PRINT SHOP
WELL WORTH THE WAIT!
by JACK POWELL, Antic Technical Editor
Yup. Looks like the dry spell for Atari
software has finally ended. At last, the big guns are coming out: EPYX
is marketing the fabulous Lucasfilm games, Paper-Clip is on the way, and
Alternate Realities will finally become a reality-courtesy of Datasoft.
Then just the other day a bright yellow box came in from
Broderbund. The Atari edition of Print Shop had finally arrived!
Print Shop is a graphics printing program that Apple owners
have been enjoying for quite awhile. It's currently Broderbund's hottest
selling item, and the reason why is easy to see. From the bright yellow
packaging to the foolproof programming, Print Shop is so darn friendly
you feel like Bambi has just toddled into your Atari.
When the package arrived, we tore off the wrapping and
booted the disk. The very first page of the reference manual said to ignore
the documentation, start up the program and just follow the prompts. Within
minutes, the Antic offices were littered with gaily decorated printer
paper.
If you've always dreamed of being an art director, Print
Shop is exactly what you've been waiting for. You'll be cranking out flashy
greeting cards, stationery, banners and signs, featuring clever graphics
and a variety of different type-styles. You can decorate with ready-made
graphics icons that are supplied, or design your own. (My own "Opus The
Penguin" has been very well received.) The results are remarkably professional.
The program is entirely menu-driven and leads the user
easily through the options. In the tradition of all Broderbund's Apple-oriented
programs, there is an almost complete lack of sound, but this is essentially
a utility so it's not too bothersome.
Before you rush out and buy Print Shop, make sure you
have a dot-matrix printer capable of graphics. No matter how nice the program,
it won't work on your letter-quality Atari 1027 printer. Print Shop handles
most graphics printers. They're all listed on the box. If in doubt, call
Broderbund.
As fun as it is, Print Shop has its limitations. You've
eight type-fonts to choose from and there's no way to design your own.
The disk comes with 60 icons or graphic designs. And you may also design
your own using the Print Shop graphics editor, but as usual with multiple
utility packages, the graphics editor is a crude joystick/Koala Pad pixel
editor which does not allow for patterned fills or other desirable sophistications.
It would certainly be nice if we could use one of the
many versions of Micro Illustrator to design our icons, but this is not
the case. And, since the disk files have been hidden, a programming hobbyist
would have a difficult time writing a conversion program.
One frustrating omission is Print Shop's inability to
make labels. What about all my home-made peach preserves and canned prunes?
Nevertheless, Print Shop is the kind of program that should
appeal to a huge audience. I can't think of a better computer gift for
children-if the adults will let them get their hands on it. We really should
all thank Broderbund for converting this hit software to the Atari. Now
if they would only buckle down and get to work on an Atari conversion of
Championship Lode Runner...
PRINT SHOP
Broderbund Software
17 Paul Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903
(415) 479-1170
$44.95-48K disk
