Re: XyWrite to Word

["Robert Holmgren" holmgren@xxxxxxxx]

** Reply to message from "Thomas J Hawley"  on Thu, 23 Mar
2006 18:15:18 -0500

> Because Word is an object-oriented program, only
> a small subset of what we know as XyWrite commands
> could (and should) be usefully implemented in this way...

"Because" it is object-oriented, you can't manipulate the objects? VBA is
designed, bottom up, to manipulate objects.

> So the Word "command line" might include:
> NE and its variations
> SA and its variations
> CA
> US (Use Style; very powerful in Word)
> TY

So you're saying, write an interpreter for simple commands formulated as
Xy-style mnemonics, which the interpreter translates into VBA? Great idea!
Why don't you implement it? If other commands proved useful, we could add
them. Give us a flexible prototype macro that we can build upon. That's an
interesting prospect.

> Unfortunately XyWrite is sinking fast, and one day soon
> will no longer be usable on readily available platforms.

Why is that? Sinking in what respect? I don't see "no longer usable"
happening (and why "soon"?).

> If one is willing and able to learn something new,
> then Word offers so many advantages (not the least
> of which is compatibility with the rest of
> the world) that it's just the obvious choice.

I use Word a lot, but I don't see many advantages, except for compatibility
(the only thing I use it for -- reading, and editing/responding to, other
people's documents). For pure writing, I see no advantages at all! For pure
writing, Word is neither fast nor agile, absent complex VBA macros. For fancy
writing, with lots of cosmetics (formatting), use Word -- by all means. But a
few of us have no interest in that kind of writing. XyWrite is for the few and
the spare. Cosmetics are just pretense, IMO -- the trappings of commerce.

-----------------------------
Robert Holmgren
holmgren@xxxxxxxx
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