NewDeal OfficeNewDeal The majority of people who use computers on a regular basis only use them for a few things. Generally, those things tend to be document creation and communications. Jobs that don't require a lot of computing power to accomplish. But any new computer you purchase will be supercharged and overloaded with bloated software to do everything under the sun - even if you still only need to type a document or get online. NewDeal, Inc. has launched itself on a mission to reduce computer illiteracy and cut down on the constant demand for faster and more powerful computers by publishing easy to use software that doesn't need a new computer to run on. Their flagship product, NewDeal Office, runs on almost every PC operating system (any DOS, Win 3/9X/NT, OS/2, and DOSEMU under Linux) and only requires a 286 processor to function. It needs less than a single megabyte of RAM, and only consumes 10MB of space on the harddrive. It will run on almost any PC made since the early 1980's, or the latest Pentium VII desktop system if that's what you happen to have. (NewDeal's GreenPC subsidiary sells refurbished 486 and Pentium PCs at a low price, for those interested in cheap computers to run this software on.) Despite all that, NewDeal Office isn't what one typically thinks of in association with trimmed down DOS software. It has a completely modern GUI that looks very similar to the Windows interface, and includes extras like a Web browser/e-mail client and CD player for those of us who can't work without music. The complete list of components includes a word processor, database, Web browser, spreadsheet, calculator, e-mail client, basic drawing program (with clip art), IRC chat client, banking software, and tools to do Web design and program your own NewDeal components. It also offers some appeal to schools with included educational software. And there's a lot more I didn't list. The software is actually easy to use and most people who have even a little computer experience will be able to get right to work without reading the included support documents. Since cutting down the file size and speed requirements also cut down on feature creep, this is a solid step forward compared to the piles of useless functions you find in Microsoft Office (now we mention it) or any of that suite's individual components. And did we mention the price? With Office upgrades selling in excess of $250, NewDeal's minimal cost is a breath of fresh air for the wallet, too. Overall, NewDeal Office is a great solution for anyone looking to set up a computer for doing office tasks on a limited budget. PLUSES: An office suite without the Office bloat; support for a long list of OSes and hardware setups; decent pricing. MINUSES: Limited flexibility; not compatible with apps from other OSes. Overall Ranking: (Three out of Five) Note: The NewDeal company is apparently having hard times or no longer exists. However, at the time this notice is being added the company's Web site is still functional with an evaluation version available for download here. -Paul R.   PUBLISHER: NewDealVERSION: 3.2aLICENSE: Bundled Commercial REQUIREMENTS: DOS, Linux, Windows, OS/2; CGA or VGA; 649K RAM; 10MB HD ALTERNATIVE TO: Excel, Explorer, Money, Office, PhotoDraw, PowerPoint, Word, Works ADDITIONAL INFO: Official Site GreenPC Wired Magazine Reviewed by Paul Rickard, April 2001.

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