TAKE TWO DISKS AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING
A Review of The Family Doctor
by Rich Cunningham
It's always nice to see the local people you live around succeed and do
well. When I was in the US Navy, it was always nice to see a sports team from
Oregon travel to the part of the country I was in. And it was even better if
they won (which was rare). So when I get a chance to review a great product, and
it's made in Oregon, well, that just makes it all the better.
The program I am talking about it called The Family Doctor, and is
brought to us by the fine people at Creative Multimedia on SW Broadway in
Portland, Oregon (well above the floodwaters). This product is a multi-volume,
multimedia medical reference on CD-ROM. It has been around for awhile (this is
the 4th edition), and this represents a step forward for the product.
While most
medical references focus on a single topic or subject, this product is an
"all-encompassing medical reference guide". It covers step-by-step first aid
techniques, symptom diagnosis suggestions, 2-d and 3-d anatomical views
(including a Cat Scan (CT) cross view of the human body from head to foot), and
so many other subjects that I can't list them here. There are volumes of books
and over 700 nationally distributed medical pamphlets available for on-line
viewing. There is also a listing of alternative medical resources available, for
a change of pace. You can also set up files to track your family's medical
history, such as immunizations, child hood illnesses, etc.
The program opens just like a visit to the doctor's office: you go into
the reception area and are greeted by a nurse. You can sign in and fill out a
form, detailing your medical history (the doctor will need it later). You then
have the choice of going to the library, the examine room or the First Aid room.
Each room has it's own purpose.
The library is just that, where you can examine
all the reference material included in the program. In the examine room, you
interact with the doctor, as this is where you can explore the symptoms and
diseases that can get to you. In the First Aid room, you can watch slice show
presentations on various aid topics. After this is all over, you can return to
the library and take you medical examine to get you MD license ( in fun only, of
course).
This program is only available for Windows. It installed flawlessly
under Windows 95, although the Install program seemed to run very slow. But I
think it was my system more that it was the program. There is a $10.00 rebate
for purchasing this program. Also included in this program is a version of the
popular SPRY "Mosaic" Internet browser. It comes with an integrated email
package, which gives the user the ability to get in touch with thousands of
on-line medical resources. This program is really worth the price, and has found
a home in my computer library.
Multimedia Cafe Scorecard
| Product: |
The Family Doctor |
| Company: |
Creative Multimedia
|
| Cost: |
$49.95 |
System Requirements:
IBM (only):
486/33 or above with Windows 3.1 or greater;
8mb of ram; 5mb hard drive space; 2X CD ROM drive;
256 color SVGA 640x480 resolution;
Soundblaster or compatible with Windows drivers.
Breakdown:
Entertainment Value 4
Educational Value 4
Concept 5
Depth 4
Interface 4
Overall Score:
Copyright © 1997 InfoMedia, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.