FLEXIBLE PETS

This month CRASH Course winds its educational way over the latest offerings from two of the smaller software houses. Now it's over to that media megastar of The Highlands, the one and only Rosetta McLeod...

we come to a couple of programs from Flexibase Software. Magpie and Police Patrol Quiz are from a suite of police/public programs which have been produced by police officers for use at shows, fetes, schools, police stations and shops. A compilation disk can be obtained including both of these programs, together with Strangers and Say No, both of which reinforce the SAY NO TO STRANGERS message. Further information can be obtained from Flexibase Software at 20 The Parklands, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire WR9 7DG

MAGPIE

The first of Flexibase's police programs aims to promote crime prevention to all age ranges. Each time the program is used, the computer selects five questions from a bank of over forty, each with a choice of three answers. The user might be asked: What can attract a burglar?

1 Window Lock
2 Burglar Alarm
3 Newspapers in Letter Box

Or another question might be...

When leaving your car even for a few minutes, should you...

1 Lock The Doors
2 Shut The Windows
3 Both?

If the correct answer is chosen, a picture of a thieving magpie slow generates onscreen. At the end, a total score is given together with the message LOCK OUT CRIME. Although laudable in its aim, I felt that this program needs to provide much more of an incentive for the user to be correct than the creation of a picture (the content of which can be quickly guessed).

Magpie is priced at £5 on cassette or microdrive, or as one of four programs including Police Patrol Quiz on a compilation disk for £10.