Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!dptg!pegasus!psrc
From: psrc@pegasus.ATT.COM (Paul S. R. Chisholm)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Project Planning Software Needed...
Summary: some information on SuperProject
Keywords: project management software SuperProject
Message-ID: <4874@pegasus.ATT.COM>
Date: 27 Jun 90 05:38:14 GMT
References: <7600006@spdyne>
Reply-To: psrc@pegasus.ATT.COM (Paul S. R. Chisholm)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 69

I looked at project management programs last year, notably SuperProject
Expert and Timeline 3.0 (4.0 wasn't out yet).  I found both *extremely*
awkward to use; SuperProject Expert seemed slightly less brain damaged,
so I picked it up.  (By then, my schedules were due, so I did it with a
bunch of really weird awk scripts.  No, I'm not willing to fight with
the lawyers to release them.  Ever group's gotta have one, that's why
they invited me. . . .-)

Unless you're going to play Project Manager full-time, I'd find a
package that emphasizes ease of learning and use.  Mouse support is a
good sign.  (Most of the time, you fill out forms; but fields change
from being changeable to not in subtle and unpredictable ways.)  Anyone
played with MS Project for Windows?

In article <7600006@spdyne> chert@spdyne.UUCP writes:
> I'd like a software package that has the following features:
>    1) Works well if there is only one person on the project - I'd like
>       the ability to support more than one, but it isn't really all that
>       nessarry.  (InstaPlan sucks when it comes to single person planning -
>       I have to allocate 8h/d for me for every task!)

You'll find this in a personal scheduler program, but not in a project
management package.  Doing stuff like this, I didn't find it hard to
assign myself as a resource for (in effect) all tasks.

>    2) Some sort of Import/Export - Ascii, Dbase (Perferred) *WHICH INCLUDES
>       MY TIME ESTIMATES!!!* and perferably includes the calcuated times
>       (ie: 24ed (Estimated days))  Instaplan does not do this.

SuperProject Expert (but not vanilla SuperProject) does this very
well.

>    3) Prints on a HP Laserjet, or perferably, on a Postscript printer.
LaserJet, yes; Postscript, no.  Support for fancy text and fancy
graphics on the LaserJet.  Can't print a graphics image to a file; can
print text to a file.

>    4) Runs in under 440K.  [This shouldn't be too tough to do.. But again,
>       Instaplan fails here.. I can't run it and the network at the same
>       time..]

I think SuperProject Expert needs more than that.

>    5) Good Gannt (Sp?) Charts, and Time estimate charts.

SuperProject Expert does this very nicely.  Timeline 4.0 (the newest
version) really pushes its spiffy looking reports in its ads; they may
be even better.

>    6) Correctly allocating time..  [My biggest Beef with InstaPlan]

(I.E., allow for part-time work on various projects.)  I can't remember
if SuperProject can do this or not; it might be tricky.

>    7) Prefer cost under $100.  Shareware/Public domain would be wounderful!

Forget it.  I played with Easy Project (a shareware package); no task
couild have more than one predecessor, though it could have many
successors.  Sorry, reality's tougher than that.

>Please resond Via E-Mail, I don't read this group much..

I did; but I also posted.

>Chert Pellett - chert@spdyne.UUCP || chert@dungeon.lonestar.org

Paul S. R. Chisholm, AT&T Bell Laboratories
att!mtunq!psrc, psrc@mtunq.att.com, AT&T Mail !psrchisholm
I'm not speaking for the company, I'm just speaking my mind.