🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1990Dec27.024653.5238@cbnewsh.att.com>, whc@cbnewsh.att.com
(william.h.chriss) says:
>
>I've read the recent report in PC Mag on PIMs. The Editor's choices of
>Windows-based PIMs are Current 1.1 and Pacrat 3.0. Anybody had experience with
>either of these? Pacrat sounds closer to my style with its free-form style.

I too read the report.  I've also gone through the past couple of years of back
issues of the major computer rags to see what I could dig up, since I am also
trying to choose between Current and PackRat.  After going through the product
literature for both products, re-reading the reviews many times, and talking
to other users, here are the impressions which I have gleaned:

1) PackRat has been around longer than Current.  However, both products are
   apparently mature and bug-free (or at least as close as it gets).

2) PackRat is available in both stand-alone and network versions.  Although
   a network version of Current was widely expected when the program was
   introduced more than a year ago, one has not been released to date.

3) Both products will run under Windows 3.0.  I do not know whether either
   product *requires* Windows 3.0 or whether either product takes advantage
   of Windows 3.0 specific features like the Help Engine, improved font
   support, Pallette Manager, etc.

4) PackRat was developed by and continues to be marketed by Polaris.  In
   contrast, Current was developed by a small team of programmers who then
   sold their creation to IBM, who now markets it.  I *believe* that the
   programmers who developed the software are now employed by IBM.

5) PackRat offers a wider breadth of features than Current.  However, Current
   is more flexible in the way that it allows you to handle your data.  Of
   course, if your way of organizing data is the same as PackRat's way (or
   reasonably close) then this isn't a problem.

6) While both Current and PackRat offer DDE support, PackRat's is not as
   strong as that of Current.

7) Both Current and PackRat make good use of the graphical user interface
   provided by Windows.  However, they each have a different flavour.  Which
   one appeals to you depends on your personal preferences.

8) Both PackRat and Current have the same list prices.  However, the lowest
   mail-order prices I have seen place Current at $239 US and PackRat at $259
   US.  That is for the stand-alone versions.  I can't recall what the pricing
   was like for the network version of PackRat.

I emphasize that these observations have been gleaned from other reports, and
not from first-hand observation.  If anyone wishes to take issue with these
observations, I welcome any corrections or clarifications.  I merely request
that flames be avoided.  As for myself, I've had a very difficult time trying
to decide between the two packages.  However, DDE and flexibility are quite
important to me and so I've decided to go with IBM Current 1.1, which I now
have on order.  Besides, it was cheaper!

I would be interested to hear which package you decide to go with, and I would
also be interested in your observations, whichever way you decide to go.

Hubert Lai
Faculty of Law
Queen's University at Kingston