CFOG's PIP, August 1987, Volume 5 No. 10, Whole No. 58, page 1

New WordStar CP/M Edition, Release 4 is Released

[This announcement is adapted from a file promulgated by Jim Byram of the Boston Computer Society CP/M Group. -- bhc]

About the end of July we found on a local RCPM the announcement dated July 23, 1987, that MicroPro was releasing WordStar CP/M Edition Release 4 with shipping to start in "mid-August". All of you who bought the WordStar 3.3 upgrade or otherwise registered with MicroPro should have received a mailing with a four color glossy brochure. As of August 25 we were advised by MicroPro that shipping would begin on August 31.

Upgrades can be ordered by calling MicroPro Customer Service at 800-227-5609 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. PDT. The cost of the upgrade is $89 plus sales tax (for California residents) and $5 shipping. A $10 discount on orders placed through CFOG will be available IF we get ten orders together to ship at one time. Send in your check for $84 together with the serial number of your copy of WordStar to CFOG WordStar Deal, Box 1678, Chicago, IL 60690. If you have a Vixen (all Vixen WordStar copies seem to have the same serial number), send the title page to your WordStar manual. If you add a $5 check we'll order even if we don't get ten orders as there's a $5 savings for orders of two to five copies. Make checks payable to CFOG.

In addition to upgrades, new copies (at $295 + $5 shipping) can also be ordered from Customer Service. For those who don't want to pay $295, BCE advertised "Advanced WordStar" for IBM and compatibles for $49.95 plus $5 shipping and handling in the September Computer Shopper and I saw somewhere, but cannot locate it at the moment, that someone was selling Osborne WS 2.26 for $6.

Note that MicroPro has a unique upgrade policy. Any legitimate copy of WordStar (CP/M or MS/PCDOS, normal release or OEM release such as Kaypro or Osborne, etc.) can be upgraded to the current CP/M or MS/PCDOS version.

Here are some salient points: you need 51K TPA to run WS4. If you want the calculator/math functions, you'll need 54K TPA. This seems to have been sized so that WS4 will run (just barely) on an Osborne 1 with Drive C: RAM disk software (but not with the Drive C: print buffer installed, which is a shame since WS4 does not have any simultaneous print/edit capabality).

The program is fat enough that you now need at least two 5 1/4" double density drives. Distribution formats are CP/M Generic (8" ss/sd), Kaypro, Osborne. Apple due in October. Note: CFOG can convert any of these formats to virtually any format that you require (with the exception of certain hard sector formats. Call 726-3569 if you need this service.)

Twenty-seven terminals are supported by menu choice. Extensive patching options to allow other terminal installations.

Those who have read previous articles here about NewWord will find that WS4 contains the enhancements found in NewWord 2. Here are highlights of the enhancements list.

Highlights:

• Undo
  
  
• Keystroke macros
  
  
• Four-function math calculator
  
  
• User number and ZCPR named directory support
  
  
• Onscreen boldfacing and underlining (if supported)
  
  
• The Word Plus spelling checker
  
  
• Multiple ruler lines (which can be saved with your document)
  
  
• Go-to-page
  
  
• Print multiple copies and to ascii
  
  
• Multi-line headers and footers

[Mr. Byram keyed in the entire 120+ new feature list. Most of you have no doubt received MicroPro's glossy four-color brochure and have that list. If you didn't get one, call MicroPro Customer Service. -- bhc]

This is not an advertisement; however, based on my experience with the DOS version of WordStar 4.0 (most, but not all new features are common to both CP/M and MS/PCDOS versions), you will want to consider upgrading. One of the most significant features is the extensive patching info provided. With earlier versions of WordStar, the user community compiled and maintained complete listings of user modifiable patch locations. MicroPro learned from this and with release 4.0, has provided this information as well as a program to facilitate user patching of WordStar. The configurable options and patch locations far exceed those found in earlier WordStar releases.