ejw@sask.UUCP (Eric Woodsworth) (03/31/88)
I asked several weeks ago about people's experiences with francophone word processors, and summarize below the responses. Thanks to everyone who replied. - Richard ============================== Date: Tue, 16 Feb 88 10:05:43 EST We currently use Wordperfect 4.1 (that you surely have heard of), in French version. The English version could be used as well to to French text processing. We also have the English 4.2 version, but not the French one. Rather than using WP keyboard capabilities for accented characters, we prefer to use MultiC, un multi-keyboard program capable, among other things, to simulate French capable typewriters. WP may be obtained from SSI, and a lot of retailers probably. MultiC may be obtained from CooPoly (Cooperative de l'Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal) for some $25, I think. Here is the complete reference: 5000 Jean-Talon ouest (514) 340-4433 Suite 110 Montreal, Qc H4P 1W9 Some other people prefer Word, from Microsoft. But I did not get a thourough experience with it. It drives the screen in graphic mode and the resolution is not good enough for me to be happy. +-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+ | Francois Pinard | C.P. 886, L'Epiphanie, Canada (Que) J0K 1J0 | | pinard@odyssee.UUCP | (514)588-4656 at home, (514)279-0716 at ORA | +-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+ ============================== The simplest thing that you can get is PC-Write 2.7 (or later). It doesn't support a "Selectric-like" keyboard, but it does support French characters: the "`" key is redefined as the "accent" key so you type <letter> <`> <accent> and you get the character you want. *PLUS*, PC-Write is shareware (or Freeware?!?). It won't cost you a dime to get it. Of course, if you want something fancier, you can go for a more expensive word processor. I believe there exist versions of MS-WORD, WordPerfect, etc. for French. -- Denis Fortin | fortin@zap.UUCP CAE Electronics Ltd | philabs!micomvax!zap!fortin The opinions expressed above are my own | fortin%zap.uucp@uunet.uu.net ============================== Date: Wed, 17 Feb 88 23:27:45 MST From: ncc!utzoo!mnetor!micomvax!tremblay Organization: Philips Electronics Ltd. (TDS - Montreal) Montreal, Canada Philips Information Systems is selling a WP package in three versions in North-America: French-Canadian : French canadian keyboard, with french messages Bilingual : French canadian keyboard, with english messages USA : Standard keyboard, english messages ============================== Date: Sat, 13 Feb 88 20:48:39 EST I looked into finding such a beast last Christmas for my little brothers.. If you want simple stuff, try the package Premier Choix (French version of First Choice) by PFS. It contains a simple word processor, (good for about 30 pages of text, but you can link many files at print time). It also contains a simple telecommunication program, spreadsheet and database. It comes with a dictionary. >From what I could judge (I am a power user, so it wouldn't quite suit my needs), it was a pretty good integrated package for computer novices. I didn't find any problem, except the minor annoyance that the defaut called for the currency to be F (francs) and the paper to be A4 format (instead of 8 1/2 x 11). The spelling checker works fine. It supports quite a lot of printers. Anyway, I got it from Eaton's (regularly priced at $200). I just saw Radio Shack advertising it for $175 (or thereabouts). Worth it. If you do a lot of fancy word processing, then this might not be for you. But I would still give it a try. I got some good recommendations for WordPerfect, but I can't quite judge as I haven't used it. It is quite powerful, but then, so is the price. Personally, I use LaTeX with a laser printer, but that's yet another (gasp) jump in performance and in price. Hope this helps. Je'ro^me M. Lang || jmlang@water.bitnet jmlang@water.uucp Dept of Applied Math || jmlang@water.waterloo.edu U of Waterloo || jmlang%water%waterloo.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa ============================== Date: Sun, 14 Feb 88 16:57:32 est Last year I was working with a microcomputer company in Ottawa, and we were using two Bilingual word processing packages for word processing. The first was called L'editex. It was the one I prefered. The editor allowed for switching between English and French prompts and commands, and also supported microcomputer LAN's. Specifically Novell. The printer support was also quite good, and when we required a new driver for the Mannsman Lazer printers the company was great with support. That was an installation for the Governer General of Canada. So support may have been better than average because of that. the manuals were also good, and of course were available in both languages. The second was called Comunique. I can't comment as well on that one as I had limited exposure to it. It's network support was not as good, and if you wished to switch between English and French you had to exit the application. If you wish a totally French word processor you may be able to buy the French half of the application separately. Documentation was good, but the French version had some bugs, such as having to comfirm with a Y. Overall I prefered L'editex, but now come the disclaimers. I was an installer for the software, through a subcontract and did minimum word processing with them, and the big discalaimer. I do not speak a word of French, as much as I wish I did. If you need more information I can get you the name of the suppliers for both of these packages. I don't have them in front of me, so drop me a line if you want them. Hope this helps a bit. Derek. Derek Keeping [ mnetor, yetti, utgpu] ! geac ! derek Geac Computers International Inc. 350 Steelcase Road,Markham, Ontario, CANADA, L3R 1B3 +1 416 475 0525 ============================== Posted: Sun Feb 14 14:36:49 1988 .....may I recommend the Micro/Access JANUS. You can get the machine and bilingual software, such as Ability, from Micro/Access 1425 Bayview Avenue Toronto, Ontario M4G 3A9 (416) 488-1799 (voice) (416) 463-9360 (24 hr BBS, 300,1200,2400) -- G. Roderick Singleton | "ALL animals are created equal, <gerry@syntron.uucp>, | BUT some animals are MORE equal or <gerry@geac.uucp>, | than others." a warning from or <gerry@eclectic.uucp> | "Animal Farm" by George Orwell ============================== Date: 23 Oct 1987, 09:47:11 From: (Roger Edwards) <USERWSRE@UALTAMTS.BITNET> Re: ? about multimate printing in french. Yes, it is possible to get Multimate to print in French, both on the screen and on the printer, although the method is somewhat laborious. When in multimate, you can use extended characters which the IBM supports, by holding down the Alt key and typing a 3-digit decimal character. For example, Alt 130 will give you an "e" with an acute accent. Try numbers from 128 through 157, 160-173, 180-192 for starters. This feature is particularly useful for Bibliographies where foreign names may have two dots over a "u", etc. The printer may or may not print the characters, depending on make, but if it doesn't, it is possible to edit the character translation table so that the correct character is transmitted to the printer. You need the printer manual to do this. ------- R.H. Kerbes / Canadian Wildlife Service / Saskatoon / Canada UUCP: pmbrc!rhk Tel: (306)-975-4111 -- ------- Eric Woodsworth / Canadian Wildlife Service / Saskatoon / Canada UUCP: pmbrc!ejw BITNET: WOODSWORTH@SASK Tel: (306)-975-4087