kwong@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (Ka Chin Wong) (10/06/89)
Hi, there, I am look'n for some advise for a wordprocessor. I am thinking of buying a word processor for my 286 machine without math coprocessor. Basically, what I need is a word processor that can help me to do my reports in school ( 10-30 pages ), that have a good user interface, and have enough power for my future use even after I graduate. I am considering MS Word 5.0 and WordPerfect 5.0. I can get Word for $89 and WordPerfect for $135. I know WordPerfect is well known, but Word is more affordable. What's your suggestion? Rick
ajk@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Jeff Boerio) (10/06/89)
kwong@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (Ka Chin Wong) writes: > I am considering MS Word 5.0 and WordPerfect 5.0. I can get Word >for $89 and WordPerfect for $135. I know WordPerfect is well known, but >Word is more affordable. I have been using MS Word for 6-7 years now, and I absolutely love it. I am sure that there are WordPerfect users out there that will tell you the same. I like Word because of it's ease of use, and its incredible formatting capabilities, as well as its ability to incorporate GRAPHICS right into your Word document. Word shows all your formatting right on the screen, and includes an option that lets you preview your text before printing. The only problem with this option is that you cannot zoom in or edit text in this mode, only see it ..... maybe in a future edition :-) If I remember correctly, WordPerfect has the ability to zoom in on a preview of a document. I think that Word and WordPerfect are probably your two best bets, and if you can spend less for the Microsoft, I would say go for it. - 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 Programmer
kleonard@gvlv2.GVL.Unisys.COM (Ken Leonard) (10/07/89)
In article <3293@mace.cc.purdue.edu> ajk@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Jeff Boerio) writes:
* I like Word because of it's ease of use, and its incredible formatting
..............................^^^^^^^^^^^
Word: "harder to learn" to become familiar with anything beyond the simplest
functions, but fewer keystrokes and strong consistency
WP: "harder to use" (more bitchin keystrokes and less consistency), except
_maybe_ for the simplest functions
==
* capabilities, as well as its ability to incorporate GRAPHICS right into
..........................................^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
WP 5.0 does this, too, now, mostly
==
* your Word document.
*
* Word shows all your formatting right on the screen, and includes an option
......................^^^^^^^^^^
Word: in _either_ graphics mode or a _nearly_intelligible_ multi-color mode
WP: _no_graphics_ for formatting display, and poor multi-color mode,
especially lacking the ability to colorize things important to _you_ the
way _you_ want to pay attention to them
==
* that lets you preview your text before printing. The only problem with
WP 5.0 does this too
==
* this option is that you cannot zoom in or edit text in this mode, only see
Word: which is really not much of a flaw since you have good graphics-mode
editable normal display if you want it
WP: doesn't let you edit in preview mode anyhow
==
* it ..... maybe in a future edition :-) If I remember correctly,
* WordPerfect has the ability to zoom in on a preview of a document.
==
I have BOTH MSWord 5.0 and WP 5.0 on a 386-PClone with EGA display.
I use both, but primarily MSWord, and convert between the two fairly
often--doing lots of comm-system design documentation with pictures and
tables and included spreadsheets.
==
Frankly, anything I can do with WP (except sliding/sizing pictures sort of
on the fly), I can do faster and easier with MSWord.
==
MSWord is also a _lot_ more serious and _usable_ and (even) _friendly_
about two major areas:
--1) how you get at files/directories/etc, and what you can do with them
without quitting the program;
--2) getting your printer, simple-minded or full-blown PostScript type,
to get what _you_ want to see _onto_the_paper_.
==
Finally, if you are likely _ever_ to want to do macro-processing within
your wordprocessor, _do_ get MSWord. WP's macro language is a bad joke IMHO,
while MSWord's is both easy enough to be worth writing and powerful enough to
be worth using.
==
In a nutshell, I usually say that "WP is the Complete Word Processor for folk
who don't know what they want to do; MSWord is the Complete
Word Processing Tool for folk who do know what they want to do."
---------------
regardz,
Ken Leonardkwong@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (Ka Chin Wong) (10/08/89)
Thanks to all who reponded to me so promptly. I finally decided to go for MS Word (I bought it yesterday). I've been running its tutorial program. Though I have not learn its advanced feature, I am already familiar with it basic editing feature. It's just so easy to learn and to USE (I have a mouse). I think I made a good choice. I also heard from the net that the old LOGITECH driver doesn't work with Word 5.0. The Word package provides a new driver (I assume it's for MS mouse) but I installed it for my Logitech Mouse. It works perfectly, funny! (I didn't think it would work before I tried it) Rick
ppa@hpldola.HP.COM (Paul P. Austgen) (10/10/89)
I like Word 5.0, especially the new Page Preview feature. There are a lot of word processors cheaper then either one that you mentioned that would probable do the job. Your price sounds too cheap for 5.0, but if you can get it for that, I wouldn't mess around with anything less.
drv@cbnewsj.ATT.COM (dennis.r.vogel) (10/12/89)
Now that Ka Chin Wong has found his word processor and I have learned a lot about the differences between Word and WP, I have a followup question. Without rehashing the Word/WP comparison, which of the two would be better on a Toshiba T1000 laptop without a mouse and without a hard disk or the RAM card? Dennis R. Vogel AT&T Bell Laboratories Lincroft, NJ