Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think!mintaka!chaos.cs.brandeis.edu!aland
From: aland@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Alan D Danziger)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Software Authors please note.
Message-ID: <1990Feb17.164617.2445@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu>
Date: 17 Feb 90 16:46:17 GMT
References: <7257@ll1a.att.com> <10883@claris.com> <6515@arisia.Xerox.COM> <10884@claris.com>
Organization: Brandeis University Computer Science Dept
Lines: 29

In article <10884@claris.com> drc@claris.com (Dennis Cohen) writes:
>The first correction that I would like to make to the above is that Claris
>no longer makes or sells MacWrite, we make and sell MacWrite II which is
>a completely different package from the ground (file-format) up.  The
>point about MacWrite format is that every word-processor for the Mac
>reads that format and it has been the "lingua franca" for documentation
>on the Mac from the beginning.
>
>Plain text is fine, if graphics aren't needed; but there is no lower-common-
>denominator for mixed text/graphic documentation than the original MacWrite
>format.
>

I agree on the basic point, that just about ANYTHING will read
MacWrite format.  The problem here is that people don't realize that
the file is in MW, especially if they don't have MW on their drive.
Sure, experienced users can use some utility to check the filetype and
see "Type=WORD  Creator=MACA" and know it's a MacWrite document.  But
otherwise, you have to use trial and error.  How many people will try
to open it, and get an "Application busy or missing" error?  There's a
program out (with source in Think C) which will switch-launch MWII
when you double-click on an MW document, and I edited it to launch MS
Word instead.  If anyone wants it, send me mail and I will BinHex it
and post it to comp.binaries.mac.  Just ask!
-- 

	-=Alan=-

	aland@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu