CLICKS: Software Reviews

THE WORLD OF FUN & LEARNING, KINDERGARTEN EDITION Maker: Humongous Entertainment Rating: Excellent System: Windows 3.1 or higher/Macintosh Price: $19.95 More information: 1-800-499-8386;

Friday, March 10th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

THE WORLD OF FUN & LEARNING, KINDERGARTEN EDITION

Maker: Humongous Entertainment
Rating: Excellent
System: Windows 3.1 or higher/Macintosh
Price: $19.95
More information: 1-800-499-8386; www.humongous.com

Credit the Humongous team for some strategic, sensible repackaging in the middle of the software industry's dormant season. While there may be a new presentation, the tooling is the same, and that's good news for those who follow this quality line of kid's software.

In its new World of Fun & Learning series, kindergartners and younger kids who are quick starters are treated to three products in one box. Children get a classic Humongous title that's mostly for fun, a more sophisticated curriculum-related program and a real-life activity notebook.

Little gamers find adventure in Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo. Parents will find their little ones navigating the little purple car around the zoo.
Putt-Putt drives from one location to the next with such lively, colorful backdrops that kids may lose themselves in the scenery. The dialogue is kid-friendly and entertaining, and youngsters won't mind a bit that they are problem-solving in the process.

Big Thinkers! Kindergarten is the more serious classroom-based title, with kindergarten lessons such as letter recognition, measurement and estimation, spelling and sequencing. Although this is the learning component of the set, the drills are cleverly disguised in game format.

Finally, the activity notebook features a variety of learning exercises and is a good idea for younger kids, who also need tactile learning. The book has stickers, coloring pages, traditional puzzles, mazes, connect-the-dot activities and matching drills. This product is a great idea with an even more appealing price tag.

PHOTO STUDIO 2000

Maker: ArcSoft
Rating:Good
System: Windows 95/98/NT
Price: $39.95
More information: 510-440-9901; www.arcsoft.com

Image-editing software titles are a dime a dozen, but Photo Studio 2000 is worth more than just a mention for its ability to measure up to the two industry leaders, Adobe Photo Deluxe and Microsoft's Picture It.

There are two things to like right off the bat: its desktop organization and its multiple undo function for dummy-proof editing. It can be so frustrating to go searching for the tools to correct pictures, and this program recognizes that by making everything accessible on screen.

Tools and functions such as masking, cloning and basic picture-editing are at the menu bar or on a tools bar, which you can minimize. This approach is similar to the high-powered professional Adobe Photoshop. The advantage is obvious: Make the tools obvious, and you're likely to experiment and get creative.

The many levels of undo also cut down on frustration by allowing you to get rid of more than just your most recent bobble.

There are other likable features, some unique and some not. The stitching effect is a breath of fresh air. The function lets you automatically connect two photos for a panoramic image or double one to get a similar effect.

I've not seen this really cool tool anyplace else. Novices will like the one-click fix feature that is very similar to Adobe's instant fix.
If you are an advanced image editor, you will appreciate the layers feature that allows you to experiment with one version of your picture at a time without affecting the content of any other layer.

A helpful album stays on screen and organizes works in progress and finished photographs in thumbnail size. For enthusiasts, the program comes with automatic access to photoisland.com, ArcSoft's photo-sharing site.
While all the basic tools are there, you won't get many of the extra perks you find in the Adobe and Microsoft titles. What you get instead is a very affordable program that is serious about photo-editing.

Jean Nash Johnson is a Dallas Morning News staff writer. Send questions or comments to her at Personal Technology, The Dallas Morning News, P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas, 75265, or send e-mail to jnjohnson@dallasnews.com. Ms. Johnson is unable to reply personally to each letter.