Sending out a newsletter is a simple and effective way of sharing news with a wide audience.

It is a vital publicity tool for the large corporation or the small voluntary society alike.

Email newsletters have become increasingly popular and the demand for good software to create publications is growing.

R2 Newsletter Pro is an excellent application. It offers a plain text-style newsletter or an upgrade option to send messages with HTML, allowing the inclusion of graphics and formatted text.

The basic system is accessible to all. The HTML newsletter is not to be attempted by someone without a decent level of skill in page editing but with the right knowledge of HTML and a decent eye for design the result is stunning.

Newsletters can include attachments and can be archived online.

The strength of the R2 Newsletter Pro application is not the surface gloss sent out the readership. Behind the scenes, the administration area provides an overview of mailing lists and templates.

The system allows for multiple list generation, covering different newsletter topics.

It recognises when a person is duplicated across different subscriber bases and if a newsletter is sent to more than one list it will not be sent twice to the same email address.

R2 Newsletter Pro also incorporates a clear subscription process.

A confirmation email is sent to a subscriber before they are added to the list.

Distribution will only be activated when the system has received assurance the request is genuinely from the email address provided.

Price: £199. Contact: www.r2-webdesign.com or 0800 542 8399. Rating: 8 out of 10.