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From: higgin@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (Paul Higginbottom)
Newsgroups: net.text,net.unix
Subject: Re: Use of ``vi'' for business office word-processing
Message-ID: <738@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 16-Sep-86 01:17:52 EDT
Article-I.D.: cbmvax.738
Posted: Tue Sep 16 01:17:52 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 16-Sep-86 05:55:58 EDT
References: <1246@kitty.UUCP> <709@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> <874@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Reply-To: higgin@cbmvax.UUCP (Paul Higginbottom)
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 50
Xref: mnetor net.text:982 net.unix:5498

In article <874@ssc-vax.UUCP> brian@ssc-vax.UUCP (Brian Fenske) writes:
>(repeats what I wrote)...
>> I personally would suggest getting each person an IBM-PC compatible type of
>> machine.  There's a million and one different word processors for it, and
>> some are extremely nice to use, definitely with the comuter-illiterate in
>> mind.  They ACT like typewriters, but the secretary CAN at his/her pace learn
>> to use mail merge, sorts, search/replace, type of features later.
>> 
>> P.S - remember, even if they get PC's they can still network, share
>> hard disks, printers, etc.  True they won't have electronic mail, but I
>> personally think Unix has a long way to go before it will really be
>> palatable in the normal business environment.  Don't get me wrong though,
>> *I* LOVE Unix.
>> 
>(then Brian responded with)...
>Why make the poor secretaries learn MS-DOS?  A network of Macintoshes 
>can provide all of the office needs you mentioned, Paul, and they can 
>have electronic mail to boot (InBox from Think Technologies).  My 
>secretary was about as computer-illiterate as you can get but she 
>picked up her new Mac and was blasting out memos and spreadsheets and 
>using Email in a day or two.  
>
>BTW, don't get me wrong either.  I also love Unix.
>
>I have no affiliation with Apple or Think Technologies (and
>certainly not with IBM :-))
>
>Brian Fenske                           Boeing Aerospace Company
>UUCP: uw-beaver!ssc-vax!brian          Seattle, Washington

Brian, I agree with you about Macs, Apple has done a nice job with their
networking; it's SIMPLE, but not crude.  I've been to a place where they had
about 6 or 7 Macs sharing a couple of hard disks (Profiles?) and a Laser
printer.  It worked very well for them.

I merely suggested PC's because of the pricing (they're almost being given
away) and because I don't personally believe that Macs are for everyone.
While there is keyboard phobia out there, there is also mouse phobia.
At least people know what a keyboard is!  True, true, it doesn't take long
to get the point across, but its another abstraction.

Let's not get into a discussion as to whether Macs or PC's are better - they
can both do the job well, in different ways.

I have found this debate fascinating, it has moved with religious zeal!

	Paul.

Disclaimer: opinions expressed are mine only, although you may have them
for free!