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→Mail-Call
| cost = $25.00 (disk)
| manufacturer = Wattsware, 1739 Burning Tree Dr., Vit'nna, VA 22180
| requirements = console, monitor or television, disk drive and controller, Exttended Extended BASIC cartridge, printer recommended, 32K memory expansion helpful
}}
Mail-Call is a relatively new application program for the TI99/4A home computer. Utilizing relative files and written in Extended BASIC, it is more useful than TI's Mail List software, which runs out of console BASIC and carries a list price of $69.95. This program seems to have a place in the middle ground between the simpler, slower mailing list programs and the sophisticated, faster mailing software such as TI-Count/Mail, which has a list price of $99.95.
===Performance===
Mail-Call consists of two protected programs. One handles the mailing list chores and the other is available in case the user wants to convert the mailing list into a file that can be read by the TI-Writer text processing program. This is a very useful
function in itself for those who use TI Writer in conjunction with correspondence.
The capacity of the Mail-Call program is equal to the capacity of the disk drive. A single-sided, single density drive can store about 600 pages. Each page consists of a title, first name, last name, street address, city, state, ZIP code and another line
for coding purposes.
This program is simple to operate, with all entry based on screen prompts. It automatically sorts files alphabetically based on the last name.
It also provides full editing capability, including deletion and correction of pages. Data is accepted in upper and lower case.
The user may view the files by scanning pages or by listing pages. Scanning provides a list of entries based on the sequential page number and name. The user may also list the contents of all pages to the screen. Both of these commands may be terminated
at any point.
Printing of the pages is done with little user choice in formatting. Listing a hard copy of the file contents allows 11 items per printer page. The program is preset to print single row labels (3 1/2 X 15/16 in.) using a four-line address.
However. the user determines what
information to include on the labels as
well as which labels to print during
any run. He may choose to print all
pages. or only those based on the last
name. ZIP code, city, state. user code
or p;_ige number.
Of course. by using the conversion
option and TI-Writer. the user can
incorporate Mail-Call files in corres
pondence. Although the Mail-Call files
can be converted to suit TI-Writer. TI
Writer files c�rnnot be converted to be
used by Mail-Call.
Ease of Use': This program is easy to
use. The only problem I had initiully
was while using the conversion pro
gram. I entered an improper file nume
and the program stopped und the
computer spit out an error message.
There was no problem in getting it
going again.
My. principal reservation has to do
with the fact that all operations run out
of a single disk drive, resulting in a lot
of disk switching. I'd like to see an
option that permits th� use of two
drives. one for program storage. the
other for data storage. (The company
says it recently modified the program
so that it can also be used with multiple
drives.) Also. as the mailing list gets
longer. the time it takes for items to be
added increase proportionately. Writ
ing e;_ich entry to disk took from 11 to 15
seconds on average. I don't know what
can be done to speed it up since it
seems to be a limitation of Extended
BASIC and not the programmer. At
this price. I'm willing to put up with a
few inconveniences. The fact that it
won't accept nine-digit ZIP codes
doesn't bother me at ull. Who uses
them'?
Documentation: Mail-Call comes
w i th a w e l l-done booklet t h a t
addressed every question I had about
the program.
Valut> : I don't recommend this pro
gram to thosl' who ..ire constantly
updating ..111d . . idding l ..1rge numbers or
11..tml'S to a mailing list. Because it
does not sort by ZIP codes. it is irwp
propriate for those who use third or
second class mailing Pl'rmits. Also. it
is not desigrwd for use with C..111..idi .. 111
or other non-ll.S. addresses.
Howe\'l'r. I c..111 recomnwnd it to vir
tu..llly anyone else who h ..1s ,1 need to
kCl'P track of nanws ..111d addresses
and to print mailing l .. ibels on .. , perio
dic b ..isis. l ser groups. church groups.
PTAs and other organiwtions could
benefit from this progr..1m. The pro
gram serves its intended purpose
well. which is to bring order to the
ch,ios of mailing. -JK
