From: davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (Wm E. Davidsen Jr) Subject: Re: A Word Processor for Linux Date: 9 Aug 1993 02:09:33 GMT
In article <23tqkoINN5u9@uwm.edu> albion@csd4.csd.uwm.edu writes:
| They are working on Windows API drivers right now, so you can run Windows
| 3.1 stuff in X. Think about it for a while. What is the only thing holding
| most of us right now to MeSsyDOS? A good word processor. Now wouldn't it
| be better to build a word processor, then to make something that lets you
| use one from DOS? I see letters on the net all the time about having
| people switch over to Linux from DOS. Well, if we don't make thoes crutial
| programs that are keeping most of US from switching totaly, then others won't
| switch.
There are a lot of places in which "a word processor" would do (in
fact I think the Linux WP should be called AWP for obfuscation's sake),
but don't stop working on the Win3 package, thanks. When I offer to
submit a paper in troff or word for Win format, so far a total of zero
people have asked for troff, even for sort of techy publications. There
is a need for compatibility, based on the fact that if you are sending
me something I can't use, I don't give much for the technical merits of
their data format.
There is a place for technical innovation, and I would love to see a
free WP which could run in UNIX and DOS (in 386 mode) which would
dominate all other programs of the type. But I don't see it happening,
alas.
--
Bill Davidsen, davidsen%sixhub.uucp@uunet.uu.net
TMR Associates, +1 518-370-5654
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