Describes Ovation, an integrated software system with a common command environment of 26 English words which provides access to all of the system's capabilities and handles spreadsheet analysis, information management, word processing, graphics, and communications in the same workspace. Capabilities of Ovation's applications and features…

Describes set-up, user characteristics, goals, and successes of neighborhood computer centers where informal microcomputer instruction is presented. Centers described include East Harlem's Playing to Win; Center for the Development of Non-Formal Education in Austin, Texas; a learning center in New York City's business district; and Family…

Outlines basic choices available in on-screen windowing systems which create separate areas or boxes on microcomputer display screens to simplify control of traditional computer applications. Systems described include Visicorp's Visi On, Microsoft Windows, Digital Research's Concurrent DOS, Quarterdeck's DesQ, Structured Systems' Window Master,…

Defines electronic bulletin boards; describes how to access information from them, several bulletin boards, and the kinds of information they provide; and lists sources for more information on electronic bulletin boards. (MBR)

Outlines the development of Plato, a unified computer system linking terminals to a central educational network; critically reviews Plato's new Homelink system which provides access to 273 games and lessons; and discusses its present capabilities and possible future improvements to make Homelink attractive to home users interested in educational…

Reviews services available through home banking via a personal computer, and discusses cash management, whether these services are worthwhile, and if they'll be successful. Two home banking services--Chemical Bank's Pronto and Bank of America's Homebanking--are described. (MBR)

Discusses the need for researchers to determine what should be tested and how when evaluating educational computing programs, describes efforts of Educational Testing Service's National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to measure the impact of computers on achievement, and concludes that it will not be easy to evaluate computers' effects.…

Describes features of two computer programs, Z-Term--The Professional, or Z-Pro, and Transcend, to demonstrate that telecommunications software can greatly expand the capabilities of a microcomputer. (MBR)

Describes the features and performance of the Radio Shack TRS-80 Pocket Computer. Programming capacity, various system commands, and the speed of the computer's operations are discussed. (JL)

Examines trends in the design of user guides for microcomputer programs. These include making documentation more accessible by making manuals less technical, injecting common sense, creating booklets that enhance a program's theme, creating tutorial disks, and program self-documentation. (MBR)

This introduction to a special report on telecommunications presents several compelling reasons why telecommunications is one of the most practical and beneficial applications of personal computer technology and briefly summarizes the other articles in this section. (MBR)

Describes and evaluates the hardware, operation, peripheral devices, software, and performance capabilities of the Atari 400 microcomputer system. (JL)

Describes and evaluates the hardware, operation, peripheral devices, software, and performance capabilities of the Radio Shack Color Computer System. (JL)

Describes and evaluates the hardware, operation, software, and performance capabilities of the Sinclair ZX81 personal computer. Designed as a beginning computer for learning BASIC, this compact, inexpensive microcomputer also has prepackaged software for tax computation, personal finance, education, graphics, and arcade-style games. (JL)

Describes floppy disk information storage systems and discusses capabilities and advantages of floppy disks for microcomputer users. The functions of disk operating systems (DOS) are reviewed and the effect of DOS formats on the choice of an appropriate disk drive system is outlined. (JL)