[comp.sys.mac] New Macintosh

paul@aucs.UUCP (08/17/87)

In article <3656@ihlpg.ATT.COM> you write:
>
>
>A friend of mine is buying a Mac Plus soon, and he wants me to help him
                    should buy the Mac SE!
>plot what software he should buy (he knows nothing about computers, I'm the
>CS major). 
>
>The word processor is the most important aspect to him. Programs Plus sells
>MacWrite for $99, and there wasn't anything cheaper I could recognize. Does
>anyone out there know/have experience with anything other than MacWrite that's
>less expensive? He also wants a spelling checker, so any help on which one
>is good would be hepful too.

MicroSoft Word 3.01 is good (some bugs ?) and has a spelling checker.
FullWrite is supposed to be good if it is ever released, and is cheaper
than Word.  WordPerfect also looks good.  Any of these are better than
MacWrite.

>On the paint program, FullPaint lists in the catalog for less than MacPaint.
>Is this a good deal? (I know the FullPaint ads say "We succeed MacPaint" but
>what is the reality?)

FullPaint is good, as is SuperPaint.  MacPaint is a toy in comparison.

>And what games did you first buy as a new Mac owner? 

Dark Castle is a must.  Uninvited, Deja Vu, and ShadowGate are also good.
Wizardry is good if you like D&D type games.

>ONE MORE QUESTION! Are there any programs that can let the MAc display the
>Greek alphabet? 

There is a font called SuperGreek which gives you great Greek characters on
screen as well as on both the IMagewriter and LaserWriter.

>I know, lots of questions, lots of questions.
>
>Thanks in advance, 
>Roger Espinosa
>


Paul H. Steele      UUCP:      {uunet|watmath|utai|garfield}!dalcs!aucs!Paul
Acadia University   BITNET:    Paul@Acadia
Wolfville, NS       Internet:  Paul%Acadia.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
CANADA  B0P 1X0     PHONEnet:  (902) 542-2201x587

carlos@cunixc.columbia.edu (Carlos Albuerne) (08/18/87)

In article <409@aucs.UUCP> paul@aucs.UUCP (Paul Steele) writes:
>MicroSoft Word 3.01 is good (some bugs ?) and has a spelling checker.
>FullWrite is supposed to be good if it is ever released, and is cheaper
>than Word.  WordPerfect also looks good.  Any of these are better than
>MacWrite.

Recommending two products yet to be released?  They may be near completion,
but as far as the user knows they don't exist because they cannot be
bought at his or her favorite store.  

--Carlos A. Albuerne
 

chuq%plaid@Sun.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) (08/18/87)

In article <66@cunixc.columbia.edu> carlos@cunixc.columbia.edu (Carlos Albuerne) writes:
>In article <409@aucs.UUCP> paul@aucs.UUCP (Paul Steele) writes:
>>MicroSoft Word 3.01 is good (some bugs ?) and has a spelling checker.

Word 3.01 is pretty stable. My cockatoo caused it to crash once (don't even
ask...) but otherwise all of the bugs I ran into with 3.0 are gone.  The
major problems I've seen people have are design and human interface
disagreements, not bugs (although I've also noticed that most folks don't
make the differentiation).

Word 3.01 is a good product. It seems solid, and I've been beating the hell
out of it for a few weeks. It is significantly improved from Word 3 in
stability, with no functionality changes (except Mac II and Appleshare
support, which are internal). And, yes, I recommend it to people who need a
word processor with some oomph.

>>FullWrite is supposed to be good if it is ever released, and is cheaper
>>than Word.

According to the Boston Expo, shipping in ~25 days. This time, for sure!
Presto! 

Um, got carried away there. If/when it ships, it looks like it is going to
be an interesting product.  I'll (1) believe it when I see it, and (2) see
people reviewing shrink wrap copies against Word 3.0.

>WordPerfect also looks good.  Any of these are better than
>>MacWrite.

wordperfect is even later than fullwrite, and Ghod only knows when we'll
REALLY see it. Probably about the time dBase Mac shows up, fully debugged
and working properly. hee-hee.

>Recommending two products yet to be released?  They may be near completion,
>but as far as the user knows they don't exist because they cannot be
>bought at his or her favorite store.  

hear, hear. C'mon, folks, lets not plug things that don't exist, and don't
plug things you haven't used unless you quote your references.  If you're
pulling your information from a magazine, say so. If you're quoting the
store saleman, warn us about that, too.  Most people asking for info are
looking for hands on experience -- don't give them fourth hand rumors
without letting them know about it.

chuq (down with vaporware! down with vaporware!)
Chuq Von Rospach	chuq@sun.COM		Delphi: CHUQ

We live and learn, but not the wiser grow -- John Pomfret (1667-1703)