CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
Implementing Automation, 930119
Correlation to accepted practice and concepts, 910418
Packrat 4.0 for Windows, 911202
Pricing Policy, Competitive Products

0606 -    ..
0607 - Summary/Objective
0608 -
060801 - Sep 28, 1993 issue of PC Magazine has a review of Packrat on
060802 - page 37, under the heading "First Looks" for "Personal Information
060803 - Management." This supplements review at ref SDS 1 line 34, and more
060804 - recently at ref SDS 4 line 109.
060805 -
060806 -     This review indicates SDS has advantages relative to Packrat, as
060807 -     found in reviewing Commence at ref SDS 2 line 58.
060808 -
060809 -
060810 - Packrat is a Windows application that requires 4 MB (recommended) RAM,
060811 - and 8 MB disk space, ref OF 2 line 134.
060812 -
060813 - Packrat seems to integrate scheduling, notetaking, contacts and docu-
060814 - ments, ref OF 2 line 35, with subjects (called "folders") for particu-
060815 - lar professions, for example legal, medical, per ref OF 2 line 32.
060816 -
060817 -     The "folders" evidently are intended to emulate traditional file
060818 -     folders.  It is not clear that this system manages information and
060819 -     ideas internal to Packrat and external for any other program.
060820 -
060821 -
060822 - Packrat has integration with Windows to support importing contact
060823 - addressing from Packrat to Microsoft Word, ref OF 2 line 59.
060824 -
060825 -
060826 - Packrat can import and export to other automated management support
060827 - aids, like the Wizard, ref OF 2 line 53.
060828 -
060829 - This reviewer, Barry Simon, found Packrat crashed in certain
060830 - situations under Windows, and that the documentation was inadequate.
060831 -
060832 -
060833 -
060834 - SDS seems priced competitively, per ref OF 2 line 132.
060835 -
060836 -
060837 -
060838 -
0609 -

SUBJECTS
Implementing Automation, 930119
Correlation to accepted practice and concepts, 910418
Pricing Policy, Competitive Products
Commence, 921123

0907 - Summary/Objective
0908 -
090801 - Sep 28, 1993 issue of PC Magazine reviews Commence on page 47, under
090802 - the heading "First Looks" for "Workgroup Computing." This supplements
090803 - report at ref SDS 3 line 177, and at ref SDS 2 line 40, where I found
090804 - Commence is moving toward SDS and POIMS technology.
090805 -
090806 -     This review indicates SDS has advantages relative to Commence, as
090807 -     found in the analysis at ref SDS 2 line 58.
090808 -
090809 -
090810 - Commence is a Windows program that requires 3 MB ram and 6 MB disk,
090811 - ref OF 2 line 102.
090812 -
090813 - This reviewer, Stan Miastrowski, found Commence implements in some
090814 - manner, SDS linkage of information to time, people, documents and
090815 - subjects, see ref OF 2 line 46.
090816 -
090817 - It supports sharing information and resources, ref OF 2 line 31, and
090818 - has strong database access controls through a system administrator,
090819 - per ref OF 2 line 32.
090820 -
090821 -
090822 - Commence seems to have an automated procedure for updating remote
090823 - workstations, like notebooks to keep everyone up-to-date, ref OF 2
090824 - line 60.  It seems to be easy to transport information between home
090825 - and work on a disk, ref OF 2 line 67.  Reviewer found these features
090826 - support group database work, without everyone being on a network,
090827 - because it is so easy to transport information, ref OF 2 line 111.
090828 -
090829 -
090830 - Reviewer, feels Commence's features and ease of use make it a "true
090831 - time and money saver -- especially for groups," ref OF 2 line 83.
090832 -
090833 -
090834 - SDS seems priced competitively with Commence, per ref OF 2 line 99.
090835 -
090836 -
090837 -
090838 - It is not clear from the review that Packrat has following SDS
090839 - features, necessary for POIMS technology:
090840 -
090841 -
090842 -      1.  Links between scheduled tasks and precedents.
090843 -      2.  Citations to prior events and external sources.
090844 -      3.  Multiple subjects and record segments for diary events.
090845 -      4.  Unlimited record length.
090846 -      5.  Flexible subject creation and application.
090847 -      6.  Document management
090848 -
090849 -
090850 -
090851 -
0909 -