Richard's Objections

[TBaehr@xxxxxxxx]

Richard wrote:

> maybe we have a clue about why XyWrite bit the big one.

I've used XyWrite to produce typeset-looking newsletters and books, and so
have other XyWriters. Granted, this hasn't been easy, and some of us have
found "easier" (for us) ways to produce camera-ready text (Page Plus,
PageMaker, even some of the high-end WPs). But the capability was there,
even in the Xy4DOS version. In fact, XyWrite, with Speedo (I've acquired
dozens of fonts over the years) can do some things TrueType can't --
ligatured letters, f'rinstance.

XyWrite (well, Xyquest anyway) "bit the big one" because of unfortunate
marketing decisions, a disastrous partnership with IBM, being late to market,
lack of resources and funds.

> as hostile as the people on this list

Some of the "people on this list" have been well known for years to Xyquest
(and now TTG) as irritating gadflies (Tech Support: "Oh, sh**. It's a call
from _____. Anybody up to taking it?") Some of the perceived "hostility"
is, IMO, of complex origin. Work long and deeply enough with a product,
invent all sorts of work-arounds, and you get a kind of proprietary feeling
about it. You want the "parent" product to be better in very particular
ways. And the Powers that Be in Bedford and later Billerica and now
Baltimore don't seem to listen. It can be frustrating. Add some strong
personalities, and.... It's not really hostility. It's frustration.
 Xyquest actually treated most of its customers very well, even when it
couldn't incorporate their ideas (for mostly good reasons, IMO, having to do
with resources, deadlines, and the like). TTG chooses, or is forced by lack
of resources, to respond sporadically and defensively, but mostly to ignore.

Now, Richard: I'm at a loss to understand why you continue to struggle with
XyWin. There are many competent word processors out there; some, like Claris
Works, are even modest in size, are not part of the Microsoft juggernaut (if
that bothers you), and contain many desktop-publishing features that are
easier to use than XyWrite.

Tim Baehr
tbaehr@xxxxxxxx