paulb@cbnewsk.att.com (paul.l.bidwell) (03/29/91)
I'm about to buy a PC (probably 386) machine. I'm brave enough to go mail order. Are mail order firms generally reliable? I know some people who've purchased from Gateway. Does anyone have any other recommendations? Next, I would like to buy a word processor. WordPerfect seems to be the industry standard. I've also read a review that said Word for Windows is the best word processor going. Any comments on a recommended word processor? Finally, I may get a sound board? What is recommended (e.g. AdLib, SoundBlaster, etc). Any advice will be appreciated. Paul Bidwell p.l.bidwell@att.com
sjs@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu (03/29/91)
In article <1991Mar28.214044.11416@cbnewsk.att.com>, paulb@cbnewsk.att.com (paul.l.bidwell) writes: > I'm about to buy a PC (probably 386) machine. I'm brave enough to go > mail order. Are mail order firms generally reliable? > > I know some people who've purchased from Gateway. Does anyone have any > other recommendations? > I've dealt with CompuAdd (desktop) and Zeos (laptop). I've had no problems with quality or support. Check computer magazine issues ads from several years ago; if a mail order company has been in business for a long time, it must be doing something right. > Next, I would like to buy a word processor. WordPerfect seems to be the > industry standard. I've also read a review that said Word for Windows > is the best word processor going. Any comments on a recommended word > processor? I've used WordPerfect and Word (DOS version), and I prefer Word. It's too easy in WP to trip over those stupid imbedded codes, accidently delete codes (like column format), or end up with codes being duplicated thousands of times. Or, if you move the cursor over one too many spaces in WP, you can end up beyond or in the middle of some format you didn't mean to be in.
ong@d.cs.okstate.edu (ONG ENG TENG) (03/30/91)
From article <1991Mar29.100252.105@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu>, by sjs@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu: > I've used WordPerfect and Word (DOS version), and I prefer Word. It's > too easy in WP to trip over those stupid imbedded codes, accidently delete > codes (like column format), or end up with codes being duplicated thousands > of times. Or, if you move the cursor over one too many spaces in WP, you > can end up beyond or in the middle of some format you didn't mean to > be in. There are mainly three ways a piece of software can become popular -- 1) its predecessor is popular, like DOS 2.x, DOS 3.x, DOS 4.x and so on; 2) put on a big publicity campaign, like Windows 3.0; 3) is really the best! Since WordPerfect 4.2 (the predecessor to 5.0 and 5.1) was not the most popular in its time (Wordstar was), and WordPerfect Corp did not put out a big publicity campaign (as far as I know), then its got to be really good. Sorry for sayin this, but you have problem with the "stupid" embedded codes because you are not careful. I am not careful too sometimes and do some damage to my document, but that is not the fault of the word processor, it is my own. In fact, the more "complicated" a word processor is, the more powerful it is. And WP 5.1 is extremely powerful. Your reason for choosing Word over WP is not WP's fault, its yours. The few reasons I can fault a word processor is if it does not provide certain features even if I would go the mile to execute it. So far, I have no such complaint with Word Perfect, though I have not delibrately try to find fault with it. p.s. I have spent hundreds of hours on WP, working with columns and overlapping graphic images, etc. One document I am working on now is 1.1MB!
edm@hpfcmdd.hp.com (Ed Moore) (04/02/91)
In the 9/25/90 PC Magazine review of PC vendors, Swan came in first. Northgate and Dell were close behind.
danielg@med.unc.edu (Daniel Gene Sinclair) (04/03/91)
In article <1991Mar29.100252.105@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu> sjs@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu writes: >In article <1991Mar28.214044.11416@cbnewsk.att.com>, paulb@cbnewsk.att.com >(paul.l.bidwell) writes: > >> I'm about to buy a PC (probably 386) machine. I'm brave enough to go >> mail order. Are mail order firms generally reliable? >> >> I know some people who've purchased from Gateway. Does anyone have any >> other recommendations? >> > >I've dealt with CompuAdd (desktop) and Zeos (laptop). I've had no problems >with quality or support. > Around here, the names with a good reputation are: - Gateway - Zeos - Swan - CompuAdd I might also consider Austin, would probably go with Swan, despite their unattractive advertising (imo). Gateway seems to be a local favorite though. dan -- <>< "Surrender the hunger to say you must know, | <>< Have the courage to say I believe, ==+== <>< For the power of paradox opens your eyes, | <>< And blinds those who say they can see." -- Michael Card |
marcap@antares.concordia.ca ( MARC ANDREW PAWLOWSKY ) (04/06/91)
Has anybody had any experience with ACMA. Marc