Path: utzoo!dciem!nrcaer!scs!spl1!laidbak!att!pacbell!ames!elroy!cit-vax!tybalt.caltech.edu!wetter From: wetter@tybalt.caltech.edu (Pierce T. Wetter) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: FullWrite -- I'm sorry, but... Message-ID: <6799@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> Date: 2 Jun 88 19:45:38 GMT Article-I.D.: cit-vax.6799 References: <8013@drutx.ATT.COM> Sender: news@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu Reply-To: wetter@tybalt.caltech.edu.UUCP (Pierce T. Wetter) Organization: California Institute of Technology Lines: 57 >My position: I think FullWrite has a way to go before it challenges Word as >powerful balanced document tool. And also that Word could be improved >to match ease of use, mostly through some easy visual controls/indicators >added to work with its rich style abilities. (e.g. Consider a little stack >of style layers, showing/selecting styles on mousing). > > > Thus where I have inclusions of program code, for instance, each CR > separated line will have lots of space, or I will have to multispace > between each paragraph through the entire document, as in using a > typewriter. > 3) Though sidebars seem to be the intended answer for unusual things, > they don't fill in here (included listings, etc.) at all. And see below. Actually, it would seem to me that sidebars would be ideal here. Especially since the place sidebar dialog shows you the margins of your document, you can easily fit the sidebar across the entire width, then paste in your program text. Since Sidebars work as mini-chapters, this would seem to work rather well. What exactly are the problems you have when you do this? > > 3) Sizing anything (especially graphics) included in sidebars appears > to be a royal pain -- resize each of (possibly several -- why are there > several) involved layers first, etc.. > > And some, like the drawing 'canvas', seem to require sizing by numbers, > not point and drag to fit! Hear, Hear! Where's the size box? How am I supposed to know how big my sidebar should be if I cant see it in my document? > >What I really don't understand is the 'bash Microsoft' tone in the >recent articles, unless it's smarting about the bug-infested first Word >3.00 release. > Its not that, really. This is how I describe the difference between Word and FW, to my friends. Word is a PC word processor ported to the mac, FW is a mac word processor. Both FW and word have their faults. Words major fault is that it is cumbersome to use to do many simple things. (How many people have tried to add all the options in the character, and paragraph formats to their menus?). Words major strength is it can do almost anything though it might be a lot of work to get there. FW major fault is that there are some areas which need work (such as styles, and changing the sizes of things), but its still better then word 1.0. FW major advantage is it consistent, comprehensive use of the mac interface. double-clicking on something (sidebar, posted-not, ruler etc) opens it so you can edit it, selecting an area of text then a new ruler creates two, one before and one after, so that you can change just that section without affecting everything else. This is the main reason I prefer it to word. I can do anything I want, I don't have to spend 10 min looking up what silly key command does the thing I want to do. Since you previously made heavy use of styles, I can see how this would make you more of a word fan. Pierce ---------------------------------------------------------------- wetter@tybalt.caltech.edu Race For Space Grand Prize Winner. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Useless Advice #986: Never sit on a Tack.