From SeeCite Software

LESLIE BEHM

Overview:
Bibliographica is a full-featured bibliographic management software program. It is offered in three versions: Demo/Reader, Light and Pro. The Demo/Reader version is limited to 50 records per database but can read databases of any size. The Light version allows up to 500 records in each database; the Pro version has no database record limit and can create bibliographies with references from several databases. Both work with WordPerfect for Windows, Word for Windows or any Windows ASCII editor. Both allow linking to external files, Web pages, email and graphics.

Special features:
Subscript and superscript in titles are possible. Bibliographica supports mixed-language bibliographies with language-specific fonts and phrases, and can optionally format the first in-text citation of a reference differently from all others that follow (for example, when using Turabian). Output can also be in HTML or LaTeX format. Bibliographica is downloadable from the Web and is based on Asymeterix Toolbook. Users can join the Bibliographica User Group (BUG) and automatically receive updates and service packs as email attachments when they are released.

Note:
Version 7.0 was released too late to be included in this review. However, some new features promised in a press release include the capabilities to format parts of the title in bold or italic and to apply automatic capital letters to English titles. It further states that formatting decisions can now be made when compiling, not only when entering data.

Strengths:
This was an easy program to install. The built-in guided tour provides a quick overview for getting started. The tour allows the manual to serve as a reference tool rather than as a necessity. The manual is also very good but is not essential when starting to use the program. The learning curve for using the full features of the program is gentle. SeeCite offers a network version for institutions that maintain software centrally. Bibliographica is very good value: priced at considerably less than competitor packages such as EndNote and ProCite, it offers many of the same features and some unique capabilities.

Weaknesses:
Occasionally locked up, particularly when working with WordPerfect.

Likely users:
Researchers, authors, students, librarians; anyone with a need for a bibliographic management tool.

Platforms:
Windows 3.1/95/NT (Linux and OS/2 in Windows 3.1 mode).

Price:
Light version, $35.00 Pro version, $99.00

Leslie Behm, Health Sciences Coordinator, behm@msu.edu