The right computer software can save you time and effort

Issue: May 1998

ByWalter A. Mayo, OD

I spend hundreds of hours a year researching the best software tools to do the jobs I need to do. While many of the products I research are programming in nature or for unusual hardware, some are exactly the types of software for which you may be looking.

Finding the right tool is usually half the battle when you are trying to get some thing done. You will see many Microsoft products on this list. I will start with the Microsoft Office Professional suite of applications. (Note that I have omitted Microsoft Outlook.)

Microsoft Word

I used to be a big WordPerfect fan. One program crash too many on multiple machines finally forced me to switch over to Word. While many people love to bash Microsoft, you won't find me in that camp. Microsoft's applications tend to work and work well.

Microsoft PowerPoint

Is it perfect? No. Is PowerPoint really an authoring program? Not really. PowerPoint performs a limited number of functions, but it does them quickly, painlessly and professionally. You can make slides, handouts, notebook covers, course outlines, in-office informational kiosks and color transparencies using your color ink jet printer.

Microsoft Excel

I do not use spreadsheets as much as I used to, but there are still times I could not live without one. You really can't go wrong with Excel, Quattro Pro or Lotus. They are all terrific, but Excel is certainly the best choice, because you are probably going to be buying it as part of the Office Suite.

Microsoft Access

No relational database is really easy to use, but Access gets you as close as possible. File Maker Pro, dBase, FoxPro, Paradox and other databases are also very good, but, again, Access is the standard for most users and comes as part of the Office Suite. Why rock the boat?

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Just as Microsoft Windows started in controversy and later exploded, Internet Explorer is poised to do the same. The underlying foundation that led to success was not based upon what Windows could do for the user, but what it could provide the applications developer.

Internet Explorer offers a great deal more to the average developer than Netscape. Support for ActiveX controls, VB Script, Java and JavaScript, OLE and other technologies make Internet Explorer the powerhouse that it is. Web sites will simply run better on Internet Explorer and often not at all with Netscape. You can continue to use Netscape, but sooner or later Internet Explorer will be the browser you want and use.

WinFax

The latest release of WinFax (8.0) is so good it converted me from being a sharp critic of computer-based fax systems into a staunch supporter. If you need to do any significant volume of faxes from your various computer programs, spend $89 and get WinFax.

PaperPort Deluxe

If you have any interest in creating and archiving electronic documents from your existing paper documents, take a hard look at PaperPort Deluxe. While it is not the type of program you would want to use to archive your entire set of patient records, it is great for scanning random newspaper and magazine clippings, business cards, receipts and other odds and ends that tend to clutter your desk.

Teamed with one of PaperPort's sheet-fed or flatbed scanners, you can effectively tame the mountain of paper that threatens to bury your desk. PaperPort Deluxe can also work in tandem with WinFax to turn your computer into a hard-copy fax machine. You do not need a fax machine at all as long as you have this powerful duo installed and running.

Quicken and QuickPay

There are alternatives, and accountants don't really like the single-entry system Quicken represents, but the program is easy to use. QuickPay allows you to totally automate your payroll. Quicken and QuickPay are probably the first programs any fledgling practice should buy. Even with just one employee, QuickPay is essential.

Do be aware that Quicken is sometimes rushed to market. I have experienced bugs in more than one new Quicken release. You might want to wait a couple of months after each release before upgrading. Also note the purchase date and call Intuit at the first sign of trouble.

WinZip

When you download files from the Internet, they are usually in ZIP compressed format. Without WinZip, you'll be lost or permanently chained to the DOS prompt. There are other quality Windows-based ZIP utilities out there, but it's still hard to beat WinZip. Check out Stroud's CWS Apps (formerly www.stroud.com, now cws.internet.com) to get WinZip or one of its recent clones.

Pegasus

Pegasus is the best e-mail client in the world, bar none. You will find those who claim Eudora Pro or another client is better, but those folks usually haven't looked at Pegasus. Outstanding filtering, superior speed, rock-solid stability and small size make Pegasus one of the best pieces of software I have ever used.

At the office, I have Pegasus set up to download mail, delete it from the mail server and then sort it using dozens of filters. On my traveling laptop, it keeps a database of mail I have read, downloads what I haven't and leaves all mail on the server so I can download it for archival purposes when I get back to the office. I even use Pegasus to produce text files of hundreds of messages that are then reprocessed with software I've written allowing me to create HTML versions of the Optcomlist and other users groups. See Stroud's CWS Apps for a full review and download locations.

WS_FTP

WS_FTP is not for the masses. It's a file transfer protocol (FTP) client that is available in both 16-bit and 32-bit versions. If you currently maintain your own Web site, you need to check out WS_FTP. Even if you use FrontPage or other WYSIWYG Web page design tool with built-in FTP services, WS_FTP is worth having. Check out Stroud's CWS Apps for download locations.

HTMLED Pro 32-bit version

I'm of the old school when it comes to Web page design. I do it by hand. The code produced by most WYSIWYG Web page design tools is confusing, often browser-dependent and difficult to modify by hand if needed. Most of your best Web pages are still coded with HTML editors. My favorite is HTMLED Pro 32-bit version. This package is a shareware editor that is rock-solid in stability and very fast. Check out Stroud's CWS Apps for more information.

While HTMLED is my favorite, this is the class of software that has the best selections to choose from. There are plenty of good HTML editors. Hot Dog Pro and Allaire HomeSite are simply outstanding. Take a look at several before settling on one.

Paint Shop Pro

Need to edit an image? Get Paint Shop Pro. It's shareware. The registration cost is $69, and you get more bang for the buck than any other image editor out there. While it is not quite as powerful as Photo Shop, it does the job, accepts Photo Shop plug-ins and takes up far less of your precious hard drive. You can download Paint Shop Pro at www.jasc.com, where it and many other quality graphics utilities can be found. Batch conversions, support for dozens of formats, speed, stability, browsing capability and myriad are key features.

Nuts and Bolts

Forget First Aid 97, Norton and all the other utility packages out there. Nuts and Bolts by Helix is one of the most elegant products I've ever seen. It is loaded with tools to help with crash protection, ZIP file management, correcting Windows Registry problems, hard drive optimization, defragmentation, memory management and much more. Before spending the bucks on one of its better known competitors, try out Nuts and Bolts.

As with all utility packages, use caution. Make sure to read the online help, manuals and any "read.me" files that may come with your package of Nuts and Bolts or other product.

Desktop publishing

Page Maker is tough to beat when it comes to desktop publishing. Microsoft Publisher costs a fraction of Page Maker and is a better choice for most practices. Keep in mind that if you become obsessed with creating documents, Page Maker, Quark, Ventura or other high level DTP program will allow you more control and options.

Sound/video editing

If you need sophisticated sound editing, log onto America Online and check out CoolEdit. It is terrific at creating, editing and modifying .WAV and .MOD files. Sound Forge is the industry standard, but is expensive and I have no experience with it.

Adobe Premiere is the de facto standard in video editing, but there are others that contend for the crown. Ask around before spending the big bucks some of these programs command.

For Your Information:

Walter A. Mayo, OD, is founder of the Optometric Computing home page (http://www.webcom.com/~optcom/) and a charter member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Primary Care Optometry News. He can be reached at Coastal Eye Group, 400 Marina Drive., P.O. Drawer L, Georgetown, SC 29442; (803) 546-8421; fax: (803) 546-1173; e-mail: waltmayo@aol.com. Dr. Mayo has no direct financial interest in any of the products mentioned in this article, nor is he a paid consultant for any company mentioned.