🚀 go-pugleaf

	*** Split Message, part #2, MsgSplit Version 2 (11-Mar-90) ***

-SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED. These folks are really good in 
making their  code inefficient. I cannot think of another reason than 
making stupid decisions  in the data-structures of the program. By the 
way, I don't think it is necessary  that FullWrite constantly updates 
the index, contents etc. I would rather see  some speed, and have a 
command to update all dynamic stuff. At least this could  be an option 
in the program.

- No capitals with citations. If I want to refer to a figure at the 
start of a  sentence (like 'See figure -- to ....'), the word 'see' 
has no capital, and it  cannot be achieved. And when I want to name my 
figure, Figure is impossible too.  Why no text box in that dialog box 
in which I can put my own text?

- Citations are only for English purpose. I do English and Dutch 
writing both.  How about text boxes in the Insert Citation dialog box 
(again), in which you  can put your own words. I sometimes need the 
word 'pagina' instead of 'page'. I  handled this stuff with the 
resource editor, but I must keep two versions of the  program on my HD 
now.

- If I refer to pages which I number by chapter (e.g. 1.1 , 1.2 ..., 
2.1  , 2.2  , etc.), the citation only refers to the pagenumber. There 
is no way to include  the chapter number. This also regards the index. 
All items made on x.1 are  referred to as page 1 (and cannot be found 
anymore, unless you search all the  chapters).

- When you option copy an illustrator picture, and paste it in 
FullWrite  everything is all right, and it prints good. If you open 
the picture, FullWrite   hangs.

- Font size must be smaller than 128 points. Why not bigger (like in 
the  advertisement with that huge Q). We want to USE Adobe's Type 
Manager, not only  see it.

- An overbar above a gray letter keeps black. Why not gray too?

- Would be nice if you could give styles to outlines (like in Word)

- In the outline view dialog box you cannot undo a change, you can 
only cancel.  If you are doing multiple changes, you need an undo. And 
please, make such a  dialog box larger. In outline you want to see as 
much as possible.

- Make importing text a lot faster. This is a real shame!! Is this 
written in  Prolog or something? HyperCard (interpreted!!) is faster 
on this.

- Styles could be better implemented. More paragraph based things, 
like Word does. It would also be very nice if you could set styles for 
outlines. All my chapters are on level one, all my paragraph titles 
are on level 2 etc.  However, I have to tell the program the same 
thing to apply styles corresponding  with my titles and paragraphs.

- Change all is not undo-able. (By the way, why no multiple undos like 
Nisus  has. This is a very good feature).

- Find/Replace. It is even slow on a Mac IIX, so the hardware 
requirements for  FullWrite are nonsense. 

- Adjustable Grid instead of only four measures.

- If you index an item in a posted note it does not contain a 
page-number in the  index. This trick can be used nice for 
bibliographic entries you do not want to  refer to in the text. 
However, if I double click on the index item, I get a  dialog box with 
the option to go to the text where the index is placed. For  
references in posted notes this doesn't works. 

- If I place a sidebar above another sidebar which contains a picture, 
the new  sidebar will not be visible. I assume this is a restriction, 
but it is not  mentioned in the manual. The manual is too short. If I 
want to obtain certain  results, the manual almost never helps. It 
only mentions features, not what you  can or cannot do with them. For 
sidebars it would be nice if you could tell them  which one would be 
in front (send to back/front or something like that) 

- No way to let a new chapter start on an odd page.

- If I turn hyphenation off, FullWrite still hyphenates while finding 
and  replacing!!!

- You cannot apply styles to text in figures. If you want to change 
all your  text styles from one font to another, you have to open them 
all separately.  Little time consuming.

- Icon bar closes every time after closing a note. Costs a lot of 
extra needles  clicks.

As you see, the main problem are citations, and other kind of 
references. I also  don't like the idea that I cannot edit in the 
index, contents, bibliography etc.  Why do I have to use the format 
the program forces me to? Why is it not like the  Mac User interface 
is meant to be: control at any place at any time on anything?

By the way, I could not reach pgold@sybase.com (unknown node), who 
mentioned  there was ashton-tate bbs.  It's now free through 
Compuserve local access phone  numbers (at least in the states).  If 
you can get a local access number for  Compuserve, you can call it, 
and when it asks you for the host name, type ATBBS.   It used to be 
not-toll-free, but with CIS, it is.  You can get on their  FullWrite 
forum and ask questions and get answers. A little expensive for  
European users. (In Europe we always have to see those tremendous 
options in  America, and the poor support here. And buying software in 
Europe is very very  expensive. FullWrite costs over $500 dollars 
here. Nisus about $450, and Word  $550. Why is it so expensive if the 
support is so poor. People on the phone  never know where you are 
talking about, and make you think as if YOU are the one  who makes all 
the errors!)

Word: 
- User Interface. Everyone knows about this one. Disgusting.

- The company. MicroSoft is the sort of company who claims their 
software is  bug-free, and know about hundreds of bugs. I always read 
about problems with  Word on the net or in the MacWorld or MacUser. I 
always discover bugs. But I  never hear some comment from MicroSoft. 
Why don't you listen to your users  MicroSoft? We are paying you for 
that. I also cannot believe that Apple had to  make some adaptions in 
their system software to keep it compatible with Word. I  believe 
Apple doesn't understands what they are writing in the inside 
Macintosh  themselves. And do not sell me that commercial story of: 
"There are so many Word  users, and we do not want to disappoint 
them". 

- Word needs: cross-references (with page referencing), and not those 
midway  solutions with mail-merge, auto figure numbering, GREP search, 
bibliographic  references. 

- Speed. It is like a Ferrari in comparison with the turtle which is 
called  FullWrite, but you can call Nisus a rocket then. Repaginating 
(automatically) is  slow. The Preview Window is slow. Saving is slow. 
Menus are slow. Etc.

 Looks as if no word processor is good. But it is not that bad. Look 
at those DOS  or OS2 machines, and you see how lucky we are with the 
stuff above. I think I  can conclude with the following: Word: If you 
look for a business-class word-processor, which can manage most of  
the jobs, you must use this one. Not very good for academics. 
FullWrite: Make it faster and less bulky in it's memory requirements. 
Also give  the user control over ALL the formatting, and include real 
style sheets. If you  have a lot of patience, it offers you the most. 
For academic use or some DTP  only. Nisus: Add style sheets and 
auto-figure and paragraph numbering (or some way to  do calculations 
with macros. How about variables in macros. Would make it very  
strong. And how about if .. then .. else, or while .. do .. 
constructs.)  They  must not include all the mark sets and macro's in 
menus. And I think the  commercial sector wants to have better 
mail-merge facilities. If Paragon adds  some of this, it will probably 
become the most favorite Word Processor of the  Macintosh community! 

I have no connection with any of the mentioned companies. What I 
describe here  is my (an some other ones) opinion. The purpose of 
distributing this article, is  to contribute better software. I hope 
you agree, and make some contributions  too. I am convinced it will 
help!

Marc Heijligers 
rcbamhl@urc.tue.nl 
d



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	Marc Heijligers at The Black Cat's Shack (Fidonet 1:109/401)
	Internet:  Marc.Heijligers@p0.f40.n109.z1.fidonet.org    
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