[net.micro.atari8] AW+ Continued

wrd@tekigm2.UUCP (Bill Dippert) (05/31/86)

Since I cannot at the moment get thru:

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To: mitre.arpa!abrams@ucbcad.BERKELEY
Subject: AW+ vs vi
Date: 30 May 86 08:40:27 PDT (Fri)
From: Bill Dipert <tektronix!tekigm2!wrd>

Marshall:

What I meant was that having used UNIX at work (and home via modem) and 
using Atariwriter Plus, I find that AW+ is just more versatile.  To start
with vi is still basically a line editor not a page editor as AW/AW+ are.
It is extremely frustrating to me to have to constantly put in editor commands
in vi documents when AW+ does most things automatically.  The only advantage
that I could see previously between AW and vi was that vi had typeover mode
and AW had only insert mode.  However, AW+ has both modes and thus is at
least equal to vi in that respect.  As far as change word, and delete word
I use search and replace (altho I will admit that I am not sure that you
can delete a word as opposed to substituting another word?) -- s & r, cut
and paste, etc. seem to me to be as easy or easier in AW+ as they are in
vi.  Granted, you cannot move the cursor word by word in AW+.  I do do that
in vi but then get frustrated when I overshoot and have to start over.  Again
this is due to vi being a line editor.  In AW+ it is a matter of backing up
the cursor, which you cannot do from line to line in vi (or at least I am
not aware of the ability).  I am sorry, but I think people are selling Atari
short as a business machine.  What other computer offers built in graphics, 
text, etc.  IBM PC's require a new board for everything (i.e. a board for
the color monitor, another board for graphics, etc.).  Granted I have one
800XLE (800XL 256k enhanced) that is used mainly for games, altho the kids
are beginning to get into word processing for school reports.  But my 130XE
is used 60% of the time for word processing, and 35% of the time for tele-
communications (including getting into UNIX via Tek) and 5% of the time for
games, but only in a testing mode.  (Game playing is on the 800XLE or the
1200XL.)  Not that I am advocating bring an Atari to work (altho I have
considered it, having four machines to play with) -- but if your office
has a lot of IBM PC's or Apple Mac's an Atari 1040ST would cause quite a
stir.  (I would even bet that one 1040ST with appropriate software would
eventually drive out some IBM and Apples and I do not even like the 1040ST due
to mice!)  (Personally at work we use almost exclusively Tek 4107/4109 
terminals connected to either VAX or Gould with UNIX, some IBM PC's and
Compaq's are showing up now, tho.)

Sorry to be so long winded, I hope I gave you my viewpoint.  

--Bill--
tektronix!tekim2!wrd