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From: wanttaja@ssc-vax.UUCP (Ronald J Wanttaja)
Newsgroups: net.micro.cbm
Subject: Re: Paperback Writer 64 Review
Message-ID: <622@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 11-Mar-86 12:29:30 EST
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.622
Posted: Tue Mar 11 12:29:30 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Mar-86 20:36:42 EST
References: <1892@trwrba.UUCP>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 49

> 
> I am very pleased with the Paperback Writer 64.
> 

I agreed with every one of your comments about the program, but you left
out one critical flaw:

The blasted thing only holds 3 pages in memory!  In the eighty-column mode,
at least... in 40 column mode, it holds 6-7 pages.  The big selling point
for PW64, for me, is the eighty column mode coupled with the good user
interface.  Yet, THREE BLOODY PAGES is all you can work with at a time.
Yes, the program can automatically link when you print, and yes, the block
functions (move, copy, etc) work between files.  But, for me, the hassle
isn't worth it.

I have an Army buddy who uses it extensively to write operations orders,
and he swears by it.  I bought PW64 for my wife, who was impressed by the
user-friendliness (she's not into computing, but wants a word processor).
When I'm writing something, I often refer back to earlier sections of the
document.  Once the text gets too long, I've either got to print out the
earlier stuff, or save the section I'm working on and dump it in order to
look back.  Pfah!

In the 40 column mode, PW64 is similar to SpeedScript:  wordwrap, etc, but
with easier interface than SpeedScript.  But don't forget to change the
right margin from 39 before printing, or it'll print out in 40 columns!
You can work in the 40 column mode with the right margin set to 80, but I,
personally, don't like word processors that scroll left to right.  I mean,
who wants to have to use the cursor controls to look at something on the
same line?

I'm sticking with SpeedScript.  I've done 25+ page documents on it, with
no out-of-memory problem.  The only flaw that bothers me is the amount the
program slows down when you try to work on the beginning of a long
document, but this is alleviated by using the 255-space instant insert of
SpeedScript 3.0, or the cntrl-E function.

One additional note to C-128 owners:  Run, do not walk, to your local
dealer and buy Paperback Writer 128!  PW128 gives 64 K to work with in 80
column mode, as opposed to 7K for PW64.

					   Ron Wanttaja
					   (ssc-vax!wanttaja)

P.S.  The issue of Compute! that contained SpeedScript 3.0 also had a
SpeedScript file converter.  This allows SpeedScript files to be read by
Paperback Writer.  Use the "SpeedScript to Commodore ASCII" option, load
the altered program into PW, then do an ASC conversion (Cntrl-A).  Works
pretty good, except for stuff like centering.