Re: Startup in NB70.b

[Michael Norman michael.norman@xxxxxxxx]

At 2/21/2004 07:57 AM -0800, Lisa Kleinholz wrote:
> Michael, I am following this thread with interest. I tried Nota Bene a
> few years ago (ver. 5.5-3c) and couldn't get comfortable with it. Now
> thinking of trying again. I'd love a report on your testing when you
> get it done.
I've been reporting piecemeal, Lisa, working at it a bit every day, but
plan a more comprehensive assessment and set of impressions here later.
Startup, for example, has taken a while. NB seems to layer its functions,
its various calls in six different files -- nbmain-c.aux, nbmain-d.aux and
so on. Robert will no doubt declaim this more clearly than I can, but these
seem necessary so the program, and its two adjuncts ORBIS and IBIDEM, can
maintain its schizophrenic nature: offering command-line control on the one
hand and WIN GUI convenience on the other. It's often not a comfortable or
easy coexistence. But, for the most part, it works. Much better than it
used to work. My problems with startup, I think, illustrate to some degree
the chores, and problems, involved in making the transition (Note please I
still do my daily work in XyDos, where I never have to think about anything
save the work.) At all events, it seemed to make sense to concentrate on
startup first, to explore all the options, test all the jerry-rigging, try
initially to get NB to ape XyDos , especially with U2's CALLUP and
SAVESESS, the two routines I consider critical; at the same time I'm trying
to get used to NB's OPEN dialog and QUICKLOG, the WIN equivalents, and to
get them to work the way I want them to work in case I decide to use them.
The bottom line always is: can I ultimately make NB as invisible and
effortless during the writing process as XyDos is?

Michael Norman