Nota Bene: Caveat Scriptor (Part 2)

As promised in our preliminary review (Hispania, December 1985), we propose to make a more detailed commentary on the strengths and weaknesses of this integrated software package. We now have had several months experience with Nota Bene, and base our observations in this review on two kinds of activities: 1) the note-taking, documentation, and word processing involved in the production of foreign language research materials; 2) the establishment and manipulation of an extensive free-form and multi-lingual database. The second activity, now in its initial stages, will lead to an annotated bibliographic guide to the avant-garde in Latin America, and brings with it special needs for integrating word processing and database management. The hardware on which we are using Nota Bene, as indicated in the earlier review, is an expanded IBM PC-XT (512KB internal memory, two disk drives, and 20MB fixed disk capacity) with an IBM Color Graphics printer and an Enhanced Color Display. Initially we installed Nota Bene for use on the floppy-disk drives, but we have since reinstalled it on the hard disk in order to organize our files better and to facilitate the transfer of files from other systems. We had earlier expressed disappointment with the printed support materials provided with Nota Bene, a concern which added use has not dispelled. However, in direct contacts with support personnel over the telephone, we received effective assistance in resolving questions regarding reinstallation procedures and other matters. Dragonfly Software maintains a number (not toll-free) in Brooklyn, New York, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm EST. The staff will answer questions about uses of Nota Bene, but consultations on programming are charged at current rates. We also understand that the MLA is providing support for Nota Bene, although we have not yet tried to use this service. We mentioned, also in our earlier review, our search for a single software package that would handle all the demands of an extended research/bibliographic project like ours. We originally chose Nota Bene because it had attractive basic features in an integrated package. After using it for several months we realize that neither Nota Bene nor any other package we know of can fill all our complex requirements. However, in learning to use Nota Bene we have discovered a very useful feature, a programming language which will facilitate making changes in our files and in the software so as to better meet our specific needs. Therefore, we have decided to invest the time necessary to learn both the fundamentals of programming and the effective use of Nota Bene's programming language. We perceive important benefits, both for the project and for our individual work. Becoming more familiar with programming concepts will allow us in the short run to manipulate our various files more efficiently, and for the long run will force us to analyze and organize in