dgary@ecsvax.UUCP (06/04/84)
I recently posted some comments favorable to the IBM Displaywriter (a dedicated word processor from IBM now imitated by their software package, Displaywrite 2). These comments were based on some experience and a lot of very faborably comments by word processing (wp) users who consider it to be the best things since pickles. Also, I know some computer people (like Lawrence Muhlbaier here at Duke - ecsvax!doc to you) whose judgment I respect and who really like the Displaywriter. Well, I received a letter so anti-Displaywriter (from someone else whose judgment I respect) that I thought in fairness (and with the writer's permission) I'd post this differing view: >Date: 2 Jun 84 06:24:32 EDT (Sat) >From: Miriam Clifford <dmimi@ecsvax> >Subject: Re: displaywriter??!!! >To: D. Gary Grady <dgary@ecsvax> >Full-Name: Miriam Clifford >Location: Duke University Medical Center >Address: {decvax,ihnp4,akau}!mcnc!ecsvax!dmimi >Alternate-Path: duke!unc!ecsvax!dmimi >In-Reply-To: Message of 1 Jun 84 21:00:30 EDT (Fri) from dgary@ecsvax > > >Back to the displaywriter. wp operators have usually used only whatever >they started on, and one gets to like whatever one is used to. I don't >think that that is a reason to recommend a poor machine. (Incidentally, >there are several other problems with the displaywriter that I can't >think of right now--I stay as far from it as I can.) I know two >people, word processors, who used the CPT as their first machine, can >see its several problems, and who HATE the Displaywriter. They are >now using it regularly so it isn't that they haven't learned to use >it yet. > >One thing I find, is that the menus get in the way of what I'm >trying to do--I have to go, probably to seveveral menus, to do the >editing that I need for the next step. Another problem (I think >I'm right about this) is that I can't read one file into another >--I think at all--but at best I can't do it easily. I boiler plate >all the time. > >Another baddy for wp people, is that it won't print several copies >of something at one command--i.e., print 100 copies of x. And the >connection of the printer to more than one machine is awful--instead >of having the machines establish their own queue for what is to print >when according to when it was entered (obviously having the priority >changeable by the operator) as the CPT does, the displaywriter is >under the control of one machine, with it's operator having to >permit the other(s) to enter their material on the queue for printing. >You can imagine how much two wp people (who may not love each other) >like that power struggle. > >There's more--- > >Mimi So, as always, Caveat Emptor. Your turn, Doc! Best, D Gary Grady Duke University Computation Center, Durham, NC 27706 (919) 684-4146 USENET: {decvax,ihnp4,akgua,etc.}!mcnc!ecsvax!dgary