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ENVy compares the environments of two computers (pc) and provides a color-annotated display of the results. ENVy compares Environment Variables, over 400 Internet Explorer™ settings, Network Configuration, Installed Software, Process List and more.

ENVy was written for the times when you've asked "Why does it work on your computer? What's different about your environment?" Well, ENVy helps you find out and is a must for troubleshooting.

ENVy is essential for any developer or IT professional that works with multiple computers. Using ENVy v1.2 will save you time, money, and headache by instantly identifying and guiding you to the differences between your environments.

· Quickly compare Environment Variables, over 400 Internet Explorer Settings, Network Configuration, Installed Software, and Process List of two computers.

· Color-annotated, single column display allows the user to quickly locate and identify differences.

· Differences are displayed adjacent to the differenced item which makes visual comparison clear and comprehensive.

· Merge environment variable differences with a single right-click. Export all or a subset of variables for easy import onto other machines.

· Full capability for the creation, editing, deletion, and renaming of Environment Variables and values using a user-friendly, vertical display of values.

ENVy is a stunningly useful program for anyone who has to code, debug, or install software across multiple machines. It provides a detailed breakdown and comparison of all environment and system variables, allowing you to very quickly locate differences between configurations, differences which might cause all manner of unexpected bugs. (I once had a system crash due to the installation of invalid fonts. Go figure.)

"But it works on my machine!" is the plaintive cry of the Great North American Programmer, trying hard to understand why customers are calling in with complaints. You can give ENVy v1.1, which is 100% freeware, to clients or co-workers so that their configurations can be compared with your own. This is much, much, faster than trying to get customers to look up this information on their own systems, or get a remote IT department to do it for you.

The interface is very simple. A set of tabs divides the data into categories, and each category is displayed via a clean tree view. One side, the "This PC" side, shows all possible data values, with colors highlighting differences. At first, it is confusing that only one side is colored, but ultimately, this serves ENVy's purpose better--you can instantly see which values are different or missing between systems.

ENVy is mostly of use to developers or network administrators who need to compare machines. However, it can also be a useful tool if you ever need to send your settings to a third party to aid in their troubleshooting of a problem on your system.

--Ian Harac