Woods of the World, Version 2.0

Tree Talk, Inc., PO Box 426, Burlington, Vermont 05402; 802/863-6789, 802/863-4344 (fax), wow@together.net (e-mail). CD-ROM Pro version: $99; CD-ROM standard version: $29.95; Compact (floppy disk) version: $19.95.

Woods of the World (WoW) in July 1994, it had lots of useful information but also lots of gaps, and accessing the data took patience and skill. The continuous work that has gone into this product since that time really shows. The latest version has more data on more species than did the earlier version. More significant, a new user interface now links the different types of information in highly useful ways.

For example, a user can now search for all woods with a hardness over 1,700 lbs. (770 kg)—a bit harder than red oak—and a brownish color that are used for furniture

and are available from well-managed sources.

WoW Pro found fifteen such woods. One can then link directly to a list of wood suppliers and locate suppliers for each species. In addition, there are detailed maps of each species’ native range, color photographs of the wood, and extensive data on physical characteristics, workability, uses, and conservation status.

WoW also provides special formats for comparing multiple species side-by-side and reams of additional material of interest to wood users. The standard version provides data on 435 species, instead of the 910 species in the Pro version. The compact version (the only one available on floppy disk instead of CD-ROM) contains data only, without the pictures. We experienced a few minor quirks, but on the whole the Macintosh version we tested ran well. Tree Talk does warn users against trying to use this program on an older computer, and we suggest heeding this warning—the Pro version isn’t fast, even on a late-model Mac. But if you have a relatively new computer and an interest in wood,

Woods of the World is not to be missed!