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In a business that's all about buzz, Final Draft 6.0 should enjoy plenty of the good kind--by keeping what works, and adding new features, the latest versions of this scriptwriting software is sure to retain its spot in the limelight. Final Draft 6.0 still handles the myriad technical details of scriptwriting automatically--character names are indented properly, scene headings are capitalised, and the default font is the industry standard 12 pt Courier--a holdover from typewriter days. The entertainment industry is surprisingly stuffy when it comes to screenplay formatting: when properly used, Final Draft can at least ensure your script will look great. Designed for Windows XP and carbonised for Mac OS X, Final Draft worked fine on the Windows 98 system we tested it on. A new touch freelancers will appreciate is the ability to save in Adobe PDF format, so scripts can be sent to folks who don't own the software. New cosmetics include
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a more colourful toolbar, darker font that matches between Mac and Windows systems and looks better in print, and bigger windows for the ScriptNotes feature. System enhancements include a smart drag and drop, which automatically adds formatting elements when you move bits of your script. Our favourite new addition is "Ask the Expert"--a blackboard that writers can visit to refresh themselves on basics like characterisation and story arc. A couple of minor gripes: you must "authorise" your system to use Final Draft 6.0 without the CD-ROM, which means if you write on both a desktop and a laptop, you'll have to use your disc for one of the computers. Also, the much touted "script templates" are nearly impossible to find (go to "file", click "new"--we just saved you 15 minutes) and they are not copies of actual scripts--they're two to three page parodies of TV shows, done in what we assume is the specific format for the show. --Anne Erickson, Amazon.com
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