Re: [libreoffice-users] Re: Microsoft Revisits the '80s With MS-DOS, Word for Windows Source Code,

On 04/04/2014 05:56 PM, CVAlkan wrote:
> Not sure if my recollections are correct, but I don't believe either DOS
> (before 2.x) or the DOS version of Word were written by Microsoft. I seem to
> recall that both were purchased and re-branded.
>
> Word for MS-DOS was typical of the approach Microsoft would perfect over
> many subsequent years. Its success (actually not all that great) was based
> almost entirely on marketing.
>
> In its heyday, almost all word processors for the MS-DOS / PC-DOS platform
> were at least as good as Word, and many were far superior. WordPerfect (4.x
> and later) were far more suitable for anyone actually attempting to create a
> document. Word, for instance, took up fully half of the available (80x25)
> screen space with typically "intuitive" menus (isn't it obvious to a new
> user that Esc-File-Transfer is the appropriate sequence for saving a file? -
> and weren't most users pretty new back then?).

PC-Write had more text space and less menu space.

> And as for printing, one needed to have a Microsoft "approved" (as opposed
> to "supported;" even then, arrogance was one of their hallmarks) printer
> (nothing wrong with Epson and Okidata, of course, but remember when the HP
> LaserJet first appeared?) to get any output. Most of its competitors
> supported many more devices. My recollection is that Microsoft Word's
> support for the LaserJet (we had both where I worked when that first
> appeared) came a good six months after WordPerfect's.

I use to write printer "driver" files for PC-Write.  So any printer with 
a good manual could have a printer file made for it.  Every office 
seemed to have ordered a different printer so I was kept busy for a 
month of so, along with my computer center gig.

> I remember training secretaries on an IBM standalone word processor machine
> (can't recall the model, but it used 8" floppies); this effort went quite
> smoothly. When we later began introducing those PC things, I had a devil of
> a time training those same secretaries on Word (we fell for the OS-WP
> compatibility argument), it was a disaster. We then shifted gears to
> WordPerfect which had an even higher learning curve initially, but most
> caught on to its way of thinking very quickly.

Do not remember 8 inch ones.  I remember 10 inch, and then the 5.x inch 
ones. [single sided and then double sided]

> When WordPerfect 5.x arrived, there was even the ability to display a
> graphic preview (almost WYSIWYG) display of the printed output on a normal
> character screen - and this was available not only for DOS versions, but on
> a wide variety of platforms such as the then popular DEC and DG terminals.
> Since most other machines had standard VT-100 emulation, life was good for
> WordPerfect users.
WordPerfect and PC-Write were the standard for the places I worked till 
Word 95 came along.


> In those days as I recall, I only ran into a minority of businesses that
> used Word. There were a good number of other pretty capable word processors
> in use, a number of which also included "database" and other such modules
> (too primitive to call them "suites," I suppose, but the idea was there. But
> I think the combination of WordPerfect and Lotus 1-2-3 was far more common
> than Word and (uh-oh, Excel didn't come along until later).
>
> Sorry for the trip down memory lane, but I agree that this is undoubtedly
> some sort of publicity stunt. Call me cynical, but I can't help wondering
> what's up their sleeve with this.

"If we do not remember the past, we are bound to repeat it" was a 
popular quote for a while.

MS needs a good publicity stunt or two to help with their mess with Win 
8.x  I read an article today that they are now going to add a function 
where it will look more like Win7 and be better at keyboard/mouse 
operation.  They are also going to offer Win8.x to device makers [not 
desktops or laptops makers though] for free, since they can get Android 
for free.  MS really is hurting over Android's market share for these 
hand held devices.  Well there is also a movement to port Android to the 
Laptop.  That would really mess with MS's market share.

What is up their sleeve?  A billy club, knife, gun, and many other items 
that they can try to convince the public that they are the best to know 
what the market needs and what people have to have to be a happy 
computer device user.  Their OS and office suite monopoly is over and 
they do not like it.

> --
> View this message in context: 
> http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/Microsoft-Revisits-the-80s-With-MS-DOS-Word-for-Windows-Source-Code-tp4103960p4104153.html
> Sent from the Users mailing list archive at Nabble.com.


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