you to
print an envelope. Ami Pro does search the document for an address
to place on the envelope. If none is found you are prompted to
supply one. You also have the option of having a return address
printed.
MailMerge is aspect that makes Ami Pro 3.0 truly shine. Doing a mail
merge is 'child's play.' It is so simple that anyone can do it. You
click on the MailMerge option. It will bring up a dialog box. From
here you can select, create or edit a file. You are then placed in a
rolodex-type window, where you enter the required information for
each person. After you save this you are prompted for the letter to
use. Again you have the same options as above for the file. Once
this is all done, you are then prompted to start the merge. It will
then start printing your letters. This feature impressed me
immensely.
Ami Pro 3.0 has a File Manager that shows full information on files
with descriptions. You can perform copy, delete, and other functions
on these files.
You can import TIF, PCX, and other graphic files into Ami Pro 3.0,
and it will also import and convert many popular word processor
formats. It also will generate Table of Contents and Index files.
Drag-and-drop makes moving and copying even easier. Just highlight
the text and drag it to a new location. SmartClick, is another
feature of Ami Pro 3.0. When you click on the right mouse button,
say on a frame, it pops up the Modify Frame dialog box. This feature
is also available for style, page and so on.
Ami Pro 3.0 is a complete package. It has a myriad of word
processing tools like outlining, tables, drawing, charting,
equations, revision, marking, full macro language, and more. Of
course you get WYSIWYG, spell checking, thesaurus, grammar checker
and many other features that are standard in many Windows word
processors today.
Ami Pro is priced right for users of other word processors who wish
to upgrade. Either way if you use a word processor, and you use
Windows, Ami Pro 3.0 is one product you should take a look at. There
are features here that would please many users.
╓────────────────────────────────────────────╖
║ Product Information ║
╟────────────────────────────────────────────╢
║ Ami Pro 3.0 ║
║ for Windows ║
╟────────────────────────────────────────────╢
║ List Price - $495 ║
║ ║
║ Competitive upgrade - $129 ║
║ ║
║ Upgrade from Ami Pro 2.0 - $79 ║
║ (if purchased Feb. 1, 1992 or later) - $49 ║
╟────────────────────────────────────────────╢
║ Lotus Word Processing Division ║
║ 1000 Abernathy Rd. NE ║
║ Atlanta, GA 30328 ║
║ 800-831-9679 ║
╟────────────────────────────────────────────╢
║ Lotus Development Canada, Ltd. ║
║ 10 Bay Street ║
║ Toronto, Ontario M5J 2R8 ║
║ 800-GO-LOTUS ║
╙────────────────────────────────────────────╜