From: amiga-reviews@math.uh.edu (comp.sys.amiga.reviews moderator)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews
Subject: MONTHLY POSTING: Template for full reviews (optional)
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Date: 3 Jan 1993 03:56:34 GMT
Organization: The Amiga Online Review Column - ed. Daniel Barrett
Distribution: world
Expires: Mon, 1 Feb 1993 05:00:00 GMT
Reply-To: amiga-reviews@math.uh.edu (comp.sys.amiga.reviews moderator)
NNTP-Posting-Host: karazm.math.uh.edu
Summary: "Fill in the blanks" method for writing reviews
Keywords: monthly posting


			FULL REVIEW TEMPLATE FOR
			 COMP.SYS.AMIGA.REVIEWS

This document was last updated:		November 30, 1992
(If you write reviews, make sure you keep the latest version!)

	Do you need help organizing or writing a full review?  Then you are
welcome to use this "template" file as a guide.  It contains common subject
headings, common questions you can answer, and other information.  Just
"fill in the blanks" to write your review.

[Note:  Please see the article "Introduction to comp.sys.amiga.reviews" for
full information about writing a review.  A "full review" is not the only
kind of review you can write.  The "Introduction" article is posted in
comp.sys.amiga.reviews on the first day of every month.]

	You are NOT REQUIRED to use this template; however, I recommend that
you read it anyway.  It might give you some ideas for what to write, or
remind you of something you have forgotten.

	The template consists of headings (in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS)
and comments <<inside brackets like this>>.  To use the template,
simply delete the comments and replace them with your review information.
Do not delete the headings; leave them in your finished review.

	You do not have to use every heading, but try to use all of them
that apply to your product.  Also, you may certainly add your own headings.

	When your review is finished, mail it to

		amiga-reviews-submissions@math.uh.edu

If you have any suggestions or corrections for this template, send them
to amiga-reviews@math.uh.edu.

------------8<----------------- cut here ----------------8<------------------

PRODUCT NAME

	<<The name of the product, and the version number.>>


BRIEF DESCRIPTION

	<<1 or 2 sentences describing what kind of product this is.>>


AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION

	Name:		<<...>>
	Address:	<<...>>

	Telephone:	<<...>>
	FAX:		<<...>>

	E-mail:		<<...>>


LIST PRICE

	<<The list price of the product.  Remember to say what currency
	units you are using (US dollars, Canadian dollars, francs, ...).>>

	<<Optionally, you may also include the price you paid,
	but do not advertise for any particular store!>>


SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

	<<Does your Amiga require any special hardware or software before
	you can use the product?>>

	HARDWARE

		<<If there are no special hardware requirements, write
		NONE.>>

		<<How much RAM is needed?>>
	
		<<Does it require a hard drive?  If so, how much space is
		needed?>>

		<<Does it work with a CPU faster than a 68000?>>

		<<Does it REQUIRE a CPU faster than a 68000?
		Is a faster processor recommended by the manufacturer?>>

	SOFTWARE
	
		<<If there are no special software requirements, write
		NONE.>>

		<<What minimum version of the operating system is required?>>

		<<Does it work correctly under the latest version of the
		operating system?  If not, what is wrong?>>


COPY PROTECTION

	<<A description of the copy protection mechanism.  Please use
	the terms:

		None

		Disk-based (the disk itself cannot be copied with DiskCopy)

		Key disk (the disk can be copied with DiskCopy, but the
		 original disk must be inserted to let the program run)

		Look up a word in the manual

		Dongle (hardware device attached to an Amiga port)

		Other (what kind?) >>

	<<Does the program install on a hard drive?>>

	<<Does it require you to boot on the original disk?>>

	<<Does it save data onto the copy protected disk?  (Some games will
	save their high score tables, etc., directly onto the copy protected
	disk.  Some people think this bad.)>>

	<<In addition, please rate the copy protection mechanism according
	to the following scale:

		Invisible	You don't notice it at all
		Acceptable	You notice it, but it is not too bad
		Annoying	Very noticable and annoying
		Terrible	Harmful to your disk drive hardware,
				extremely inconvenient, etc.>>

MACHINE USED FOR TESTING

	<<What model(s) of Amiga did you use while testing the product?>>
	<<How much CHIP RAM and FAST RAM?>>
	<<What versions of Kickstart and Workbench?>>
	<<Any other special, relevant hardware and software?>>
		
REVIEW

	<<Your review goes here!>>
	<<This is the longest part of the article.>>


DOCUMENTATION

	<<Does it come with documentation?  Printed, or on disk?>>

	<<How is the quality of the documentation?  Does it tell you
	everything you NEED to know?  Everything you WANT to know?>>

	<<Is the documentation written for beginners?  Experts?>>


LIKES AND DISLIKES

	<<What parts of the product did you like?  Why?>>
	<<What parts of the product did you dislike?  Why?>>
	<<Do you have any suggestions to improve the product?>>


COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS

	<<Have you used other products that are similar to this one?
	If so, how would you compare them?>>

	<<NOTE:  your review should be mostly independent of other products.
	Don't just say "it works like WordMaster" because the reader might
	not know what WordMaster is.>>


BUGS

	<<Did you find any bugs?  What were they?  Did you discuss them with
	the author/company?  Are patches or workarounds available?>>


VENDOR SUPPORT

	<<If you have contacted the author or company for support, please
	describe your experiences.>>


WARRANTY

	<<How long the product warranty lasts, if there is a warranty,
	and what is covered?>>

	<<Does the warranty apply only to the original purchaser?>>


CONCLUSIONS

	<<Is the product good?  Bad?  Fair?>>

	<<Maybe you want to give the product a rating, like "3 stars out
	of 5.">>

	<<What are your final impressions?>>


COPYRIGHT NOTICE

	<<You are welcome, but not required, to label your review as
	copyrighted, freely distributable, or public domain.  If you
	copyright it, use the exact phrase:

		Copyright 199_ <<your name here>>.  All rights reserved.

	Remember... by submitting a review, you are AUTOMATICALLY giving
	permission for your review to be posted on USENET, archived on
	our ftp site, and distributed in several other ways.  See the
	monthly posting "Introduction to comp.sys.amiga.reviews" for
	the exact details.>>

------------8<----------------- cut here ----------------8<------------------

	Good luck!!

---

   Dan Barrett, Moderator, comp.sys.amiga.reviews
   Send reviews to:	amiga-reviews-submissions@math.uh.edu
   Request information:	amiga-reviews-requests@math.uh.edu
   General discussion:	amiga-reviews@math.uh.edu