DIREC-TREE, a "shell" for zipping around multiple megabytes
                                 Mike Guffey


    Hard  disk  utilities  are  suddenly  in abundant supply.  The idea of
    approaching PC  mass  storage  device  management  sensibly  and  with
    discipline  has become a darling of software entrepenuers.  And within
    this landslide of programs there are the good, the bad, and the nifty.
    Unfortunately,  many  of  the  "nifty"  programs  require  significant
    comprehension of the problems and opportunities that hard  disk  usage
    provides.

    Well,  as  the  price  and  complexity  of  PC mass storage drops, the
    audience will expand into a diverse, less technically oriented  crowd.
    Software  that  can  be  used  by  "anybody"  but which offers genuine
    convenience  will gradually float to the top.  In the interim, how  do
    you know whether to respond to the $49+ ad in the latest issue of your
    favorite computing magazine?  You don't.  And the best rule  of  thumb
    may  be  not  to  buy  it  until  you  read  an understandible review.
    Consider this a valid example.

    One of the recent crop of hard disk utilities  is  called  Direc-Tree.
    It  is  aimed at the not-too-technically oriented user.  But it is not
    so simple-minded that more experienced users will  fall  asleep  while
    using it.

    The  basic idea of this program is to provide a visual display of what
    is available on your hard disk.  Instead of a complex  combination  of
    DOS  commands  that will produce ambiguous lines of text, this program
    simplifies the process. You are provided with an onscreen roadmap  and
    allowed to jump to your destination by moving the cursor and  pressing
    the  enter/return  key.  Hardly a new concept, but nicely done in this
    instance.

    Direc-Tree  can  also  help  you  to  organize  your  hard  disk  more
    efficiently.  It offers one-key DOS commands and has an assortment  of
    bells  and whistles.  It requires 128k RAM, MSDOS 2.0 (or greater), an
    80 column monitor and at least one disk drive.   In  other  words,  it
    could  be  even  used  by  floppy  disk users.  It is that simple.  It
    eliminates the need to learn or teach  DOS  commands  such  as  CHDIR,
    MKDIR,  PATH,  RMDIR  as well as several others.  It can be customized
    for different printers and both color and mono h rome displays.

    The first step in using Direc-Tree is also  its  greatest  limitation.
    This  program uses a copy-protection scheme.  Now this is not such bad
    news.  It will not melt-down your CPU if you goof in the  installation
    process.   But  it  will  only allow three copies to be copied.  After
    that it will not harm your disk, but  it  will  make  itself  unusable
    anymore.   And three copies should be enough for your one machine.  It
    allows you to crash your hard disk twice before it gives up  its  last
    valid  copy.   And, if you are careful , you can recopy a working copy
    back onto the master disk and regain the opportunity  to  create  that
    copy again later.

    [Copy  protection  is an issue of great controversy, with valid points
    on both sides.  It will not be discussed here.   But...   the  use  of
    copy  protection  does limit the appeal of the program for many, for a
    variety of reasons.  The copy-protection  scheme  used  by  Direc-Tree
    will   not  be  defeated  by  casual  attempts  nor  by  many  of  the
    commercially available backup copy programs.]

    The manual is written in an orderly matter-of-fact fashion.  Those who
    read it will successfully create their first version of a working copy
    of the software.  Those who don't read the manual will have  two  more
    chances to follow the instructions.

    The  visual  display  of Direc-Tree is not unlike what is displayed by
    such utilities as TREED.  The tree-structure  is  shown  sideways  and
    makes  more  sense  than MicroSoft's convention of displaying the tree
    upside down.  The difference is that the Function and Cursor movements
    keys cause files to be accessed or invoked.

    "Purists"  may  not  care for Direc-Tree's orientation to function key
    usage.  But users not familiar with the  nooks  and  crannies  of  DOS
    usage  will  probably  enjoy the simplicity of what is actually a very
    complex process.

    Like most current  inexpensive  utilities,  Direc-Tree  uses  windows.
    Little  islands  of  data  will  pop-up at your command all around the
    screen.  This software allows the creation of custom  menus  with  100
    user-definable  options.  In other words, this software doesn't really
    do windows, it allows you to create and manipulate your own.

    ANALYSIS

    Direc-Tree is worth the $49.50 price of admission.  But so are many of
    the  other  utilities  in  this  price  range.  And one could go broke
    saving money on software.  So why buy this  product?   The  answer  is
    simple,  really.   It will solve many problems if your hard disk is to
    be routinely accessed by users who do not have a working knowledge  of
    MicroSoft  DOS.  It eliminates the need for memorizing directory names
    and the sequence of commands for routine as well as seldom done tasks.


    DIREC-TREE Micro-Z Company
    4 Santa Bella Road
    Rolling Hills,
    CA  90274
    (213) 377-1640