steiny@scc.UUCP (06/08/84)
*** I am writing a series of articles for "UNIX World" on "Writers Workbench." Is anyone else out there using it? I would be interested in your impressions/suggestions and so on. I am working with some other people (UNIX fans will be familiar with the name "Rebecca Thomas") on upgrading WWB so that it is more usable, so complaints are welcome. I have been forwarding anything about UNIX World to John Knapp, the publisher, and to Bill King and Rebecca Thomas, who are editors of UNIX World. UNIX World is not owned by PC World and no one I know who is associated with it is "kiss-ass" in any way. I will also forward any suggestions about UNIX World to the appropriate people. Thanks in advance! Don Steiny Personetics 109 Torrey Pine Terr. Santa Cruz, Calif. 95060 (408) 425-0382 ucbvax!hplabs!pesnta!scc!steiny harpo!fortune!idsvax!scc!steiny
koch@nadc.ARPA (12/06/84)
I need information on a product called "Writers Workbench".
-What is it?
-What features does it have?
-Is it available, and from whom?
Since I am not currently a subscriber to info-unix, please mail replies to me
at:
koch@nadc.ARPA
(or call or write)
Thanks,
Chuck Koch
Naval Air Development Center
Code 5031
Warminster PA 18974
215-441-3794perlman@wivax.UUCP (Gary Perlman) (12/08/84)
> I need information on a product called "Writers Workbench". > > -What is it? There are two Writer's Workbenches. The one most people know is the style and diction programs, running on Berkeley UNIX systems. That represents a very old version of WWB. The real WWB is many, maybe 30, programs for aiding the editing process. You can read about them in the July-August Bell System Technical Journal (V. 62, No. 6, part 3). > -What features does it have? It has many many programs. A better spell checker, punctuation checker, find awkwards phrases, sexist language, doubled words, and style, and diction. There's more, but these are the programs I found most useful. > -Is it available, and from whom? WWB is now a product sold by AT&T Technologies, or maybe AT&T Information Systems. I don't know how much it costs. > Gary Perlman/Wang Institute/Tyng Road/Tyngsboro, MA/01879/(617) 649-9731
sde@brl-tgr.ARPA (12/08/84)
WWB(1L) UNIX Programmer's Manual WWB(1L)
NAME
wwb - Writer's Workbench system
SYNOPSIS
wwb [ -flags ][ -ver ] [ -mm | -ms ][ -li | +li ]
[ -tm | -t | -x standards-file ] [ -s | -l ][ file ... ]
DESCRIPTION
The Writer's Workbench system is a set of programs designed
to aid writers and editors in editing documents. The com-
mand _w_w_b runs modified versions of two major programs, which
in turn run other programs.
The two major programs are:
_p_r_o_o_f_r(1) automatic proofreading system that searches
for spelling and punctuation errors, consecu-
tive occurrences of words, wordy or misused
phrases, and split infinitives.
_p_r_o_s_e(1) describes the writing style of a document,
namely, readability and sentence characteris-
tics, and suggests improvements.
_P_r_o_s_e compares a document with standards for one of several
document types, according to the following flags:
-tm Compare input text to Bell Labs Technical
Memoranda judged good by department heads in the
research area. (This is the default.)
-t Compare input text with Bell Labs training docu-
ments.
-x _s_t_a_n_d_a_r_d_s-_f_i_l_e
Compare input text with standards contained in
user-specified _s_t_a_n_d_a_r_d_s-_f_i_l_e. See _m_k_s_t_a_n_d(1) to
set up the _s_t_a_n_d_a_r_d_s-_f_i_l_e.
Other options are:
-s Produce short versions of _p_r_o_o_f_r and _p_r_o_s_e.
-l Produce long versions of _p_r_o_o_f_r and _p_r_o_s_e. This
is the default.
NOTE: The default output length for Writer's Workbench
programs is long (-l). Experienced users can change
this default to short (-s) with the _W_W_B_L_E_V variable.
Add the line "setenv WWBLEV s" to your ._l_o_g_i_n. The six
Workbench programs with length options (_w_w_b, _p_r_o_o_f_r,
_p_r_o_s_e, _d_i_c_t_i_o_n, _s_e_x_i_s_t, and _a_b_s_t) check the _W_W_B_L_E_V
Printed 12/7/84 DIV 452 STD 1
WWB(1L) UNIX Programmer's Manual WWB(1L)
variable. To override the short default at any time,
use the -l (the letter el, for long) flag on the com-
mand line. Other programs, _w_o_r_d_u_s_e, _s_p_e_l_l_t_e_l_l, and
_w_w_b_h_e_l_p moderate their wordiness based on _W_W_B_L_E_V, but
take no -l or -s flag.
Two options give information about the program:
-flags print the command synopsis line (see above)
showing command flags and options, then exit.
-ver print the Writer's Workbench system version
number of the command, then exit.
If you use formatting header files (separate files contain-
ing formatting commands) include them as part of each input
file. This is necessary because _w_w_b runs _d_e_r_o_f_f(1) to strip
non-sentence text from the input. _D_e_r_o_f_f uses some header
formatting commands to interpret later formatting commands.
Four options affect _d_e_r_o_f_f:
-mm eliminate _m_m(1) macros, and associated text that
is not part of sentences (e.g., headings), from
the analysis. This is the default.
-ms eliminate _m_s(7) macros, and associated text that
is not part of sentences from the analysis. The
-ms flag overrides the default, -mm.
-li eliminate list items, as defined by _m_m macros,
from the analysis. This is the default.
+li Include list items in the analysis. This flag
should be used if the text contains lists of sen-
tences, but not if the text contains many lists of
non-sentences.
FILES
/tmp/$$* temporary files
SEE ALSO
prose(1L), proofr(1L), style(1L), spellwwb(1L), punct(1L),
double(1L), diction(1L), deroff(1), mkstand(1L),
prosestand(1L), spelltell(1L), worduse(1L), wwbinfo(1L),
wwbhelp(1L).
BUGS
Split infinitives in lists will not be found unless the +li
option is used.
Printed 12/7/84 DIV 452 STD 2
WWB(1L) UNIX Programmer's Manual WWB(1L)
See other manual pages for bugs in individual commands.steiny@scc.UUCP (Don Steiny) (12/10/84)
> > I need information on a product called "Writers Workbench". > There is an excellent and comprehensive article in October "UNIX World" by Bill King and Don Steiny. -- scc!steiny Don Steiny - Personetics @ (408) 425-0382 109 Torrey Pine Terr. Santa Cruz, Calif. 95060 ihnp4!pesnta -\ fortune!idsvax -> scc!steiny ucbvax!twg -/
steiny@scc.UUCP (Don Steiny) (12/10/84)
**
About the portability of Writers Workbench (WWB).
I have ported it to 4.1, 4.2, Wollongong V7 UNIX, and
a unknown port to the IBM/PC. The only problem is in
"prose.c", where the help strings (information strings) are
in giant strings (" .... "). For smaller systems these
strings need to be broken into arrays of strings.
I work with a company that supports WWB on non-System V
systems. AT&T only supports System V. (they like to refuse
to even admit 4.2 exists :-)).
I am sure that Bill King would be happy to answer questions
recieved by mail. His system is not on the net. Bill and I
wrote an article on WWB in October UNIX World. Bill's net address
is:
ucbvax!ucdavis!billk
When he gets home, I will ask if it is ok to post his phone number.
Write me if you are interested.
Besides WWB we are supporting other CAI software,
including C/PILOT.
--
scc!steiny
Don Steiny - Personetics @ (408) 425-0382
109 Torrey Pine Terr.
Santa Cruz, Calif. 95060
ihnp4!pesnta -\
fortune!idsvax -> scc!steiny
ucbvax!twg -/