Paperback Writer. (evaluation)

Paperback Writer, a streamlined version of Executive Writer, gives you basic word processing features and functions at a bargain basement price.

The program offers standard editing functions like insert, delete, search and replace, and block operations. Formatting functions include margins, justification, tabs, centering, line spacing, boldfacing, and underlining. All features and functions are controlled and invoked with a combination of function, shift, control, and alternate keys. Excellent on-screen help is also available.

You invoke the printing function with a function key. Since Paperback Writer does not use advanced functions such as super- or subscripting or graphics, it also does not use specific printer drivers. In fact, the program does not even have a printer installation procedure. Thus, the program should work with most printers.

Note that Paperback Writer exhibits the same bad habits as its big brother Executive Writer. You still never know where you are on a page, have no automatic reformatting while in insert mode or after a block move, need to perform a crude patch job to work with hard disk subdirectories, and never quite understand file size.

The documentation possesses the same overall clarity as the manual for Executive Writer. However, it is skinnier because information covering the advanced features of Executive Writer has been excluded. Customer support is billed at the same rates as Executive Writer.

Paperback Writer offers a no-frills word processor at an attractive price. It is best used for very simple word processing jobs, such as memos and short letters. However, sooner or later, you will probably outgrow it. Given the small price differential between the basic Paperback Writer and the more advanced Executive Writer, our recommendation is to pass up Paperback in favor of Executive.

Products: Paperback Writer (computer program)