MICROL PACKAGES ARE WELL WORTH THE WAIT

Customers finally have started to receive their Spectrum software packages from MiCROL and the general impression of the Use and Learn and Spreadsheet cassettes is very good. Use and Learn consists of a software cassette and well-presented booklet containing explanation and listings of the programs on the cassette.

The first program is an excellent music composer which draws manuscript lines and notes played on the screen as a tune is composed. When the tune has been completed the composer can listen to the music.

The cassette also contains a variety of novel and interesting games, including one in which you have to make a parachutist jump from an aircraft on to a target.

Also included in Use and Learn is a series of useful routines such as Ramtest to check for faults in memory; Tapefile, which lists your collection of tapes; and Memory Map Monitor, which tells you how much memory for programs and variables you have remaining.

The Spreadsheet, for the 48K Spectrum, provides the user with a table, or matrix, which can contain numbers or formulae for solving numeric problems. It can be used in business and the home and closely resembles VisiCalc for the Apple but is less than one-tenth of the price.

Compared to the Vu-Calc spreadsheet produced for the Spectrum by Sinclair it is much clearer and slightly easier to understand. Its one failing compared to the Sinclair version is that it is slower. The decision when choosing to buy either must be a trade-off between facilities and speed.

Both MiCROL software packages are excellent value for money. Both packages cost £9.95 and can be obtained from MICROL (U.K. Mail Order), Freepost, 38 Burleigh Street, Cambridge CB1 1BR.