Word Perfect: in memorium

[Chuck Hallenbeck]

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Hi people,

Lots of folks seem to be missing Word Perfect 5.1 pretty badly. I was
going to say they seem to pine for it, but that would be too bad!!!

What many Linux users do for "word processing" (as opposed to just plain
old "editing") is to use a markup language like XML, where the fancy
stuff is identified in your file by the appearance of tags, much like
those in an html file. In fact HTML is just another markup language when
it comes to that. So you would prepare your document using a plain text
editor, my favorite is "nano", and then use Latex or TeX to render your
material for fancy printing.

Using this method, you can get all the features of WP while sticking to
a plain text console editor. You do not have to "reveal codes" because
they are right there in front of you, set off by angle brackets or
whatever. Nano supports most of the editing convenience you would need,
such as marking a block and copying or deleting it, global replace with
or without regular expressions, file insertions, provisions for a
spellchecker, paragraph reshaping, and the like.

The TeX facility is topnotch, and will satisfy the most demanding
wordsmith, with a zillion font styles to select in many languages,
including Klingon! And yet you are ALWAYS working in a plain text
environment with files that are readily sharable and mailable, and are
NOT proprietary.

In fact one wonders why word processor users don't voluntarily scrap
those dinosaur applications for the Linux strategy. I guess it is really
difficult to abandon an old friend, especially when it has served so
well, but there is a better alternative just sitting there waiting to be
used.

Another advantage of sticking with a plain text editor such as "nano" is
that it serves multiple purposes. In my case it is my default composing
editor in Pine, replacing Pico. I also use it for a general purpose
programming editor.

Lots of power users would choose emacs over nano, but still rely in
placing tags in the file to mark off words, phrases, or passages for
special presentation effects. Either way, you can get along quite nicely
without Word Perfect and still produce world class documents.

The only thing you may need WP for is to convert other people's old
fashioned WP files into a more modern form! <smile>

Chuck

PS: My apology to Charlie C., whose vote would probably be for WP
anyway! It took me forever to give us WordStar, so I know whereof I
speak. It ain't easy, but it's well worth it.



- -- 
The Moon is Waning Crescent (1% of Full)
In a world without Fences or Walls no one needs Windows or Gates.
My home page is now at http://www.mhcable.com/~chuckh
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