Coins - Whole Earth Software Catalog - Version 1.3 - evaluation

JAMES STOCKFORD: Why spend $95 on a coin-collecting database? Why not use your everyday data-management software and set up your own coil files?

Four reasons why not: 1) All the data for the 1600 most common standard American collectable coins is already entered for you. 2) The program is set up to receive quarterly pricing updates at $25 each (including program enhancements for free). 3) It performs the calculations for the reports (percentage changes of value, total costs, total value within categories). 4) The program is streamlined for printing reports; in fact, it is mainly a muscle-bound report-printer controlled by a little file manager with loads of data.

COINS is menu-driven; most of its options are choices of report forms. To add information for standard coins to your collection, select the coin number (from 1 to 1600) and the program will fill in current statistics for that coin. You fill in your cost, selling price, and letter codes for suppliers and purchasers. Can you include records for nonstandard coins? Yes. It's just a matter of entering the information. If you're familiar with BASIC programming you can customize the program to your liking (adjust printer driving features, for instance).

COPYRIGHT 1985 Point Foundation
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group