From: furballs@sequent.com (Paul Penrod)
Subject: Re: Which Word Processor?
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems Inc.
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 92 07:20:21 GMT

In article <10052@uqcspe.cs.uq.oz.au> albert@cs.uq.oz.au writes:
>In <govendep.6.715070773@cc.und.ac.za> govendep@cc.und.ac.za (Pooven Govender) writes:
>
>>We are presently pondering on which windows wordprocessor to choose and 
>>support on our university.  We are thinking of looking into Ami Pro, 
>>WordPerfect for Windows and MS Word, but we don't have any benchmarks on 
>>which to evaluate.  Please forward any suggestions to me directly.  The dos 
>>based wordprocessors that are currently in use are XyWrite and 
>>WordPerfect 5.1.  We assume that most people moving to windows with consider 
>>purchasing at least a 386 SX 16 with a least 4 MB Ram.
>
>One thing that you are quite right is that ANY windows application is
>considerably slower than any DOS base app.s
>I dare to suggest a reasonable platform would be a 386DX-33 with 4Mb RAM &
>more important 1Mb VRam and a 11ms 170Mb HD (at least) because Windows 3.X
>uses the disk very consistently even with the smartdrive on.
>
>I personally have wordperfect for windows and MS-Word 2.0 for windows.
>Considering Speed: Definitly MS-Word ( WP just promote their dos version to
>                   windows base and things run too slow that way)
>Considering Editing Power: Definitly MS-Word
>Considering Functionality: WP is better in specific tasks depend on your 
>                           requirements and type of work!
>In Short both have the need to be improved in different areas. But MS-Word
>seems to be a better, more userfriendly product!
>
>Ami Pro is one of the few which worth serious consideration, in terms of it's
>approach in incoorpating graphics within a document. But MS-Word integrated 
>ms-excel and ms-draw to handle these aspects.
>
>Within these 3 packages only WP will not give you a TRUE WYSISYG interface!
>All 3, in my own experience, cannot provide instantaneous responds to editing
>commands ( also depend on your machine speed, check by winspeed ) because of
>their graphical nature.
>
>So... Just hope the above might help!
>
>Albert
>BIT Hons
>UofQ

Without starting a holy war over Word Processing, I would like to
add a little bit to what was said above.

It has been my experience in consulting for clients to get
enamoured over specifications and performance issues, and other
bits of trivia that, while having relevance, do not address the
main reason for aquiring a Word Processor. Basically a word
processor is supposed to give you the freedom to compose a document
without having to hassle with too many of the details of getting
you from blank page to finished product.

Having invested many hours of time, the client, or individual has
developed a work pattern that is based upon personal preference or
an aquired habit forced upon them by the software. This comfort
zone they have developed is where they want to stay and they will
resist change if it is too drastic.

So the upshot of it is; if your going to choose a word processor
then pick the one that most closely resembles your work habits, or
those of your peers. Word for Windows, Word Perfect, and AMI Pro
carry ALL the necessary features for advanced word processing and a
few from desk top publishing. So it is really not a matter of who
has the most features or is the fastest. They all score relatively
level in that realm, with some differences.

So, before shooting a product in the foot, for whatever reason, sit
down and play with it first. You might be surprised. My personal
opinion is that W4W is best of the previously mentioned three WPs
for the way I work. I am annoyed by some of the glitches it has,
but if they were not livable I would be using something else.
Other's prefer Word Perfect, though I can not stand it, since it
cuts accross the grain of my work pattern. AMI Pro is a nice
processor and rather neutral to the way I work.

Each of these three products is more than adequate to the task. SO,
before you decide anything based upon features alone, consider the
human factor before anything else and I can honestly say you will
not go wrong.

...Paul

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