jeff@fluke.UUCP (Jeff Stearns) (03/20/84)
Can we talk? Do you have a Wang?
We don't. We might buy one. Is that a Good Idea?
I'm assisting a friend who's about to purchase a small computer to help
automate his office. He needs to do the usual things:
- spreadsheets
- word processing
- business graphics
- income tax client write-up
- ELECTRONIC MAIL AND UUCP
- get useful work done without becoming a computerhead
We have looked at many computers. Even worse, we have talked with many
computer salesmen. (I will say no more about *that*.)
In the end, it seems to boil down to three alternatives:
- IBM PC or pc-clone
- Wang professional computer
- Some mondo bizarro one-of-a-kind UNIX machine
We can find absolutely nothing unique about the IBM PC, and much to advise
against it. (Remember, we are not going to buy joysticks or A/D plug-in cards
for it. We are not going to play hunt-the-wumpus on it. We are going to use
it for work.) IBM doesn't provide for electronic mail, but it can probably
be accomplished with the help of Lauren Weinstein's uucp.
The Wang Professional actually looks fairly good. Wang doesn't nickel-and-dime
you for absolutely every single byte of software. Wang actually *gives*
you some. And what software you do buy is upgraded free forever. (!)
The software is better integrated than the IBM stuff (which even resorts to
file TYPES to thwart compatability.) On the negative side, there's less
software available for it. And uucp is an unknown. Wang says they can run
UNIX, but the folks we've talked to can't even spell it.
We're totally unsure about Door Number Three - the UNIX boxes. We haven't
found decent office automation software for 'em, so we sadly close the door.
So, here goes:
1 - Do you now or have you ever owned a Wang Professional Computer?
2 - If not, why not?
3 - If so, would you consider communicating with me? I would greatly
appreciate the opportunity to hear your reactions.
4 - Is there a decent UNIX machine WITH APPROPRIATE SOFTWARE for the
office environment available now? Big reward if you find one!
Use your best thinking to decide whether to respond by mail or usenet.
And as they say, "Thanks in Advance" (unless it's some silly flame, in which
case they say "No thanks in advance").
Jeff Stearns (206) 356-5064
{uw-beaver,decvax!microsof,ucbvax!lbl-csam,allegra,ssc-vax}!fluke!jeffleeway@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold) (03/22/84)
Depending on how many users your office micro is going to have, why not considergetting a Fortune instead of a Wang. (Note: this is an unsolicited testimonial. I'm a professional writer; my husband's a system programmer. We've owned a Fortune 32:16 single-user, 20 meg hard disk & quad density floppy about two months now. And are still fairly pleased with it.) Fortune's operating system is UNIX. It also has an extensive set of menus for non-programmers. The word processing system is (I'm told) quite similar to wang's. (It's overwrite though inserts are easy enough. So is copying, moving between documents, and all the standard features.) And if the menu system seems restrictive at any point, you can always dart into UNIX and do the job from there. (Get the Development Utilities, which include vi and nroff. Or youmight also contact Rand for a copy of E15 or E17 (copyrights abandoned, source available), if you dislike vi as an editor. Fortune has uucp software according to their brochure. I'm communicating with you using a mere Virtual Terminal Emulator package, though. Business programs and such are also available. Multi-user format is possible and doesn't cost much more than single user. 10 meg hard disk minimum; 20 meg suggested. What with UNIX (+ Development Utilities), Fortune:Word (and two advanced modules for it), Multiplan, VTE, C, Kermit, and a number of medium length documents, our 20 meg disk is about a third full. --Lee Gold (213) 306-7456