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McTrinsic

Posted Fri Aug 23, 2019 11:33 pm

You might want to contact one of the guys who were part of the team back then.

Here he talks about how to get postscript fonts with excellence! if you have a PS printer. Also, the AREXX port might help in creating a export-engine.

Seems a funny guy with the examples of the test scripts in AREXX ;) .

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dansalvato
Boise, ID

Posted Mon Apr 06, 2020 11:54 am

I wanted to provide an update on my previous reply because I've acquired some new hardware since I last explored all the different Amiga word processing options.

I can say that excellence! is still by far my favorite Amiga word processor, but I recently acquired a ZZ9000 graphics card and have been exploring what I can do with the higher resolution and bit depth it provides.

Unfortunately, many legacy programs run on their own dedicated screen which cannot be adjusted, unless the program itself provides the option for it. excellence! is a Workbench 1.3-era program and thus doesn't include any 2.04+ screen mode features. So you can only switch between its built-in screen modes such as Hi-Res Interlaced, Productivity, and A2024.

However, I came across ModePro which is a program that allows you to force Workbench programs to open in a custom screen mode of your choice. Using ModeProPrefs, you just set it and forget it. Compatibility with old programs is not guaranteed, but since excellence! is already designed to scale its UI for multiple screen modes, I decided to give ModePro a shot, and lo and behold, it works flawlessly.

Below is a screenshot of excellence! running in 1024x768 resolution. There's so much room! I'm excited to grab all the bitmap fonts I can find and try them out, to see which I like the most.

Image

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walldog

Posted Sat Apr 25, 2020 6:51 pm

Going back to earlier posts I would like to say I was inspired to find WordPerfect sometime back and was able to do so. My version is 4.1. Have the complete boxed set and the disks actually worked! I've been typing a log of my Pool of Radiance activity on it.. Haha.. I successfully typed a letter on it and printed on a Cannon BJ200ex printer. Not bad. I used Amiga Explorer to copy the file over to windows 7 pc and opened fine in modern word with maybe a few minor clean up issues. Nothing big.

Was inspired also by a video Shot97 did on this subject.

In the day I thought MS word 6 WAS IT and I guess in the end it was. I didnt like or understand these DOS based Word Processors. Typed all High School stuff on Amiga that had GUI interface and loved it.

Now that I have WordPerfect its just my main WP on the Amiga. I like it. Its clean and works fine.

Now one thing I never tried was to use say Final Copy (which I also have) and or Excellence, create a file and then open the file in Amiga Word Perfect. THEN move over to PC! Is that a way to have best of all with a little juggling?

Would like to Credit folks like Shot and Amiga Love for bringing forward these creative Amiga topics and helps us users find new ways to enjoy the Amiga. Good Stuff!

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Shot97
Detroit, MI, USA

Posted Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:30 pm

Excellence's native file format is incompatible with anything else. Its extension is actually .doc, which was Word's for the longest time, but it's no use opening it up unless you want to do surgery. I mean it's all there in some form, much like you were saying with WordPerfect in modern versions of Word, but too much deleting and moving around if you ask me.

You can save in ASCII and have the breaks and such move over, which is what I do. Then anything decent will open it up just fine. WordPerfect could open an ASCII file from Excellence, but there's no point because you could just send the file straight to Windows.

WordPerfect has its own clipboard separate to the Amiga's. You can copy and paste things inside of WordPerfect, but it does not cooperate with the Amiga or any other programs, no use copy and pasting. I've tried numerous freeware apps from back in the day claiming to copy and paste WordPerfect to and from other programs with no luck. Amiga WordPerfect files will open up perfectly in newer versions of WordPerfect, FYI, with no messing around with anything. Word has always been bad with compatibility. I hear freeoffice also opens up WordPerfect files fine. I've also reviewed Excellence; always my favorite one, though of course WordPerfect does have its charm. Worth having a few of them to play around in.

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BatteMan
France

Posted Sun Apr 26, 2020 12:43 am

I tested InterWord, the version which was on a coverdisk of CU Amiga, and it can load ASCII files made on MorphOS easily.

For now, I just want to edit ASCII files and InterWord is perfect for this with a large view (in 2 colors).

I tested my KindWords 3 version and WordWorth 1, and they look very identical, maybe because WordWorth is the successor of KindWords! I also tried KindWord 1 (given here by Commodore with the Amiga 500, with FusionPaint, FA/18 Interceptor and Indy Last Crusade Action). Excellence! and WordPerfect are great too.
Too much softwares to test :shock: ;)

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walldog

Posted Sun Apr 26, 2020 1:22 pm

I am rather enjoying Word Perfect on the Amiga even without the GUI bells and wistles. In a perfect forming of retro goodness I am trying to learn Pool of Radiance on the A500. I am keeping a log after each game session in Word Perfect (happy to share that but no one seems interested haha).. There are things that are clunky (being kind) in the game so I am picking up bits and pieces of how to play from different sources. So... I regress.. I am taking the notes and consolidating the key points in another Word Perfect POR file.

Now as I type this the darn thing crashed.. Errrr

I thought I would get Shot attention with talking about word processing and DD in one post.. Haha..

Good times

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McTrinsic

Posted Sun Apr 26, 2020 1:30 pm

Actually I am *highly* interested in your documentary.

I started PoR some time ago in the GOG version with that helper companion on the PC.

It didn’t really work out for me. Amongst other things, these PC versions were way inferior to the Amiga versions.

Now that’s on my list to consider if I ever have enough time with my Amiga ;) .

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walldog

Posted Sun Apr 26, 2020 2:04 pm

McTrinsic wrote:
Sun Apr 26, 2020 1:30 pm
Actually I am *highly* interested in your documentary.

I started PoR some time ago in the GOG version with that helper companion on the PC.

It didn’t really work out for me. Amongst other things, these PC versions were way inferior to the Amiga versions.

Now that’s on my list to consider if I ever have enough time with my Amiga ;) .
McTrinsic encourage you to visit AmigaLove, followed by Shot97 review on POR. Also check out Shot97 youtube video on POR. Got me going. Now I am very poor at this game so far. Early stages. I would GLADLY send you my WP document log on the subject. Its great put you to sleep reading haha! Thank you for your interest!

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Shot97
Detroit, MI, USA

Posted Sun Apr 26, 2020 7:24 pm

A major complaint about WordPerfect from magazines after the fact was how buggy it was. I say after the fact because there was no shortage of near nauseating love poured onto it from Amiga magazines when it was new. That's my biggest complaint about it, they were so desperate at the time to have this PC product on the Amiga, like that was the ticket to all success; that they really refused to say anything negative about it. When WordPerfect corp was going to stop supporting the Amiga not so long after releasing it, magazines asked the readers to flood the mail and buy their products... and it worked to a degree, they continued to support WordPerfect on the Amiga and released minor versions until 1991 I think, but never another major version, and I think one or two other products.

Anyway, they did that until Excellence and some other graphical products came out which not only rivaled WordPerfect's features, but did it in an Amiga way. At that point they had no problems pointing out flaws to WordPerfect... I think Excellence was described by saying if you're dealing with words, Excellence is the best product and the only one that stands up to the powerful but annoying WordPerfect. They wouldn't have dared have said that originally, and journalisticly it makes me livid that they kissed their butts like that. Not worth it and you probably were responsible for the eventual death of WordPerfect and you certainly did the Amiga no favors either; By not challenging them to take advantage of the Amiga and acting like DOS was all you needed, you made sure WordPerfect treated Windows the exact same way, which destroyed them almost immediately because Microsoft put Word to good use in Windows.

Plenty of wonderful things about WordPerfect, but no shortage of issues either, and for a product that expensive at the time, that stuff was worth talking about.

Appreciate the looks into your Pool of Radiance journey, I've read your posts on it. Fantastic game that while having quality of life issues itself, there was simply NO other game I've ever played where the story stuck with me like that one. Post the screenshot, I know exactly where you're at and what's going on. Mapping, journal reading, the tremendous scope... and then that outdoor area... wow... They topped themselves with the wilderness in the original and it was never as good as that again.

User avatar
walldog

Posted Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:49 pm

Shot97 wrote:
Sun Apr 26, 2020 7:24 pm
A major complaint about WordPerfect from magazines after the fact was how buggy it was. I say after the fact because there was no shortage of near nauseating love poured onto it from Amiga magazines when it was new. That's my biggest complaint about it, they were so desperate at the time to have this PC product on the Amiga, like that was the ticket to all success; that they really refused to say anything negative about it. When WordPerfect corp was going to stop supporting the Amiga not so long after releasing it, magazines asked the readers to flood the mail and buy their products... and it worked to a degree, they continued to support WordPerfect on the Amiga and released minor versions until 1991 I think, but never another major version, and I think one or two other products.

Anyway, they did that until Excellence and some other graphical products came out which not only rivaled WordPerfect's features, but did it in an Amiga way. At that point they had no problems pointing out flaws to WordPerfect... I think Excellence was described by saying if you're dealing with words, Excellence is the best product and the only one that stands up to the powerful but annoying WordPerfect. They wouldn't have dared have said that originally, and journalisticly it makes me livid that they kissed their butts like that. Not worth it and you probably were responsible for the eventual death of WordPerfect and you certainly did the Amiga no favors either; By not challenging them to take advantage of the Amiga and acting like DOS was all you needed, you made sure WordPerfect treated Windows the exact same way, which destroyed them almost immediately because Microsoft put Word to good use in Windows.

Plenty of wonderful things about WordPerfect, but no shortage of issues either, and for a product that expensive at the time, that stuff was worth talking about.

Appreciate the looks into your Pool of Radiance journey, I've read your posts on it. Fantastic game that while having quality of life issues itself, there was simply NO other game I've ever played where the story stuck with me like that one. Post the screenshot, I know exactly where you're at and what's going on. Mapping, journal reading, the tremendous scope... and then that outdoor area... wow... They topped themselves with the wilderness in the original and it was never as good as that again.
Shot I am learning much Amiga knowledge both reading your information on Amiga Love and your Youtube channel. Nice job. I mean I am "into" word processing right now on Amiga. Some folks I am sure that is extremely boring or whatever but its true. Didnt know the history you mention above of WordPerfect etc. I am having fun using it right now. Typing a daily log of POR in WP..

I am pretty much trying to play POR due to AmigaLove review on here, your response and review to that AND your Youtube content on this game. Yeah man I am mapping the game! It IS part of the fun. I AM enjoying that experience. I am using the clue book and some may frown on that but I am still mapping and making my own notes. Im new folks take it easy on me!

Leaving the Library that spectre just hitting me hard. Battled several times. Best I can do is come out everyone alive and one of my main guys 2 level drain. That was my BEST result and I think Im gonna have to live with that and level him back up. He went from 3 back to 1. Part of the game right.

Appreciate your responses..





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