★ APPLICATIONS ★ BUREAUTIQUE ★ MASTERCALC|Popular Computing Weekly) ★ |
Mastercalc | Applications Bureautique |
Rows and columns Another exceptional utility from Campbell for the Amstrad machines. This spreadsheet accomplishes more in Ram than the Microspread CP/M utility did on disc. For example, you are allowed room for up to 3000 cells, some six times the number allowed in Microspread and each number is stored as 8-byte float-ing-point giving numbers in the range of + / - *0.0000001 to 9,999,999.999,999,999. Text can be entered anywhere on the sheet, and there is extensive control of column display. Columns from different areas of the sheet can be displayed next to each other either on screen or on the printer. Alternatively, the screen can be split into two windows which can be manipulated independently. Campbells have taken great trouble to make the program as easy to use as possible with screen menus, helpful documentation and useful options such as keys to 'repeat last value'. Owners of the colour monitor version Amstrad may also be glad to hear that the 40-column mode can be used as well as 80-column, whilst a printer width of up to 240 columns is allowed. For graphic displays up to three variables can be presented at a time in a histogram on screen with automatic scaling and raised baselines to accomodate negative values. Such careful thought and close attention to detail we have come to expect from this company - but there is one weak point. The formula options that have been included are disappointingly few: essentially only add. subtract, multiply and divide. It seems unnecessary to limit the scope of applications of such a sheet, particularly with its high precision, by ommiting options such as Log, Sin, Average etc - even if the vast majority of people will never use them. However, if you know that you will never use them, it's another highly recommended piece of software. Tony Kendle , Popular Computing Weekly
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