Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!zephyr.ens.tek.com!tektronix!sequent!cseaman
From: cseaman@sequent.UUCP (Chris "The Bartman" Seaman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: Still no Ami businessware.
Message-ID: <54512@sequent.UUCP>
Date: 5 Mar 91 21:14:24 GMT
References: <39774@cup.portal.com>
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems, Beaverton, OR
Lines: 85

Lee_Robert_Willis@cup.portal.com writes:

[ In a letter to Commodore... ]

< 
< ProWrite does not handle footnotes, endnotes, paragraph numbering, 
< multiple columns, or structured drawings.  All of these features are 
< necessary for professional work.  Plus, its print quality is horrid 
< (as you can see).

It sounds as though you may be using ProWrite 2.5.  Although I haven't
upgraded yet, it is my understanding that ProWrite 3.1 contains most,
if not all, of the features you mention.  Also, New Horizons markets
a product called 'ProScript', which will convert your document into
a standard Postscript file, which can then be printed using a number
of (commercial and shareware) Postscript interpreters for the Amiga,
or can be sent directly to a Postscript printer (I have used an
Apple LaserWriter IINT with no trouble).

< So I started checking into the other Amiga word processors.  There 
< aren't any that fulfill the above requirements!  WordPerfect comes 
< closest, since the only feature it lacks is graphic and multiple font 
< support.  (WordPerfect 5 has this, but is not available for the 
< Amiga.)  Unfortunately, WordPerfect has a poor user interface.

Given WordPerfect's track record, I wouldn't hold my breath for any
major improvements, at least not any time soon.

< This is pathetic.  These features have been available for years on PC 
< and Macintosh platforms.  I can create a more professional looking 
< document on an ancient PC XT using Lotus Manuscript than I can on my 
< 25 Megahertz, 68030 powered A3000.

Perhaps you have some misconceptions about the function of a word
processor.  Word processors are (in the purest sense) intended to
manipulate words into a coherent, logical format.  Anything beyond this
really belongs to the realm of desktop publishing.

I would ask you one question.  Does Lotus Manuscript allow you to
import structured drawings?  If so, which formats are supported?
In all the years I used word processors on the PC (Wordstar, WordPerfect,
Micorsoft Word), I never found one that would do this.  Of course,
things may have changed in the year or so that I have been away
from the PC environment.

< As for ProfessionalDraw, it is actually very powerful for doing 
< Desktop Publishing.  I don't want to do Desktop Publishing.  I want to 
< do simple structured drawings, such as Data Flow Diagrams.  
< ProfessionalDraw is lousy for this kind of work!  It's too slow.  
< There is no simple way to put arrowheads on the ends of lines.  Text 
< takes forever to display.  etc.  Unfortunately, its the only game in 
< town.  ProfessionalDraw is the only structured drawing program for the 
< Amiga that is not targetted at CAD work.

Again, I perceive a possible misconception.  A structured drawing
program is not primarily intended for CASE work.  I have produced many
flow charts, data flow diagrams, and various other flavors of diagrams
and charts with Professional Draw, but that is still not it's main
purpose.  It is intended to produce structured DRAWINGS, including some
I have produced with close to 1500 individual objects on a single
page.  That it can do what it does as a diagramming tool is a credit to
its authors.  Many of my diagrams produced with Pro Draw have far
outshined the equivalent diagrams from any CASE tool I have yet tried.
Also, although I am not aware of any CASE tools for the Amiga, that
certainly doesn't mean there are none.

You say that you don't want to do desktop publishing, yet you list
features which are, for the most part, unique to the DTP world.  For
what you want, I would recommend either Pagestream, Professional Page,
or AmigaTex (sp?).  As far as a diagramming tool, I don't have enough
knowledge of the available products to make any suggestions, but I have
been more than pleased with the results I have seen from Pro Draw.

I would encourage you to take a longer look at the software available
for the Amiga.  There are certainly some things which are better left
to the MS-DOS/Mac world, but I have yet to encounter one.

Regards,
Chris

-- 
Chris (Insert phrase here) Seaman |  /|__|\__/|__|\
cseaman@gateway.sequent.com <or>  | |              |     Where does he get
...!uunet!sequent!cseaman         | |  /\/\  /\/\  |   those Wonderful toys?
The Home of the Killer Smiley     |  \|    \/    |/