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Web Developer's Journal Archive SectionThis article is out of date, but may still be useful to some readers.Sidekick 1.0 for Windowsby Mark Davis |
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One of the programs that originally helped get the PC revolution started was Borland’s Sidekick. Millions of people used its notepad, calendar, and other productivity features, and it helped to define the software category known as PIM’s (personal information managers). As time went by, however, Sidekick receded into the history of the PC era. Now, however, Borland has brought Sidekick back as a brand new Windows-based PIM, and while it is much different from the original DOS TSR program, it’s still a very useful collection of utilities designed to make any computer user’s life easier!
Sidekick consists of three main modules: a Cardfile, Calendar, and Notes. It is a very easy program to install, as it comes on only a single floppy disk (it takes up about 3 Megs of hard drive space). You can even register your copy using a modem during the installation process! While the short User’s Guide (68 pages) does a good job of explaining the program’s features, you’ll probably never need it, because Sidekick is extremely easy to use. If you’ve ever used an appointment book, Rolodex, or notepad, then you know everything you need to know about Sidekick! The Cardfile is basically an electronic address book. It lets you set up customizable fields for your data, and can import information from a variety of sources (including Paradox and dBase files). It also lets you easily query your data, and in fact can be used for most light duty database chores. You can also print out reports from the Cardfile in several different formats, and can even use it to print out cards and mailing labels. The Calendar lets you easily set up to-do lists for your busy schedule. You can set the priority of these tasks, put in a brief description, and even note the dates they are due to be completed. It also contains a calls list and a task list for each day. You can also print out your calendars and schedules in a number of different ways, some of which can fit in hand-held day planners such as Day-Timers or Franklin Planners. The Notes module is a lot like the old Notepad in the original Sidekick. It lets you easily jot down notes, type up a quick letter, or even create templates for your business correspondence. You can also merge data from the Cardfile into a Notes document, allowing you to easily create mail merges. It doesn’t contain some of the more advanced features of real word processors, however (such as a spelling checker). Sidekick also contains a few other little niceties, such as the obligatory pop-up calculator, a display of the current date and time, and a little wastebasket into which you can drag items for deletion. You can easily jump between the different modules of the program by clicking on various icons, and a View-in-View feature lets you see the other two modules in a corner of the screen while you work in the third one. A LaunchBar lets you start other applications from within Sidekick, and a Quick Menu feature places an icon into the title bars of your other applications, so you can launch Sidekick anytime you need it (this feature caused my PC to crash when I tried it, however). While Sidekick is a pretty good program overall, there are a few things I don’t like about it. For example, it is oriented toward personal use, so don’t expect it to have any features oriented toward working in groups (such as group scheduling and appointment functions). Also, there’s no way to synchronize files between two different copies of the program (say, if you’re using both a laptop and a desktop PC in your work). But the thing I hate most is the fact that Sidekick’s Calendar only supports dates from between 1990 through 1999. While at present it’s not a real problem, in just a few years it will become one (hopefully, this will be changed in the next release of the product). These small quibbles don’t detract from the overall value of the product, however. At its current low price of only $29, Sidekick is an excellent value for anyone looking for a cheap, yet functional PIM for personal use. |
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