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Re: AW5 vs WP 1.1 for 2e



appleworks51@yahoo.com wrote:

To some of the comments about too little, too late, I would say it was
more a case of too much, too late. While the UltraMacros capability
was included, it (a) included a default (built-in) macro set that was
way beyond the needs and scope of the average user, and (b) there were
no instructions - no manual or help to change or customize the default
macros, or add programs of their own. Few new users actually learned
the macro language or understood the capability (which was HUGE)
unless they were former macro-heads from the AppleWorks 3.0 days.

Nonetheless, many people became experts in programming UltraMacros,
producing advanced (but easy-to-use) programs which utilized the
AppleWorks interface, within AppleWorks itself.  While complicated,
the language was fascinating, elegant, and worked like a charm.

By "too little, too late" I was referring to "value to a mainline
user" (on whose backs any market success must rest), not to technical
capability.

As you note, AW4 and AW5.1 had *plenty* of capability, but it was
not easily accessible to the average user.

One of the signs of a product going to "end of life" is that
it begins to sprout bells, whistles, and kitchen sinks--kind of
a "last call" mentality.  ;-)

-michael

NadaNet file server for Apple II computers!
Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it's seriously underused."