jbn35564@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (J.B. Nicholson) (03/18/91)
In <1991Mar17.092200.18019@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> cs326ag@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Loren J. Rittle) writes: >This comment about `no productivity software' is utter BS of the first >degree. CED/ISpell/AmigaTeX tied together with ARexx makes for >one hell of a `productive environment' for writing proposals or research >papers. The learning curve required to make any kind of use of TeX (all by itself is too steep for those that just want to be able to get something like Microsoft Word going, type their paper, and be done with it. Also, a lot of users don't need the kind of power that TeX provides. Mere footnotes, foreign characters, boldface, italics, etc. are enough for a lot of people's needs (like mine). However when you look at what tools on the Amiga can fill that need, WordPerfect is the only one that can do all of that in one somewhat intuitive product. However WordPerfect has so many failings that it's really not even worth your time unless you're desperate to get your paper done on an Amiga. Also, to make decent use of ARexx, one must learn ARexx. This also takes valuable time. Therefore, using a product like Microsoft Word really helps to get the job done and learn what is necessary to get the job done. I'm not against learning the aforementioned products, but in most cases even to get the kind of output and functionality that you can get with a single package (like Word), you need to spend too much time learning and not enough time doing. >Gold Disk has been very against (1) >adding UNDO and ARexx support to their product(s). I won't buy another >one till they reverse this trend and I suggest you do the same. >IMHO, programs without an ARexx interface (a complete one, not a >lame on, as in AmigaVision), should be upgraded now! As the end >user gains a lot of POWER for so little work (on the part of the >developer). >(1) they have said this on BIX (over the last summer). I totally agree with you not to buy Gold Disk products. Also, their Prof. Page can't do something that I thought was a given: save the program config. to disk. Once you get PPage set up the way you like it, you can't save that setup to s:ppage-config (for example). Just another reason to stay clear of Gold Disk. > >Loren J. Rittle Jeff -- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "If you hear an onion ring - answer it." J.B. Nicholson | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | jeffo@uiuc.edu (Internet) These opinions are mine, that's all.| +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
yorkw@stable.ecn.purdue.edu (Willis F York) (03/18/91)
>>Gold Disk has been very against (1) >>adding UNDO and ARexx support to their product(s). I won't buy another >>one till they reverse this trend and I suggest you do the same. >>IMHO, programs without an ARexx interface (a complete one, not a >>lame on, as in AmigaVision), should be upgraded now! As the end >>user gains a lot of POWER for so little work (on the part of the >>developer). >>(1) they have said this on BIX (over the last summer). >I totally agree with you not to buy Gold Disk products. Also, their Prof. >to disk. Once you get PPage set up the way you like it, you can't save that >setup to s:ppage-config (for example). Just another reason to stay clear >of Gold Disk. Gee i thought i was the only one that thought Gold Disk did stuff weirdly. Seems that if they "worked" at it theire programs would be real Kicn Ass. Problems i see. 1) Never sen one of theire programs that could handle nonstandard screen sizes/ (I use More Rows to get an Extra inch, and the programs think i'm in PAL!) 2) Using "nonstandard" requestors. (Like Scribble! Does) 3) in their paint Programs No tools work in Maganify Mode!. 4) Using more colors then they really need, and altering MY default colors 5) Don't seem to have any upgrade policy at all. Seems like thay have Good ideas, but the Programs are just "Odd" They should learn more from other companies eh? ------- PROGRAMS of Gold Disks i have. 1) Movie Setter - Good Program but got several "problems" a) Can't use BrushAnims with it! b) Can't page anims offa Disk. Loads it all into memory. 2) Page Setter, (a OLD DTP program) Good points - I got it NEW for $25. Can do Postscript output, but very Redundent output. (PS could be cleaner!) a) Manual Protected! (Icky, ya don't Need the manual after ya read it) b) Thinks Overscan = PAL (ICK!) c) I CAN"T belive they WERE selling it for $150!!! 3) A package called the Amiga Appitizer, several "little" programs. None of which ae veri impressive, I think they have repackaged them with some games, and doubled the Proce.!! . -- yorkw@ecn.purdue.edu Willis F York (Hope THIS sig don't insult anyone!)
cseaman@sequent.UUCP (Chris "The Bartman" Seaman) (03/19/91)
yorkw@stable.ecn.purdue.edu (Willis F York) writes:
[ Sorry, no attribution line available on this quote ]
< >I totally agree with you not to buy Gold Disk products. Also, their Prof.
< >to disk. Once you get PPage set up the way you like it, you can't save that
< >setup to s:ppage-config (for example). Just another reason to stay clear
< >of Gold Disk.
First, let me say that I haven't used Professional Page. However, when
I used to use PageMaker on the PC, there was no way to do this either.
What you could do (and I believe the manual recommended) was to create
a blank document, which contained your preferences, and use that as a
template for future documents (it's a kludge, I know, but it got the job
done). I assume this would work with Pro Page, since Pro Draw, also by
Gold Disk, does save all of your preferences with a folio. I find this
to actually be more flexible, at least for what I use it for.
< Gee i thought i was the only one that thought Gold Disk did stuff weirdly.
< Seems that if they "worked" at it theire programs would be real Kicn Ass.
<
< Problems i see.
<
< 1) Never sen one of theire programs that could handle nonstandard screen sizes/
< (I use More Rows to get an Extra inch, and the programs think i'm in PAL!)
Hmmm... I could've sworn that Pro Draw 2.0 was using my morerow'ed
screen size. Maybe I was just imagining it.
< 2) Using "nonstandard" requestors. (Like Scribble! Does)
Barring Workbench/Kickstart 2.0 programs, name ONE that uses a standard
requester. In fact, name a standard requester, for that matter. For
every one you can name, I will guarantee 15 responses on the net as to
why it is NOT a standard. There are NO standards for requesters prior
to WB 2.0.
< 5) Don't seem to have any upgrade policy at all.
Yeah, they don't have an upgrade policy, like, um... umm... EA? I
bought the extremely buggy first release of DPaint III (that's THREE),
which fragments my memory (not mention my Amiga's memory :-) ) so badly
that I usually need to reboot after using it. Funny thing is, neither
EA or ANY dealer recognizes my need for an upgrade. What is my
alternative? Buy a new copy of the latest revision at FULL price. OK,
how about, umm... Impulse? Bought Turbo Silver 3.0, never got ANY
notice regarding the various 'upgrades' for it (what was the interlaced
version called, SV?), nor did I get any notice of the availability of
Imagine to registered Turbo owners at a reduced price. Yes, you have
quite an argument against Gold Disk.
Personally, I have found Pro Draw 2.0 to be a far more stable product
than any other 'productivity' software I have purchased to date, with
the possible exception of ProWrite, which I find indispensable.
Regards,
Chris
--
Chris (Insert phrase here) Seaman | ___-/^\-___ qatul batlh.
cseaman@sequent.com <or> | //__--\O/--__\\ qatul Huch.
...!uunet!sequent!cseaman | // \\ qatul roj.
The Home of the Killer Smiley | `\ /'jbn35564@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (J.B. Nicholson) (03/20/91)
In <55497@sequent.UUCP> cseaman@sequent.UUCP (Chris "The Bartman" Seaman) writes: >yorkw@stable.ecn.purdue.edu (Willis F York) writes: > >[ Sorry, no attribution line available on this quote ] That was my quote. >First, let me say that I haven't used Professional Page. However, when >I used to use PageMaker on the PC, there was no way to do this either. >What you could do (and I believe the manual recommended) was to create >a blank document, which contained your preferences, and use that as a >template for future documents (it's a kludge, I know, but it got the job >done). I assume this would work with Pro Page, since Pro Draw, also by >Gold Disk, does save all of your preferences with a folio. I find this >to actually be more flexible, at least for what I use it for. I had to do it that was with PPage also, but I don't like having to load in a document to get some preferences set that don't directly affect only that document. For example, if I have the screen colors set the way I like them, and then save the "Empty" document and force PPage to always load up document "Empty" whenever I call up PPage w/o a file argument, things work fine. But when I call up PPage with a file argument, the colors will probably not be my favorites. If I had an external file (like a s:ppage.defaults) in which to save these preferences, I would not only have to go through the trouble of calling up the "Empty" document every time, but I would also be able to load up any other document and merely say 'Revert to default prefs' and *poof* my favorite colors are back and I'm still editing the document I want. >-- >Chris (Insert phrase here) Seaman | ___-/^\-___ qatul batlh. >cseaman@sequent.com <or> | //__--\O/--__\\ qatul Huch. >...!uunet!sequent!cseaman | // \\ qatul roj. >The Home of the Killer Smiley | `\ /' ^^^^^^^^^^^^-I'm just curious; what does this mean? Jeff -- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "If you hear an onion ring - answer it." J.B. Nicholson | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | jeffo@uiuc.edu (Internet) These opinions are mine, that's all.| +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+