TextBook Edition

WordStar TextBook Edition

This page outlines
WordStar for DOS TextBook Edition
and the book
WordStar Included

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The WordStar TextBook Edition is sold as part of a 390 page book called WordStar Included ISBN 0-553-37174-6 (soft covers) by Tom Rugg & Werner Feibel and published by Bantam Books in 1993 .

The book provides a tutorial on installation, use of, and macros within WordStar 7. In addition it contains a single 3.5" floppy containing the core WordStar 7.0C program (the full 7.0D version takes 10 low density 3.5" floppies).

The differences between the TextBook Edition and the Full Retail version are (from the book WordStar Included):

• The book WordStar Included is the documentation for the TextBook Edition. The Full version comes with several manuals.
• The full version uses WSSETUP for installation and WINSTALL and WSCHANGE for changing the initial installation and for fine-tuning the configuration. The TextBook Edition uses WSINS for the installation and provides several files for alternate configurations.
• The TextBook Edition does not provide Fax capabilities.
• The TextBook Edition includes a spelling checker but not a thesaurus.
• The TextBook Edition does not include Inset and does not support the inclusion of graphics.
• The TextBook Edition does not include page Preview capabilities.
• The TextBook Edition supports a more limited set of monitors and graphics displays than the Full version, and does not support any external graphics driver programs.
• The TextBook Edition provides only limited printer support:
  • Generic draft mode
  • HP LaserJet II
  • Generic PostScript; font support is limited.
• The TextBook Edition does not support WSCHANGE for configuring the WordStar environment.
• The TextBook Edition does not include MailList, TelMerge, or Star Exchange.
• The TextBook Edition includes fewer pre-defined macros, but does allow you to define your own macros.

Thus, as long as you don't need fax, mail merge, file conversion, or graphics functions; can live without print preview; don't need special display options; aren't too worried about tweaking the program; and can output to a HP LaserJet compatible printer, or PostScript (from which you can create Adobe Acrobat files) it does everything the full version does.

The hardback version of the book is listed at Amazon Books and Barnes & Noble (neither had stock when last checked - 24 May, 2001). A paperback version by the publisher Conjunctions is also listed at Barnes & Noble (this being the only version available when last checked - 24 May, 2001).

Other sources of supply include eBay on-line auctions where this book appears for sale quite frequently, although often not under its correct title! The eBay link provided will look for the book or program no matter what the seller titled his auction as.

Copyright © 2001 Michael Petrie, United Kingdom.