TextMaker: Additions

[alxwz]

I've been thinking about purchasing TextMaker for a while (and would have done so already if it were Win/Mac instead of Win/Linux), but now I probably will do it, as I found out two things:

- It can be installed as a portable version on your USB stick: http://www.softmaker.com/english/tipsof_en.htm
- It has ridiculously cheap academic/educational pricing (€14/$14 for students): http://www.softmaker.com/english/education/

[zridling]

On top of that, it's multi-platform, which means you can install it on other systems from that USB stick if you want to, given its small size (30M for the Win version; less for others).

[alxwz]

I'd rather call it "dual-platform", and I wish they'd add a native Mac version to make it really multi-platform.

I tried to go the Win/Linux route, but after experimenting with Mandrake (pre-Mandriva), Slackware, Vector, Mepis (pre-Ubuntu), Ubuntu, Zenwalk, Xubuntu and some more obscure distros, I've pretty much given up on LInux after running into bugs, cryptic configuration and severe problem every time (although I'm still planning to set up a Xubuntu machine for my dad just for surfing and email). And the apps are even more immature and buggy than the distros, IMO. Look at Abiword, for example. For general use and if you have a halfway decent machine, a Linux box with a recent distro and KDE and OOo might be nice. But not on my machines.

If I still had a Linux and a Windows box, TextMaker would probably be the word processor of choice for me (OOo is too bloated and didn't feel right when I tried it quite a while ago). Right now, for €14, TextMaker could be fine just for Windows and thumbdrive as a stand-by solution. If the bibliographic features are of any value (very important for some projects of mine ATM, never tried those on my test drives with TM), it might even draw me back to Windows (not: Linux) completely.

[tomos]

more open document support (export)

There are new service packs for TextMaker 2006 and PlanMaker 2006 [Spreadsheet programme] for Windows. These service packs bring some significant improvements and bug fixes to SoftMaker Office, and we recommend that you install them. Also, the TextMaker service pack adds an OpenDocument export filter to TextMaker 2006, letting you not only read but also write documents in OpenDocument and OpenOffice.org file formats. Download: http://www.softmaker.com/english/servpack_en.htm

-
also the new whatchamacallit* equivalent

---------------------------------------------------------------------- Reminder: SoftMaker Presentations beta ---------------------------------------------------------------------- If you haven't already downloaded it, we'd like to remind you that there is a fresh beta of SoftMaker Presentations 2007 for Windows available on our web site. This new beta version includes the following important bug fixes and improvements: * PDF export (this will also be available in the next major release of TextMaker and PlanMaker...) * Improved import and export of PowerPoint files * Improved management of slide masters * Many new features such as pens, text markers or fading effects have been added. * Now also available with menus and dialogs in Dutch, Italian, and Bulgarian. * Additional bug fixes and performance improvements If you are just starting now with the beta test, you need a serial number. Please visit this page: http://www.softmaker.com/english/pr_en.htm

* Powerpoint of course 

[zridling]

Thanks for the update, Tomos! Did you get a chance to test the ODF filter yet?

[tomos]

Thanks for the update, Tomos! Did you get a chance to test the ODF filter yet?

nope,
just got the mail yesterday -
been too busy trying to figure out configuration of new computer!

[Darwin]

I got this as well and have downloaded the updates without installing them (I'm having trouble, actually, as I've got Office 2006 installed on my thumbdrive but not on my harddrive and the update installers DO NOT LIKE IT!). I'll try to get this figured out and report back.