| ★ APPLICATIONS ★ BUREAUTIQUE ★ ARNOR - PROTEXT ROM ★ |
Protext (Amstrad Computer User) | Protext (Amstrad Action) |
If you don't have a 6128 to run the new version of Tasword, you needn't despair. Amor's new word-processor also offers excellent value and will run on a 464 and 664 as well as the 6128. It's supplied on cassette, disk, or sideways ROM. the advantage of the latter being that the program is available as soon as you switch on, and much more memory is available for your document file - a total of over six thousand words. The disadvantage of getting it on chip is that it's considerably more expensive, especially if you don't already own a sideways ROM card to plug it into During NORMAL EDITING the program is very similar to Tasword 6128. An alterable on-screen ruler shows the current margins and tab settings, while a status line gives information on such things as whether you're in insert or overwrite mode, the current page and line number, and the free text space remaining. You can move round a document quickly and easily using the cursor keys in combination with the Shift and Control keys. The way the INSERT MODE operates is also very similar Text is automatically moved to make space for new matter, but afterwards you must order a reformat to tidy things up. One advantage for people with colour monitors is that text can be entered in 40-column mode for extra clarity. You can always then switch back to the normal 80-column mode to view text before printing. Numerous other features are included. There s an excellent SEARCH AND REPLACE function modelled on that in Wordstar and offering a host of useful options, including the ability to search for paragraph ends and for "wild-card” characters. Blocks of text can be MOVED. COPIED, DELETED, PRINTED, WORD-COUNTED or SAVED into new files. What's more all the commands available can be brought on screen at the touch of a couple of keys, so no need for constant references to the manual. It's also hard to fault the PRINTING options. Things such as page numbers, headers and footers can be used in all manner of different ways, and it is easy to insert into your documents commands to do things such as switch on italics, bold and condensed print. CUSTOMISING the program to do things such as set up user-defined keys and special printer control codes isn't quite as easy as in Tasword but can still readily be done. The program comes configured for an Epson compatible printer - to make changes you can store on disk or tape your own "printer driver" but this must then be loaded in separately every time you reuse the program. Accompanying the package is a pretty-good 39-page manual, complete with index and summary tables (an early photocopied manual has now been superseded.) It attempts to start from complete basics and should serve as a pretty good introduction to word-processing for newcomers. This is the first sub-£50 Amstrad word-processor to seriously challenge the position of Tasword. As far as it goes, it offers overall a slightly more powerful range of features than Tasword 464 or 464D and is broadly comparable with Tasword 6128. But there is still reason to consider even the earlier versions of Tasword in preference to Protext. Firstly Tasword 464D (as well as Tasword 6128) offers a mail-merge facility, which can give whole new power to a word-processor if you regularly send out letters or documents with slightly-varying sections. So far Protext does not. Secondly. Tasman offer several other powerful programs such as TasPrint and TasSpell which can be used on Tasword created files. A spelling checker in particular can be a very useful addition for many authors. Those reservations apart, Protext is an excellent addition to the range of serious Amstrad software. AA |
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