The First XLEnt Word Processor

The First XLEnt Word Processor is a disk-based word processor for the Atari 8-bit family published by XLEnt (pronounced "excellent") Software in 1986. It was written by David Castell who was a student at the time.[1] Though sold by a budget publisher for US$29.95,[2] it was favorably compared with more established competitors.[3]

The First XLEnt Word Processor
Original author(s)David Castell
Developer(s)XLEnt Software
Initial release1986 (1986)
PlatformAtari 8-bit family
TypeWord processor
LicenseProprietary software

Overview

The First XLEnt Word Processor was released without copy protection in 1986 for US$29.95 (equivalent to $69.86 in 2019). It runs on Atari 8-bit family computers with 48 kB of RAM.[1] Other contemporary word processors for the Atari platform include PaperClip, AtariWriter Plus, and Letter Perfect.[2]

The word processor includes cut-and-paste block moves of up to one screen,[3] search-and-replace, chaining files, support for a variety of printers including graphics, mail merge, the insertion of graphics into a text document, inserting a text file into another text file, controlling the cursor with a joystick, editing two documents simultaneously, and raw text file export.[2]

Reception

Charles Cherry of Antic called it, "as good or better than any other word processor you'll find for the 8-bit Atari". His list of advantages included performance and "very comprehensive printing capabilities". In a later comparison of seven word processors, Antic cited the issues with The First XLEnt Word Processor as, "the cut-and-paste buffer holds you to one screen—800 characters. Also, the printing section in the manual could be more informative."[3] When version 2.1 was released, Antic's Gregg Pearlman wrote, "First XLEnt Word Processor came highly recommended in its original version, and Version 2.1 merits an even longer look."[4]

References
  1. The First XLEnt Word Processor Manual. archive.org. Springfield, Virginia, USA: XLEnt Software. 1986.
  2. Cherry, Charles (January 1987). "Feature Review: First XLEnt Word Processor". Antic. 5 (9).
  3. Pearlman, Gregg (February 1987). "Word Processors: 7 For The 8-Bit". Antic. 5 (10).
  4. Pearlman, Gregg (December 1987). "New Products: The First XLEnt Word Processor V. 2.1". Antic. 6 (8).
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.