Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!iuvax!inuxc!inuxa!rjs
From: rjs@inuxa.UUCP (Robert Snyder)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Laser 128 and also Appleworks on Old ][
Message-ID: <325@inuxa.UUCP>
Date: 31 Aug 88 18:19:03 GMT
References: <20202@sgi.SGI.COM> <880825-143925-4840@Xerox>
Organization: AT&T Consumer Products, Indianapolis
Lines: 37

> I'm still using Screen Writer II on my II+ (On Line ?).  It does all the things
> you need to do for writing a paper, upper case for footnote numbers, footnotes,
> underline, italics, etc.  You can switch into a 70 column mode with narrow
> characters so an 80 col card isn't needed.
> 
> Lamar

Since the original posting mentioned a computer from 1978, it probably is
an original ][, meaning Integer BASIC in ROM! This places severe limits
on the use of PRODOS: you can run a program that uses PRODOS, but you
can't boot PRODOS itself, since PRODOS insists on having Applesoft BASIC
in ROM. I don't know if Appleworks will even run on an original ][.

I've got an original ][ myself and use ScreenWriter II. Note that this
is an editor/formatter package with embedded formatting commands, i.e.,
it is NOT a WYSIWYG word processor. The company's current name is
Sierra On-Line and they are in Coarsegold, CA. You can get their number
from information or go to a software store and look for their game
King's Quest (for IBM, Apple ][, etc.); the box should have an address
and maybe a phone number on the back. The last catalog they sent me
did NOT list ScreenWriter II, but they may still have some copies
hanging around. If you order it, be sure to tell them if you have
Integer BASIC in ROM, because the package includes some utility programs
in BASIC and they need to know which set to send you (there is not enough
room on the disk to hold both versions).

As for using ScreenWriter, it's got a decent number of features,
even macros. Insertion is fine in 40 column mode, but in 70 column
mode the screen can't keep up with you. The keyboard is buffered, so
you don't lose any characters, but you never know for sure where you
are unless you wait for the screen to catch up. The biggest problem
is the lack of an upper/lower case keyboard. While the program can
compensate by using ESC as a shift prefix, it just isn't the same.
Also, the 70 column mode isn't very readable on a TV; it looks OK
on a monochrome monitor.

                                         R.J.