ELFJ@CRNLVAX5.BITNET (05/06/88)
Word Perfect for the Mac is a nice program for those who also use it on other machines (like IBM pcs, Vaxes, etc). But I don't think it was quite ready for release. Word Perfect Mac bugs, annoying features and weirdnesses: 1. If you have an IBM WP 4.2 doc with foreign characters, and open in WP Mac, you get the foreign character with the same ascii code, eg an ash (ae ligature) becomes e umlaut. (code 145). If you convert the doc back to 4.2, you get the same characters as on the Mac, eg e umlaut stays e umlaut I presume the difference comes in that Saving As 4.2 format goes through some type of conversion, while opening a 4.2 simply opens it. Someone named Kent from WPCorp is supposedly looking into this. 1a. By the way, why should we have to tell it creator and type to read in WP 4.2 file? Doesn't it know who it is? 2. While in WP, switch to Finder or other application. Partially cover the title bar of WP with another window, then move window away. Title in bar in messed. 3. Command W cycles through open windows, Command K is Close. 4. Start with blank doc. Turn on Bold (or any other style, by any of the documented means) and note how scroll box jumps. Well, that's somewhat explainable by the fact that a code has been inserted, but if you click in the grey area to move the box back to the top, your code gets deleted! This doesn't happen for all kinds of codes, but it does for all styles. In general, the scroll bar frequently acts strangely. 5. You cannot resize windows while in reveal codes, but the zoom box does work. 6. You can tell WP where to look for dict, thes, and macros, but help file must be in same folder (or desktop) as program. 7. You cannot use the mouse in the reveal codes window. Cursor can only be moved by doing things in the upper window or by arrow keys. 8. Clearing the ruler (via the little "x" box) does not revert column settings. 9. Searches go forward or back, don't wrap. 10. When hierarchical menus are "torn off" the secondary menu choices are sometimes numbered, sometimes lettered. Is it just the Merge codes submenu that is lettered, to be consistent w/ WP 4.2? In general, the program has some nice features, but suffers in greatly implementation from it other machine origins. To my mind, FullWrite has a far better user interface. No I haven't gotten the release version yet, but I check my mailbox eagerly each day! By the way, one thing I can't complain about re: Word Perfect. They have the best customer support in the business. Don't hesitate to give them a call if you have a problem. Linda Iroff Humanities Computing Center Cornell University elfj@crnlvax5.bitnet elfj@vax5.ccs.cornell.edu
paulm@nikhefk.UUCP (Paul Molenaar) (05/06/88)
In article <8805051742.AA19910@jade.berkeley.edu> ELFJ@CRNLVAX5.BITNET writes:
#Word Perfect for the Mac is a nice program for those who also use it on other
#machines (like IBM pcs, Vaxes, etc). But I don't think it was quite ready
#for release.
#
#
#Word Perfect Mac bugs, annoying features and weirdnesses:
#
#1. If you have an IBM WP 4.2 doc with foreign characters, and open in
#WP Mac, you get the foreign character with the same ascii code, eg an ash
#(ae ligature) becomes e umlaut. (code 145). If you convert the doc back to
#4.2, you get the same characters as on the Mac, eg e umlaut stays e umlaut
#I presume the difference comes in that Saving As 4.2 format goes through
#some type of conversion, while opening a 4.2 simply opens it. Someone
#named Kent from WPCorp is supposedly looking into this.
#
Not in my april 12th 1988 version. 'Foreign characters' are converted as they
should be...
#1a. By the way, why should we have to tell it creator and type to read
#in WP 4.2 file? Doesn't it know who it is?
#
The File Management option is a horror. Why should WordPerfect give
the user access to the bundle, hidden, protect etc. bits? When files
are imported from an MS-DOS machine, there has to be a way of changing
type and creator (since they are not automatically appointed on import)
but WordPerfect Corporation should have made that a single button-action.
#2. While in WP, switch to Finder or other application. Partially cover
#the title bar of WP with another window, then move window away. Title in
#bar in messed.
#
Again, not in april 12th issue
#3. Command W cycles through open windows, Command K is Close.
#
Close window has, as far as I know, only recently been assigned the
cmd-W shortcut 'officially'. Cmd-K is a drag. I used ResEdit to change it.
#9. Searches go forward or back, don't wrap.
#
I think that's a joy...
[Some mention of other bugs deleted. Most of them also present in april 12th
version]
#In general, the program has some nice features, but suffers in greatly
#implementation from it other machine origins. To my mind, FullWrite has
#a far better user interface. No I haven't gotten the release version yet,
#but I check my mailbox eagerly each day!
#
From what I've seen of FullWrite Pro is that it's far more of a
page design program than 'just a mere' word processor. I believe people
might have to spend far too much time learning the use of the program.
MacWrite and WriteNow are very popular because of the lack of
'advanced techniques'. I found WordPerfect to be a useful intermediate.
#Linda Iroff
#Humanities Computing Center
#Cornell University
#elfj@crnlvax5.bitnet
#elfj@vax5.ccs.cornell.edu
.
Paul Molenaar
"Just checking the walls"
- Basil Fawlty -
--
Paul Molenaar
"Just checking the walls"
- Basil Fawlty -u545731798ea@deneb.ucdavis.edu (0040;0000001524;0;340;143;) (05/07/88)
Is it just me or does the concept of inserting invisible codes to activate bold, italic etc.. seem like some nightmare out of WordStar? I guess the reason that Word Perfect works that ways is that they took their regular DOS programmers and tried to teach them how to program the Mac rather that hiring Mac programmers and teaching them Word Perfect. So, they programmed the Mac before they ever actually *USED* the Mac. Overall, I'd say that Word Perfect has some really nice features, but it's not worth putting up with a lousy interface to get at them.