JUNE 27, 2009 Deck Exam Release
In late June the NMC released and updated the DECK database.  LAPWARE has posted an Excel spread sheet under the DOWNLOAD screen showing the new and deleted questions.  All of the deleted questions were removed on June 28.  
 
All new questions have been added to LAPWARE and can be found under the REVIEW QUESTIONS screen by clicking on the ALL QUESTIONS list box and then selecting NEWEST QUESTIONS.
 
We are almost finished with the update of the solutions to the NMC question changes.  Only a few chart plots remain to be re-solved and posted.  ALL other questions modified by the NMC have been previously posted and math problems solved and posted.  
 
Within hours of being informed of a new NMC release of questions LAPWARE has the NEW, DELETED and MODIFIED questions ready to distribute to our users!  NONE OF OUR COMPETITORS CAN EVEN COME CLOSE TO PUTTING FORTH THIS EFFORT.
 
 NMC DECK GUIDE BOOK
 
The NMC updates the Deck Guide Book as needed and the below link is to the NMC website.  Click on the FIRST RED bar on the main screen and then click on "View the Guide".  You should download and save this document to your hard drive.  
 
Confirm with the Coast Guard-NMC the Exam Code and Test Template numbers you will be required to take for your license exam.  The Coast Guard REC or NMC has your personal files and gave you approval - we did not.  We can only guess at the Exam Code you are to take.
 
Review the abbreviations, at the bottom of this page, as used in the NMC Deck Guide Book and within LAPWARE, to define Exam Codes and Test Templates.  
 
http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/deck_exams.asp
JULY 1, 2009 - COST INCREASE
Effective July 1, 2009, after seven years of operation, the cost to purchase LAPWARE has increased.  It is now $125 for the first months usage and $75 for each additional month of usage (30 days).  You are still allowed to skip months between purchases to for your work, vacation, etc. without having to pay LAPWARE.  Upon return, after your previous 30 days has expired, just login and purchase your next 30 days of usage.
PLEASE understand that LAPWARE does NOT record your credit card information and you will never be automatically billed.  You purchase when you want to use LAPWARE.
If you purchase LAPWARE prior to July 1, 2009 you will have to pay the $75 monthly  cost with your new purchase.  We maintain your records for up to 12 months and then after that your records are permanently deleted so that no one can possibly get access to your files.
If you wish your files deleted sooner, upon completion of you sitting and passing your exam, just email us your login name and password and we will remove your files.
NEW PROGRAMMER HIRED
 
Effective July 15, 2009 we hired a new programmer who is local to one of the administrators.  It is our hope that a closer working relationship can be established so that bug fixes, changes and improvements in the software can take place keeping LAPWARE as the premier license preparation study program on the market.
 
NUMEROUS changes and improvements are being planned.  Initially we were going to only solve math problems and post them all.  As you might have noticed, and as listed under the INFORMATOIN screen after you log in, chart plots are now being solved and posted.  This is a major undertaking and does take some time.  Once the 3M/2M - 500T - 1600T Operational Level chart plots are solved and posted we will move on to the CM/MA Management Level chart plots.  We do have the 100T chart plot questions and are considering how we should handle these tests.  Also, the inland rivers chart plots has to be considered.  The Army Corps of Engineers produces a Mississippi River Chart Plot booklet which we have in PDF format.  It is our hope that we can figure out a way to all access to this booklet while solving chart plots.
 
INTERNET EXPLORER 8.0
Please try to remain with IE 7.0 rather than      the bug infested IE 8.0. Once we hear that version 8.0 is operational and works  efficiently with LAPWARE we will let you know.
VISTA
It has been reported that LAPWARE works fine under the new Microsoft VISTA operating system.
 
ADOBE ACROBAT READER 9.?
It is recommended that you consider downloading the latest Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader which is free from Adobe at:
www.adobe.com 
PC versus MAC
Many users have asked if LAPWARE will run on a MAC.  With the recent release of the Mac Book Pro and Safari 3.0 or later web browser the Mac does an excellent job running LAPWARE.  I only wish I switched to a MAC years ago.  It is so much more powerful and easier to use than a PC BUT being stuck with all of the software used to maintain our present program and database we have to stick with a PC as well.
That is where the MAC excels.  With the purchase of a program named PARALLELS 4 you can have your cake and eat it too.  Parallels 4 allows the installation of a VIRTUAL hard drive which can be your MS Windows Operating System and if you used the built in BOOT CAMP program, which allows the partitioning of your hard drive, you can work in both worlds at the same time.  It is rather neat.
LAPWARE is the most advanced U.S.C.G. license exam preparation tool on the market.  We hope you enjoy using this program to study for any level Coast Guard license exam.
It is ONLY through feed back from users that we are able to generate more accurate test templates and exam codes so please keep the information flowing in.  Thank you in advance.
PLEASE USE Internet Explorer as your Internet Browser when running LAPWARE.  Do NOT  use Firefox or other browsers.  These programs can have difficulty running LAPWARE unless properly set up and we are unfamiliar with the set up procedures.  Thank you.  We will be looking into WHY these browsers do not interact properly with LAPWARE.
LAPWARE requires you to install one program and two plug-ins.
Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 4.0 or later) is required in order to view the solutions in PDF format.  Version 9 is available for FREE.
Macromedia Flash plug-in is required to be able to view the LAPWARE program.
Copy Safe Pro plug-in is required and protects the author’s solutions from being printed or copied.
SEE Program and Plug-ins below.
If you have problems running LAPWARE please see the “Trouble Shooting” page for more guidance.  Report any new problems to the authors via email for posting.
 
We do read all comments so please feel free to send them.  
 
Since 2002, when LAPWARE was first posted, only a few users have recommended NEW ideas that we have not previously considered.  Keep the ideas coming.  We appreciate all input from all users.  We have many improvements planned and are working towards programming them.  We want LAPWARE to remain the best tool on the market for license exam study/preparation.