Microsoft Word 5.0a has been the standard cluster Macintosh word processor for several years now. This status quo is being disrupted, however, by the fact that you can no longer actually buy that version of Word. Support issues and continued compatibility demand that Academic Computing Services provide a word processor in our clusters that students can purchase to use on their own computers. Word 5.0a is also a relatively old program, and there is more recent technology we'd like to make available in our word processor.
Microsoft's most recent word processor, Word 6.0.1, presents Mac users with a problem: along with Word's new features come unrealistically high hardware demands. So high, in fact, that it does not run on 15% of our cluster machines, and is not recommended to be used on another 55%. Also, we maintain our cluster machines with a centralized file distribution system that has crippling problems with Word 6.0.1's hard-coded file pathways. For these reasons, Word 6.0.1 is simply not an option. Faced with this problem, ACS dove into the Macintosh word processor market to find something new.
Our winner was WordPerfect 3.1 from Novell. First and most importantly, WordPerfect can run on all Macintosh models. This doesn't mean, however, that we've had to compromise word processing power; WordPerfect not only has many of the same features as Word 5.0a such as an equation editor, a thesaurus, and an integrated graphics environment but also has many new features such as a quick correct function, recordable macros for automating repeated tasks, and an easily customizable interface. WordPerfect also works with our software distribution system. And it meets one of our most important criteria: it reads and writes Word 5.0a files in a way that is easy enough for anyone to use.
Thus, this summer, Academic Computing Services decided to switch our recommended and supported Macintosh word processor from Microsoft Word 5.0a to Novell's WordPerfect 3.1. We will be keeping Word 5.0a on our public machines for the remainder of this academic year, so if you are not going to be at Yale after this year, you probably don't need to switch. Those of you who will be here for a while longer should go ahead and convert now; Word 5.0a will not be available in the clusters after this year. Faculty should check out WordPerfect to see if you like it, but you don't necessarily need to switch -WordPerfect, as mentioned before, can read and write Word files, so students can still turn in work you can open in Word.
We understand that learning a new word processor will be a hassle, but you will have allies. WordPerfect manuals will be provided at each of the five public clusters, along with a special hand-out detailing core word processing tasks (footnotes, endnotes, etc.). Also on your side is WordPerfect's real-time on-screen help which will show you how easy it is to use. See, switching won't be that hard.
By the time you read this, WordPerfect 3.5 should be out and available. One of the most exciting new features will be support of HyperText Markup Language. It can convert a word processing document into HTML for you, which means no more excuses about why you haven't made yourself a home page! Also, you can use HyperText Links within and between documents which, those of you who have explored the WWW know, will make navigation around a long document like, say, a dissertation, a breeze. Check out Richard Beck's article in this issue for more information about WordPerfect. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to send me e-mail: <will.buttram@yale.edu>