Software -- ''Procomm For Windows 2.0''

"PROCOMM FOR WINDOWS 2.0"

Datastorm Technology (800) 315-3282 Windows $179

If you've been computing for any time at all, you'll know that "ProComm," like Qmodem, is one of the hoary heroes of shareware. It first appeared in the mid-1980s, and was an instant sensation. For several years it seemed everyone used "ProComm 2.42," a honey of a communications program. Its speed and intuitive grace made commercial programs such as "Crosstalk" and "SmartCom" look messy and sort of stupid.

Two years ago I bought "ProWin 1.0" (that's ProComm for Windows' nickname) and have used it grudgingly since then. It was OK, but kind of a hybrid between the original DOS interface and Windows. It took practice to get good at - I often backslid and reverted to the 5-year-old DOS shareware version.

The new version is a great leap forward. First, this program lets you send or receive either faxes or modem transmissions under one roof.

The reason that is noteworthy is because modems can be manufactured to perform both functions, but they must be re-initialized every time you switch back and forth. A fax-modem is not a marriage made in heaven. Delrina's "CommSuite" was a rough pairing - the new "WinFax Pro 4.0" was a step forward, with binary faxing. But the new "ProComm" is the first telecom program I am aware of that lets you smoothly swing back and forth from fax to data.

What makes "ProComm" click this time is its interface. It's based on its three capabilities - as a data/modem device, as a fax device and as a simple dialing tool for voice calls. Every number you want to call is individually formatable - you can specify a different baud rate, initialization strings, text colors, font, downloading protocol and terminal type for each of your contacts.