Editor's note: As you'll have noted in our last issue, in our never-ending quest to enrich our content, HMS Beagle is seeking to expand our pool of software expertise by recruiting software reviewers. If you're interested in critiquing new programs, we'd like to hear from you.

But whether or not you want to review software, if you use software we'd like your opinion on the reviewer questionnaire below. These are guidelines for those reviewing software; we want to be sure that we're asking the questions that are most important to the people who actually use the programs (that is, you). Please take a moment to look over the reviewer guidelines below, and let us know if we're missing any crucial areas where you need information.

We're also soliciting suggestions for programs you'd like to see reviewed in the Beagle. When you send those suggestions, please provide the exact name of the program, and be sure to let us know its developer.

All comments and suggestions should be sent to Laurie Zamprelli. Thanks for the data!

Guidelines for Software Reviewers

Please provide the following information/answer the following questions in your review:

1. Overview (no more than 200 words)
2. Test platform
3. Suitable platforms/file formats
4. Type of software: (circle as many as you wish)
   
   
   • Mathematics/statistics
   • Graphics
   • Data analysis
   • Chemical drawing
   • Structural biology
   • Image analysis
   • Teaching tool/educational
   • Laboratory management
   • Miscellaneous utilities
   • Other (specify)
   
   
5. Is program available online as a demo? (Provide details)
6. Learning curve x-axis: time elapsed before you first used this software effectively
7. Ease of data handling (scale of 1 to 10; 1 = worst; 10 = best)
8. Simplicity and clarity of user interface (scale of 1 to 10; 1 = worst; 10 = best)
9. Unique or impressive features
10. Advantages over other similar programs
11. Quirks you can live with
12. Truly difficult drawbacks and shortfalls
13. Customizability
14. Quality of hardcopy documentation (scale of 1 to 10; 1 = worst; 10 = best)
15. Quality of online help (scale of 1 to 10; 1 = worst; 10 = best)
16. Are updates available?
17. Software is most worth the investment for (type of user . . . )
18. Additional comments (200 word maximum)
19. System requirements
20. Purchasing information