Re: Appleworks GS

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

Eric <chippys@earthlink.net> wrote:

>no <no_spam_tarage@microsoft.bellsouth.net> writes:
>
>>Hey, what do you guys know about Appleworks GS?
>
>Some of us know quite a bit.

It is much better than classic AppleWorks for my
purposes which was basically to word process and
page layout with TrueType fonts on an ink-jet
printer.  There was no way classic AppleWorks
could do the same things for me while with AWGS,
my IIGS could generate the same output as Macs
and PCs of the time.  This was one reason I didn't
jump on the PC bandwagon until recently.  AWGS
allowed my IIGS to be my only computer for much
much longer than would otherwise have been
possible.  In fact, I still use AWGS quite often.

>>Does it recognize usual Appleworks files? Does it write
>>them, or store them in a different format?
>
>It definitely does not write them as classic Appleworks files.
>It stores them in it's own format. There is a File Type note
>from Apple that describes the AWGS word processing
>file layout on disk. None of the other modules' formats
>were published. My understanding is that the data base,

BUT with the LaserWriter driver, you can print the
output to disk as a PostScript file which could then
be loaded into any PC or Mac program supporting
PostScript (.ps) files.  This is a powerful way to load
scalable documents from AWGS word processing,
page layout, or the paint (draw) module to a PC or
Mac.

I find getting stuff from AWGS to my PC to be a
snap compared to trying to get formatted classic
AppleWorks documents to the PC for this very
reason.

>spread sheet and the other modules do a memory dump to disk
>and therefore aren't really formatted. I am not familiar
>with classic Appleworks after version 2.0 so I'll let
>others tell you about recognition of Appleworks files
>directly but I do know that spreadsheets saved as tab
>delimited text files can easily be imported, as can
>delimited text data bases and of course text word
>processing files. I did this for many years to move
>spread sheets between MS-Excel and AWGS.

That's the way DB and SS module files must be
transferred, yes.  Luckily, for those who use mainly
WP, paint (draw), and Page Layout modules, there
is always the PostScript option.

>>How about improvements/benefits of GS vs usual Appleworks?
>
>The most notable "improvement" is the GUI interface.
>Long time classic Appleworks users will probably
>dispute this as an improvement (which is why I put
>it in quotes). The Page Layout Module is the
>biggest improvement over classic Appleworks,
>next would probably be the addition of a Paint module.
>It is not the top of the line paint module ever made
>for the IIGS but it is quite adequate, in spite of
>it's dithered colors.

But it IS far superior to any other IIGS paint program
I've used and the reason is not any feature but the
fact that this is a SCALABLE paint program.  Many
of the tools are actually DRAW tools which use
QuickDraw.  Try to print a Platinum Paint file to a
high resolution printer and you get jagged results.
In stark contrast, AWGS printouts remain sharp
and true even on the highest resolution printers the
IIGS supports (such as 1200x1200 PostScript
laser printers, for example).  OR print to disk using
the LaserWriter driver and you get a PostScript file
that you can load into your PC or Mac.  Because
paint files of AWGS can be resolution independent,
your creations will look great on the PC or Mac too.

>Keep in mind also that classic Appleworks continued
>to be developed long after AWGS was taken off
>the market so AWGS doesn't have features like
>a relational database that classic Appleworks 5.x
>has. Texas II could tell you more about the
>newer versions of classic Appleworks.

AWGS will mainly appeal to users intending to
word process, draw, and page layout.

>One other thing to mention, AWGS tends to be a
>little buggy and can corrupt files if great care is
>not taken. The more memory you have in the
>IIGS the less chance you will have of corrupted
>files. Supertimer has reported he has 8MB
>of memory and has no problems with AWGS.
>I ran AWGS for years with 4MB and never
>lost a file, but I was careful to shift-boot when
>I used it to keep as much memory free for
>it as possible. Another way to be safe is to
>never, ever pre-load the modules. Also,
>it is prudent to always "Save as..." rather
>than to "Save" a file and to "Save as..." often.

Save works for me, but I too always never preload
modules.  I never did it because with a hard drive,
preloading actually wastes time and now knowing
there is a bug in the feature keeps me from trying
it.  ;-)

But yes, the more memory AWGS has the more
stable it becomes.  It reminds me of Windows and
Mac programs actually.

I do keep two alternating saved versions of my
documents at all times.  I do this on my PC too.
It is simply a safe practice that should be used
regardless of the program or computer.  Unless
your program has an automatic backup feature
that is.  This is one area where classic AW the
newer versions are better at because they DO
have the feature.

>I liked AWGS much more that classic Appleworks
>but others will have liked classic Appleworks
>better. It's a personal thing, I think.

I second your motion.

>If you have any specific questions on how
>to use the program just ask here or on delphi. Joe Kohn
>of Shareware Solutions II is an expert on
>the Page Layout Module and he visits
>here occasionally. My expertise was in
>the Spreadsheet and Data base modules and
>I visit here occasionally too. I'm sure others
>know a lot also, as it was a pretty popular
>program in it's day (although the user base
>was much smaller than classic Appleworks).

The one thing I liked about the database was the
ability to include graphics in it and to "draw" the
fields.  However, I kind of lost interest in it after
HyperCard for the Apple IIGS came out because
it could do the same thing and much more.

However, there are quite interesting things you can
program AWGS database to do.  There's one set
of macros for the database out there that will print
postnet codes on envelepes.  For those outside
the US, postnet is a postal bar code system used
in the United States for computers to auto-route
letters.