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StarWriter vs. Word Pro- by Jon Cochran
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Some time ago I did a review of the two major word processors available for OS/2, StarDivision's StarWriter and Lotus Word Pro. Since my last review, both word processors have been updated, and both are just chock full of new features.

When you start the latest version of Word Pro you'll notice that it looks (GIF, 34.3k) very similar to the old version. Actually, very similar might be an understatement, it seems identical. Lotus has gone the route of evolutionary change. The big news is that the product seems to be faster, and has better internet integration than previously.

On the other hand, when you start StarOffice you're hit with a feeling not dissimilar to working on a Windows 95 machine (GIF, 33.6k). The StarOffice shell (oddly enough called an Explorer) is very similar to form and function to Windows 95's explorer. And the integration between the different StarOffice "modules" is fantastic. The help system is a direct copy of the Windows 95/NT 4 help system, and once there's a few more help files, it will be a huge improvement over the standard OS/2 help system.

Text entry in both programs is basically the same. StarOffice defaults to having one of its text editing bars running down the side of the text entry window, which can be a little disconcerting at first, but the bar is mainly secondary functions, and it doesn't affect screen space at all. Word Pro uses the traditional word processor layout, with all your tool bars running across the top of the screen, and document information running across the bottom.

Both programs offer the usual editing features, such as on-the-fly spell checking. Word Pro continues with grammar checking and format checking. I found the grammar check to be especially useful, as it will help you catch little errors that seem to creep into documents if you're too fast a typist. And the format check is something I wish I had back in college. StarOffice offers neither of these two features, a glaring omission from a otherwise full featured office suite.

Both programs also are internet aware. Word Pro allows for saving and loading of documents from either a HTTP or FTP site. It supports most of the basic HTML markup tags, but doesn't support frames, applets, or plug-ins. It is just a word processor, after all.

StarWriter, on the other hand, doesn't fit just the word processor bill. It also allows for saving and loading of documents from the internet. But its built-in browser module pays off here. Not only does it support frames, applets, and plug-ins, but you can create pages using any of these features (while I could embed a movie, embedding sound resulted in a program crash every time). Its frames support, while somewhat confusing at first, is very well done, allowing you to select the target frame for links, close frames, and so on.

StarWriter also gets the nod for image manipulation. Not only can you insert and resize, as you can in Word Pro, you can also edit and retouch using the included StarImage module (which will seamlessly appear when you work with an image). StarDivision's efforts at porting OLE have really paid off here.

Neither of the two offer good table support. Both offer tables, but when trying any advanced functions with tables, I was left mostly at a loss. I couldn't seem to get any functions to work in any of the tables I set up in Word Pro. And when I tried to copy a table from Lotus 1-2-3 into Word Pro, 1-2-3 crashed and the table didn't make it to the clipboard.

StarOffice was only marginally better when working with tables. When I entered an '=' into a table cell, a formula window opened up, and I was able to enter a formula just as I had expected. But there was no way to copy the formula once it was entered, although when you left the pointer over the cell, the formula would appear in a pop-up bubble, almost mocking my inability to copy it to another cell. Such cruelty!

Neither program is a speed demon. Word Pro has the edge in opening and file operations. StarOffice is an absolute dog when it comes to opening, but once it's open, switching between modules is relatively quick. Both programs are quick enough when working with text, but StarWriter will slow down when importing graphics and will slow down dramatically when working with plug-ins and Java (which is to be expected, but note that Word Pro cannot deal with plug-ins or Java anyway). I expect most of the speed problems will be resolved when these programs move out of beta.

So which one takes home the gold? Unlike Nagano, there's no clear cut winner here. If HTML is your bag, StarOffice definitely takes the gold. Its HTML integration is unsurpassed, and its image manipulation and creation abilities will no doubt come in handy when doing any serious web publishing. For straight text manipulation and editing, the edge still lies with Word Pro.

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Jon Cochran is a graduate of Rider University and a member of the "Development and Quality Control" group at Bloomberg, LP.


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