Santa Claus has it easy.
People sit on his lap and tell him what they want. You and I have to work a little harder to find the right gift for our friends and family, especially when it's a gift that involves computers.
In addition to knowing the person's tastes, you have to know something about his or her computer. Not all programs run on all machines. Knowing if it's an IBM compatible, a Mac or an Apple II is a good start.
But there's more. A lot of software for IBM clones requires certain hardware such as a hard disk, graphic monitor or a minimum amount of memory. You should also know the type of diskette format the machine uses. Most software companies print hardware requirements on the box. Get some elves to snoop around for you.
Fortunately, you don't have to go to the North Pole to find a good gift for a computer buddy. Most computer stores carry lots of useful items. Some dealers will accept returns on software, others won't. Egghead, at (800) EGG-HEAD, has a 30-day return policy. Browse through office supply stores, software shops and electronics stores. You're likely to find colored diskettes, anti-glare screens, diskette cases, non-magnetic copy holders and all sorts of other inexpensive items.
Here are some ideas for presents. (Prices quoted are the suggested retail price. The street price, especially on software, should be lower.)
GAMES: These are popular gift items, but just because your friend uses a computer doesn't mean he or she will like games. Some people's idea of a good time is curling up with a new programming language.
A good source of game information (and a great gift itself) is Dvorak's Guide to PC Games (Bantam Computer Books, $29.95) by John Dvorak and Peter Spear. The 368-page book contains descriptions of hundreds of games and comes with two diskettes full of games and other handy programs. One, called the "boss key" lets you press a key to cover up the game on the screen with a bogus spreadsheet in case you-know-who walks by.
Spear recommends all the Kings Quest (between $50 and $60) and Leisure Suit Larry games ($59.95) from Sierra On-Line, (800) 326-6654. He also likes the Wizardry series ($50 to $70) from Sir-Tech Software (315) 393-6541. For the would-be fighter pilot among your peers, consider JetFighter II from Velocity and Armor Alley from Three-Sixty Pacific. He also likes Wing Commander and WingCommander II (Origin Systems).
GIFTS FOR CHILDREN: I have two in-house experts when it comes to children's software. Katherine, 7, and William, 5, love KidPix from Broderbund, (800) 521-6263. This painting program (available for both PC and Mac) uses a computer's speaker to add the dimension of sound to children's drawings. You can hear the paint gurgle as you pour it out of the can.
All Macs have high-quality sound. IBM compatibles usually come with tinny speakers. This and most other games are more enjoyable if your PC is equipped with a special sound board. The ThunderBoard from MediaVision ($169) is
one of several boards that let you connect your PC to a stereo system for rich-sounding music and speech. The Disney Sound Source ($39.95 from Disney Software) is a self-contained amplified speaker that works with all Disney and some Broderbund programs.
Kid Works ($49.95), a new IBM-compatible program from Torrance (Calif.)-based Davidson and Associates, (800) 556-6141, allows children to write and illustrate their own stories. It's great for preschoolers because it reads the instructions and the child's story out loud.
BUSINESS GIFTS: Here are some presents for the kids at the office. Gary Larson's "The Far Side Computer Calendar" displays a Larson cartoon a day. It lists for $69.95 from Amaze, (206) 820-7007. The program allows you to view your schedule by day or week and even set alarms. You can assign an animated color icon to highlight an appointment. It's a gimmick, but it helps draw your attention to the event. The company plans to offer "graphical refills" of fresh cartoons for future years.
PowerUp Software, (800) 851-2917, publishes Calendar Maker ($69.95). It's not for maintaining your schedule; you use it to create printed calendars. I've never actually done it, but I keep planning to use Calendar Maker to create a family calendar with all the important family dates.
Sierra On-Line just released the Laffer Utilities for MS-DOS ($34.95). Hosted by "Leisure Suit Larry Laffer," the software is designed to provide "a plethora of non-productive pastimes." Programs include an interactive joke database with an adjustable "filthOmeter," a battery of funny fax covers, programs to manage parties and betting pools, and a "quasi-scientific process" for determining where you want to go for lunch.
ACCESSORIES: Do you know people who are more concerned about the condition of their hard disk than their own body? If so, get a present that will make computing healthier. A wrist rest helps prevent hand and wrist injuries. The Daisy WristRest ($44.90) is a padded rest attached to an acrylic platform that slips under the keyboard. It elevates your hands so that your wrists remain straight while typing. Order from Daisy Wheel Ribbon Co. at (800) 266-5585.
A glare screen minimizes the amount of reflected light on the monitor. The mesh filters tend to be too dark but Radio Shack carries a nice glass filter for $39.95. Stretching Inc., (800) 333-1307, carries booklets, charts and software to help people keep fit at their keyboards.
The Selective Software catalog, (800) 423-3556, is full of interesting gift ideas. They include a $79 program called Firstbase that provides information on more than 650 government agencies that help small businesses. Another program called Books, Cards and Labels ($49.95) allows you to enter your personal and business contacts to be stored on disk and printed out in Day Timer, Rolodex and other formats. Desktop Lawyer ($99.95) "replaces your lawyer for over 300 tasks."