terry@moogvax.UUCP (Terry Westley) (10/16/87)
I recently requested some suggestions for what to use for document
preparation tools for use by software and hardware engineers on a VAX
11/750 running Ultrix. Here is a summary of what we decided to do.
Ideally, we wanted a WYSISYG system, so we started looking at word
processors.
We looked at Multimate Advantage and Word Perfect because we have
these on PCs. Neither of these are available. Ashton-Tate indicated
there were no plans to implement Multimate on VAX/Ultrix. Word Perfect
will be available for Un*x Real Soon Now[1] (NCR Tower version has been
promised in ads for about a year).
We looked next for Un*x word processors. We had a trial copy of
Latitude[2] and also investigated LEX-11[3], Composer[4], and
Lyrix[5]. There are several reasons why we decided against any of
these packages:
(1) Our budget (~$6000 for software _and_ laser printer) was
such that none of these packages provided the kind of quality
and flexibility in the final output which I expected.
(2) We only have ASCII terminals so we can't really see everything
we will get.
(3) We need to write software and some use vi, others emacs. These
packages are not really as good for editing programs and some
are very inconvenient to write ASCII files with no embedded word
processing commands. So, we would probably end up having to
use two editors on a regular basis.
Then, we looked at Documenters' Work Bench (AT&T DWB) and TeX. I found
three sources for DWB[6,7,8] and obtained a copy of TeX from a local
university and "The TeXbook" from their bookstore.
EROFF[6] for the VAX 11/750 is $2995 including a CRT previewer. A Sun
previewer is also available for extra cost. SoftQuad's DWB is
$2250US. TPLUS[7] is $1100. Textware also has a PC version available
RSN[1]. All three have some graphic capability in addition to pic.
EROFF can read "any bitmap graphic image ... from a wide variety of
sources;" TPLUS can read MacPaint and Sun raster files; SoftQuad's
version can import PostScript.
We still have yet to get TeX to work because we have not been able to
find a LaserJet driver that doesn't crash. We do have DVITTY, but seem
to be missing some files to get it to work.
This is what we have decided to get:
HP LaserJet Series II laser printer $1749
2 Meg memory upgrade for LaserJet 750
HP Times Roman and Helvetica fonts[9] 300
TPLUS/LJ for VAX 11/750 1100
Textware's PC ditroff processor and 650
previewer (when available)
TeX official distribution 200
We are going to get both ditroff and TeX because we need to get
something now, but I don't feel that we gave TeX a fair trial because
we have yet to get it working. I couldn't find anyone who distributes
TeX all ready to go for my computer and printer as the three DWB
packages come. I would have been willing to pay at least as much as I
will for TPLUS/LJ, but it's not available that way. I don't really
have the resources to dedicate to getting the U. of Washington
distribution tape running on my machine by the time I really need the
capability. Someday though, I'll get it running and be able to compare
it to DWB.
P.S. This is what I really wanted to get, but didn't have the money:
Sun workstation network
Interleaf or Frame Maker
PostScript printer
-------------------------
[1] "Real Soon Now" is an expression of Jerry Pournelle (I attribute this to
him just in case I ever want to run for High Public Office :-) )
[2] Latitude - Laticorp, San Francisco, CA -- 415-543-1199
[3] LEX-11 - EEC Systems, Sudbury, MA -- 617-443-5106
[4] Composer - Marc Software, Palo Alto, CA -- 800-835-2400
[5] Lyrix - Santa Cruz Operation, Santa Cruz, CA -- 408-425-7222
[6] EROFF - Elan Computer, Palo Alto, CA -- 415-322-2450
[7] TPLUS - Textware International, Cambridge, MA -- 617-UNI-TEXT
[8] - SoftQuad, Toronto, Ontaria, Canada -- 416-963-8337
[9] TPLUS has two generic fonts (serif and sans-serif) at many different point
sizes plus a "typewriter" font. However, the HP fonts are slightly better
quality at a reasonable price.
--
Terry Westley
Moog, Inc. (no, not the synthesizer company)
East Aurora, NY 14052-0018
{boulder,decvax,rocksanne,rutgers,ames}!sunybcs!moogvax!terry