on Tue, Jan 15, 2002 at 04:55:05PM -0600, Kent West (westk@nicanor.acu.edu) wrote: > I know it's not appropriate to rant, especially off-topic, but I just gotta! > > I really miss WordPerfect! And I wish there were some open-source > software that did what it does. > > For example, Reveal Codes, and being able to find and remove that > offending font change, or table definition, etc. Any tag-based language is essentially the same thing. Frankly, LaTeX, DocBook, or other SGML DTD are going to be largely equivalent. The main difference is that you rarely drop to a "don't reveal codes" view (though this *is* generally possible). > And being able to have Left Justified, Center Justified, and Right > Justified text all on the same line, so you don't have to throw in a > bunch of spaces to get everything to (maybe) line up. I'll add myself to the list of those confused by this comment. > And the column and table functions. Supported in most markup languages. > And the ability to have a caption on an image that doesn't insist on > including the text "Illustration 1". Ditto. > The power of WordPerfect is what a Linux-er wants, with the ease of > operation that an MS-er needs. (I was an MS-er; a three-year Linux-er > now, but still can't run Tex or even LyX, and the other stuff I've tried > just doesn't have the power/features.) > > Why oh why won't Corel release the old DOS version into the open source > world? Well, there are copies floating around. My own story is that I picked up WP 5.2 from a friend, on original floppies, to accompany the manual I'd drug around for about seven years. What I discovered was...it wasn't the same as it had been. Sure, I can fire it up under dosemu or xdosemu, but...it just doesn't appeal. Over the years, I've lost most of the muscle memory I once had, and the restriction to 24 or 30-odd lines of text is a punishment (my current rxvt session has 80 lines). Too, the DOS version doesn't interact particularly well with the GNU/Linux environment. You're restricted to working under DOS, and interacting only with the DOS partition. Haven't tried it under WINE. Note that Corel _did_ (does?) have a Unix-native version, including a console mode (not available, AFAIK, in the WP8 which was made generally available for GNU/Linux). This would seem to be the program you're looking for. What the availability of this program is I don't know. > (Yes, I could purchase the commercial version of Corel Office, but a > Wine-ified version just doesn't seem kosher, not to mention that this > would have to come out of my own pocket since the workplace doesn't > smile friendly yet on Linux, so for now I'm without WP.) ...well... I have to say I can't sympathize. If you're going to pine after proprietary software, then be willing to shell out for it. > Why won't Abiword and Star/Open Office import .wpd docs (actually, > Abiword seems to at least get the text, but not the formatting)? Probably because it's a really small target, and WP natively supports .DOC. Though you could file a wishlist (I'm sure it exists). Peace. -- Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com> http://kmself.home.netcom.com/ What part of "Gestalt" don't you understand? Home of the brave http://gestalt-system.sourceforge.net/ Land of the free We freed Dmitry! Boycott Adobe! Repeal the DMCA! http://www.freesklyarov.org Geek for Hire http://kmself.home.netcom.com/resume.html
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