Compiled by Tom Ponzo, Paul Silverman and Lori L. Bloomer

If you're looking to travel and you want to explore as many options as possible before booking, the online realm offers plenty of possibilities.

All of the major online services offer extensive travel planning facilities. All you need to make the most of your trip is a little bit of time and your credit card.

First, determine your approximate travel dates. If you're flexible, you may be able to get a lower fare. Sometimes, changing your arrival or departure date by a single day can save you money. I found that a round-trip trans-Atlantic fare dropped $700 when the return flight was moved forward by a single day from Sunday to Monday. If you can arrange to stay over a Saturday night, do so--in most cases it'll cut your fare in half.

Next, search each airline's flights and fares. You'll probably find a huge price disparity between coach and first class, or coach and business class. If you don't mind foregoing the luxury of wider seats and other amenities, book the lower-class fare and you'll save big.

This is where the online ticketing process truly shines. With Eaasy Sabre you can search a roster of departures, find flights that fit your schedule and get a price quote right away. If you're looking for the cheapest fare, most services offer a search engine that allows you to input your dates and times of travel to find a rock-bottom rate. You can also get information on luggage restrictions, standby and overbooking policies, along with other useful facts.

A recent trip we booked on CompuServe took all of 20 minutes from beginning to end. The tickets arrived via Federal Express two days later. That's what I call service!

Get your motor runnin' and head out on the I-way. Summer's here and we're taking road trips.

All the online services offer travel options on their opening screens. Whether you're looking for flight reservations, car rentals, unbeatable bargains or travel tips, each service has something to offer.

CompuServe (GO: TRAVEL) connects you to the Travelers Advantage club and the Eaasy Sabre reservation system. Both allow you to book all the details of your trip in no time at all.

Prodigy (Jump: Travel) also offers Eaasy Sabre, which lets you book hotels and rental cars as well as flights. If you're looking to stretch your airline dollars, hook up to Prodigy's Flight Finder to find the lowest fares.

Travel options abound on America Online (Keyword: Travel), with services like Arthur Frommer's Secret Bargains and Preview Vacations.

Traveling to Atlanta for the Summer Olympic Games? AOL has a site just for you (Keyword: Olympics). Get the latest news as well as information on tickets that haven't yet been snapped up. You can also play Olympics Trivia and follow the Olympic torch.

1. Cool Edit 95 Digital sound editor

2. Cyber Patrol 2.10 Internet access manager

3. Egor Animator 1.0 Java add-on for HotDog

4. Free Home Business Guide 2.1 Self-starter planner

5. Graphic Workshop for Windows 95 Multipurpose graphics tool

6. Link Check 95 4.7 Executable and .DLL analyzer

7. SmartAssociation 1.0 File-type changer

8. Software Check 2.4 Application auditor

9. STF Notes 1.01 Notepad replacement

10. Windows Multi-Lock 1.2 Password protector