professional

Super scripts

Practical Scriptwriter is a word processor optimized for scriptwriting. It includes a wide range of script formats as well as tools designed to make it easy to start writing with little or no experience. It can produce results good enough to submit for consideration in TV, movies, and other media, although you must provide the content; it doesn't create characters, plots, or action. What it does do is take on the formatting and housekeeping chores so that you can concentrate on writing.

The program's interface differs from most other word processors, or applications in general, for that matter, … Read more

Log-in lockdown

As more and more aspects of our lives move online, it gets harder and harder to keep track of user names, passwords, personal identification numbers, and all the other bits of sensitive info that we need to remember. Although online accounts have made many tasks more convenient, creating log-ins that are both memorable and secure can be quite a hassle. Password Manager XP Professional is a simple solution to this problem, providing a very secure but easy-to-access place to store all your most personal information.

The program's interface is basic and intuitive, and we had no trouble getting started. … Read more

WorldSoft Corporation has the NeatReceipts Scanalizer Professional 2.5 Mobile Scanner for $164.95, after $65 savings.

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Password protector

KeePass Password Safe Professional provides a helpful directory for remembering passwords and keeping them secure. While its layout was slightly confusing, its excellent results made us very happy, and to top it off, it's free.

The program's interface has a stark, directionless layout that initially turned us off. However, a visit to the Help file's instructions and some experimenting quickly opened this program up, and it actually proved to be easy to use. The program's functionality is quite simple: Follow an onscreen menu to enter a Web site's information and its corresponding user name and … Read more

Key ringer

How much time have you spent searching through program folders and file repositories for the product key to a piece of software that you need to update or reinstall? Something that seems like it ought to be as easy as finding the tag of your shirt or your car's VIN instead becomes more like unraveling the Da Vinci Code. Help is available in the form of Miscsoftware's Product Key Viewer Professional, a utility that automatically locates the product keys in more than 1,000 Windows and other software products. It quickly returns any user data, activation keys, and … Read more

Unintuitive form maker

Pdf-Office Professional is a sleek program that allows users to create interactive PDF forms. Although it seems simple, getting the program to create decent-looking forms was harder than we expected.

The program's interface is clean and uncluttered, with its features neatly organized in toolbars. The main toolbar allows users to quickly switch between the text editor tool, image tool, drawing tool, text box tool, and form tool. Most of these are fairly self-explanatory, with the exception of the form tool. And that's unfortunate, since it's the whole point of the program. The form tool seems as if … Read more

Online sales tool

Ceek Software's TopSales Professional is a sales automation tool designed to facilitate communication between online marketers and clients, customers, suppliers, and other contacts. Its goal is to enhance online sales productivity by automating many of the tasks involved in Internet marketing, such as daily contact management, e-mail autoresponse, and other details that can help you build long-term business relationships. It enhances collaboration by keeping sales teams in touch, and its contacts management features are exportable to programs like Windows Mobile, a plus for business travelers and the growing number of business people who rely on handheld devices. In fact, … Read more

The 404 451: Where we take a bite out of a Windows 7 burger

Happy Windows 7 Day everyone! Much to Wilson's chagrin, there is indeed another operating system out there, and the new version just came out today. Users unhappy with Windows Vista can now breath a sigh of relief, as the new OS combines a strong design with an easy-to-use interface that many are calling "Vista done right," but more.

Check out our own Seth Rosenblatt's full review of Microsoft Windows 7 (Professional), then head over to CNET's Windows 7 landing page for full coverage and a live blog of today's launch event.

Most interesting about Windows 7 is Microsoft's impressive worldwide media promotion, which includes Burger Kings in Japan rolling out the official Windows 7 burger. The meaty behemoth actually has seven meat patties and carries a 777 special price for Japanese customers.

The limited-time offer is an effort to promote the software as "leaner and meaner," although we don't get how a heart attack between two buns will get the message out there. Seth MacFarlane is getting in on the viral marketing as well--on November 18, Microsoft will sponsor a full half-hour episode of "Family Guy." Be sure to watch the sneak peak that features Stewie and Brian poking fun at Microsoft's new features.

Finally, Jeff's pick for today's Beck's Beer Audio Draft is a band on Victory Records called The Audition. Although we agree with Jeff that they might be the pop-iest band we've featured on the show, they nevertheless have a feel-good sound that takes us back to our teenage years. The first song of the day is entitled "My Temperature's Rising" off the band's newest self-titled album.

Unfortunately, the band just got off a tour with our beloved Alkaline Trio, but be sure to check back on their Last.FM page for the latest concert info.

EPISODE 451 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Which Windows 7 is right for you?

Windows 7 officially will be released to the public on Thursday, and judging by our poll, most CNET readers have already decided to upgrade. For those who haven't, or for those who want a bit more information on just what you're getting with your Windows 7 Starter, Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate, take a look at the chart and explanation below.

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StarterHome PremiumProfessionalUltimate

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32-bit and 64-bit versions32-bit onlyBothBothBoth

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Maximum physical memory (64-bit mode)N/A16 GB192 GB192 GB

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Maximum physical CPUs supported1122

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Home Group (create and join)Join onlyYesYesYes

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Backup and Restore CenterCannot back up to networkCannot back … Read more