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- Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
- Path: sparky!uunet!paladin.american.edu!auvm!LET.RUG.NL!DAVIES
- X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL11]
- Message-ID: <9208311334.AA12304@freya.let.rug.nl>
- Date: Mon, 31 Aug 92 15:36:07 METDST
- Sender: Nota Bene List <NOTABENE@TAUNIVM>
- From: "A. Davies" <davies@LET.RUG.NL>
- Subject: IT's arrived - well, almost
- Newsgroups: bit.listserv.notabene
- Lines: 36
-
- vi
- NBI Europe sent me NB4.0 5 days ago. The package included Orbis and was four
- disks in all. My impression so far.
- Installing is a doddle - no problems. File handling has improved a bit.
- Everything is a little bit slicker (less so for those who can touch-type), a
- little bit faster (same reservation applies). Columns and Outlines are very
- much improved and a pleasure to work with. Customization is a considerable
- improvement too, as is printing.
- Now for the less pleasing aspects. It's impossible to install Ibid 1.1 and
- Ibid Plus in the versions I have, presumably because they are compatible with
- NB3.1 and not NB4. This had me fuming. The documentation had nothing to say
- about the matter. This did not surprise me because the documentation is
- rotten. A magnifying glass should have been supplied with the "Quick Reference
- Guide" which is smaller than the local bus timetables I always keep losing
- (and not as well arranged either). The Guide is also badly printed, as are
- the "Changes and New Features" leaflet, the "Quick Customization Guide" and the
- awful paper template which is downright shoddy. There is no Tutorial, although
- one is certainly needed.
- The he handling of pre-defined documents such as Block Letters is terrible.
- To jump from label to label first type Control+Pad5 for a menu, then N for
- Next label. Next time a jump forward is wanted Alt+Pad5 are the keys to use.
- But if you want to jump back, then you have to repeat the whole procedure but
- substitute P for Previous label. The Beta testers who let this one get through
- need their heads examinged. In 3.0 Alt+[ or ] jumped backwards and forwards.
- If anyone knows a quicker way of doing this, please let me know.
- In the version of NB4 sent to me Orbis is incomplete. It cannot be user defined
- in this "prerelease version". Nor can WP5.1 or Word files be imported or
- exported. The German flyer which arrived a day later mentioned "das Prerelease
- von N.B. Orbis 1.0". There is no mention of missing features in the NB Guides.
- To sum up. With NB 3.0 it was love at first sight. With NB 4.0 I have no
- such romance. I prefer the elder sister, ,who lets me use Ibid and has installed
- such romance. I prefer the elder sister, who lets me use Ibid and has let
- me install my UK Spelling Checker disks. A final warning. When NB 4 finally
- gets to you, only practice on COPIES of essential files. Stash the 3.1 versions
- away somewhere safe. You'll regret it if you dont.
- Good Luck. Anthony Davies
-