This a compilation of 250 PC compatible computer programs (in 29 categories) on a single CD-ROM disk. The programs are of the category "shareware" which means they are full working versions, not limited demonstration editions. Users may extract these programs from the CD-ROM disk and test their utility and quality. If satisfied, the user is expected (and honor bound) to send the program's publisher a "registration fee" which typically ranges from $15.00 to 100.00. Essentially this CD-ROM is a promotional device to make these programs better known and yield a steady flow of "registration fees" to their developers. It is an admirable concept, because there are many programs on the disk and the few Book News extracted and tested were useful and reflected a high professional standard of quality. There is a wide variety of programs here: accounting, calendars, communications, DOS utilities, games, music, spreadsheets, word processors, etc. Use of the disk may cause problems for the uninitiated. First, access to a PC compatible computer with a CD-ROM drive attached to it is required. Next, this computer must be operating the CD-ROM drive using the "MS-DOS CD-ROM Extensions." The disk comes with virtually no documentation; users are expected to know that the CD-ROM drive acts like one of the hard disk drives on their system and must figure out which device that might be usually D: or E:, but maybe not. However, once logged on to the correct device, everything immediately becomes familiar. Type the command `SKROM', and from there on the browsing and program extraction capabilities are excellent. Available from Sherburne Knowledge Systems, 12220 Riverwood Drive, Burnsville, MN 55337. (612)895-6099. [Note: Book News has begun including reviews of new and upgraded CD-ROMs.] Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. Read Less