SpecTool is a collection of software tools for interpreting mass spectrometry, 13 C NMR, 1 H NMR, infrared, and ultraviolet-visible spectra. The program was originally developed for the Macintosh using Hypercard, but a Windows version is available. I tested SpecTool version 1.1 for Windows, which requires 8 MB of RAM and 15 MB of disk space. The Macintosh Version requires 3 MB of free RAM and a minimum of 10 MB of disk space-35 MB for the full version. Performance is good on a 486 DX 66 but probably would be sluggish on a slower computer. Software installation is straightforward, although it is necessary to install several fonts manually.
The program is organized as a set of cards that include spectra, data tables, software tools, hypertext links, and additional applications. The cards are arranged by spectroscopic technique. For each technique, there are groups of cards for data, tools, ranges, spectra, and spectral library. A set of floating pallettes is available to navigate the program. The manual is necessary for installing the software but it was not useful for teaching the program. The best way to learn this program is to use it: Most of the routines are easy to learn, but the program provides so many tools that it takes some time. The strong point of this package is that it brings together a large selection of interpretation tools.