3 ms·

So cool, but this is just retro fun right? No real practical application.

glimshe 2y ago
WordPerfect is excellent. After some writers like George R R Martin revealed their taste for DOS-era word processors, some people have been trying the classic, distraction-free writing experience. WordPerfect is one option.
- rosmax_1337 2y ago
  But how is this better than a terminal based text editor, like vim, emacs, nano, etc? I suppose there is a miniscule group of people who would rather used a terminal-gui rather than learn to use basic markup for emphasis and such. But I don't think this preference is rational, it's just retro fun. Which in some ways is rational. What I'm saying is that these applications have some real merit over a the standard bloated desktop environment graphical word processor. But that a true simple terminal text editor, maybe even one which uses ctrl+c and ctrl+v, with markdown formatting or whatever is the next logical step after learning the lessons of these distraction free writing experiences. And one might even add that desktop based graphical text editors like VS Code, etc, can achieve a similar degree of distraction free text editing, while allowing for standard file dialog interactions which simple users recognize.
  - codr7 2y ago
    Calling VS Code distraction free is a bit of a stretch, it feels more like a resurrection of Clippy to me when writing code.
    - rosmax_1337 2y ago
      It does that when writing code. If you write plain text files it doesn't bother you.
  - pmg101 2y ago
    Whether in the terminal or a GUI, a text editor and a word processor are different tools with distinct applications.
  - bombcar 2y ago
    If you’re young, do NOT underestimate how powerful 20+ years of muscle memory can be. I know a number of programmers, authors, writers who carefully maintain the virtual machines, etc necessary to continue using the same “stack” they’ve used for their entire professional life. Excel supported 1-2-3 shortcuts for decades.
  - hggh 2y ago
    WordPerfect is not a text editor, but a word processor. Tavis Ormandi explained it in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1h9qwBylAg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1h9qwBylAg
bombcar 2y ago
People forget there is 20+ years of computer advances before GUI terminals - programs like WordPerfect and Lotus 1-2-3 changed entire industries (and created others) and added untold value to GDP for the entire world. Having things like that in a modern Unix terminal is incredibly powerful - if you want to use it; especially since by definition it’s all character based and you can learn all the keystrokes even if faster than the computer can respond.
bigfatkitten 2y ago
It's as practical now as it was then. Businesses paid good money for WordPerfect licences for a reason.

WordPerfect is excellent. After some writers like George R R Martin revealed their taste for DOS-era word processors, some people have been trying the classic, distraction-free writing experience. WordPerfect is one option.

rosmax_1337 2y ago
But how is this better than a terminal based text editor, like vim, emacs, nano, etc? I suppose there is a miniscule group of people who would rather used a terminal-gui rather than learn to use basic markup for emphasis and such. But I don't think this preference is rational, it's just retro fun. Which in some ways is rational. What I'm saying is that these applications have some real merit over a the standard bloated desktop environment graphical word processor. But that a true simple terminal text editor, maybe even one which uses ctrl+c and ctrl+v, with markdown formatting or whatever is the next logical step after learning the lessons of these distraction free writing experiences. And one might even add that desktop based graphical text editors like VS Code, etc, can achieve a similar degree of distraction free text editing, while allowing for standard file dialog interactions which simple users recognize.
- codr7 2y ago
  Calling VS Code distraction free is a bit of a stretch, it feels more like a resurrection of Clippy to me when writing code.
  - rosmax_1337 2y ago
    It does that when writing code. If you write plain text files it doesn't bother you.
- pmg101 2y ago
  Whether in the terminal or a GUI, a text editor and a word processor are different tools with distinct applications.
- bombcar 2y ago
  If you’re young, do NOT underestimate how powerful 20+ years of muscle memory can be. I know a number of programmers, authors, writers who carefully maintain the virtual machines, etc necessary to continue using the same “stack” they’ve used for their entire professional life. Excel supported 1-2-3 shortcuts for decades.
- hggh 2y ago
  WordPerfect is not a text editor, but a word processor. Tavis Ormandi explained it in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1h9qwBylAg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1h9qwBylAg

bombcar 2y ago

People forget there is 20+ years of computer advances before GUI terminals - programs like WordPerfect and Lotus 1-2-3 changed entire industries (and created others) and added untold value to GDP for the entire world. Having things like that in a modern Unix terminal is incredibly powerful - if you want to use it; especially since by definition it’s all character based and you can learn all the keystrokes even if faster than the computer can respond.

bigfatkitten 2y ago

It's as practical now as it was then. Businesses paid good money for WordPerfect licences for a reason.