cbcscmst@cs1.UUCP (Michael Steven Temkin) (07/30/86)
I bought GEOS and was VERY disapppointed. geoPaint is strictly hi-res not
multi-color, the text option doesn't work and it saves the picture upon exit
whether you want it to or not. (i.e. if you saved it to disk to keep a
current copy while you play with it some more, then decide you don't want
to save the messed up one but you do want to quit, you must recover the old
one from disk or it will be overwritten by the current mess when you exit.)
geoWrite is a basic type and write word processor. No frills such as a search
feature or justification. (If you are looking for an EXCELLENT word processor
with fonts, check out Fontmaster II). I purchased GEOS for $39.95 ($42.95
w/shipping) from a software house the name of which escapes me, but they
advertise in Compute! (Compu-<something>). Fontmaster can be purchased by
mail for $28.
But if you are hooked on buying GEOS, go to a software store and check it
out first. It has no mouse driver as yet, but Mighty Mouse will work with
it since it has a box to convert mouse signals to joystick signals, and
can also be used as a mouse. The 1350 mouse is strictly joystick emulation.
--
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Mike Temkin
{inhp4,psivax,ttidca}!csun!cs1!cbcscmst
Ours is not to question why...Or is it?
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.deboor@ucbarpa.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (08/02/86)
Warning: My opinions may be tainted by the fact that I work for Berkeley Softworks. In article <231@cs1.UUCP> cbcscmst@cs1.UUCP (Michael Steven Temkin) writes: > >I bought GEOS and was VERY disapppointed. geoPaint is strictly hi-res not >multi-color, the text option doesn't work and it saves the picture upon exit >whether you want it to or not. (i.e. if you saved it to disk to keep a >current copy while you play with it some more, then decide you don't want >to save the messed up one but you do want to quit, you must recover the old >one from disk or it will be overwritten by the current mess when you exit.) Perhaps you are using version 1.0? Version 1.2 is available to registered users who bought 1.0, and is the only version on sale at retail stores. The geoPaint that I know from work is multi-color (limited by the C64s hardware of course, 2 colors per card). The text works well. (Did you open a rectangle to place the text in, before typing?) All fonts and styles area available in geoPaint. If I recall correctly (I haven't used geoPaint extensively, only occasionally) to quit without saving, you only need to select the 'quit' option from the 'file' menu (rather than 'close'). >geoWrite is a basic type and write word processor. No frills such as a search >feature or justification. (If you are looking for an EXCELLENT word processor >with fonts, check out Fontmaster II). I purchased GEOS for $39.95 ($42.95 >w/shipping) from a software house the name of which escapes me, but they >advertise in Compute! (Compu-<something>). Fontmaster can be purchased by >mail for $28. There were several bugs in geoWrite 1.0 which were corrected before 1.2 was released. Things are moving so fast at BSW that it is difficult for me to remember exactly what the changes were. I have not seen Fontmaster II, but I will say, in geoWrites favor, that you are able to paste in pictures that you have created in geoPaint to get quite a good effect in your document. >But if you are hooked on buying GEOS, go to a software store and check it >out first. It has no mouse driver as yet, but Mighty Mouse will work with >it since it has a box to convert mouse signals to joystick signals, and >can also be used as a mouse. The 1350 mouse is strictly joystick emulation. Mice...The official company line is: "When Commodore releases a proportional mouse (like the Macs) Berkeley Softworks will support it". (End company line). The difference a proportional mouse makes is incredible. Support is in the works for Koala-pads, and light-pens, as soon as we can get to them. Things that we are working on are: A desk accessory pack, including: Calendar program Art Grabber (to take art from other applications and paste them into geoPaint) BlackJack program Icon editor A font pack, with a lot of neat fonts. These are due out in a month (or so, no guarantees). (We just finished Beta-testing). Other applications are a SpreadSheet, a DataBase, Chart program, Rolodex, Merge programs (to merge data with a geoWrite document, to create form letters). These are being worked on now. Anyway, I hope that this clears up some of the confusion about what GEOS has, and what it will get in the future. I apologize if this comes off as a commercial endorsement, it wasn't intended to be. (Any flames to the address below). Oh yeah, The disk speed up is great, but you should see it run off a Ram-disk. WOW. -wedge- (please reply to wedgwood@buddy.Berkeley.Edu)
cbcscmst@cs1.UUCP (Michael Steven Temkin) (08/06/86)
In article <15094@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>, deboor@ucbarpa.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP writes: > Warning: My opinions may be tainted by the fact that I work for Berkeley > Softworks. > > > Perhaps you are using version 1.0? Version 1.2 is available to registered users > who bought 1.0, and is the only version on sale at retail stores. No, my disk distinctly says 1.2 on it. This may be because I did not purchase it at a retail house, I bought it from ComputAbility for $39.95 not $59.95 (including Q-Link which by the way is an excellent CBM service). > > The geoPaint that I know from work is multi-color (limited by the C64s hardware > of course, 2 colors per card). I hate to burst your bubble, but 2 colors per card (8x8 pixels) is hires not multi-color which is 4 colors per card (foreground, background, and 2 colors that are static for the entire screen). > The text works well. (Did you open a rectangle > to place the text in, before typing?) All fonts and styles area available in > geoPaint. Yes, I opened the rectangle, but all I got was a 'Text Scrap not available in version 1.1'. > If I recall correctly (I haven't used geoPaint extensively, only > occasionally) to quit without saving, you only need to select the 'quit' option > from the 'file' menu (rather than 'close'). Please use it more often since when I exit the file is updated.> > I have not seen Fontmaster II, but I will say, in geoWrites favor, that you > are able to paste in pictures that you have created in geoPaint to get > quite a good effect in your document. Point conceded, as Fontmaster II does not allow you to paste pictures in the text. It does however let you define character sets (fonts) of your own, even as graphic pictures if you wish. > Mice...The official company line is: "When Commodore releases a proportional > mouse (like the Macs) Berkeley Softworks will support it". (End company > line). The difference a proportional mouse makes is incredible. > > Support is in the works for Koala-pads, and light-pens, as soon as we can > get to them. I will not argue on this point, but please post as to what the difference between a proportional and normal mouse are. Also is there an apporx time for the Koala-pad and light pen support to be released? How about the reference manual that I was told would be available in July by your company? > Things that we are working on are: > A desk accessory pack, including: > Calendar program > Art Grabber (to take art from other applications and paste them > into geoPaint) > BlackJack program > Icon editor > > A font pack, with a lot of neat fonts. > > These are due out in a month (or so, no guarantees). (We just finished > Beta-testing). Sounds great, but how about (as I previously stated) a design your own font application? > Other applications are a SpreadSheet, a DataBase, Chart program, Rolodex, > Merge programs (to merge data with a geoWrite document, to create form letters). > These are being worked on now. Sounds great! I am interested in the Ref. Manual so I can port a graphics system (2.5-D) from the IBM-PC to the C64 that two friends of mine and I wrote as a senior project at Cal. State U. Northridge. > Anyway, I hope that this clears up some of the confusion about what GEOS has, > and what it will get in the future. > > I apologize if this comes off as a commercial endorsement, it wasn't intended to > be. (Any flames to the address below). No need to apologize, this is the kind of response that I am sure we all were looking for. Keep in touch with the Commodore Public and we will all be a lot happier. > Oh yeah, The disk speed up is great, but you should see it run off a Ram-disk. > WOW. Love the speed up!! Ram disk for the C64? I have heard of it, how big does it expand the C64 to? Well, good luck in your endevors! -- .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Mike Temkin {inhp4,psivax,ttidca}!csun!cs1!cbcscmst Ours is not to question why...Or is it? .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.