Use of ``vi'' for business office word-processing

[romwa at utcs.UUCP]

>Oops, sorry to have strayed off the original "vi vs. WordStar etc."
>discussion.  Just wanted to set the record straight about VAX prices.
>-- 
>Larry Campbell                             The Boston Software Works, Inc.
>ARPA: campbell%maynard.uucp at harvard.ARPA   120 Fulton Street, Boston MA 02109
>UUCP: {alliant,wjh12}!maynard!campbell     (617) 367-6846

Just what is the real issue here?  If the issue is vi/*roff vs.
WYSIWYG, then why not try one of the couple dozen or so word
processors that are available for any number of UNIX/XENIX machines?
Installing a UNIX box has nothing to do with the type of word
processor one wants to run.  I have use LYRIX on XENIX and found it to
be more that satisfactory on a three user sytem, and have seen Crystal
Writer which turns itself into nroff output if you want it to.  Making
the choice is admittedly not easy, and the answers seem not to be
coming from the net.  A market search is needed in each case, and the
people who are going to use the system have to be interviewed and
evaluated.

As far as I am concerned, the issue is multiuser vs. single user.  The
software is not a problem on either side of the line.  Remember that
this office has money for a 3b2 or something else in that price range.
That means that while the initial investment may be $3K per user
(assuming 3) the addition of new users should be limited to the cost
of a terminal and the line to hook up.  We have boards on our Sperry
IT w/XENIX running at 19,200bps which makes the terminals pretty
quick so that should not be a problem (if such things are available at
the 3b level).

The decision to put in UNIX or DOS must be made with a view toward
ability to support and maintain the system.  UNIX will take quite a
bit of baby sitting while with DOS or MAC's the people will become
less dependent on a SYS. Administrator.  As soon as you network all
those DOS machines, however, you need a network administrator and
someone to see to the daily maintenance so you are back at the UNIX
solution through the rear entrance.

Just one look at what is happening with the new hardware and DOS
should make one think about just what kind of solution to go for.  The
hardware is going to be so powerful that the software one gets will be
more complex and have a multiuser/tasking layer in it anyway.  why not
buy a mature product line UNIX?

mark at utcs!romwa            or           romwa at utcs

Mark T. Dornfeld
Royal Ontario Museum
Toronto, Ontario