Computer use in piano service businesses

[Greg Newell]

Tunapiana@aol.com wrote:
>
> 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


Greg,

    I have and use Dean Reyburn's piano Service Manager. I find it to be
easy to learn and use but rather limited for today's use of computers
and significantly more money than similar programs with some rather
annoying shortcomings for a program of this price. as to the others I
can only guess them to be similar.
                          Greg Newell
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