Revolution Software, Inc. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 715 Route 10 East, Randolph, NJ 07869 201-366-4445 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커 � REVOLUTION ANNOUNCES THOR BBS VERSION 1.83 � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸 Randolph , New Jersey - Revolution Software announces a BBS version of its general purpose organizing utility, THOR. The program is available for downloading on most major BBSs including this one. DESCRIPTION OF PRODUCT 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 An acronym for THought ORganizer, THOR is a Text Database Management Package for the IBM PC and compatibles. THOR provides a general purpose environment for organizing information by integrating the free format facility of a word processor with the organizing power of a database manager. Text entries, called Thoughts, are maintained with a built-in word processor and are stored in one file. Relationships between thoughts are established by user defined categories. Thoughts can be retrieved by Category, Date of Entry or by Matching Text. THOR also supports printing multiple thoughts, import/export to interface with other packages, business graphics, an attribute editor (that controls color or monochrome attributes) and extensive on-line help. Viewed as a word processor, THOR combines the usual discrete text files into one database, where text entries can be categorized for easy retrieval by a multiplicity of methods. Unlike a word processor, relationships can be established between text entries resulting in a dramatic increase in versatility. THOR viewed as a database manager allows the user to create free format records. Each record may contain up to 40,000 characters. Associated with each record are five fields that are used to dynamically index the database. The data dictionary for each THOR application allows for defining up to two hundred and fifty five fields. APPLICATIONS 컴컴컴컴컴컴 THOR has been described as a spreadsheet for ideas. As such, the program can be adapted to a variety of applications. Like a spreadsheet, THOR requires the user to create the intended purpose of his or her own project. The following examples describe how THOR adapts to different situations. Each application can be created in a matter of minutes. Consider what it would take to implement any one of these applications without THOR. PROJECT MANAGEMENT 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Each task of a project is entered as a separate thought and categorized by TEAM-MEMBER, PRIORITY, DUE-DATE and STATUS. Each team member can find the tasks to which they are assigned and maintain the text and categorization of each task as the task evolves from concept to completion. The Project Manager can easily keep track of the project's status by asking THOR such question as: What tasks are due to be completed this week? Which tasks are yet to be done, which are done but not approved and which are approved? Which tasks are assigned to John Smith? When John Smith has a problem that his manager should be aware of, he can describe the problem in a new thought FOR(STEVE), FROM(JOHN). PROBLEM TRACKING 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 As users call in, THOR is used to record the users' name, phone number and a description of the problem; then each entry is categorized by DATE-OF-CALL, ASSIGNED-TO and DATE-DONE. Technicians can find problems assigned to them that have yet to be resolved. They also have access to previous problems that may help solve new ones. The text is updated with the solution, the user is called and informed of the solution and the DATE-DONE category is updated with the current date. CUSTOMER DATABASE 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Each text entry contains a customer's name, address, phone number and a log of orders and conversations. Each entry is categorized by CUST-NAME, COMPANY, SALESMAN and DATE-TO-CALL category to find who should be called. Prior to the call, the salesman can review prior conversations documented in the text entry. Other text entries in the database could contain promotional letters. Using THOR's INCLUDE feature, a mailmerge can be done for selected customers. SOFTWARE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 From conception to implementation, THOR can help. First use THOR to write the Functional Specifications. Then use business graphics and color to design the screen and report layouts. Stepping through these layouts, you can simulate the appearance and flow of the application to your users without having to write one line of code. During detail design, you create an entry for each module and describe how the module will function. In other entries, you can create templates to document record and file layouts. You can then use THOR's categorization to assign the modules to the programming staff. The source code for each module can even be maintained by THOR and saved out as a sequential file for compilation. Finally, use THOR to create the user manual and you have all aspects of the software documented in one database file. CORRESPONDENCE 컴컴컴컴컴컴� A secretarial pool can share one database to create correspondence. Each letter is entered as a separate text entry. Recalling old letters for a basis of a new one is a simple matter. A boiler plate library of commonly used paragraphs can be created. These library entries can then be merged at print time by using THOR's INCLUDE statement. A name and address list can be maintained for creating labels or doing a mailmerge. Letters that require a response can be categorized by RSVP. When the response is received, the RSVP category is updated with the received date and the text can be updated with comments. Revisions can be done to show the before and after. When the letter is printed, the history of revisions can be printed or suppressed. MESSAGE HANDLER 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Memos can be created and sent to one or more users by categorizing the memo entry by FOR(recipient's name) FROM(sender's name). A user can find his message by asking THOR to display all thoughts categorized by FOR(users' name). INDEXING EXTERNAL REFERENCE MATERIAL 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 A common application for THOR is to record summaries of magazine and newspaper articles. For each article you want to remember, create a text entry and enter a synopsis of the article. Categorize each entry by PUBLICATION, ISSUE, and TOPIC. You now have an electronic index that will help you to quickly find articles of interest. FORMS GENERATOR 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Using THOR's business graphics, you can quickly generate a library of forms. These can be printed out as blank forms or can be used as background templates for creating new text entries. Other applications include Legal Briefs, Documentation of Billing Hours, Invoicing and Dunning Notices, Proposal Writing, Maintenance Schedules and much more. For the innovative user, there is no end to the list of applications. THOR REVIEWS 컴컴컴컴컴컴 A. PC - March 26 1985 Stephanie Stallings Discusses THOR's foundation and the THOR Tutorial/Demo. "IT'S A DATABASE - The foundation of THOR is a relational database. What promotes THOR to the status of THought ORganizer is a very structured interface that shapes one's use of the database with a witty cerebrative analogy. THOR has one of the most entertaining automatic demonstrations around; it's spacing, wit, and color entice you to try the real thing. The THOR manual supplements this with a written tutorial that ably introduces you to all the major functions." B. PERSONAL COMPUTING - April 1985 - Page 225 In the CURRENTS column, the editors of Personal Computing explain how text database management is beginning to make software lines blur. "The focus has shifted from function to application." C. POPULAR COMPUTING - February 1985 - Page 158 Howard Kaplan explains how THOR differs from a word processor. "In a nutshell, what makes THOR unique is that it lets you quickly and easily search for, sort and select a large amount of text from a large number of records according to your own criteria." D. PC WORLD - January 1985 THOR is compared to WordMARC and DisplayWrite 2. Elizabeth Wallace describes THOR as a powerful writing tool. "Flexible enough to serve many purposes...THOR stands out in the crowd because of its smooth combination of data base and word processing capabilities..." E. ONLINE TODAY - ELECTRONIC EDITION - January 1985 Harry Green talks about left and right brain activity and how THOR helps to bring order to chaotic thinking. "Anyone who uses a computer as a daily tool will find many uses for this program." F. PC - September 1984 - Page 231 Dara Pearlman comes down hard on THOR's word processing abilities; but then reveals THOR's true strength. "Because THOR uses a relational database to store each set of thoughts, the program can define complicated relationships between thoughts." (Note: THOR II will incorporate many improvements to the word processor) - thank you Dara ! - G. PC PRODUCTS - August 1984 - Page 45 In "To Catch A Thought", Barbara Wierzbicki compares THOR with ThinkTank. " While both packages rely heavily on the principles and practices of word processing, THOR may offer more sophisticated organizational methods, since it provides a variety of categories for each thought and such functions as State-of-Mind and Brainscan." H. PERSONAL SOFTWARE - June 1984 - Page 57 In "Process Your Thoughts", Lee Th� gives a one page synopsis that ends with: "Fastware has established its originality and thoughtfulness with THOR." I. MICROCOMPUTER SOFTWARE LETTER - June 1984 THOR is reviewed with four other organizer utilities: Bookends, The Idea Processor, ThinkTank and ZyINDEX. "THOR is an innovative program taking the THought ORganizer concept further than any other program in our review group." J. EXECUTIVE COMPUTING - May 1984 In "THOR: a smart new program that helps you think better", Gene McMahon describes how he uses THOR for project management. "What VisiCalc or Lotus 1-2-3 is to the accounting types, THOR will be to the thinking types. I would even go so far as to say that if you are only going to get one program for your personal computer it ought to be THOR." SPECIFICATIONS AND AVAILABILITY 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� The program requires an IBM PC or compatible with 256K of memory and one floppy drive. The program can be easily installed on a hard disk. REGISTRATION 컴컴컴컴컴컴 The suggested registration fee is $49.95 plus $5.00 shipping and handling. Registered users receive the attractive THOR package including slipcase, THOR Manual, THOR Demo/Tutorial Diskette, and THOR Program Diskette. Those who register will be invited to beta-test an upcoming commercial version of the product, THOR II. Beta-testing will begin in June 1986. In addition, all registered users will be eligible to upgrade to the new version for a nominal fee. To register, contact: Revolution Software, Inc. 715 Route 10 East Randolph, New Jersey 07869 Tel. (201) 366-4445 8:30 A.M. - 6:30 P.M.(EASTERN TIME) VISA/MC/AX/Checks Accepted