Re: COMMENT Microsoft Writing tools

Subject: Re: COMMENT Microsoft Writing tools
From: Paula Puffer <papuffer -at- SWBELL -dot- NET>
Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 00:21:23 -0600

Peter wrote:

>
>I will most likely go with a Power PC or go with an Intel machine running
>the new Rhapsody unix system from Apple when it comes out, providing that
>Rhapsody continuesto grow from its current promising reviews. Otherwise it
>will be a Windows NT Intel.


I think if I had to choose between the two systems you mention here, I would
go with the NT system.
Why? Because if you are planning to freelance or contract, more businesses
use windows-based systems than use Macintosh. The only business that I have
encountered and worked for that uses Macintosh on a regular basis is Higher
Education and my experiences with Power PCs have been
that the software (using the same program on both machines) didn't always
transfer the formatting I did on the my PC at home accurately, so I had to
spend a lot of time reformatting files. And in the writing lab I worked in,
it seemed that we were forever fighting problems with power PCs (repeated
crashes, etc). It left our staff and clients frustrated because they would
lose their work.

>I am a young writer breaking into technical writing, fiction, and
>journalism. I want tools that help me do what I have to do well. A
>carpenter's hammer always works; I would like my tools to do the same. With
>computers,I can be writing or I can be fighting with a computer system that
>isn't working properly.

I have had few problems with my PC running Win 95. The majority of the
problems I have had were related to hardware. As for the problems people are
reporting with Office 97 and IE 4.0, I can't comment on the problems with
Office 97, I am still using Office 95 because I like the backwards
compatibility with
Word 6.0, but I can say that I haven't had a lick of trouble with IE 4.0 and
I am running a version of Win 95
that is supposed to be causing problems with IE 4.0.

>Writing is alroady difficult enought without
>computer troubles. Beyond this, I want to support those who approach their
>work of producing computer software with the spirit of making a product
>that brings to the customer what the customer *wants* and needs; and
>encourage those who have used a keen eye and honest effort to determine and
>bring to life features that will make their products do their required task
>better and easier than the customer could imagine.

I'm seeing what you want here and I like the ideas you present, but what
about *your* customer's needs and wants? You have to consider their needs
and wants as well in this equation, especially if you are contracting or
doing freelance work. Is a Power PC going to be compatible in the long run?

<SNIP> In essence Microsoft is providing
>products which work within their adapted version of an industry standard,
>but will not allow their customers to work in concert easily with those
>using the actual industry standard. Reading in your post about yet another
>unsatisfactory performance with a Microsoft product, moves me to consider
>less questionable tools.

Sorry but companies other than Microsoft create products that have an
adapted version of an industry standard. A prime example I can think of is
Netscape and some of the tags they have created outside the realm of the
HTML 3.2 Standard. It doesn't stop me from using Netscape when I am creating
web pages because I need to see how my code stands in both IE and Netscape
browsers.

Tools are just that, tools. In the long run, you need to learn the tools
that will help you the most in the long run, regardless of which company
created the product in question.

Paula Puffer
papuffer -at- iastate -dot- edu




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