Attn: DeScribe - A suggestion list.
jse...@ibm.net
>Attn: DeScribe - Some suggestions for improving your product.
>
>
>Jim Whitelaw
>j...@oanet.com
>
>
Thanks for the suggestions.
***************************************
* John Serences [DeScribe]
*
* email: jse...@ibm.net
* compuserve: 75010,1356
***************************************
DeScribe, Inc.
>Attn: DeScribe - Some suggestions for improving your product.
>
>it, I've never really been able to get out of it as much as I think I
>........clipped...........................
>....................................
>Jim Whitelaw
>j...@oanet.com
>
>
Thanks for the long and thoughtful post. A number of your suggestions have
been implemented in the latest cut of DeScribe 5, i.e. floating palate. If you
download the demo from http://www.describe.com you may find many of the
user interface improvements you seek.
There has not been a rev number increase in DeScribe 5 because of the way
we implemented changes in the product. Having periodic rev releases is an
labor intensive, time consuming process. Instead, over the last year, the
Voyager CD build has been changed 10 times. Each time many new features and
improvements were inserted in the product with far less testing tran has been
traditionally required on a revision. Because the retail channel carries very little
stock we were able to obtain almost instantaneous feedback on the incremental
changes. If there were problems, they were fixed immediately before the next
CD pressing. That process has now ended with the Zeus cut of Voyager which
has the Athena SS. We are not currently planning new features for DeScribe 5.
Now what? We haven't decided. We are discussing having users submit a list
of features desired. We already have a list of 170 with colored text and HTML
editing at the top. We would then have a vote off via the Web page.
Thoughts?
David Rosky
>
>There has not been a rev number increase in DeScribe 5 because of the way
>we implemented changes in the product. Having periodic rev releases is an
>labor intensive, time consuming process. Instead, over the last year, the
>Voyager CD build has been changed 10 times. Each time many new features and
>improvements were inserted in the product with far less testing tran has been
>traditionally required on a revision. Because the retail channel carries very little
>stock we were able to obtain almost instantaneous feedback on the incremental
>changes. If there were problems, they were fixed immediately before the next
>CD pressing. That process has now ended with the Zeus cut of Voyager which
>has the Athena SS. We are not currently planning new features for DeScribe 5.
>
>Now what? We haven't decided. We are discussing having users submit a list
>of features desired. We already have a list of 170 with colored text and HTML
>editing at the top. We would then have a vote off via the Web page.
>
>Thoughts?
>
I too have the DeScribe 5 Voyager package and am generally happy with it. It
is definitely a good value. The above post does leave me with a question,
however. Do owners of the 10 intermediate versions of the Voyager CD have
an upgrade option other than the full retail price of a new Voyager? If so, how
should one excersise this option? In my own case, it is moot since I have sent in
my Voyager CD for the Athena combo exchange, but I thought I would ask the question
for the benefit of others who may not be interested in Mesa/2.
To me, DeScribe already has a relatively complete feature set, and most of the
suggestions that I have would be for useability enhancements or incremental
improvements to the existing features such as more options for borders in frames
and tables, the ability to change table column widths by dragging a mouse, the
ability to automatically re-size the width of a table to fit it's frame, the
ability to automatically center frames on a page and graphics objects within
a frame, colored text, more drawing tools, and the ablity to *export* windows
metafiles and Word 6 format. There are more, but these are some of the ones that
I have run into recently. I think that collecting a list of user-suggested
refinements on the DeScribe web page is an excellent idea. Even though I think that
there are some features missing as stated above, I think that the DeScribe developers
have been correct to place the first priority on implementing a relatively
solid foundation of functionality and then adding the bells and whistles later.
These bells and whistles do need to be added soon though for the product to
remain competitive.
--Dave Rosky
gro...@gv.ssi1.com
Harri Kaukovuo
>Attn: DeScribe - Some suggestions for improving your product.
>
>I've owned DeScribe for quite some time, and though I generally like
>it, I've never really been able to get out of it as much as I think I
>6.0 for Win, and IBM Works more than DeScribe, even though I know that
>DeScribe is equal to or better than those others in many ways. It all
>comes down to useability, not functionality. I find the other apps
>generally make it easier to get stuff done. DeScribe is eminently
>capable, but has been a bear to learn. Yes, I know it's not Word, and
>and we're not in Windows anymore Toto, but it still seems that
>changing over is more trouble than it's worth. Perhaps more time
>spent with the manual would help. That's probably true, though I've
>done plenty with Word 6.0, and never cracked the manual. It just
>seemed to come naturally. <shrug>
>
>I first bought DeScribe as part of the Advocate Beta program for
>DeScribe 4.1 (which turned out to be 5.0). My current version is
>5.0H, dated January, 1995. I recently pondered upgrading to the
>Enterprise version, and declined. I really want to like DeScribe, I
>thnk it has good potential, but seems to fall short just a bit.
>
>My reasons FOR upgrading were:
>
>- The cross-platform versions
>- The new dictionaries and minor program enhancements
>- Having it on CD instead of diskette
>- Supporting an OS/2 ISV
>
>My reasons AGAINST upgrading were:
>
>- I've never really been able to use it as much as I wanted
>- DeScribe Inc seems a bit weird at times, what with:
> - the anti-piracy licensing debacle
> - a few nasty-ish messages here from Eric Lennane
> ("If you don't like DeScribe, there are plenty of other word
> processors out there" - this is not a customer-oriented
> outlook, folks...)
> - their propensity to not accept blame for product deficiencies.
> ("The import filters are done by a third party, it's not our
> fault" or "the provider of the equation editor won't do an
> OS/2 version, you'll have to use the DOS product")
>- A general gut feeling that DeScribe isn't as active upgrading
>the product as they are re-packaging it to sell in bookstores. My
>version is over a year old, and the current upgrade is still at the same
>revision level.
>
>(That isn't to say I don't like the Voyageur marketing strategy. I
>think it is the way software should be sold. Make the product
>accessible and affordable. Let those who need support pay for it.
>Sounds like a fine plan to me, and it seems to be working for
>DeScribe. Kudos to them.)
>
>Notice none of my reasons for not upgrading have anything to do with
>the ability of the product itself.
>
>So, now that that is said, here's my list of suggestions for DeScribe.
>
>The first four I consider crucial for DeScribe, the others are worth
>addressing, but not as important IMO as the first ones. If the first
>ones aren't addressed, I'll likely never upgrade the product. I'll
>move on to something else, or stick with the tools I already have.
>I'd really like to see DeScribe respond to this list here in this
>forum, I think it would do a world of good to let us all see
>a positive response to some customer suggestions, and perhaps an
>indication of future directions for the product. Of course, I could
>send this privately to DeScribe, and probably will, but since
>DeScribe seems to have shown some willingness to discuss the product
>openly here, I figured I'd take advantage of that and see what the
>reaction is.
>
>The List:
>
>1) Do some useability testing.
>
>DeScribe is a very capable word processor, but accessing some of the
>features can be brutally difficult. Get some people who've never used
>DeScribe to sit down with it and accomplish a number of common tasks.
>Find out what is difficult, and make it easier. Example:
>Automatically placing the print date into the document would seem to
>logically fit under Edit --> Insert, not Utilities --> Glossaries -->
>Paste. IBM Works makes this easy, as does Word. Some "How do I ..."
>type help system would be nice.
>
>2) Ship some pre-built alternate menu and key-command sets.
>
>At the very least provide compatability with Word, WordPerfect, AmiPro
>and probably even WordStar. Yes, we all know that it is possible to
>remap the key commands and customize the menus, but if the
>new user of DeScribe has to spend several hours or even days doing
>that before they can get productive, they're not going to do it. On
>the other hand, if they can immediately remodel DeScribe to act like
>Word, then they're much more likely to work with it, and will
>eventually learn how DeScribe can/does do things a bit differently,
>maybe even better. If DeScribe wants to gain converts, this would go a
>heck of a long way to easing the transition from other products.
>
>3) Add ability to edit/export HTML format files.
>
>Extensive capabilities are not necessary, the ability to quickly
>import documents from any word processor format, apply some basic
>styles to the text, and save as a valid HTML doc is. Despite having
>and liking DeScribe, I end up using Word 6.0 w/ Internet Assistant to
>get this kind of thing done. Incidentally, there are messages
>concerning this feature from nearly a year ago on DeTails (DeScribe
>BBS). The answer at that time was that some DeScribe users were
>working on some HTML macros. Sorry, that isn't good enough.
>
>This should be in the product already - we all know Lotus will have it
>when SS/WordPro is released because the Windows versions already do.
>Smaller companies are supposed to be quicker to move and more
>innovative. If the plodding Lotus beats DeScribe to market with this
>kind of stuff, then something is really wrong.
>
>Incidentally, if DeScribe Inc gets their market share clobbered
>by Lotus, it won't be because Lotus SS is bundled with IBM hardware
>(as seems to be the concern from a few messages posted here) it will
>be because the product didn't keep up.
>
>
>4) Provide more intelligent spell-checking.
>
>Start with dynamic spell checking a la Word. A multithreaded
>application should be a natural for this kind of thing. Run the spell
>checking routine on a separate thread, and highlight misspelled
>words as they are typed. Add the ability to auto-correct frequently
>mis-typed words like "teh" instead of "the", and fix stuff like when
>the capslock setting accidentally gets rEVERSED.
>
>5) Numerous little things:
>
>- Add a word count option as a status bar item - it's tedious to use
>Words --> Readbility when all you really want is a running total of
>your document word count.
>
>- The icons. Some are fine, some are a bit ugly. This one isn't
>particularly important to me personally, but it does score high in the
>"first impressions" dept. At the very least allow some way of
>grouping them. Spacing them out a wee bit, changing the shading
>somewhat and allowing them to display more colours would help too.
>Notice that while the usual 3D shading we see on buttons has the
>"light source" in the top left or NW direction, with the "shadows" on
>the bottom right or SE. Now look at things like the Font icon and the
>1,2, 3,... icons - light source is in the top right. Incongruous.
>(I know I can change the icons, but I'm sorry, I have better things to
>do with my time than edit icons.) Also, to be fair, the problem of
>garish icons isn't restricted to DeScribe, it seems to be common in
>OS/2 programs.
>
>- How about some help for users coming from other products? This goes
>along with #2 above. Most people aren't using DeScribe as their first
>word processor. Provide some help for those who already know
>something else. The menus in #2 would help a lot, so would dynamic
>help or tips for WP and Word users.
>
>- Make the bubble help pop up automatically. Word does it, and Object
>Desktop shows us it can be done in OS/2, so DeScribe should too.
>While you're at it, allow editing of the font used as well as the
>colours. The RMB should popup a context menu, either for the tool, or
>for the toolbar itself.
>
>- Allow more than one toolbar to be loaded, or better yet dynamically
>change the toolbar depending on what the user is editing. EG: When I
>click on a drawing, display the drawing tools. When I'm editing a
>table, display the tables tools.
>
>- Allow for floating toolbars outside the main DeScribe window. Lack
>of this is a major impediment to using floating toolbars because
>they're always covering part of your document. The Undo dialog can be
>outside the main window, why can't the toolbars?
>
>- Make the Undo and Zoom dialogs non-modal. That is, let me keep
>them displayed all the time in a separate window so I can switch
>quickly from say, adjusting the Zoom and editing the document.
>
>- Put Zoom on the main document RMB popup context menu as a
>conditional cascade with the 8 options offered on the Zoom dialog
>buttons.
>
>- Stationery is a good idea but poorly explained in the online help.
>There is info on the Stationery Manager, but no clear explanation of
>what it is, and why use it.
>
>- Add ability to show coloured text. I realize this would mean a major
>change to the way DeScribe presently handles the display, (I was told
>by a DeScribe developer one time that DeScribe uses a mono display for
>speed purposes), but if it is an option, those of us with the hardware
>to handle a coloured display can take advantage of it. The present
>kludge of incorporating coloured text as graphics doesn't cut it IMO.
>
>There is probably more, but that's all I have time for right now. I'm
>very interested to see a response from DeScribe. I'll probably also
>get told by at least one person that what I want is already in there
>if I'd just RTFM. Well, you're probably right, but my point is that
>it's obscure enough that I *haven't* found it yet, and it should be
>easier to figure out.
>
>
>Jim Whitelaw
>j...@oanet.com
This seems pretty reasonable suggestion list. I agree that it would
be a very nice feature to have Word -like setup, because I am former
Word user and used to find things from certain places.
Giving Word or WP -like feel would be just helping users to adopt
DeScribe better and faster.
I was wondering this bubble help thing. I haven't seen any other product
where bubble help has to be invoked pressing mouse right button.
-- Harri
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Harri Kaukovuo "Nuoruuden voi tuhlata muttei saastaa"
142 Elm Street #204 -Pelle Miljoona
San Mateo, Ca 94401,USA Email: tiij...@dsp.com
Dan Fowler
I'm very glad that DeScribe's representatives are reacting positively
to Jim's comments and planning user involvement in determining the
future direction of the product. As a DeScribe customer and owner of
four word processors, I would like to heartily echo all of Jim's comments.
DeScribe's performance and feature set have made it the most heavily-used
of my word processors. However, significant improvement could be made
by paying particular attention to:
- usability, as Jim suggests. Many times I've had to consult the DeScribe
manual (after first checking the online help) for tasks which were
performed in amipro without consulting any help. Please select one or
more sets of users and have them perform a set of basic tasks: writing text,
changing fonts, creating tables, creating footnotes, inserting pictures, etc.
Feel free to post drafts of user tasks to this forum for comment. Ideally,
test users with different backgrounds: novice users as well as users of
other word processors. Focus on basic tasks but feel free to test any
of the more sophisticated tasks with an appropriate group of users. Please
test early, make changes, and then retest as often as possible.
- building on the strengths of the current version. Performance, the ability to
customize the DeScribe interface, and the ability to import/export from a
myriad of formats are what I see as the key strengths to DeScribe. Please
don't compromise these strengths as you make changes.
- following Jim's recommendations. His list of suggested enhancements is great.
I agree with your assessment as well: colored text and html editing should
be high priority.
- working with IBM and other vendors to improve the quality of printer device
drivers. Share results of your printer testing with them and add your
clout to that of os/2 users to push for better printing options.
- I'd like to add another shameless plug for features that would allow me
to get rid of one of my most commonly-used windows apps: print shop deluxe.
Please add capabilities for making banners and cards and provide us print
shop owners with a viable os2 alternative.
Thanks for "listening".
Dan
--
Dan Fowler email: sas...@unx.sas.com
Austin QA Dept phone: 512-258-5171
SAS Institute
PO Box 200075 You don't need a weatherman
11920 Wilson Parke Ave to know which way the wind blows.
Austin Tx 78726-4052 Bob Dylan
tho...@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu
> Add the ability to auto-correct frequently mis-typed words like "teh"
> instead of "the",
DeScribe already has this capability.
Richard Steiner
spake unto us, saying:
>Now what? We haven't decided. We are discussing having users submit a
>list of features desired. We already have a list of 170 with colored
>text and HTML editing at the top. We would then have a vote off via
>the Web page.
Interesting idea. Having a web page voting mechanism (and perhaps some
kind of paper method for those not online?) would give us a feeling that
we have some say in the direction the product is going. That'd be a
positive thing, I think.
--
-Rich Steiner >>>---> rste...@skypoint.com >>>---> Bloomington, MN
Written offline using PC Yarn + Yes + TDE in a Warp VDM
I'm not worthless! I can always serve as a bad example!
Adam J. Thornton
>This seems pretty reasonable suggestion list. I agree that it would
>be a very nice feature to have Word -like setup, because I am former
>Word user and used to find things from certain places.
And all you need is for someone to sit down for a day or two and create
Word-style menus and button bars. Which would save a zillion users the
trouble of doing it themselves, plus you'd have an option, only a click
away, to pretend you were in Word, WP, Word Pro, Wordstar, or whatever. If
there are any other WPs out there that do this I don't know about them
(Word's WP interface is all I can think of, and it isn't really that
complete, IIRC).
>I was wondering this bubble help thing. I haven't seen any other product
>where bubble help has to be invoked pressing mouse right button.
Welcome to CUA91 (? 93 maybe?). That's context-sensitive help, not "bubble
help," and is completely within the OS/2 paradigm, and, apparently, much
like what Win95 does. I find bubble help greatly annoying, myself. I much
prefer to have to _ask_ for help.
Adam
--
ad...@phoenix.princeton.edu | Viva HEGGA! | Save the choad! | 64,928 | Fnord
"Double integral is also the shape of lovers curled asleep":Pynchon | Linux
Thanks for letting me rearrange the chemicals in your head. | Team OS/2
You can have my PGP passphrase when you pry it from my cold, dead brain.
tho...@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu
>> Jim Whitelaw writes:
> No it hasn't.
Balderdash. Try typing "teh" in DeScribe and watch it automatically fix
the error for you.
> Describe uses a pre-built glossary for that purpose,
Irrelevant; the remark was about the capability, not how the capability
is implemented. My response was about the capability, not how the
capability is implemented.
> not the language modules. If you use another language like me, the
> feature is not available.
How does the use of another language disable the glossary feature?
Can't you provide glossary entries for similarly frequently misspelled
words, in whatever language?
Thomas Almy
>2. I agree that the program is too hard to use.
> I could figure out how to do anything
> I wanted to do, but it required too much reliance on the book.
>3. Some things that should be natural are not. For example, I made up a table
> then wanted to put a title on the top. After much frustration trying to
> get the cursor to get in front of the table, I gave up and copied the table
> to a new page which had some leading hard returns at the top.
I think the problem really is that DeScribe is so different than anything
else, not that it's really more difficult. So intuition works against you.
Your item #3 is a case in point. You can't move the cursor before the table
because, as you discovered, you didn't leave room. In Wordperfect, everything
is based on embedded codes, so you can move before the table code. DeScribe
is based on frames. When you put that table at the top of the page frame,
that's where it's going to stay! However if you create a new text frame where
you want to put the table, then you can put the table in that frame and
*move* the frame, and the table, wherever you want it. The trick is you have
to think *frames*, which is not intuitive unless you have used a wordprocessor
based on this concept before.
--
Tom Almy -- tom....@tek.com
Standard Disclaimers Apply, including:
"Any ideas or opinions expressed here do not necessarily
reflect the ideas or opinions of my employer."
Adam J. Thornton
Word: can Describe automatically correct bicapitalization?
I often don't get my pinky off the shift key in time, leading to mistakes
like "THe problem is..." Is there any way, short of entering a list of all
the words I'm likely to miscapitalize, to get DeScribe to fix this for me?
John Ominor
>In article <DnrzJ...@news.hawaii.edu>, tho...@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu writes:
>|> Jim Whitelaw writes:
>|>
>|> > Add the ability to auto-correct frequently mis-typed words like "teh"
>|> > instead of "the",
>|>
>|> DeScribe already has this capability.
>language modules. If you use another language like me, the feature is not
>available.
>Thomas Vandahl [Team OS/2] Technical University of Ilmenau
>eMail: Thomas....@E-Technik.TU-Ilmenau.DE P.O.Box 0565, D-98684 Ilmenau
>
I am John Ominor, The Inhuman. You can add words to the glossary.
Or inquire about a glossary for your specific language, but it does possess
this featur.
____________________________________________________________________
John Ominor
dmc...@mailhost.mnsinc.com
Deep in your hearts you realized that
you are wrong and Ominor is correct.
The Inhuman's Lair located at http://dmccoy.mnsinc.com 7-11pm EST
____________________________________________________________________
rj friedman
(Chris Gree
n) writes:
¯
¯fkr...@math.jpl.nasa.gov wrote:
¯> 4. MOST IMPORTANT. The help is not nearly as useful as it should
be. Everytime
¯> I did a search, first I had to click on "all libraries", then
seach. Frequently
¯> it found what I was looking for. A description of the topic, all
the information
¯> needed except what I really wanted. That is, just what keys or
menu items did one
¯> use to get at the feature. This is inexcusable.
¯I'm always hitting this problem too! It's not only a DeScribe
¯problem, it's common to a number of other applications but it's
¯particularly bad in DeScribe. One way to solve it would be to have
¯'back pointers' in the help system which navigate back from the
feature
¯one has found with search up through the menus which select it.
I'll put my vote in for a 'How To Get There' for each feature
description. I can't count the times I have walked away frustrated
when, after finding out how a feature worked, I couldn't figure out
how to get to it.
¯Chris Green
ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍËÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
º[RJ] ºTeam ABW º
ºrj friedman ºr...@tpts1.seed.net.tw º
ºTaipei, Taiwan ºr...@mail.sysnet.net.tw º
ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÊÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ
rj friedman
(Thomas Almy)
writes:
Ż
ŻIn article <4hhte0$8...@netline-fddi.jpl.nasa.gov>
fkr...@math.jpl.nasa.gov writes:
Ż>2. I agree that the program is too hard to use.
Ż> I could figure out how to do anything
Ż> I wanted to do, but it required too much reliance on the book.
Ż>3. Some things that should be natural are not. For example, I made
up a table
Ż> then wanted to put a title on the top. After much frustration
trying to
Ż> get the cursor to get in front of the table, I gave up and copied
the table
Ż> to a new page which had some leading hard returns at the top.
Ż
ŻI think the problem really is that DeScribe is so different than
anything
Żelse, not that it's really more difficult. So intuition works against
you.
Ż
ŻYour item #3 is a case in point. You can't move the cursor before the
table
Żbecause, as you discovered, you didn't leave room...
ŻDeScribe
Żis based on frames. When you put that table at the top of the page
frame,
Żthat's where it's going to stay! However if you create a new text
frame where
Żyou want to put the table, then you can put the table in that frame
and
Ż*move* the frame, and the table, wherever you want it. The trick is
you have
Żto think *frames*, which is not intuitive unless you have used a
wordprocessor
Żbased on this concept before.
True enough - but Describe should handle frames more elegantly than it
does - like automatically creating a frame for the table - not using
the 'background' (or master) frame for it. Or else, allow you to place
the cursor in the first cell and give you the option of creating a
text paragraph before it.
ŻTom Almy
ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍËÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
ş[RJ] şTeam ABW ş
şrj friedman şr...@tpts1.seed.net.tw ş
şTaipei, Taiwan şr...@mail.sysnet.net.tw ş
ČÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍĘÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍĽ
tho...@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu
>> How does the use of another language disable the glossary feature?
>> Can't you provide glossary entries for similarly frequently misspelled
>> words, in whatever language?
> Yes I can. My point was, however, that I have to build the whole thing on my
> own for the German language.
If that was your point, then why did you say DeScribe can't do it?
> The glossary thing is nice but to limited to be accepted as a spell checker.
DeScribe has a spell checker as well, not just the glossary feature.
jse...@ibm.net
You can insert paragraphs in front of a table. Put your cursor in the first
row of a table and 'split' the table (ctrl+shift+enter).
Chris Green
> >problem, it's common to a number of other applications but it's
> >particularly bad in DeScribe.
>
> Compared to Windows help OS/2 help is worthless. IBM should consider
> changing OS/2' s help to be like Win95's Help.
>
I wasn't pointing the finger specifically at OS/2, in my experience
Windows applications are just as bad for example Paradox for Windows
has just this same problem in a big way.
--
Chris Green at The Direct Connection cgr...@dircon.co.uk
Home: ch...@isbd.demon.co.uk CIX: cgr...@cix.compulink.co.uk
Work: cgr...@bcs.org.uk Compuserve: 100023,657
ji...@oanet.com
>>words as they are typed. Add the ability to auto-correct frequently
>>mis-typed words like "teh" instead of "the", and fix stuff like when
>>the capslock setting accidentally gets rEVERSED.
>
>I am John Ominor, The Inhuman. Describe 5.0 already possesses these
>features. Look at the glossary.
While the auto-lookup is handy, it's not the same as actually using the dictionary to verify
all the word spellings as you type. It relies on putting the misspelling into the glossary.
I can think of lots of ways to misspell something like "stoichiometry", and I don't want to
have to create glossary entries for every possible misspelling. What I do want is to be
notified if I type something not in the dictionary. It's almost the reverse process from glossary
lookups.
>>- Add a word count option as a status bar item - it's tedious to use
>>Words --> Readbility when all you really want is a running total of
>>your document word count.
>
>You can create a macro in about a minute to do this.
I tried. The only related macro command listed in the Macro Reference is one to
display the Readability dialog. I could not find any macro function to simply
count words, nor any way to have it count as I go, nor to place the number in the
status line.
>The dynamic spell checking is hardly obscure. Perusal of the manual is
>always a wise strategy before attempting to use any non-trivial software.
Obscure? It's not even in there. I've just explained the difference between doing lookups,
and actually spell-checking.
Jim Whitelaw
j...@oanet.com
Thomas Vandahl
|> Admitted, it should be easier. Part of problem is strict adherance to reliance
|> on data supplied by printer drivers. Still, it could be improved. Suggestion has
|> been registered.
As we talk about printer drivers: John Serences of Describe was so kind as to
post a way to use different printer bins for the first and the following pages
of a document. He told me that this would be a hack to overcome the problem
that one cannot select a printer bin in a kosher way with an API.
Maybe there is a solution for this problem. My understanding of OS/2s print
system is that a printer object has to be used for a certain setting of paper
size and orientation. So I suggest to add a feature to Describe to define a
page layout and assign it to a certain printer object. Documents should be
allowed to contain more that one page layout. This way the program is able to
print a document on different printer objects (which can naturally point to
the same physical printer) and solve the problem of switching the orientation
of a page in a document, solve the problem of using different printer bins in
a document and possibly many more.
What do you think?
j...@oanet.com
>Thanks for the long and thoughtful post. A number of your suggestions have
>been implemented in the latest cut of DeScribe 5, i.e. floating palate. If you
>download the demo from http://www.describe.com you may find many of the
>user interface improvements you seek.
First off, thanks for the response. I was hoping for a bit more specific info on what changes
are being planned, but I appreciate your message nonetheless.
I did have a very brief look at the demo. Problem is, my only upgrade option is to
actually purchase the program over again. I realize the price for Voyager (or the
Enterprise upgrade) is fairly reasonable, but it seems kind of strange to have
to purchase the same product at the same version level to get incremental upgrades.
I thought the policy when I signed and returned my Continuing License agreement was
that I was going to receive upgrades from time to time. Perhaps that policy ended with
the introduction of the non-expiring version. To be honest, I found the whole thing confusing.
At any rate, it would be nice to be able to get some kind of a "refresh" of the product, without
having to go buy it all over again. I don't need a new manual, after all.
What *is* the current policy regarding entitlement of current users of DeScribe to the
'slipstreamed' upgrades?
>Now what? We haven't decided. We are discussing having users submit a list
>of features desired. We already have a list of 170 with colored text and HTML
>editing at the top. We would then have a vote off via the Web page.
I applaud your new(?) 'openness' policy regarding user feedback. However, I'm a bit
surprised that work on the next version isn't well underway already. I need
things like HTML editing *now*, and have to use something else to do it. I generally
like DeScribe, and I'd like to be able to use a native OS/2 (or cross platform) product to
get my work done. With the expectation that Lotus SS will be out by mid year or perhaps
in the fall, that doesn't leave much time for DeScribe to get an overhauled WordPro killer
out the door. As I mentioned before, I think your biggest threat from Lotus will be feature set,
not preloading.
Jim Whitelaw
j...@oanet.com
John Ominor
I am John Ominor, The Inhuman. You have made your point and are correct.
Perhaps Describe should license SpellGuard as Innoval has. If not, perhaps
you should consider this. It is an interactive spell checker.
Chris Green
>
> At any rate, it would be nice to be able to get some kind of a "refresh" of the product, without
> having to go buy it all over again. I don't need a new manual, after all.
>
> What *is* the current policy regarding entitlement of current users of DeScribe to the
> 'slipstreamed' upgrades?
>
receipt of roof that you own a version 5 CD. You may have to return
your current CD.