From: rayz@koko.csustan.edu (Ray Zarling)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.applications
Subject: Re: Pagestream impressions sought
Date: 3 Jan 93 19:14:37 GMT
Organization: CSU Stanislaus

In article <4532@winnie.fit.edu> wood@kepler.pss.fit.edu (Matt A. Wood) writes:
>To users of Pagestream:  Could you please take a minute to tell me
>your impressions of the program?  I'm thinking of buying it for my
>wife, who's an 8th grade school teacher and who currently is using
>Wordperfect.  She'd be using the program for generating tests, 
>quizzes, flyers, and banners (this last feature is really why we're
>considering it).  She's not a computer jock and doesn't much like
>reading user manuals, so ease of use and on-line help are very
>important.  Some questions that come to mind:

I am a University professor, and I use PageStream all the time for
class handouts, exams, memos, etc.  Over the years I have built up
formats for these things that I like, so I can now produce great
looking output in very little time.  PageStream is one of my very
favorite programs on the Amiga.
	
>	* Is the program easy to learn or is the learning curve 
>		steep?

Both of my children have learned it, seemingly effortlessly.  My
daughter in particular has studiously avoided computers until now,
so I think that says a lot for its ease of use.  Still, with any
program of such vast capability, one should assume they will have
to look in the manual and invest some time working with it.

>	* Does the program have a good "feel", or are refreshes
>	  	and such too slow?  (we have a stock A500 w/ 3Mb Ram
>		and 20 Mb A590 HD)

It would be pretty slow for my tastes on a stock 500.  This is
because it shows the whole screen in a graphic mode, which is
necessary if you are to have truely flexible screen layouts.
For a program with this flexibility, it is as fast as any, but
you would find a "word processor" (as opposed to a "page layout
program" like PageStream) quite a bit faster.

One solution would be to get Soft Logik's Pageliner also.  Pageliner
is a word processor that transfers its work seamlessly to PageStream
through Hot Links.  You can have the speed of text entry that the
lower-end program can give you, coupled with the flexibility of
the full fledged page layout program.

>	* How good is the output?  We have an Epson LQ800 24-pin 
>		printer.  Will the program use the printer's fonts
>		for 10 and 12 point for NLQ printing?  Can it mix
>		NLQ printing and the slower 'graphics-mode' 
>		character printing in the same document and on the
>		same page?

I use PageStream a lot with three different printers:  a laser
printer (postscript), an HP PaintJet for color work, and (at home...)
an old Star Gemini 8 pin printer.  The Gemini is obviously obsolete
these days, but still produces adequate output with PageStream.
That's saying a lot!  The laser and PaintJet outputs are spectacular.
I would think an LQ800 would have output somewhere between the laser
and PaintJet in quality, which should be very good indeed.

>	* Are extra fonts a must-buy, or are they really only needed 
>		for those doing extensive newsletters and such?

You can do a lot with the supplied fonts.  Even extensive newsletters.
Extra fonts would be more for fun than necessity.

>	* Any problems with the program crashing the system?

The program has been very stable for many generations now.  I run
enforcer routinely on my system, since I do a lot of my own programming.
As a side benefit, this shows me which programs are really well
written and which are not.  PageStream is well written.

>	* Is the clipboard supported?  AREXX?

I don't think the clipboard is supported.  I know ARexx is not.  On
the other hand, the import and export facilities are one of the most
extensive of any program I have ever used on any platform.  Frankly,
this is more important to me, since it means I can import pieces of
text written with other programs, perhaps years ago.  And there is
of course a cut and paste facility; I just don't think it uses the
clipboard (I could be wrong).
>
>Plus, if you have any other comments -- especially warnings -- please
>pass them on to me.  Thanks *very* much for your time!
>
>
>	
>	
>-- 
>Matt A. Wood                            Physics and Space Sciences     
>wood@phy.fit.edu                        Florida Institute of Technology
>(407) 768-8000 (x7207)                  150 West University Boulevard  
>(407) 984-8461 (FAX)                    Melbourne, FL  32901-6988

--Ray Zarling
  Professor of Computer Science
  Calif. State Univ. Stanislaus
  Turlock, CA 95380

  rayz@csustan.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.applications