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From The Lancaster County Apple Corps (LCAC) newsletter called Peelings, Lancaster County, PA.


Anne of Green Gables
from Renaissance Interactive Studios, Inc.

Reviewed by Cindy O'Hora

(View large image: 31K)

Anne of Green Gables from Renaissance Interactive is an exceptionally fine product. I'm really glad I bought it.
__ This is the well loved story on CD. You may chose to read it yourself or have the page read. The text is a comfortable size for reading. It is read in a clear and inflective manner which draws you into the story. The background music enhances the experience and does not draw attention away from the story.
__ The hand-drawn illustrations enhance the tale at every turn. Anne comes to 3-D life when you click on her picture. The actress does a wonderful job of passionately portraying Anne. The animations are not toys, and do not repeat what was just read in text. They enhance and enrich the tale. I almost jumped the first time I clicked on one. Anne is so very real even in my Perform 637 with its old processor.
__ Enrichment tools at the bottom of each page offer a text read feature, a return to the index, access to a glossary, and a switch to the other language version. You navigate by moving the mouse to the side of the page and clicking.
__ I found this product very inviting. For children who have not yet found the magic of a good book, this may just be the ticket. I am a voracious reader. I have been skeptical about the value of books on CD. It is tough to read them in a tub of warm, rose scented water. I can't curl up with it in my favorite arm chair with my lap quilt and a cup of cranberry tea. Yet, I found this a real page turner and enjoyed many pages as I wrote this review.
__ S'il vous parlez Français ou étudiez Français, cet live et une bonne opportunité pour vous pratiquez votre adresses. My apologies to French speaking people everywhere if the previous sentence is not up to snuff. It has been twenty years since j'ecrive en français. Pardonnez moi.
__ This CD includes a French version of the book, as well. What a resource for those of us trying to learn/ teach/ recall French. It should be mandatory reading for middle level French classes.
__ The sole improvement I would suggest is that Anne tell you how to navigate when the book opens. I have been computing for 8 years. I have used many books on CD. I kept going to the bottom right corner of the page to turn it. This causes the tools to appear and does not turn the page. I consulted the Read me and found no directions. I did accidentally discover that the top and high sides always turn the page. If I were new to books on CD, I may have given up before I figured out how to turn the page.

The CD comes with both a Power Mac version and a "one for the rest of us".
The product is dual format Requires Macintosh System 7.1 or higher. Color monitor on an 68040 or greater with 8 megs of RAM (16 for Power Macs), and a 2xCDROM. QuickTime 2.5 is included on the CD.
Visit the web site at http://www.ri-studios.com email at info@ri_studios.com
Cost: $34.95 Canadian and worth every cent.

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__ The Lancaster County Apple Corps is a group of approximately 100 Apple/Mac users. We are located in Lancaster County, PA. LCAC publishes a monthly newsletter to members called Peelings. We meet monthly. Copyright 1997. Any user group newsletter may reprint this article as long as they contact me for permission. Straight ASCII Text version: AnneGreen.txt


Who is Cindy O'Hora
I have been using Macintosh computers for the past eight years. I provide Macintosh tech support, on a volunteer basis, to my children's school. I write reviews and computer tips for the Lancaster County Apple Corp's newsletter.
__ I am currently serving as Vice President of LCAC. I created and maintain a web site Macintosh Tips and Tutorials. It offers newer user tips and step by step directions for getting things done on your Mac. It also offers advice about computer volunteering and how to aid technology at your school. http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/8613/index.html

I may never live in a castle,
I may never drive a Mercedes Benz,
I may not see Scotand before I die,
BUT, I do own a Macintosh computer.
Simply the best.

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