posert@bonnie.ics.uci.edu (Bob Posert) (11/24/88)
In article <41924@linus.UUCP> Bruce Carlson writes: > >PC Week also talks about a version of Word for Windows, with an availability >of 1st quarter 1989. I couldn't figure out from the article if I would >have to pay again for an upgrade to get the Windows version. When I called >Microsoft their product support had no info on the Windows version. > There's an article about Word for Windows in the December 88 Byte: The developers and major proponents of Windows have finally released a word processing package that's specifically tuned for Window's graphic interface. It's called Microsoft Word for Windows (WfW), and it offers all the features of Word's non-Windows sibling, plus lots more. WfW takes advantage of Windows' advanced graphics by giving you a full WYSIWYG view of your document along with full editing features. To use WfW, you'll need an IBM AT, PS/2, or compatible, Windows 2.0 or higher, and MS-DOS 3.0 or higher. PRICE: $495; network node package, $250; upgrade from any version of Word, $125. --Bob Claimer: All typos are mine. -- Bob Posert I'm: posert@bonnie.ics.uci.edu or {sdcsvax|ucbvax}!ucivax!bonnie!posert
abcscnge@csuna.csun.edu (Scott "The Pseudo-Hacker" Neugroschl) (08/01/89)
Is anyone from Microsoft on the net? Or can anyone tell me what's happening with Word For Windows (WfW)? Will WfW ever be released? Will there be an academic version? What will the upgrade cost be? I'm holding off on upgrading from 4.0 to 5.0 because 1) The upgrade documentation is not the worlds greatest (disks only), and 2) I'm waiting for WfW. -- Scott "The Pseudo-Hacker" Neugroschl UUCP: ...!sm.unisys.com!csun!csuna.csun.edu!abcscnge -- Beat me, Whip me, make me code in Ada -- Disclaimers? We don't need no stinking disclaimers!!!
nebezene@ndsuvax.UUCP (Todd M. Bezenek KO0N) (08/02/89)
In article <2106@csuna.csun.edu> abcscnge@csuna.csun.edu (Scott Neugroschl) writes: > I'm holding off on >upgrading from 4.0 to 5.0 because 1) The upgrade documentation is not the >worlds greatest (disks only), and 2) I'm waiting for WfW. I bought Word in June '89. When I received it, I found that I had v4.0. I just got the upgrade to 5.0 in the mail, and it included all the manuals. I believe that Microsoft has changes their policy concerning upgrades. -Todd -- Todd Michael Bezenek, KO0N nebezene@plains.nodak.edu UUCP: uunet!ndsuvax!nebezene Bitnet: nebezene@ndsuvax NU040889@ndsuvm1
ben@val.UUCP (Ben Thornton) (08/02/89)
abcscnge@csuna.csun.edu (Scott "The Pseudo-Hacker" Neugroschl) writes: >What will the upgrade cost be? I'm holding off on >upgrading from 4.0 to 5.0 because 1) The upgrade documentation is not the >worlds greatest (disks only), and 2) I'm waiting for WfW. This is not true. The upgrade consists of not only diskettes, but also 3 books of documentation, 2 pamphlets, and keyboard templates. Although version 5.0 is not strictly a Windows application, it does run under Windows and can import data from the Windows Clipboard. -- Ben Thornton packet: WD5HLS @ KB5PM Video Associates Labs uucp: ...!cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!val!ben Austin, TX fidonet: 1:382/40 - The Antenna Farm BBS
golds@rlgvax.UUCP (Rich Goldschmidt) (08/03/89)
There was an interview with Bill Gates in the August Programmer's Update (from the Programmer's Shop, free ? with an order ?). They specifically asked him about MS-Word for Windows, if and when. I will paraphrase his answer: "There's nothing imminent there, but eventually that's certainly something we are going to have..." In other words, don't hold your breath. Rich Goldschmidt uunet!rlgvax!golds
ppa@hpldola.HP.COM (Paul P. Austgen) (08/04/89)
Word 5.0 also can use LIM 4.0 expanded memory.
rogerson@PEDEV.Columbia.NCR.COM (Dale Rogerson) (08/04/89)
In article <1228@rlgvax.UUCP> golds@rlgvax.UUCP (Rich Goldschmidt) writes: >There was an interview with Bill Gates in the August Programmer's Update >(from the Programmer's Shop, free ? with an order ?). They specifically >asked him about MS-Word for Windows, if and when. I will paraphrase his >answer: "There's nothing imminent there, but eventually that's certainly >something we are going to have..." In other words, don't hold your breath. This is what Bill Gates and anyone at Microsoft will say about any program that they have not yet released. Windows for Word (WfW) was announced as an offical product way back in January and Feb. I remember several mags back then had official press releases. Also this month several of the computer magazines have said that the release of WfW will be very soon, either this month or next month. Beta versions of WfW have been in existance for a while now. I have a feeling that the imminent release of the Pre-announced Windows 3.0 has delayed the release of WfW. Windows 3.0 is another product that Bill Gates would say "There's nothing imminent..." about, however, many developers have pre-release products, and an official press release has been given to PC-Week. I remember Quick Pascal. Everyone knew it was about to ship. All the magazines had reviews and write ups about it. However, the official Microsoft line ( as presented on the MS BBS on GENIE ) claimed that they knew nothing about QP and that it did not exist. The moral of this story is: Magazines will print as much information as they can about new products. They do not care if they exist or will ever be released. Bill Gates lies and/or at least streches the truth. Continuing to wait for WfW, Windows 3.0, and a friendly MS attitude to Windows developers..... -----Dale Rogerson-----
dsampson@x102a.harris-atd.com (sampson david 58163) (08/05/89)
The Word upgrade from 4.0 to 5.0 is not just disks. You get a complete package (manuals, disk, and keyboard templates). There are bugs though....... I have a keyboard with stand alone cursor keys. If you hold down the down arrow key (or any other arrow key) until you hear the first click, then release it, the cursor starts "free running" through the document. It is not just reading the keyboard buffer, because if you hit a right arrow key (assuming you originally hit down arrow), the cursor instantly changes direction and starts free running across each line. You can stop this by hitting page up or page down. Note: this doesn't happen when you use the numeric keypad arrow keys. -- David Sampson Harris Corporation dsampson@x102a.harris-atd.com Gov't Aerospace Systems Divison uunet!x102a!dsampson (407) 729-7068
tmp@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Tom Putnam) (08/05/89)
In article <DSAMPSON.89Aug4155845@x102a.harris-atd.com> dsampson@x102a.harris-atd.com (sampson david 58163) writes: >The Word upgrade from 4.0 to 5.0 ... > >There are bugs though....... > >I have a keyboard with stand alone cursor keys. If you hold down the >down arrow key (or any other arrow key) until you hear the first >click, then release it, the cursor starts "free running" through the >document. I experienced this same phenomenon under Word 4.0 and spent much time trying to find out what was causing it. I finally found, quite by accident, that removing Sidekick removed the problem.
mms00786@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (08/07/89)
Bill Gates lies... I think we have the press to blame for that. Lasttime Bill Gates tried to tell the truth (Word for Mac, V 4.0), and couldn't meet the deadline, he lost 175 *million* dollars on Microsoft stock. On the other hand, when OS/2 was released dead on schedule, he did not *make* a 175 mil. I think M. Gates has learned a lesson well, and is protecting the interests of his shareholders. Milan mms00786@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu .
mlawless@ncrwic.Wichita.NCR.COM (Mike Lawless) (08/07/89)
In article <2646@PEDEV.Columbia.NCR.COM> rogerson@PEDEV.Columbia.NCR.COM (Dale > >The moral of this story is: > Magazines will print as much information as they can about new > products. They do not care if they exist or will ever be released. > > Bill Gates lies and/or at least streches the truth. There is a very good explanation for this phenomenon. People have a tendency to bitch when the read about the features of an impressive new product, and then have to wait what seem like a very long time for it to actually be released. They get impatient and use epithets like "vaporware." Thus, it is the official policy of outfits like Microsoft to not announce new or improved products until they are absolutely ready for release. That way, they can honestly say that they did not make a premature announcement when the project is inevitably delayed for months due to bug fixes or other delays. It is probably a good thing in the long run, since it reduces the pressure to release a product before all the bugs are exterminated. BTW, it doesn't always work that way. I just read, in PC-Week, about a nasty bug in DOS Word 5.0, which can trash a Word 4.0 file imported into 5.0, if it had been modified by the 4.0 spell checker. They say it is actually the fault of the 4.0 speller, but they are working on a 5.0 fix to get around the problem. No word yet on how to get a copy of the fix. Stay tuned. -- Mike Lawless, NCR E&M Wichita, Box 20 (316) 636-8666 (NCR: 654-8666) 3718 N. Rock Road, Wichita, KS 67226 Mike.Lawless@Wichita.NCR.COM {ece-csc,hubcap,gould,rtech}!ncrcae!ncrwic!Mike.Lawless {sdcsvax,cbatt,dcdwest,nosc.ARPA}!ncr-sd!ncrwic!Mike.Lawless
axel@peun19.UUCP (08/08/89)
/* Written 3:53 am Aug 1, 1989 by abcscnge@csuna.UUCP in peun19:comp.sys.ibm.pc */ /* ---------- "Word For Windows" ---------- */ Is anyone from Microsoft on the net? Or can anyone tell me what's happening with Word For Windows (WfW)? Will WfW ever be released? Will there be an academic version? What will the upgrade cost be? I'm holding off on upgrading from 4.0 to 5.0 because 1) The upgrade documentation is not the worlds greatest (disks only), and 2) I'm waiting for WfW. -- Scott "The Pseudo-Hacker" Neugroschl UUCP: ...!sm.unisys.com!csun!csuna.csun.edu!abcscnge -- Beat me, Whip me, make me code in Ada -- Disclaimers? We don't need no stinking disclaimers!!! /* End of text from peun19:comp.sys.ibm.pc */
ralf@b.gp.cs.cmu.edu (Ralf Brown) (08/08/89)
In article <111700132@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu> mms00786@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu writes: }Bill Gates lies... } }I think we have the press to blame for that. Lasttime Bill Gates tried to }tell the truth (Word for Mac, V 4.0), and couldn't meet the deadline, he lost }175 *million* dollars on Microsoft stock. On the other hand, when OS/2 was }released dead on schedule, he did not *make* a 175 mil. On the other hand, I bet demand for Word is a lot bigger than demand for OS-half.... -- {backbone}!cs.cmu.edu!ralf ARPA: RALF@CS.CMU.EDU FIDO: Ralf Brown 1:129/46 BITnet: RALF%CS.CMU.EDU@CMUCCVMA AT&Tnet: (412)268-3053 (school) FAX: ask DISCLAIMER? | "Let me write down the natural numbers and then stop." What's that?| -- Alan Demers (in Upson's Familiar Quotations)
madd@bu-cs.BU.EDU (Jim Frost) (08/08/89)
In article <5480@ncrwic.Wichita.NCR.COM> mlawless@ncrwic.UUCP (Mike Lawless) writes: |Thus, it |is the official policy of outfits like Microsoft to not announce new or |improved products until they are absolutely ready for release. OS/2? Many would argue that not only was it announced prematurely, it was released prematurely. jim
dsampson@x102a.harris-atd.com (sampson david 58163) (08/08/89)
My original comment about the bug I found in Word 5.0: >The Word upgrade from 4.0 to 5.0 ... > >There are bugs though....... > >I have a keyboard with stand alone cursor keys. If you hold down the >down arrow key (or any other arrow key) until you hear the first >click, then release it, the cursor starts "free running" through the >document. Tom Putnam (tmp@mentor.cc.purdue.edu) adds: #I experienced this same phenomenon under Word 4.0 and spent much time #trying to find out what was causing it. I finally found, quite by #accident, that removing Sidekick removed the problem. Good point Tom. TSR's are usually a main point of contention. However, the only TSR I run is CED.COM (the command line editor). To date, this TSR has never conflicted with anything I have run. As an experiemnt, I removed ced.com from my autoexec.bat file and re-booted. I then loaded Word and tried it again. With no TSR present, the cursor goes into the free running mode. Must be a bug for sure. -- David Sampson Harris Corporation dsampson@x102a.harris-atd.com Gov't Aerospace Systems Divison uunet!x102a!dsampson (407) 729-7068
daveg@hpcvlx.HP.COM (Dave Guggisberg) (08/09/89)
David Sampson writes: >There are bugs though....... >I have a keyboard with stand alone cursor keys. If you hold down the >down arrow key (or any other arrow key) until you hear the first >click, then release it, the cursor starts "free running" through the >document. It is not just reading the keyboard buffer, because if you >hit a right arrow key (assuming you originally hit down arrow), the >cursor instantly changes direction and starts free running across each >line. You can stop this by hitting page up or page down. This does not happen with my MS Word 5.0 on a Hewlett-Packard Vectra RS-20 or my no-name clone at home. Both have the 101 enhanced keyboards with separate cursor keys. It may be a bug, but it may not be. It could be (horror) something about your system, your BIOS or a number of things. I hate having to track down stuff like that. I wish you luck. Dave Guggisberg daveg@cv.hp.com
as2d+@andrew.cmu.edu (Alan Henry Stein) (08/14/89)
The upgrade from Word 4.0 to Word 5.0 does include new manuals and is not disk only. I think you'd be in severe trouble if they didn't give you the manuals. You'd never figure out some of the new features. alan
carlson@gateway.mitre.org (Bruce Carlson) (08/17/89)
In article <101000065@hpcvlx.HP.COM>daveg@hpcvlx.HP.COM (Dave Guggisberg) writes: >David Sampson writes: >>I have a keyboard with stand alone cursor keys. If you hold down the >>down arrow key (or any other arrow key) until you hear the first >>click, then release it, the cursor starts "free running" through the >>document. It is not just reading the keyboard buffer, because if you >>hit a right arrow key (assuming you originally hit down arrow), the >>cursor instantly changes direction and starts free running across each >>line. You can stop this by hitting page up or page down. >This does not happen with my MS Word 5.0 on a Hewlett-Packard >Vectra RS-20 or my no-name clone at home. Both have the 101 enhanced >keyboards with separate cursor keys. It may be a bug, but it may I had Word 4.0 running on a Zenith Z-248 at work and on my AST Premium 286 at home. The Zenith used to have problems with the shift key "sticking", so everything was shifted to uppercase, including the numbers displaying their shifted values. You could break it out of this mode by tapping one of the shift keys a few times. It also had problems with a free running cursor and a sticking autorepeat. The problems got worse (more frequent) if I was also using Sidekick on the Zenith. The problems with Word 4.0/Zenith did not show up on any other programs I ran on the Zenith, and the there were no problems with Word 4.0 on the AST Premium. It seemed that it was just Word and the Z-248 that had trouble coexisting. The AST used a Phoenix BIOS and Zenith used their own BIOS, so maybe this was the culprit. I've been using Word 5.0 on the AST and so far I haven't found any problems. I don't have access to a Zenith anymore, so I don't know if Word 5.0 runs correctly on the Z-248. Bruce Carlson
phil@diablo.amd.com (11/17/89)
I just saw Word for Windows at Comdex and can't wait to get it.
Who needs WordPerfect?
--
Phil Ngai, phil@diablo.amd.com {uunet,decwrl,ucbvax}!amdcad!phil
Come witness the failure of democracy in California!usenet@cps3xx.UUCP (Usenet file owner) (12/13/89)
Does Word for Windows have any type of formula/equation processing as in the Mac version? How much memory does it require?
ajk@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Jeff Boerio) (03/13/90)
I just got my update for for Word for Windows, and I am anxious to know
what anyone else thinks of this product. It sounds fantastic, but then,
Microsoft certainly wouldn't bad-mouth its own product.
Thanks,
- Jeff
--
Jeff Boerio : Purdue University Dept. of Computer Science
ajk@mace.cc.purdue.edu : Purdue University Computing Center Volunteer
boerio@orchestra.ecn.purdue.edu : Purdue University ECN Student ProgrammerMXD118@psuvm.psu.edu (Mike Dahmus) (03/13/90)
PC Magazine raved over both Word for Windows and Ami Professional in a recent issue (don't remember which number). They basically said that Word for Windows is, in their opinion, the *easiest to use* word processor out there with that level of features. They thought Ami Pro was also great, but not quite as great as WFW. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | Michael E. Dahmus | "Stupid people and Macintoshes - it takes a | | MXD118 @ PSUVM | crowbar to separate 'em!" | ------------------------------------------------------------------------
mireley@frith.egr.msu.edu (03/14/90)
Some cold water for Word for Windows shoppers. The subscript/superscript functions along with the fixed line spacing are broke. At least on the copy we got. First subscripting or superscripting a character does not reduce the character size as stated in the manual. It also automatically increases line spacing leaving ugly gaps in the line spacing of the paragraph. On the mac you can set the line spacing for fixed mode and it takes care of the problem. I talked with MS support and they said they were aware of it but didn't say if a fix is comming. I can't believe that reviewers didn't find this problem and fix it before it was released. They must be hurting from the slips in windows 3.0. Needles to say WfW is useless for those of us needing to do technical typing, unless you like shoddy looking output. John Mireley
marshall@wind55.seri.gov (Marshall L. Buhl) (03/15/90)
mireley@frith.egr.msu.edu writes: > [stuff about super/subscript problems with WinWord deleted.] One thing we all need to keep in mind is that the current release of WfW is 1.0. It is generally advisable to avoid all products that are version 1.0, unless you are adventurous and like to live on the "bleeding edge." Looking forward to WfW v. 2.01... -- Marshall L. Buhl, Jr. EMAIL: marshall@wind55.seri.gov Senior Computer Engineer VOICE: (303)231-1014 Wind Research Branch 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401-3393 Solar Energy Research Institute Solar - safe energy for a healthy future
ppa@hpldola.HP.COM (Paul P. Austgen) (03/15/90)
I think that it is too slow. Also, the screen fonts don't actually match the ruler, and they look marginal in quality, not nearly as good as the rom fonts. I am going back to Word 5.0 .
feustel@well.sf.ca.us (David Alan Feustel) (03/16/90)
Now that I've been told how to get a stylebar in WFW, can anyone tell
me if there is a way to get a Gallery display like Word 5.0 provides?
Generation of a display via macro is acceptable.
--
Phone: (home) 219-482-9631
E-mail: feustel@well.sf.ca.us {ucbvax,apple,hplabs,pacbell}!well!feustel
USMAIL: Dave Feustel, 1930 Curdes Ave, Fort Wayne, IN 46805cramer@optilink.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) (03/20/90)
In article <11250134@hpldola.HP.COM>, ppa@hpldola.HP.COM (Paul P. Austgen) writes: > I think that it is too slow. Also, the screen fonts don't > actually match the ruler, and they look marginal in quality, not > nearly as good as the rom fonts. I am going back to Word 5.0 . Do you mean that the screen font character widths aren't the actual printed width, relative to the ruler? Is this true for all the fonts, or just some? I'm a happy Word 5.0 user, but I've been considering buying the upgrade to WfW. Also, does WfW allow use of fonts other than the printer fonts? (I've got an Epson LQ-800, and I would like to occasionally use 30-point type for headlines and such, but if I'm still stuck with the standard printer fonts, there's no point in buying WfW without a laser printer). -- Clayton E. Cramer {pyramid,pixar,tekbspa}!optilink!cramer No matter what other nations may say about the United States, immigration is still the sincerest form of flattery. Disclaimer? You must be kidding! No company would hold opinions like mine!
toma@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM (Tom Almy) (03/20/90)
In article <3269@optilink.UUCP> cramer@optilink.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) writes: >Do you mean that the screen font character widths aren't the actual >printed width, relative to the ruler? Is this true for all the >fonts, or just some? > >Also, does WfW allow use of fonts other than the printer fonts? >(I've got an Epson LQ-800, and I would like to occasionally >use 30-point type for headlines and such, but if I'm still stuck >with the standard printer fonts, there's no point in buying WfW >without a laser printer). You can select either the printer fonts or the builtin (Windows) raster and/or vector fonts. If you use the Windows fonts, then it is WYSIWYG, but since the printing uses "graphics mode" of the printer, it is *very* slow. If you use the printer fonts, the the display font is the closest aproximation, which is not necessarily good. Particularly obnoxious is the onscreen justification does not match the printed page (although the line breaks do). So with your Epson you can get 30 point type by using one of the Windows fonts, yet use printer fonts for speed in the body of the document. I have found that the only printer fonts that appears properly with my Epson FX 1050 are the 10cpi fonts. The various compressed, expanded, and proportional fonts display very badly (Windows Write has the same problem, yet AMI does OK). It also bothers me that with a Postscript printer you are limited to a fixed set of point sizes (that match the Windows fonts sizes) rather than being allowed to select down to fractional increments (using WordPerfect, I set the body text of my father's newsletter to 9.5 points, for example). Tom Almy toma@tekgvs.labs.tek.com Standard Disclaimers Apply
billp@hplsla.HP.COM (Bill Pritchard) (03/22/90)
*Some cold water for Word for Windows shoppers. * *The subscript/superscript functions along with the fixed *line spacing are broke. At least on the copy we got. **Needles to say WfW is useless for those of us needing to do *technical typing, unless you like shoddy looking output. So true! My own copy of WfW arrived last week and it was going to be used for writing a research paper which requires lots of super/subscripts. When I called Microsoft today (3/21/90), they said, "its supposed to be that way". The person also said that there would be no guarantee of it being "changed" (not "fixed") on future upgrades. Apparently the word processor that comes with Windows (Write?) also has the same defect: so it's not just that WfW is at Rev 1.0. My copy is being returned for a full refund and I'm now looking for an alternative... any comments?. By the way, one work-around was to "fix" the line spacing to a specific point size by using a -number. This has to be done on just that line so it has to be made a separate paragraph (no more word-wrap!). When I tried it my display went crazy and the keyboard locked up. Bill Pritchard