Software Reviews : LOTUS FREELANCE PLUS and LOTUS FREELANCE MAPS Staff Review Publisher: Lotus Development Corp.,55 Cambridge Parkway,Cambridge,MA 02142 (telephone: [phone]) Year of Publication: 1986 Materials: FREELANCE: Eight disks,two 3-ring binders,fabric case,template;MAPS: 14 disks,31-page guide,file directory,vinyl case Price: FREELANCE: $495;MAPS: $395 for U.S. complete set,$145 each for U.S. counties,cities/MSAs,and zip codes and for continents and countries Availability: IBM PC/XT/AT and compatibles System Requirements: Two drives (or hard drive);384K memory (640K recommended);graphics adapter;graphics printer,plotter,or inline camera Effectiveness: Excellent User-Friendliness: Excellent Documentation: Excellent

Abstract

LOTUS FREELANCE PLUS is the graphics toolkit supplied at extra cost by the manufacturers of LOTUS 1-2-3. It provides for creating and editing charts (pie, bar, column, line) and text displays (sign, form) with a library of about 500 symbols. One may also create freeform drawings with a mouse (MICROSOFT, Mouse Systems) or graphics tablet (SUMMA-SKETCH, Kurta Series One). The LOTUS FREELANCE MAPS option works with FREELANCE PLUS to provide maps of U.S. counties, three-digit zip codes, major cities and MSAs, and U.S. congressional districts. A library of continent and country maps is also available, but it is not a mapping package. Although no more powerful than a number of other graphics products, several less expensive, this set comes with the familiar "look and feel" of LOTUS and Lotus's usual outstanding documentation and online help; its basics can be learned in a couple hours.