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From: mcli@ur-tut.UUCP (Maurice Ling)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: New VIP version
Message-ID: <41@ur-tut.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 4-Sep-87 10:40:27 EDT
Article-I.D.: ur-tut.41
Posted: Fri Sep  4 10:40:27 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Sep-87 18:01:10 EDT
References: <8709040905.AA02133@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Reply-To: mcli@tut.cc.rochester.edu.UUCP (Maurice Ling)
Organization: Univ. of Rochester Computing Center
Lines: 58
Summary: Some improvements, one bug (so far)


>About VIP
>The present version of VIP (Lotus 123 alike for ST
>systems) , version 1.0, is fairly good but there are
>some property's I don't like. There are some bugs, the speed
                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
If you could mention the bugs specifically, I could check it out for you.
One thing I noticed in 1.2 GEM version, is that negative numbers, when they
have three digits to the left of the decimal point, also have a comma at the
beginning of it.  e.g. if you input -256, you get $(,256.00).  I don't know
whether it was in v 1.0 GEM (I had the text version of 1.0 which does not have
this "feature").  
 
>is not what you expect (very slow in screen handling)
                         ^^^^^^^^^
Yup.  Still is.  I don't think that can be helped until the blitter arrives.
They specifically state this problem in the manual.  It takes more time to
move the 32K Graphics screen on the ST than the 8K (?) text screen on the IBM.  

>and the screen size in the GEM version is too small (15
>lines).

If you want a bigger screen go for the TEXT version.  The GEM version needs
space for the menu at the bottom of the screen and the scroll bars.

>Now VIP offers an upgrade (version 1.2). Who knows anything
>about the performence of this one. Can I still drink a cup of
>coffee when VIP tries to build up a new page? Is it still pos-
>sible to take a shower when VIP is printing (ASCII) on the disk?
 
If your coffee is boiling hot than I doubt it. :-)  The text version is 
slightly faster on the screen updates and screen movement.  I can't compare
with the old GEM version.  I haven't tried printing ASCII on disk yet, but one
thing I do is use a RAM disk so everything is sped up immensely. 

A bug they have fixed in the text version is that the screen saver does
work now (at least with the GEM version).  A new feature includes saving
your Global defaults such as your default directory, drive, etc.  I really like
this feature because I can copy all the VIP files in my work folder using
a folder to RAM disk copier on boot up, then when I load VIP, it will 
automatically switch the default to drive D:.  Before, I had to change it
manually.  

Another change is that all the worksheet files are now saved as .WKS files,
not .NAT files.  You can still read .NAT files though.  

Over all, I like it.  I haven't tried it out the new version extensively yet,
but it seems to read in my old files with no problems (including macros, etc).
It does come with some templates and some other things like a VIP font editor.
Sorry, I haven't had time to try these goodies out yet.
 
>I would like to know before I order the upgrade. Who knows?
>Wim Schaasberg (U00177@HASARA5 on BITNET HEARN)

Maurice

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