| ★ APPLICATIONS ★ DIVERS ★ STAR WATCHER/MIRANDO A LAS ESTRELLAS ★ |
Starwatche (Popular Computing Weekly) | Starwatcher (Home Computing Weekly) | Star Watcher (TILT) | STAR WATCHER (c) Amsoft (Cahier de l'Amstrad) | Mirando a las Estrellas |
Adults only In the field of genuinely useful things that can be done with a home micro there can be little doubt that the most underdeveloped area is that of decent ‘adult' educational software. With the possible exceptions of one or two language programs or some releases by Sinclair the only people who seem to be working in this area are Triptych software who have released their Brianpower series under the Amsoft label. Of their range Star Watcher is one of the more specialist packages and most people will have very strong ideas about whether or not the subject appeals to them but it bears all their usual hallmarks of very well designed and thought out programs backed up by a manual packed full of useful information. The package is divided into two halves - the first concentrates on teaching you the fundamentals of astronomy and the way our view of the stars is determined by our position on the earth's surface. However none of the above necessarily needs to be tackled before you go on to the second tape which is essentially an applications package which contains a database of the brightest stars visible from earth. Using this you can call up a graphical representation of the sky at any time or any point on the earth's surface. Following from this the program can be made to step through the way the stars' positions change as you change either your position or the time of viewing. There are more features than I can possibly document here and for interested 464 owners I feel that this package will be indispensible. I know it's pricey but that's inevitable when producing quality for a small market. Price: £24.95 Tony Kendle , PCW |
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