![]() |
#106 | |
Grand Sorcerer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 11,732
Karma: 128354696
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 26 kly from Sgr A*
Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000
|
Quote:
It's also trauma. ![]() No, seriously: learning to use those early productivity applications fully was a major effort in self-study. There were no classes (online or IRL), no video training courses, and you really needed to memorize entire new sets of commands and procedures for each application. One consequence was that people who went through the ordeal to learn one tool used it for everything they possibly could. There were people who would write formatting and pagination macros in Lotus 1-2-3 to use it as a word processor and people who would use the table functions of Wordperfect to run spreadsheet calculations. As late as the early 90's, MSDOS users used on average less than three applications regularly. Mac users averaged nearly five because of the standard GUI, while Windows 3.x users averaged a whopping nine because of windows multitasking on top of GUI commonality and inhouse app development. (Visual BASIC really and truly was da bomb.) That and the declining hardware prices from the commoditization of computing power was the key driver behind the American productivity explosion of the 90's. The result is that many of those early PC adopters invested so much time and effort in acquiring the skills to properly exploit those early tools that even after learning the new environments they are still loathe to leave behind those skills. It's not just Wordstar touch typing wizards or WordPerfect and Lotus Loyalists. There are entire companies running their businesses off 80's and 90's code bases. Don't need to go too far to see how pervasive computing inertia is: companies are paying microsoft to keep on support XP systems when it would be cheaper, safer, and more effective to move to Win7 or 8. But too many people believe that "if it ain't broke..." GRRM is essentially a standalone operation so him clinging to a tool that has served him for nearly 40 years is essentially a harmless excentricity but at the corporate level IT inertia is costing many of them serious money and productivity. Plus exasperating Microsoft. ![]() Last edited by fjtorres; 05-24-2014 at 08:26 PM. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#107 |
Grand Sorcerer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 28,647
Karma: 204624552
Join Date: Jan 2010
Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD
|
I have no doubt about that. Nobody likes to start all over.
![]() I'm just questioning what sounded like (to me) some people saying that there's some magic stuff that Wordstar can do that modern software just can't (as easily/efficiently anyway). Maybe I'm wrong. |
![]() |
![]() |
Advert | |
|
![]() |
#108 | |
Bookmaker & Cat Slave
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 11,503
Karma: 158448243
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Device: K2, iPad, KFire, PPW, Voyage, NookColor. 2 Droid, Oasis, Boox Note2
|
Quote:
(For those with memories that have faded o'er the years of time: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/wo...70109.aspx#BM5 . Still works.) And, BTW: Word outputs perfectly nice RTF that plays well with others. I know some other authors that won't budge off of Wordstar. Myself, I moved on years ago, and had trouble letting go of Wordperfect, but...jeeze, people. May I ask why any of us gives two figs what the hell any author USES? What's next, caring about what type of skivvies he's buying and wearing? And I want to ![]() Hitch |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#109 | |
Grand Sorcerer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 11,732
Karma: 128354696
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 26 kly from Sgr A*
Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000
|
Quote:
Usually shrinks it something fierce. Me, I started with PAPERCLIP on Atari 8-bit. Moved to MS WRITE on ST and from there to MS Word. On mobile I use Softmaker Office and I dabble with LibreOffice from time to time but end up in Word for the macros. So I understand staying with what you know. But I keep an eye out for alternatives, just in case... |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#110 |
eReader Wrangler
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 7,894
Karma: 52566355
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Boise, ID
Device: PB HD3, GL3, Voyage, Clara HD
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
Advert | |
|
![]() |
#111 | |
Samurai Lizard
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 14,943
Karma: 69500000
Join Date: Nov 2009
Device: NookColor, Nook Glowlight 4
|
Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#112 | |
eReader Wrangler
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 7,894
Karma: 52566355
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Boise, ID
Device: PB HD3, GL3, Voyage, Clara HD
|
Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#113 |
Wizard
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 3,463
Karma: 10684861
Join Date: May 2006
Device: PocketBook 360, before it was Sony Reader, cassiopeia A-20
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#114 |
eReader Wrangler
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 7,894
Karma: 52566355
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Boise, ID
Device: PB HD3, GL3, Voyage, Clara HD
|
Use WordStar. Problem solved.
I'm having trouble understanding why anyone thinks there's a problem with using old tech, or old programs. People who actually used WordStar either still use it (the minute minority) or at least remember it fondly. There's a reason for that. If you haven't used it ... fine, your uninformed opinion noted. But don't expect me to take it seriously. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#115 | |
eReader Wrangler
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 7,894
Karma: 52566355
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Boise, ID
Device: PB HD3, GL3, Voyage, Clara HD
|
Quote:
The reason I still like WordStar (at least remember it fondly) is because it was fast and efficient, both in the way you formatted with it and in the way you navigated in it. Where the newer WYSIWIG word processors excel is in formatting your documents -- but that also can get in the way of writing. You start fretting about the way your writing looks, rather than worrying about getting the words down. Presentation can become more important than the substance. If you've never used WordStar, fine. But don't start with these patronizing psychological profiles when you really don't have a clue why people liked (and still like) WordStar. Last edited by rcentros; 05-26-2014 at 05:34 AM. Reason: Unnecessary words |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#116 |
eBook Enthusiast
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 85,557
Karma: 93980341
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Wordstar was a very good word processor in its day, but that day was an awfully long time ago. Its biggest challenge was that it had to support all the different models of printer itself, rather than relying on printer support in the operating system, as modern word processors are able to do. I well remember the enormous floppy disk installation sets of Wordstar - almost all of them printer drivers.
It wasn't difficult to learn. The company I worked for used it as its main word processor for years, and I don't recall anyone having any great difficulty in using it. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#117 | |
Wizard
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 1,270
Karma: 10468300
Join Date: Dec 2011
Device: a variety (mostly kindles and kobos)
|
Quote:
All of which is doable and may be worth the effort for you and GRRM, but surely you can see why others might find all that effort a 'problem'? |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#118 | |
Grand Sorcerer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 11,732
Karma: 128354696
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 26 kly from Sgr A*
Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000
|
Quote:
I'm not profiling anybody and certainly not anybody *today*. I'm reporting well-documented facts from the early 80's when corporate IT was wrestling with issues of training, file conversions,printer drivers, and what not. It was all over INFOWORLD, COMPUTERWORLD, PC WEEK etc. Getting regular users up to speed was a big issue, which is where the training industry sprung from, and then getting them to switch was a bigger one as the crown of "category king" switched from one product to another. Line managers and IT had big fights over it: one side fretted over wasted time and effort retraining and the other over the costs and issues arising from supporting pockets of oddball and "deprecated" products. That stuff *happened*. I saw it happen and I saw it dealt with. And the way it was dealt with was "everybody" settling on MS Office as the standard--whichover Word Oerfect, over DEC, over IBM, over Wang--which is why Office today has so much sticking power even in the face of free. We hear all sorts of anecdotes of this place or that switching to google or Open Office or what not. And it happens. But what happens most often is that IT departments stick with Office and as their companies grow, so does Office use. IT departments are absurdly conservative because they remember what things were like when they weren't. Corporate cultures have looonggg memories. (And apparently so does GRRM.) ![]() Last edited by fjtorres; 05-26-2014 at 09:00 AM. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#119 | |
eReader Wrangler
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 7,894
Karma: 52566355
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Boise, ID
Device: PB HD3, GL3, Voyage, Clara HD
|
Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#120 | |
eReader Wrangler
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 7,894
Karma: 52566355
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Boise, ID
Device: PB HD3, GL3, Voyage, Clara HD
|
Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
George R.R. Martin or Steven Erikson? | jgaiser | Reading Recommendations | 32 | 07-22-2013 04:51 PM |
Book 5 of George R. R. Martin | JenPen1 | Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links) | 7 | 07-12-2011 09:23 PM |
George R Martin.... | carpetmojo | Reading Recommendations | 3 | 05-05-2011 04:26 PM |
George R.R. Martin is done with A Feast for Crows | Alexander Turcic | Reading Recommendations | 9 | 10-18-2005 07:18 PM |
Sandkings By George R.R. Martin | Team7 | Reading Recommendations | 6 | 02-14-2005 09:51 PM |