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→Companion
Companion is superior to TI-Writer in all three of these areas. For one thing, it operates out of a single program that is loaded only once into memory. From here the user can write, edit and print directly out of the main menu. This is desirable because the user can edit his copy and then print it out and make changes or form at adjustments immediately. (Neither program has a screen formatting function that previews what the document will look like before sending it to the printer. However, in defense of both programs, this feature is generally found only in much higher priced software.) This is not possible with TI-Writer since the formatting commands cannot be read in the editing mode. Tl-Writer is also infamous for dropping letters at the beginning of each line in the editing mode. This is because the program does not store characters that are typed at the end of a screen line as it wraps around to the beginning of the next line. You may examine the sample copy created by Companion elsewhere on this page to see how graphics can be incorporated into text. A simple one key command followed by the ASCII code of the graphics symbol is all that it takes.
One feature offered by Ti-Writer notprovided by Companion is the abilityto incorporate name and address filesand other custom data to be inserted inform letters. It is more flexible in howit formats the copy on the screen as theuser types it. Using a windowing technique,it's possible to type 80 characterson a single line, though users aremore likely to set the screen parametersto display a 40-character line.Companion shows a 40-character linewith no option to change it. Tl-Writeralso prints user-created headers andfooters. Comp"mion Companion will print pagenumbers centered at the top of theμage only. TI-Writer also allows theuser to right-justify text, which Companiondoes not. TI-Writer also has <-1a line delete function which Companiondoes not. However, Companion has avery fast block delete, move and insertcommand. How much faster is it thanthe TI-Writer insert and delete commands?Well, such commands areexecuted virtually instantaneously inCompanion and can take 30 seconds ormore for lengthier blocks of text ·nin TI-Writer. Although both programs off er offer softwarecontrol of such printer functionsas boldfacing and underlining. Companionis easier to use in this regard.TI-Writer does not offer true underlining,which Companion does via simpleASCII code commands. But the difference between the twoprograms is more fundamental than afeature-by-feature comparison mightsuggest. Essentially, Companionoperates like a computerized typewriterwhile TI-Writer operates with agreater emphasis on formatting of finishedtext. In my view, TI-Writer ismost useful for form letters, whileCompanion is designed for writing perse. It is this difference that makesCompanion unique and it is on thisbasis that we shall proceed with thereview. ==Performance: == Companion is writtenin assembly language, which is why itoperates so quickly. The execution ofall commands is virtually immediate.Just like a typewriter, when you pressa key something happens. The main menu consists of sevenoptions: Load<br>Edit<br>Save<br>Print<br>Purge<br>Directory<br>Other. All text is created in the edit mode.This mode offers the standard editingfunctions, including insert, delete andsearch and replace. The user may alsomove and copy text. A feature notfound on TI-Writer is the count function,which will report the number oftimes a word or phrase is used in thetext. Editing commands are displayedin two rows at the top of the screen bypressing the Function BACK key. Alsodisplayed at this time is the number ofcharacters in the text. The text buffercan accomodate accommodate 18,000 characters,compared to about 23,000 charactersfor TI-Writer.
Such formatting commands as
paragraphing, line spacing, horizontal
