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From: whp@cbnap.UUCP (W. H. Pollock x4575 3S235)
Newsgroups: net.text,net.unix
Subject: Re: Use of ``vi'' for business office word-processing
Message-ID: <165@cbnap.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 10-Sep-86 14:55:22 EDT
Article-I.D.: cbnap.165
Posted: Wed Sep 10 14:55:22 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 11-Sep-86 07:33:39 EDT
References: <1246@kitty.UUCP> <966@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>
Reply-To: whp@cbnap.UUCP (W. H. Pollock x4575 3S235)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus
Lines: 23
Keywords: ``vi'' word-processing non-programmers
Xref: mnetor net.text:955 net.unix:5440

I am a programmer who write many documents, and I have used many different
editors and word processors.  While I like by vi and emacs very much, and use
troff and TeX too,  for business applications word processors have a big
advantage over the editor-formatter combination: speed.  Most documents are
revised several times, tables are moved around, differents fonts are tried, etc.
The change-print-change-print cycle of a word processor is perferable to the
change-format-print-change-format-print cycle.  Of course for simple documents
such as letters, this doesn't matter that much.  Other factors which are
important in the business environment are ease of use and learning time, and
flexibility.  The newer word processors have this, especially when used in
conjuction with spread-sheet programs (which give you tables that rival any
that can be produced with tbl).
When writting that important article for Newsweek though, the flexibility of
TeX comes in real handy.  Or for classy looking sales brochures and
prospectuses.

Wayne H. Pollock,
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