Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!ucsd!network.ucsd.edu!weber!jon From: jon@weber.ucsd.edu (Jon Matousek) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps Subject: Re: FullWrite vs. Nisus Summary: My past word processing experiences, and Nisus (long). Keywords: nisus 3.0 demo Message-ID: <2915@network.ucsd.edu> Date: 11 Sep 90 22:50:04 GMT References: <1990Sep6.154149.28042@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> Sender: news@network.ucsd.edu Reply-To: jon@weber.ucsd.edu (jOn mAtOUsEk) Organization: Paragon Concepts, Inc. Lines: 90 Nntp-Posting-Host: weber.ucsd.edu In article <1990Sep6.154149.28042@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> sticklen@pleiades.cps.msu.edu (Jon Sticklen) writes: > >Would someone who has used both Nisus (sp?) and FullWrite >in an academic setting (letters, memos, journal papers, ...) >please compare the two. > >Thanks, > ---jon--- I can't compare Nisus directly to FullWrite, but I can compare Nisus in respect to my past word processing experiences. Over the past 5 years, I have used a variety of word processors, page layout packages and word processing systems to do such things as create flyers, resumes, mail merge, business plans, technical reports, manuals, a lengthy quarterly journal, formatted code, and, of course, letters to me mum. I have also cursed, screamed and yelled, flattened my punching bag, pulled my hair out, burned a few manuals; in short, wasted multitudes of hours word processing. In an effort to get the printed page exactly the way I want it, I have trashed a few trees writing custom macros, tweaking postscript, and dinking with page preview and page layout systems that the reviewers should have given an X rating. I had accepted the fact that this is the way it was and I was correspondingly left in a state of tension whenever I had the chore of writing. I am happy to report to you all that now when I write, I rarely ever curse, my punching bag is on its way to recovery and I am more relaxed. The reason for this turn about is, of course, Nisus. Every word processing task that I have done in the past could have been done in Nisus, much more quickly and with much less headache. It is no longer a surprise for me to finish things in short order with Nisus. I have used Nisus to create flyers and pamphlets, resumes, manuals and reports, to format code and batch formatting of text and data files. In my opinion, the end result that Nisus produces is a lot better than some very expensive word processing packages. Not only because of the flexibility and ease of use Nisus allows in creating a document, but also the little time required to complete the task. Nisus' manual is a testament to its power. It is 475 pages in length (575000 characters, 100000 words, 3.3 megabytes total data). It is chock full of graphics, cross references, footnotes, and headers/footers. From the word go, Nisus (on a Mac IIci with 8 megs) completed, in less than one hour, a table of contents for all of the sections, sub sections and sub sub sections; a table of contents for all of the captions under tables, graphics, etc.; a substantial index as well as a separate index of every Nisus menu command mentioned in the manual. (Note: Indexes have an initial set up time that requires selecting appropriate words and phrases to be indexed. Once this was done Nisus took less then 15 minutes to build the indexes I described above.) A few people have come to realize the power that macros (using Lisp) have given the Emacs editor. Nisus macros offer the user even more power. In my opinion, Nisus' macros combined with version 3's programming dialect is an awesome tool unmatched by any other word processor on the Mac, or the PC. With Nisus' macros, I have created macros that do the following: outlining, scientific calculator, appointment book, calendar maker, diagram folder hierarchy, format C code, create C function dependency lists, format comp.sys.mac.digest with TOC, and much more. The list of useful features that can be created with Nisus' macros is unimaginable. Nisus 3 is a significant upgrade to an already outstanding word processor, Nisus 2. Version 3 incorporates over 75 improvements and additions, and a complete work over of the manual. I invite you to give Nisus 3.0 a try. Call Paragon (or send me e-mail) and ask for the demo disk; it's free. Take some time to evaluate it and run it through all the paces; the time spent proving to yourself that Nisus is truly great is nothing compared to the time Nisus will save you in the long run. If you have questions about features call Paragon's technical support; it's free. Whether you are a power user or casual user, into word processing or page layout, I think you will quickly understand why so many of us rave so much about Nisus. -jOn -------------------------------------------------------------------------- %% SoftwareEngineer: jOn mAtOUsEk; Internet: jon@weber.ucsd.edu %% AppleLink: D0405 Paragon Concepts, Inc. FAX: (619)481-6154 990 Highland Drive, #312 Solana Beach, Ca. 92075 (619)481-1477 ==========================================================================