FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 045 (04/03/97)

PC PROTECTION

I wish to insure my PC which is currently at my place of work. The

company I work for does not have insurance cover for employees personal items and my own household insurance policy does not include belongings outside the home on a permanent basis.  Do you know of anyone who will insure a PC as a separate item, at another location?

D.H.

A

Clearly this is quite an unusual risk, but there are a number of companies who specialise in various types of PC Cover. Vision Computer Insurance have a range of policies, specifically for laptops and desktop models, including one that would appear to suit your particular requirements. Annual premiums for your PC will normally cost 5% of the total purchase price of the machine (including the VAT); two-year cover amounts to 8%, a three-year policy works out at 10%. Vision can be contacted on: (0990) 848484, or visit their web site at: www.vision-pc.co.uk/home 1.htm

OFFICE POLITICS

I am currently using Microsoft Office 3.0 with Word 2.0 etc., under Windows 3.1. Can you tell me if this version of Office run on a PC using Windows 95?  If so is it just a case of putting the floppy discs in and going to 'Install Software’?

M. H.

A

That’s all there is to it. In theory Windows 95 is ‘backwards compatible’ and supports all software applications originally intended for earlier versions of Windows. There are some exceptions -- which FFF readers will doubtless tell us about -- but you’re reasonably safe with Microsoft’s own products. A quick reminder that it doesn’t necessarily work the other way around, though. Most, if not all software specially written for Windows 95, including MS Office 97, will not run on Windows 3.x.

BBC CONVERSION

I have a BBC micro at home, which uses 5.25 inch floppy disks. In my office I use an Elonex PC320 with a 3.5in floppy disk drive. Is there a simple way to transfer information stored on the BBC computer disks on to the PC?

E. W.

A

It would be a lot easier if you could get your BBC computer and PC (or a laptop) together in the same place, in which case you could transfer data via a serial cable. However, if that’s not possible, then there are several small utilities that will enable an IBM PC or clone to read BBC diskettes. You may also need extra software -- a BBC emulator for example -- to make use of the files. The PC in question will need a 5.25 inch disc drive; older machines are ideal for this kind of job. In any event these drives are not difficult to fit into most desktop PCs (with a spare drive bay). Normally, once installed they’re designated drive ‘B’, using the BIOS setup routine. Drives can be brought quite cheaply from PC dealers who specialise in surplus or second-hand machines, or from classified advertisements in magazines such as Micro Mart. File transfer and conversion software, including BBCXFER,  BEEBDOS and FDC 0.11, plus plenty of useful information on the subject, can be found at ‘The BBC Lives!’ web site, at: http://www.nvg.unit.nv/bbc

TAXING TIMES

A while ago in FFF you mentioned that the Inland Revenue was proposing to issue free software for PC users, to help them to complete their tax returns. For some months thereafter I tried, to no avail, to get my tax office to send me a copy. Late last year The Telegraph reported that the Inland Revenue had dropped its plans to produce the software. Back to the drawing board...

Do you know of a good quality, and preferably inexpensive software package, for preparing returns for the coming tax year?

N.H., Croyde, Devon

A

In fact the Inland Revenue now tell us that they are now going ahead with it. It’s going to be called, rather imaginatively, ‘The Electronic Version of the Tax Return’. That’s basically all it will be, a disc-based version of the normal eight-page form, with guidance notes and extra information for employers. They say it is aimed at ‘unrepresented tax-payers’ and those on Schedule E. We understand it will only be available for users of IBM PCs and compatibles. Details of the software will be included in the documents sent out with this year’s returns.

Meanwhile, the Consumers Association say they are ‘likely’ to be producing an updated version of their popular Which Tax Calculator software package for the coming tax year. If this goes ahead it will be ready some time in April; details will be published in Which? Magazine.