Hi Netters!
I asked you a few days ago or so your opinions on which word processor
and spreadsheet you use on the Sun platform. You responded, as usual,
with great gusto (shouldn't there be a beer named like that?) and
interest. Below, please find a summary, including my original post.
I hope it is of some use.
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Original Post
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Hi Netters!
Now, take your eyes away from the basketball game. (It's not
football, so why are you watching it?......:>) <--NOTE the SMILEY!
(Sheeze, the last time I said something like that, someone super
glued my fingers to the keyboard while I was sleepi...eh, working.
You would think I would learn....)
I am posting this for a friend. Her configuration is a group of
SPARC 2/SParc 10 systems, running 4.1.3. They are currently running
WordPerfect 5.1 (?) as their wordprocessor and are looking for something
better.
My questions are:
1) What is your wordprocessor of choice for your Sun environment?
2) What is your choice of a spreadsheet application?
As always, I greatly appreciate your time and effort to respond to my
questions. I will summarize if I get enough information.
Also, I apologize if some of you feel this is a waste of bandwidth, since
as you can tell, it is not a critical issue. This is my best source of
information, and I rely on it heavily. If you feel this is not the
best forum, please indicate what your suggestions might be (as long as
they are clean and not physically impossible...:>))
Dan
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Dan A. Zambon email: dzambon@afit.af.mil
Air Force Institute of Technology phone: (513) 255-6565, ext
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering 4280
Wright Patterson AFB, Oh 45433-7765
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SUMMARY:
Word Processor:
The overall winner was Framemaker (38%).
Users said that version 4 of Framemaker was super. They liked
the idea that it runs on many platforms (Sun, HP
(DEC (DEC- how did that get in there ..:>)), PCs, Macs).
Users liked its professional publishing capabilities, such as
for use in technical publications. Drawbacks were concern
over the cost ($1000/license?) and slight problems with ease
of use when compared with other more powerful packages (like InterLeaf).
Next in line was WordPerfect (mostly 5.1 for Unix) at 26% of all
respondees. I heard more negatives about this than positives. Things
like slow response were mentioned. Still others mentioned that they
appreciated the compatibility of WP (transporting files between unix
and DOS, or importing graphs from CAD applications).
The rest of the respondees used Interleaf (14%), Aster*x,
Latex (Tex), WordMARC, OW TextEditor, and GNU EMACS
and there was.....
"Of course the "real programmers" around here use LaTex"
(I like that one...Thanks, Matthew!)
SpreadSheet:
And the winner is....Lotus 123 with 33% of the respondees using this
package. I really sensed here that the lotus users were not extremely
happy with it, based a lot on the fact that Lotus has stopped development
of 123 for unix, so no new updates will be created and shipped.
Wingz was a very close second at 30%. Opinions were mostly positive on
this one, with negatives being the licensing scheme (it relies on a lock
manager, I guess).
Others mentioned were GNU oLeo (11%), s2020, aster*x, deltagraph,
ss, sc and exclaim.
Overall, I got the impression that many users were waiting for something
better, such as excel or MS word. They were getting by with what they have,
but are wanting more.
Please keep in mind that these are only my opinions formed by reviewing the
information I received from you. They are no way a slam against any particular
package or a vote of approval for any other. I am just trying to express
to you what the majority of you told me.
I would like thank those that took the time and effort to respond, so many
that it would be impossible to list all of them here. This network is
absolutely super, and you folks make it that way..........
Dan
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Dan A. Zambon email: dzambon@afit.af.mil
Air Force Institute of Technology phone: (513) 255-6565, ext
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering 4280
Wright Patterson AFB, Oh 45433-7765
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