UGN InfoManager

Learn which Macintosh shareware, freeware and donationware products can make a computing experience really worth the few dollars paid for them by joining Washington Apple Pi, a Macintosh User Group, at the Microsoft Innovation & Technology Center in Reston Va, on Saturday February 28 at 9 a.m. These product types are "try before you buy" -- another opportunity to be sure of getting your money's worth.

Presenters come from GollyGee Software, HappyApps LLC, Midnight Mage, and Deep Prose Software. GollyGee presents its Golly Gee Blocks, a 3D creativity tool aimed at ages 6 to 106. HappyApps programmer, Luis de la Rosa, brings his WebNoteHappy, a "better bookmark manager for your Mac".

The Midnight Mage team have three products to show: two shareware, one freeware. AOLMemoImporter parses AOL Memos for the Spotlight searches while Roll Call Directory provides an Address Book printable graphic directory. Midnight Mage's freeware is Google Go Actions, creating Google maps on-demand for Address Book entries.

Matthew Shedlick demos Deep Prose's Booxter, "a personal librarian. At your service." Booxter does more than just manage a book collection, it can capture and export books to the newer iPods for listening on-the-go.

"Many shareware products are as good as or better than equivalent commercial counterparts and cost considerably less," explained Pat Fauquet, Washington Apple Pi's VP Programs. "Sometimes shareware has the one extra feature that makes doing projects so much easier that it is worthwhile to buy both the commercial product and its shareware equivalent."

Shareware, donationware and freeware discussed at the Apple Pi General Meeting will be available for sale on CD for $10. The CD will also include recent Apple software updates and other Macintosh news items. After the meeting the CD will sold for $12 at the Pi Fillings CD link. CDs help defray meeting costs.

The meeting, open to the public, starts at 9 a.m. at the Microsoft Innovation & Technology Center, 12012 Sunset Hills Road, Reston, VA, 20190. Here are directions to the meeting.