Re: [PLUG] OT: WordPerfect vs. Word Star

[Steve Litt via plug <plug@lists.phillylinux.org>]

Keith C. Perry via plug said on Mon, 30 Jan 2023 12:48:07 -0500 (EST)

>Funny, I was using Wordstar in the '80's.  That's essentially what me
>and my brothers grew up using since the best computer in the house at
>the time was my dad's x86.  I've never been a fan of Word processors
>generally, which is why I use Lyx or desktop publishing software but
>whenever I hear someone mention Wordstar it does make me smile.

In December 1984 my new 8 bit Kaypro 2X came with Wordstar. Wordstar
took a lot of patience to learn, but I used it to write a 100 page
thesis, printed on a Juki daisy wheel printer, for my Systems Analysis
class. 

The Juki printer had a key for a dot that you could use for graphics. I
wrote a Turbo Pascal program that used repeated strikes of that dot
combined with micro-movements of the printer to make a moderately
complex logo for the upper left of every page, printed my document, and
then I put the whole 100 pages back through the printer and let my
Turbo Pascal program repeatedly page feed and make its logo. I got an A
:-)

It helped that the Turbo Pascal 2 that I bought for my Kaypro used
Wordstar commands for its IDE. I got pretty good at Wordstar.

In 1986 one of my clients switched to PCs from PDP-11s and needed a
word processor. They put aside my recommendation for Wordstar and
picked Wordperfect. Within a couple months I was glad they did. When
Wordperfect 5.0 came out, with proportional fonts and styles and stuff,
I bought my own personal copy and loved it to death. 

SteveT

Steve Litt 
Autumn 2022 featured book: Thriving in Tough Times
http://www.troubleshooters.com/bookstore/thrive.htm
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