dcanfield@yvax.byu.edu (07/14/89)
I sent a copy of my "WordPerfect pros and cons" posting to the director of Apple products at WordPerfect last week in the hopes that it would be of some help in the future. I received a letter back from Reed P. Hainsworth Manager, Apple Products Marketing this morning. He wanted me to post it to the net. It seems that I was given some incorrect information from the information people at WordPerfect and this clears it up. *************************************************************************** Dear Dan: Your letter revealed some communication problems here at WordPerfect Corporation. The information you were given by our Information Services personnel regarding future updates is not entirely correct. We are working on an update to wordPerfect 2.1 for the GS. Our goal is to upgrade it to be roughly equivalent to WordPerfect 4.2 for the IBM PC. At that point, we will evaluate the possibility of adding WordPerfect 5.0 features, such as graphic integration. We are not working on an upgrade to WordPerfect 1.1 for the IIe/IIc, however, the reason is not because of a waning Apple II market as you were told. We spent a good deal of time trying to add features to our IIe/IIc product but encountered enormous obstacles. The feature set of WordPerfect 1.1 for the IIe/IIc currently requires almost all of the available 128K of RAM. To add new features, we would have to remove existing ones or rejuggle the entire program, making it awkward and unwieldy. Another option to improve WordPerfect 1.1 for the IIe/IIc is to make an update that would be available only to users with extended memory. This option would require us to ostracize a portion of our current customers and a segment of the general market, which is a condition we are not willing to accept. Also, we work well with Applied Engineering's Transwarp card. , In fact, we have used them on a variety of occasions, including AppleFest. I hope the above information clarifies things for you. I would appreciate it if you would post an addendum to your previous posting. I know it was widely read and we have received a few calls asking for clarification. I have also sent correct information to our internal departments. Sincerely, Reed P. Hainsworth ***************************************************************************** I was very impressed that he would send a letter back. This is just another example of what has made WordPerfect so big in the PC area and which, if kept up, will make them big in many other areas also. They care about their customers and that is something that not too many companies show. Until later, Dan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ You told me to delete those files, I heard you say it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Standard disclaimers should be read here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
lhaider@pro-sol.cts.com (Lawrence Haider) (07/15/89)
Network Comment: to #8802 by pnet01!crash!jade.berkeley.edu!dcanfield%byuvax.BITNET
My ONLY objection to WordPerfect for the GS is the way it handles files. Can
you (or would you, and all users that see this message) drop WordPerfect Corp.
a line telling them that a more standard procedure for file handling be
implemented for the upgrade. It may work well on MS-DOS machines, but it sure
feels funny on an Apple IIgs! Having something like what is described for
AppleWorks 3.0, in A2-Central, certainly would be nice; and more consistant
with the way Apple users like to work with their system.
Laer