Chem Wlndows Softshell International, Ltd., 2754 Compass Drive, Site 375, Grand Junction, CO
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111nfi
Hardware: IBM PC or Clone Components: Personal System 2 Color display Level and Subject: Cost: $295
Category Ease 01 Use
Sublen Mallet Content: Excellem PedagDgic Value: Student Reaction: Not experimented
Revlew Chem Windows is a chemical structure drawing program that can be used in several ways. You may create a diskfile for later use, you may plot a drawing to a printer or plotter connected to a computer, or yon may create a file for input to a word processing program such as Word Perfect. The program comes with a wide variety of options. The loading sequence is almost automatic. The minimum equipment required is an IBM AT or better and a mouse. There is an option for use without a mouse, hut I did not find this acceptable because it is too time consuming. I tried using Chem Windows on an IBM X T (even though this wasnat one of the selections) and found that it ran slowly and some parts did not run properly.
In installing the program you may select your computer from: IBM AT (or 100%compatible), IBM System 2 25, 30, 50 60 or 80; AT & T Personal Computer, Ericsson Personal Computer, H P Veetra, Olivette Personal Computers, or Tandy 1000, 3000, 4000. There are more than 12 keyboards from which to select includine United Stater. Rrlgium. Latin Amencsn, and more. There arr many primers or plotters from which to rhome. Thrs range from a dot ma. trix printer to laser printers and plotters. The installation program is largely automatic with an occasional selection that must be made, and installation should go without problems. Screen items may he selected from a menu displayed at the top of the display. I found drawing bands to he very simple. A bond may be drawn by selecting the bond box and clicking the mouse. One then moves the cursor to the position of the end of the bond and clicking the mouse hut not releasing the click (this will be referred to from now on as dragging the mouse). Without releasing, the mouse is moved in the direction you want the bond projected. As you move the curser away the bond is displayed. Moving the mouse perpendicular to the first move rotates the hond around the first point in 15-degree increments. When you decide where you want it, release the mouse button and the bond is displayed. When you move the cursor over the hond you notice black areas displayed as the curser is near the bond. These are known as hit boxes. Clicking the mouse when the cursor is a t a hit box places the start of a new hond at the end of the first one. The center of the bond elso has a hit box. Clicking the mouse on the center ofthe hit hox makes it adouhle bond. Triole
bonds are made in a similar manner. A "yield", "equilibrium" or "resonance" equal symbol may be drawn in a similar manner as a hond. Cyclobutane, cyclopentane, cyclohexane (both chair and hoat), as well as benzene rings with or without double bonds may he drawn. I found naphthalene very simple to display. Naphthalene and other aromatics can be produced by drawing a benzene ring, moving to the hit box of the ring and clicking the mouse. If you make a mistake there is an eraser selection. Other option circle drawing included, as well a dotted circle drawini selection. All selections come with a pulldown help file. After selecting the help menu, go to the selection and click the mouse. The help menu appears. There are many other features on the program. Here are some I found useful. You may enlarge the drawing. You may enlarge the drawing along one axis. A capital letter may he inserted a t the junction of the honds, far example a benzene ring can be changed to pyridine. Text may be added anywhere in the drawing. Automatic subscripting is possible when typing a structure such as CH&H2CHz. Bond stretching and atom moving also can he accomplished. Brackets of any size may he placed anywhere to enclose a structure, ion, or entity. Wedges for honds going into or out of the plane as well as dashed lines for bonds in the plane give a three-dimensional appearance to a drawing. Many people will find this program useful. Authors and test writers should be very impressed and find drawing fast and convenient. Richard E. Wagner Iowa Lakes Communny College Esthervllle. IA 51334
Computer Learning Packages Softshell International, Ltd., Chem Windows K. R. Smith and B. D. Hames, Gene Cloning and Sequencing: A Strategic Approach
Richard E. Wagner Fedora Sutton
A133 A134
Roger R. Festa George B. Kauffman
A134 A135
Books John W. Hill, Chemistry for Changing Times David, Ian, John, and Margaret Millar, Chambers Concise Dictionary of Scientists New Volumes in Continuing Series
Volume 68
Number 5
May 1991
A133
