September 2001
Selecting software can be fun, exhilarating, and rewarding. Or it can be a nightmare. With over 15,000 existing software titles and thousands more released each year, there is plenty to get excited about and plenty of ways to make mistakes. Considering that the average cost of a title is about $35.00 it is important to make good selections. A good selection process will help you make good selections.
By defining your purpose you can quickly narrow your search. Ask yourself these questions.
The other main factor that quickly narrows the field is hardware requirements. Each software title has a specific set of hardware requirements. Generally, software written for older machines will run on the newer machines of the same general processor type. For example Macintosh software won't run on PC-type machines. However, old Macintosh software will run on newer Macintoshs and old PC-type software will generally run on newer PC-type machines. Before you start shopping, know your system specifications. You'll need to know:
There are many sources for software. One way to learn about new software is to get on several distributors' mailing lists. They often send catalogs monthly. After considering your purpose and equipment, make your first cut based on the catalog description. Then look for reviews of this specific software on web sites, in magazines, from email newsletters and lists, and other media. Another route is to subscribe to magazines that have software reviews. After identifying the software that has received positive reviews and meets your criteria, look for additional reviews (just in case you read the only good review) and a distributor.
There are several Internet locations for software reviews. You can browse the information on these sites, but it's endless. It is more efficient to identify likely titles and then use the search engines to find reviews on that product.
Older titles (12-18 months) are a little easier: there are books that review and rate titles. Very old titles (5-10 yrs) are the most difficult to find. Most distributors favor the newer machine markets. Several publishers do continue to market older software. Discontinued software can be found on the Internet. It is generally not worth purchasing software for "real" old machines (IBM XTs/ATs or old Apples) or monochrome machines, as newer computers are being given away or used for doorstops. Upgrade! There are more and better programs for then new machines.
Most software reviewers will explain their criteria and bias. Try to find a source whose bias closely matches your criteria and intended use. Most reviewers will look for:
There will be trade-offs and sometimes reviewers will not agree. Decide what is important to you. Set a standard and eliminate titles that fall below.
You may want to use the software title selection process to involve youth in a critical thinking or a "community development" opportunity. Youth love to help "evaluate" games. Some considerations include:
The following software review sources are recommended. If you have another source you recommend, please share it with Bill Pabst (573-884-7590, pabsta@missouri.edu).
Books:
The Elementary Teacher's Sourcebook on Children's Software, Published by Active Learning Associates, Inc., 44 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822, 908-284-0404. About $80 - $100. Probably the most comprehensive (overwhelming). Includes a short description and rating of 1508 software programs, full-length reviews of 201 titles, listing by subject, by grade level, and by computer platform. Published spring and fall.
The 1996 Multimedia Home Companion for Parents and Kids, edited by Christine Olson, Warner Books, Inc., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. ISBN 0-446-67168-1. About $20 - $25. This one tends to favor the recreational value over the content while avoiding "bad" content. Because of the book's multimedia emphasis, it includes few older programs.
Kidware: The Parent's Guide to Software for Children, by Michael Perkins and Celia Nunez, Prima Publishing, 1995. ISBN 1-55958-552-8. About $15 - $20.
Computer Museum Guide to the Best Software for Kids; Cathy Miranker and Alison Elliott, HarperPerennial, 800-331-3761.
Periodicals:
Children's Software Review, 520 N. Adams, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, (313) 480-0040. About $20 -$30 for 6 issues. This is an excellent resource.
Club Kidsoft - Software Magazine for Kids; four issues per year for about $30-$40, 800-354-6150. (The publisher is a software distributor. If you order software you get a free subscription.)
Multimedia World, 501 Second St. #600, San Francisco, CA 94107. (800) 766-3294 ext 205. About $15-$20 for 12 issues. This magazine is not always appropriate for kids.
Internet Sources:
Children's Software Revue
http://www.childrenssoftware.com/childrenssoftware/
Software For Learning
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/proj/sw/
Ziff-Davis Publishing,
http://www.zdnet.com/home/filters/main.html
The Edutainment Page,
http://www.edutainment.com.au/
Publishers and distributors:
Maxis, (800) 336-2947 *Index by hardware required
Davidson & Associates, Inc, (800) 545-7677 * Index by hardware required
Edmark, 800-362-2890 *Index by hardware required
MECC, The Learning Company, 800-215-0368 *Index by hardware required
Educorp Multimedia, CDsoftsource, 800-843-9497 *has the best catalog for newer software
The Edutainment Catalog, 800-338-3844
KidSoft, 800-354-6150 *they specialize in educational software
Internet Shareware and Freeware Sources:
If you have plenty of time on your hands or a cyberyouth with nothing better to do you might find something useful.
Children's Software,
Check reviews at http://www.kidsdomain.com/
Jumbo! Shareware Site,
http://www.jumbo.com/
Children's Software Archives,
http://qv3pluto.leidenuniv.nl/steve/reviews/ed-dept.htm
There are many good educational sites online, and many lists of good sites for youth, as well as for teachers and care givers. For a start on we recommend that you visit this page, scrolling down to the Some of The 4-H On-Line Resources. There are links to other non-Extension online educational resources as well.
Contributors to this piece include:
Bill Pabst, University of Missouri
Trudy Dunham, University of Minnesota
Deb Curry, Steve Truby, Iowa State University
Revised: 12/97, 3/00, 3/01
Original Authors of Software Selection Guide were the Army/USDA School Age and Teen Project
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[Curt Peters, Arizona Cooperative Extension; Wendy Stivers, Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service; and Bill Pabst,
University of Missouri Outreach and Extension]
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