Re: Power Users and TTG?

[rasherer@xxxxxxxx (Richard A. Sherer)]

Kenneth Frank,

You sound a little defensive about TTG's stewardship of XyWrite.
You need to understand that XyWrite users are passionate about
their word processor. If people on this list sound angry, it's
because we're all frustrated, waiting for XyWrite to keep
growing and improving.

Most of us have been using XyWrite from day 1. I cut my word
processing teeth on XyWrite II, and I've been a registered user
since XyWrite III. I've bought every upgrade since then, though
Lord knows it hasn't been easy. Say XyWrite in a software store
and you get blank stares. Wait to be notified of upgrades and
you'll die at the keyboard. I feel like the strange uncle who
never gets invited to family parties. The only way I found out
about the latest upgrade was by calling TTG to see if you were
still in business. I suspect other people on this list found out
by Ouija Board. You never call, you never write -- to borrow
from a Yiddish joke. Fortunately, when I did get through the
voice-mail-from-hell, as it is known, someone turned me onto
this list and to the CompuServe group. I previously had searched
CompuServe in vain for any mention of XyWrite. It's amazing that
you manage to stay in business when you don't even market to
your committed customers.

Despite your comments about who we are, we are both professional
writers AND power users. For proof, dig out a copy of David
Rothman's book. The contributors included Richard Bach, Arthur
Kopit and Joel Heller, among others -- all of whom could be
classed as power writers, if you will -- discussing how they
customized XyWrite. The power we've found in XyWrite over the
years has been the power to adapt to the different kinds of
writing we're called on to do as well as our individual styles.
But we also need a current selection of filters, since few
publications use XyWrite anymore. Unlike many of the people on
this list, I like XyWin, but I agree with you that it has a long
way to go.

We are grateful that TTG rescued XyWrite from total orphanhood.
We want to see TTG grow and prosper, and we want to see XyWrite
continue to improve. Don't mistake our frustration for dislike.
We need each other.

Richard A. Sherer