3 ms·

I wonder what the minimum screen size is for this. I have a couple of old low-end terminals that might get new life if I could use them with WordPerfect.

kjs3 4y ago
It worked fine on a vt220 or Wyse 60.
toast0 4y ago
If this is just the old version of WordPerfect with some help to get it running on a modern system, I don't know why 80x24/25 would be too small... I certainly saw it running on a normal terminal back in the day.
- reaperducer 4y ago
  One of the machines I'm targeting is 60 wide, and another 40. But I'll give it a shot and see what happens!
  - toast0 4y ago
    Yeah, I was afraid about that. I'd guess you might have some trouble with a narrow terminal, but it's still worth trying. I remember word perfect not having much in the way of menus (thus the keyboard templates for the commands), so it might be no big deal.
prmoustache 4y ago
Do you really thing you would put aside your regular laptop to use an old terminal for writing? I mean I am all for recycling but if you already own something that can do more I have very little faith that anyone would regularly fire up an old power hungry machine to do one single task unless it does it significantly better than the newer one or some kind of compatibility factor forces it like needing a particular port/interface unavailable on newer machines.
- reaperducer 4y ago
  Do you really thing you would put aside your regular laptop to use an old terminal for writing? Yes. I already do. It provides focus and a chance for me to concentrate on my writing, rather than be distracted not only by a thousand notifications and temptations (Oh, let me just switch over and see if there's anything new on HN...), but also the mild background anxiety that comes from knowing interruption is just a push notification, or a Command-Tab away. I have very little faith that anyone would regularly fire up an old power hungry machine to do one single task Then you have very little faith in George R.R. Martin, who isn't shy about writing on a Kaypro II. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5REM-3nWHg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5REM-3nWHg
  - prmoustache 4y ago
    I think Terry Pratchett was doing the same, at list for a time, but with WordPerfect. But I think there is a huge difference in the fact that most of thoses authors still using old machines with old text processors[1] just follow a workflow they have been using for decades before newer computers were available. And the risk of distraction is pretty much the same if the laptop or the phone is sitting next to the dedicated machine. I don't think there are many newer authors deciding to look on ebay for old dos machines for writing. [1] there are also musicians still using cubase on Atari ST to drive other midi instruments, I also remember a documentary showing a camping owner who wrote is management softwares decades ago and who was still running it recently on an Atari ST or Amiga 500.
    - AlanYx 4y ago
      Neal Stephenson also recently reconfirmed that he still uses emacs for writing. I wonder if he's using it on a vintage machine or something modern?

kjs3 4y ago

It worked fine on a vt220 or Wyse 60.

toast0 4y ago

If this is just the old version of WordPerfect with some help to get it running on a modern system, I don't know why 80x24/25 would be too small... I certainly saw it running on a normal terminal back in the day.

reaperducer 4y ago
One of the machines I'm targeting is 60 wide, and another 40. But I'll give it a shot and see what happens!
- toast0 4y ago
  Yeah, I was afraid about that. I'd guess you might have some trouble with a narrow terminal, but it's still worth trying. I remember word perfect not having much in the way of menus (thus the keyboard templates for the commands), so it might be no big deal.

prmoustache 4y ago

Do you really thing you would put aside your regular laptop to use an old terminal for writing? I mean I am all for recycling but if you already own something that can do more I have very little faith that anyone would regularly fire up an old power hungry machine to do one single task unless it does it significantly better than the newer one or some kind of compatibility factor forces it like needing a particular port/interface unavailable on newer machines.

reaperducer 4y ago
Do you really thing you would put aside your regular laptop to use an old terminal for writing? Yes. I already do. It provides focus and a chance for me to concentrate on my writing, rather than be distracted not only by a thousand notifications and temptations (Oh, let me just switch over and see if there's anything new on HN...), but also the mild background anxiety that comes from knowing interruption is just a push notification, or a Command-Tab away. I have very little faith that anyone would regularly fire up an old power hungry machine to do one single task Then you have very little faith in George R.R. Martin, who isn't shy about writing on a Kaypro II. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5REM-3nWHg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5REM-3nWHg
- prmoustache 4y ago
  I think Terry Pratchett was doing the same, at list for a time, but with WordPerfect. But I think there is a huge difference in the fact that most of thoses authors still using old machines with old text processors[1] just follow a workflow they have been using for decades before newer computers were available. And the risk of distraction is pretty much the same if the laptop or the phone is sitting next to the dedicated machine. I don't think there are many newer authors deciding to look on ebay for old dos machines for writing. [1] there are also musicians still using cubase on Atari ST to drive other midi instruments, I also remember a documentary showing a camping owner who wrote is management softwares decades ago and who was still running it recently on an Atari ST or Amiga 500.
  - AlanYx 4y ago
    Neal Stephenson also recently reconfirmed that he still uses emacs for writing. I wonder if he's using it on a vintage machine or something modern?