Computer use in piano service businesses

[Tunapiana@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-06-01 15:09:44 EDT, Jeannie wrote:

(snipped)

<<  I have just under 4 megs of hard disk storage. >>

Jeannie: maybe I mis-understood part of your post...
Either the info on hard disk storage was incorrect or you need a bigger hard
drive!

<<I have been using Dean Reyburns Piano Service Manager and Tuning Manager
for several years, and I am very comfortable with them.>>

BTW,  Are these programs cost effective? Hard to learn? (Please don't be
offended, Dean! ) I am using a program called 1st Act for windows, (Symantec,
the folks who make Norton Utilities) a very user-customizable data-base
program which is very powerful. I paid only $15 dollars for it (close-out
sale) and have customized it pretty much to do what I want so far and I am
still learning things about it that make it a nice tool for my tuning
buiseness. I could upgrade to Act, the full-blown version but it was almost
$200.00 I saw the ad for the Reyburn programs but they are also a lot of
money for me initially-any thoughts or comments? I don't know what more I
personally would need out of this program except integrating the cost of
supplies used versus the charges to my customers for a net quarterly total
for figuring tax stuff. I am pretty computer-savvy in the p.c. hardware dept.
but was a late-comer in learning about programs such as data-bases and
spreadsheets. I still know nothing about a spreadsheet...

I use Lotus Write and Print Shop Deluxe Ensemble for letterheads and business
cards. I even designed my own invoice and estimate statements on a program
called Expert Forms by Top Level Computing, Inc. I have a bunch of  word
processors but Lotus Write is a true "WYSIWYG" (what you see on the screen is
what you get when you print). It is just a simpler version of Ami-Pro.

BTW, I am running a 486 DX133 with 36 meg ram, 2.0 Gigabyte hard drive and
WIN 95 with all the internet updates. Using a HP Deskjet 820CSE (inkjet),
Mustek color flat-bed scanner and SVGA .28 color monitor.


Greg Torres, Technician
Niceville, Fl
Tunapiana@aol.com