Advantages: Excellent insight into 'real' software engineering
Disadvantages: too many errata to the course texts

...This year (2000) has been the first presentation of M301. New courses always have their teething problems and M301 is no exception. By far the biggest problem has ben the number of errata to the course material literally hundreds of them! However, it is an excellent course. It covers basic JAVA and UML (Unified Modelling Language) and uses these to present an excellent insight into the huge subject of software engineering. Some of the tools used on the course are the same as those used by large companies to develop enormous software systems (like home-banking systems) and so you get a good 'real-feel' factor with this course. The material supplied is extensive and is hugely augmented by a lot of online content - even the assignments are submitted and marked online. Once the errata are sorted out this will be an excellent course... Read review

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Advantages: Lots and Lots of FREE utilities.
Disadvantages: Doesn't give an estimated download time when downloading files

...This site is absolutely amazing, it doesn't matter what you need software for there is almost guareenteed there's a shareware or freeware program that you can download. The site is very well laid out with excellent product search facilities for finding the software you want. You can even get on a daily mailing list which delivers an e-mail offering you a selection of software based on a free program, an internet file, a game and a hot file. Some of the files are unusual in style but there's at least one file a week that is worth using. It features on my website as a reccomended site. Join now at www.zdnet.com... Read review

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Advantages: excellent treatment of an interesting topic
Disadvantages: bit heavy going

...As part of a university course I have just been studying, I was supplied with a copy of Using UML - Software Engineering with Objects and Components. This book is quite heavy going but it does provide an excellent introduction into the whole subject of large-scale software engineering and the modelling tool language, UML (Unified Modelling Language) which is used to keep these big projects under control. UML allows the construction of many different models of a software system which can help to guide the analysis, design and implementation which is often undertaken by vast teams of people, UML is a standard anguage through which these people can communicate and thus (hopefully) keep the whole affair on track. It's not exactly bedtime reading, but I recommend it nonetheless, particularly if software engineering floats your boat.... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent support, and even better sound quality and features
Disadvantages: none as far as i can see

...Creative Labs is the best known manufacturer of sound cards; they have basically dominated the market for sound cards in the past. This is no exception. The manual is kind of small; but sufficient. Installing the card under Windows 98 was a breeze, I just followed the instructions in the manual. Installing the rest of the software was equally as easy; just insert the CD and the auto-running installation program will prompt you and install the supplied software. The software is excellent, adding a "start bar" type of menu at the top, with links to all of the software such as the surround mixer (allows you to specify what comes out of each speaker), the media player, and all of the demo software to show off its capabilites. This is an excellent sound card; a worthy successor to the legacy of the SoundBlaster AWE64. If I was a musician... Read review

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Advantages: no limit to what you can achieve
Disadvantages: steep learning curve

...It's hard to know where to start on this amazing piece of software, there is honestly no limit to what you can achieve with it. The learning curve is very steep for beginners, but using adobes own tutorials you can learn a great deal. I started using this software about a year and a half ago, and I'll never look back at the other pieces of graphics software that are on the market again, this is the best without a doubt. The main advatages would be the ability to grab images directly from a scanner, the manipulation tools are excellent, and the more advanced features would be the support for graphics tablets, excellent range of brush types. You can literally create anything you want. The main disadvantages would be the steep learning curve that comes attatched to an advanced piece of software, you really need to have some time... Read review

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Advantages: Image Quality, Excellent free software, Great value for money
Disadvantages: None, buy it now!

...The Logitech QuickCam VC came before the Quickcam Pro 3000. The QuickCam VC costs £20 less, this webcam offers almost the same image quality and exceptionally great software. The webcam is slightly smaller and slightly less sturdy, but it has the same easy step-by-step guidance throughout the installation process. The software that controls the camera and comes free with it is excellent, it has every useful operation from building websites to making home movies. I think that the Logitech Quickcam VC and software would be great for children and beginners to use as everything is clearly explained and illustrated all the time. As well as the Quickcam software that comes free with the camera, you also get Digital Radar security system and Microsoft Netmeeting. The best piece of software I think that comes free with the cam... Read review

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Advantages: Great search feature, good for developers
Disadvantages: Time taken to get software on the site

...Download.com has to be my best download site ever. I never use any other site other than download.com It has so many applications, I never need to use another site. The quality of the search feature on the site is also excellent, returning very accurate results. As mentioned in the title of my opinion, this site is also great for developers of software. You can easily submit your software to their site by providing details such as homepage, download links, product description, your name, email etc... and allow download.com staff to review it. Within about 2 weeks, your software will be listed on their site, users can search for it using keywords that you enter at the time of submission. The site design is also very good, using very subtle, understated colours as not to detract people.... Read review

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Advantages: meet freinds
Disadvantages: not as popular

...Having bought myself a rather expensive PC camera I needed a reliable software to which I could talk to my friend abroad who could see me at the same. It was her who recommended to me Netmeeting and I am glad she did. The facilities for voice conference and telephoning are excellent. This is an excellent software to converse with friends from different countries, it is really something. It is easy to download and takes little room on you’re hard drive. When you have the software set up then simply find your friend and start chatting to them or do what I do and talk to them. The reception is excellent and you can talk away without worrying about the phone bill. If you are online but don’t want to talk them simply put your status to busy and you won’t be bothered. I have been using this software for a while, I have... Read review

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Advantages: excellent choice of software, great reviews, fast.
Disadvantages: very large site

...ZDnet is one of the first sites I ever used on the internet although I only really use it for downloads it has loads of information and news about computers and technical issues. There are two versions of zdnet I have always used the American one, but a few weeks ago I discovered the UK version! If you are looking for something to download this has to be the first site to check it has every piece of software in every category that you can imagine. The main types of software you can download are: * Freeware - which is totally free! * Shareware - can mean one of two things, either you are not obliged to pay or its like a demo * Demo - Either the full version for a short period of time, or a version of the program with limited functions. The search function is excellent you can just type in a subject that interests you... Read review

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Advantages: great range of software included
Disadvantages: easy to begin but hard to do great things

...This suite of software is quite excellent, having used it at work for a few weeks I've become an avid user of this suite of software. Dreamweaver is an obvious place to start for both new and experienced users, there are some good templates to base your work from, and the ability to code in HTML, and other coding languages such as PHP and have the code colour coded so you can easily spot mistakes etc. Flash MX is an excellent piece of software for creating intereactive and animated multimedia for the web, however, like all macromedia products, has a very gentle basic learning curve, but it becomes painfully steep very fast, and to create some of the flash masterpieces that you see around the net you have to practise, and learn a lot. Fireworks is another plus point to this suite, it allows you to create a website how you would like... Read review

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