iiitih@cybaswan.UUCP (Ivan Izikowitz) (12/12/90)
Does anyone know which public domain server has a copy of
"1st Word Plus" ?
Is it indeed PD software?
Thanks in advance...
Ivan
@ The Institute for Industrial Information Technology, Innovation Centre
Swansea SA2 8PP
Phone: (+44) 792 295213 | JANET: iiitih@uk.ac.swan.pyr
Fax: (+44) 792 295532 | UUCP: ..!ukc!cybaswan.UUCP!iiitihklute@tommy.informatik.uni-dortmund.de (Rainer Klute) (12/13/90)
In article <2200@cybaswan.UUCP>, iiitih@cybaswan.UUCP (Ivan Izikowitz) writes: |> Does anyone know which public domain server has a copy of |> "1st Word Plus" ? |> |> Is it indeed PD software? No, 1st Word Plus is not PD. It is a commercial program. -- Dipl.-Inform. Rainer Klute klute@irb.informatik.uni-dortmund.de Univ. Dortmund, IRB klute@unido.uucp, klute@unido.bitnet Postfach 500500 |)|/ Tel.: +49 231 755-4663 D-4600 Dortmund 50 |\|\ Fax : +49 231 755-2386
andyc@hplsla.HP.COM (Andy Cassino) (12/14/90)
iiitih@cybaswan.UUCP (Ivan Izikowitz) asks: | Does anyone know which public domain server has a copy of | "1st Word Plus" ? | | Is it indeed PD software? | ---------- First Word Plus IS NOT PD!
boyd@mailer.cc.fsu.edu (Mickey Boyd) (12/14/90)
In article <5440138@hplsla.HP.COM>, andyc@hplsla.HP.COM (Andy Cassino) writes: >iiitih@cybaswan.UUCP (Ivan Izikowitz) asks: > >| Does anyone know which public domain server has a copy of >| "1st Word Plus" ? >| >| Is it indeed PD software? >| ---------- > >First Word Plus IS NOT PD! This is absolutely true, but I am wondering if this person was really referring to First Word (the one that used to come with ST's). I am unsure if it is PD, but I would think that you could obtain a copy somehow (perhaps from ATARI). Also, there is an excellent PD word processor called STWRITER that has gone through many versions (the present one is rock solid). I do not know if it is available from atari.archive, but I know that the Current Notes PD library has it (and will update to any newer versions for free). Email me if you would like the mailing address for CN. I am in no way connected blah blah blah . . The First Word that came with the ST's was version 1.0 of the product you refer to (1st Word Plus). I understand that 1st Word Plus is a really good product, well supported. Now that Neocept is history, I just may invest my word processing dollars in this program, since the company is based in britain (and therefore has a chance to survive as an ST developer!!). If anyone has this guy, a review would be great!! -- Mickey R. Boyd | "God is a comedian playing to an FSU Computer Science | audience too afraid to laugh." Technical Support Group | email: boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu | - Voltaire
Roger.Sheppard@bbs.actrix.gen.nz (12/14/90)
In article <2200@cybaswan.UUCP> iiitih@cybaswan.UUCP (Ivan Izikowitz) writes: > Does anyone know which public domain server has a copy of > "1st Word Plus" ? > > Is it indeed PD software? > > Thanks in advance... > > Ivan > > @ The Institute for Industrial Information Technology, Innovation Centre > Swansea SA2 8PP > Phone: (+44) 792 295213 | JANET: iiitih@uk.ac.swan.pyr > Fax: (+44) 792 295532 | UUCP: ..!ukc!cybaswan.UUCP!iiitih 1ST Word or Plus ARE NOT PD. !!!!, also is very cheep to bye... -- Roger W. Sheppard 85 Donovan Rd, Kapiti New Zealand...
andyc@hplsla.HP.COM (Andy Cassino) (12/15/90)
boyd@mailer.cc.fsu.edu (Mickey Boyd) writes: |>First Word Plus IS NOT PD! | |This is absolutely true, but I am wondering if this person was really |referring |to First Word (the one that used to come with ST's). I am unsure if it is |PD, but I would think that you could obtain a copy somehow |(perhaps from ATARI). The original First Word (FW) doesn't seem to be available any longer. As I understand it, FW was supplied with ST's in the early years, but it is not PD. I didn't get FW with my Mega2, but I liked the FW concept so I bought FW Plus (FWP). |The First Word that came with the ST's was version 1.0 of the product you |refer to (1st Word Plus). I understand that 1st Word Plus is a really good |product, well supported. Now that Neocept is history, I just may invest my |word processing dollars in this program, since the company is based in |britain (and therefore has a chance to survive as an ST developer!!). If |anyone has this guy, a review would be great!! Well, FWP is no WordPerfect nor is it competition for MacWrite, but for occasional letter writing or short papers it's quite serviceable. It's just not very sexy. I don't know of any bugs in the current version 3.14; in that regard it is a big improvement over FW. The mail merge facility is supposed to be excellent; I don't know, I've never used it. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% % Andy Cassino % % Hewlett-Packard - Lake Stevens Instrument Division % %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
s37837k@saha.hut.fi (Jari Lehto) (12/16/90)
1st Word Plus is definitely not a PD program!!! It is a very good program made by GST-Software, and the price-tag has no little numbers on it! If you ever find one from a PD-library, hang the keeper immediately. I think that no-one having something called common sense would upload this software to any PD-system! Download... I would, just to check the version out. (I have bought mine) *** Jari Lehto, jartsu@otax.hut.fi, s37837k@saha.hut.fi ***
steveh@tharr.UUCP (Steve Hamley) (12/16/90)
In article <1990Dec14.041723.1996@mailer.cc.fsu.edu> boyd@nu.cs.fsu.edu (Mickey Boyd) writes: >The First Word that came with the ST's was version 1.0 of the product you >refer to (1st Word Plus). I understand that 1st Word Plus is a really good >product, well supported. Now that Neocept is history, I just may invest my >word processing dollars in this program, since the company is based in >britain (and therefore has a chance to survive as an ST developer!!). If >anyone has this guy, a review would be great!! Unfortunately, the developers of 1st Word Plus, GST, seem to have largely abandoned development for the ST market. They do still support their products with advice, etc. (for a price), but no bug fixes have been forthcoming of late. There was a report in ST World, I think, that they were about to do some more development of Timeworks DTP, so I don't know if Atari have been able to spur them into action again with the launch of the TT... -- /// Steve Hamley /// TQM Communications, BCM Box 225, London, WC1N 3XX /// /// ...ukc!axion!tharr!steveh /// steveh@tharr.uucp /// 0426 911573 ///
ljdickey@watmath.waterloo.edu (L.J.Dickey) (12/17/90)
In article <5440139@hplsla.HP.COM> andyc@hplsla.HP.COM (Andy Cassino) writes: > ... > >Well, FWP is no WordPerfect nor is it competition for MacWrite, but for >occasional letter writing or short papers it's quite serviceable. It's >just not very sexy. I don't know of any bugs in the current version 3.14; >in that regard it is a big improvement over FW. The mail merge facility >is supposed to be excellent; I don't know, I've never used it. I agree with Andy. We usually use a text editor here, but occasionally use 1st Word Plus.
cadp15@vaxa.strath.ac.uk (12/17/90)
In article <2200@cybaswan.UUCP>, iiitih@cybaswan.UUCP (Ivan Izikowitz) writes: > Does anyone know which public domain server has a copy of > "1st Word Plus" ? > > Is it indeed PD software? > AAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! First Word Plus is **NOT** PD software. I think that you're thinking of First Word, which is PD (and only a so-so editor). If any PD server has a copy of FW+ then they are gonna be in real trouble when somebody finds out... -- #include xmas.sig /******************************************************************************* * The Sorcerer man be 'Only visiting this planet' but wishes you a merry * * Christmas and a happy New Year. He can still be found at: * * * * JANET: cadx862@uk.ac.strathclyde.computer-centre-sun * * cadp15 @uk.ac.strathclyde.vaxb * * INTERNET: via nsfnet-relay.ac.uk BITNET: via ukacrl UUCP: via ukc.uucp * * * * or second star to the right and straight on 'till morning. * *******************************************************************************/
keithr@vice.ICO.TEK.COM (U.D.M.) (12/17/90)
This is a little off the original subject (okay, a lot), but has anyone had a problem with First Word Plus locking up when you type too fast. Our secretary will be typing away at blinding speeds and all of a sudden the ST will start repeating one character across the screen for several lines and then lock up. Anyone else experienced this problem? Thanks, Keith Rast keithr@icogem3.ICO.TEK.COM
grahamt@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Graham Thomas) (12/18/90)
From article <1990Dec14.041723.1996@mailer.cc.fsu.edu>, by boyd@mailer.cc.fsu.edu (Mickey Boyd): > I understand that 1st Word Plus is a really good > product, well supported. Now that Neocept is history, I just may invest my > word processing dollars in this program, since the company is based in > britain (and therefore has a chance to survive as an ST developer!!). If > anyone has this guy, a review would be great!! > People at our research unit have been using 1st Word Plus for several years. IMHO: Wordplus is OK, but has not been upgraded as well as it might. Its advantages include: Good easy-to-learn interface; easy setting of common things like bold, underline, etc.; adequate, extensible spelling checker; .IMG files can be imported & moved (though not rescaled or resized); handles multiline footnotes OK (though will not split footnotes across two pages); printer drivers are quite easily configurable; comes with mail merge program (separate) and 'snapshot' accessory to capture images if you don't have a better program to do this; can print multi-columns, but only after you've finished editing (multi-columns is a mail merge feature!) Disadvantages include: Paragraphs are not automatically reformatted when text is inserted or deleted; no support for multiple fonts; no *proper* support for half-line spacing; suffers from variations on the 'phantom typist' theme (worst one is in v3, which sometimes just freezes keyboard & mouse input, giving you no chance to save); no autosave feature; no thesaurus; no option to view control codes or spaces (extra spaces at the ends of lines are significant during reformatting); slow scrolling if you're a line-at-a-time keyboard-type of person; no outliner. I'd call it an OK middleweight program getting a bit long in the tooth now. Producers GST Software Products make more money out of PC stuff than ST stuff, so they've neglected to upgrade ST programs recently. They do have an upgrade to Timeworks Publisher in the pipeline (though from what the guy said it's not going to be anything major), and I heard they showed an improved TT version of Wordplus at a recent show. I still use it (in preference to ST WordPerfect), and its easy interface counts for a lot, but I'm not sure I'd buy it if I were starting from scratch. French people are lucky. I've seen Le Redacteur v3, and that looks pretty wonderful. The document processor Calligrapher is about to be relaunched in the UK, and that sounds promising. Apart from that, Protext has lots of features if you can stand the non-GEM interface; maybe new (to me) programs like Script, WordFlair or That's Write are good, and Tempus Word will certainly be fast. I'd be interested to hear of any experiences people have had with these programs. The ST certainly isn't short of word processors, but few dealers outside favoured countries like Germany stock many of them, so it's hard to find out how good they are. Cheers, Graham -- Graham Thomas, SPRU, Mantell Building, U of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9RF, UK JANET: grahamt@uk.ac.sussex.syma BITNET: grahamt%syma.sussex.ac.uk@UKACRL INTERNET: grahamt%syma.sussex.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk UUCP: grahamt%syma.sussex@ukc.uucp PHONE: +44 273 686758 FAX: [..] 685865
ekrimen@ecst.csuchico.edu (Ed Krimen) (12/18/90)
keithr@vice.ICO.TEK.COM (Keith Rast) writes: - This is a little off the original subject (okay, a lot), but has - anyone had a problem with First Word Plus locking up when you type too - fast. Our secretary will be typing away at blinding speeds and all of - a sudden the ST will start repeating one character across the screen - for several lines and then lock up. Anyone else experienced this - problem? This is called the 'Phantom Typist.' This is a bug with the ST. No one knows what kind though. It could be TOS, it could be something else. It happens not only with First Word Plus, but other word processors as well. Atari won't consider it a bug, unless someone can reproduce it at will. Until someone can make it appear on purpose, it will still remain uncatchable. -- Ed Krimen ............................................... ||| Video Production Major, California State University, Chico ||| INTERNET: ekrimen@ecst.csuchico.edu FREENET: al661 / | \ SysOp, Fuji BBS: 916-894-1261 FIDONET: 1:119/4.0
s37837k@saha.hut.fi (Jari Lehto) (12/18/90)
The problem that occured when typing tooooooo fast is caused by the keyboard-processor (really a small computer!). It is a bit too slow for the rocket-typers like your secretary. *** Jari Lehto, jartsu@otax.hut.fi, s37837k@saha.hut.fi ***
grahamt@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Graham Thomas) (12/19/90)
From article <6529@vice.ICO.TEK.COM>, by keithr@vice.ICO.TEK.COM (U.D.M.): > This is a little off the original subject (okay, a lot), but has > anyone had a problem with First Word Plus locking up when you type > too fast. Our secretary will be typing away at blinding speeds and > all of a sudden the ST will start repeating one character across the > screen for several lines and then lock up. Anyone else experienced > this problem? Oh yes. Oh yes. Also (with UK version 3.xx - 3.15 is current) it sometimes just stops accepting keyboard and mouse input, effectively freezing the program. Wordplus doesn't have an autosave function, so when this happens you lose all you've typed since the last time you saved manually. It doesn't seem to depend on how fast you type. Even the slowest typists here have had it happen to them. The producers of Wordplus say it's something in GEM (which might be borne out by the fact that similar 'phantom typist' problems happen with other programs). Atari spokespeople generally say that it's to do with the way the program handles keyboard input. Nobody, except for a few users who've realised it's not just their fault, seems to be interested in tracking down the problem. Atari tech people tend to use text editors rather than full word processors, and GST (the originators of Wordplus) don't worry too much about the ST market these days, as they know they've already made most of the money they're ever going to make from the program. So you, and we, either have to grin and bear it or change to a new program and probably a new machine too. People here at Sussex University (where literally hundreds of STs have been sold in the last five years) are taking the radical option and moving away from the ST altogether. Users who mostly use just wordprocessing software tend to blame 'the Atari' when they lose an afternoon's work - they're not too bothered about where the problem lies. IBM and Microsoft are now making a lot of money here because of the bugs in the Wordplus/Atari combination. Shame, but there it is. Graham -- Graham Thomas, SPRU, Mantell Building, U of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9RF, UK JANET: grahamt@uk.ac.sussex.syma BITNET: grahamt%syma.sussex.ac.uk@UKACRL INTERNET: grahamt%syma.sussex.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk UUCP: grahamt%syma.sussex@ukc.uucp PHONE: +44 273 686758 FAX: [..] 685865
pegram@kira.UUCP (Robert B. Pegram) (12/20/90)
From article <6529@vice.ICO.TEK.COM>, by keithr@vice.ICO.TEK.COM (U.D.M.): > This is a little off the original subject (okay, a lot), but has > anyone had a problem with First Word Plus locking up when you type > too fast. Our secretary will be typing away at blinding speeds and > all of a sudden the ST will start repeating one character across the > screen for several lines and then lock up. Anyone else experienced > this problem? > Thanks, > Keith Rast > keithr@icogem3.ICO.TEK.COM Oh yeah, here we go again! Thats one of the phantom typists, which affects many Gem apps. I thought someone had captured the beast with Revolver and that it was being worked on. Any news about possible fix(es) needed? Bob Pegram pegram@griffin.uvm.edu or ...!uvm-gen!pegram