OUTRAGEOUS PAGES REVIEW

by JackA7 (Qlink-ID)

(Article Index Editor's Note: Although this program was not on the market long, you may be tempted
to pick up a used copy some time. Read and be warned)

This review is really in two parts. The first part after looking at the program and playing with it for a few
hours and the second after seriously working with it trying to turn out some decent pages for a
newsletter. Be sure to read the last half of it. The errors referred to were in other pages of the
newsletter and what happened was that the first pass printed ok, but the second pass (which prints the
bottom half of the text) would be off by a half space to as much as four spaces shifted right.

AT LAST! We now have a DTP (Desk Top Publisher) for the C-64. I know a few of you GEOS
lovers will object to the first statement, but I do not consider a program that requires you to own
another hundred dollars of specific software to be anything more than an enhancement for that specific
software.

In my opinion, a true DTP should allow you to use your favorite word processor, data base,
spreadsheet or graphics files. It should also allow you to TOTALLY create a page without having to
own anything else besides a printer. This one does it and it is the first! There are several more promised
and some of them may be better, but this one priced reasonably ($50.00 at full retail -- discounted to
about $35) and is available now!

WHAT IT DOES:

Batteries Included suggests that you can create Newsletters ( 2-column, 3-column or diamond),
calendars, certificates, invitations, greeting cards, signs, flyers, banners, letterheads, stickers, labels,
menus, message pads, name tags and coupons. They have included sample templates and instructions
for most of these, but once you have waded through the program and documentation you should be
able to create just about any layout scheme you like 

It prints full pages, full screens and partial screens (boxes).

They call it a "Creative Page Designer," and it is just that. It allows you to place graphics or text
anywhere you want and to put circles, ellipses, boxes, or borders around it. If you bring in text from
your favorite word processor it will flow the text around the graphics you have placed. Menu driven
commands allow you to copy, flip, rotate, expand or reduce any area of the page. Fonts can be mixed
in just about any manner. If you don't like any of the 50 fonts that are included, you can modify them or
create your own. The program comes with 80 different graphics, patterns (for background or fill) and
borders, or you can use any of your favorites from Print Shop or Newsroom. These will have to be
converted, but the conversion program is included and is very simple to use. If you already have a
Newsroom panel that you like you can bring it into Outrageous Pages. 


Printer drivers are supplied for 15 of the most popular printers so most users should be able to pick one
that will work for them. The NLQ mode provides a darker and somewhat clearer printout, but is only
available through the Epson drivers. All printer files (except CBM9) allow you to choose serial, parallel
or RS-232 ports for output.

The program is copy protected. They recommend that you make copies of all 6 sides to work from, but
you will have to insert one of the Master Key disks for verification at the beginning of each session.

Like most programs of this scope it is not fast or simple to operate. With two drives is has fewer disk
changes, and if you would plan a little ahead you could have all your fonts, graphics, borders and
patterns on one disk which would eliminate any disk changes. The program is not real fast, but
considering what it does I think it does real well. Unlike some programs of this type, it will abort the
print process fairly quickly if you change your mind.

The programming seems to be very thorough. Some of the safeguards are a little annoying if you are in
a hurry, but it is almost impossible to foul things up and lose or destroy your work with just one
accidental key stroke.

The program will work with a joystick, mouse (either 2 or 3 button) or from the keyboard. It also will
work with a fastload cartridge. You can switch input drivers at anytime.

The documentation is thorough, but like all documentation is not laid out in a very logical manner. If you
read the manual through before you start you should get a pretty good feel for the program just by
running through their "Guided Tour" section.

ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE:

If you want to drastically alter the size of a graphic you may need a full screen to do it. This would
present a problem if you are close to the end of the page. Correcting a spelling error is simply a matter
of hitting the delete key, UNLESS you have hit RETURN. Once you do that it becomes a graphic and
it is easier to replace the entire line, than to try and correct a single letter. I would also suggest that you
re-save all the graphics in postage stamp size as it is definitely easier to enlarge to fit than to load a
picture in and have it overwrite an area because you forgot to turn the autoflow function on.

While this program does not take advantage of any of the C-128's features, it definitely fills a need for
Commodore enthusiasts, and nothing like it is planned for the 128 in the immediate future. Many of
these features are available in Basic 8, but Outrageous Pages does a great deal more and does it more
simply.

Well it seems there may be a few more negative things to say about the program. There seems to be a
very serious problem with margins and/or printer resets. Every few lines the printer appears to do a
reset. Whether this is something within the printer or due to software commands, I am not sure yet.
Since my Epson 1000 took a dump this week (I certainly hope not because of printing half a dozen
Outrageous Pages) I used an EX-800 for this newsletter. I have re-checked the graphics using the
zoom feature and they are intact, and yet, the borders on all multiple column pages are printing
erratically. Every time the border fails to print, the line with it and sometimes the following line are off by
anywhere from one half to four full spaces. It makes for some strange graphics and some totally
unreadable text.

I expect that when I contact the Epson dealer tomorrow, he will blame the software and that Batteries
Included will blame the printer. We went through this same stuff in August with Epyx and Create a
Calendar. As it turned out in that case it was a problem with both the software and the Xetec Interface.
As of this writing neither company has contacted us to say they have solved that problem.

LATE UPDATE -- I called Batteries Included (Electronics Arts) this afternoon and after wasting seven
minutes with someone who knew nothing, was told that "Mike" would call me back right after lunch.
Well folks it is now supper time and the newsletter has to go out -- warts and all! I will go on Q-Link
tonight and post this review and a note to EA and see what happens.


(Interface Editor's Comments: I have used this program, as well as Paperclip Publisher and geoPublish.
I found Outrageous Pages terribly tedious and difficult to work with. It was withdrawn from the market
due to problems with the printer drivers. I guess "Mike" is still out to lunch! --Dick Estel 3/89)

(From COMM'PUTOY CULT Newsletter, February 1998, via the Commodore Information Center,
http://home.att.net/~rmestel/commodore.html)