CD-ROMs: Treasures Amid the Turkeys

If CD-ROMs were made of gold, I’d be a very wealthy woman. It seems as if every software publisher sends me its product for free, with the hope that it might get a mention in this column or on my network talk-radio show. Here are a few CD-ROM titles that are worth mentioning. As you’ll discover, that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily worth buying.

If you picture yourself as the next Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor, a few multimedia titles may help you go from putterer to pro in the do-it-yourself arena. Microsoft offers the Reader’s Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide (Windows 95). At $35, turning to this CD-ROM for help is a lot cheaper than paying for a house call from the plumber or electrician. With plenty of animated diagrams and audio clips, this disc puts multimedia to great use in explaining the ins and outs of home repair.

Another option is the Home Improvement Encyclopedia (Windows 3.1+) from Books That Work. Although the multimedia isn’t quite as good as the Reader’s Digest software, the information on this disc is very comprehensive. With a price tag of $30, it’s also a few dollars cheaper.

OK, so you’re tired of all the blood and guts in games like Duke Nukem 3D. On the other hand, your kids have threatened mutiny if you ever bring home another Barney game. H.U.R.L. (DOS) from Millennium Media Group may be just the compromise you’re seeking. This game is, indeed, a shoot-’em-up, but instead of grenades, you lob water balloons at Bob the Slob and his army of miscreants. In return, they peg you with stuff like fried eggs. This title goes for about $40 and should be fun for just about any kid.

One title you should keep your kids away from is “Beavis and Butt-head in Virtual Stupidity” (Windows 95) by Viacom NewMedia. This game gives you the opportunity to spit (referred to in the game as “hocking a loogie”) off the school roof onto the school principal and engage in other equally repulsive activities. I can think of many better ways to spend $45.

I Can Be an Animal Doctor (Windows/Macintosh), from Cloud 9 Interactive, is a fun game for the kids that may just get them on the road to veterinarian school. In this game, you go exploring for sick or injured animals. When you find one, you bring it back to the animal hospital, diagnose it and treat it. It’s good, clean, interesting fun for the whole family. The cost is $30.

Speaking of families, Palladium Interactive has just released a new line of genealogy software called the “Ultimate Family Tree” (Windows/Macintosh). The “Ultimate Family Tree” comes in standard, plus and deluxe editions, priced at $19.99, $39.99 and $59.99, respectively. All three versions include a broad genealogy tutorial, a family album maker and form letters for requesting information from public sources.

The plus and deluxe editions provide something extra for the money. For example, the deluxe version includes a searchable Social Security death index database to help you track down long-lost (and dead) relatives. If you’ve been wondering about some of the more obscure branches on your family tree, this is an excellent line of programs.

Meanwhile, under the category of “bored senseless,” there are literally hundreds of titles to choose from. For example, if you’ve grown tired of watching your grass grow, you may want to consider the “Beverly Hills, 90210 CD-ROM” (Windows 3.1+) from Byron Preiss Multimedia. We’re talking boring trivia questions, boring audio clips, boring video clips--boring all the way around. You’ll have more fun with $30 worth of Beverly Hills postcards than with the CD-ROM bearing its ZIP Code.

If you’re a very boring person, who happens to be governmentally inclined, maybe you already own “Nixon: The CD-ROM” (Windows/Macintosh) from Graphix Zone, another $35 turkey.

If the thought of the Discovery Channel makes you think fascinating, but not necessarily fun, think again, oh beer lover. Discovery Channel Multimedia is the publisher of “The Beer Hunter” (Windows/Macintosh), a $40 guide for beer connoisseurs.

Michael Jackson (the beer expert, not the King of Pop) guides you through 10,000 years of beer history and tells you just about everything there is to know about beer. It may not be as enjoyable as sitting with your favorite brew, but this is still a pretty good title.

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Kim Komando is a TV host, syndicated talk radio host, author and online entrepreneur. She can be reached via e-mail at komando@komando.com. Her Web site is at https://www.komando.com