Microsoft Word 2000 is indeed the most elegant and sophisticated word processing programme that I have come across.
Background
Other than the fast fading out typewriting, which I learned (right up to the Proficiency level!) in an Institute, I learned all other modes of typing on my own. And these are solely computer based.
I started with WordStar, which, given my high speed in typing was good for me. That was about 15 years ago. Since my office then had only one computer, and there was too much demand for its use, and with no one to teach me (teaching in some regions and in some areas of knowledge is still in the realm of, what was once considered, the Vedic Priest!), and the only [B] (I don’t like to sound communal, but in the light of the preceding sentence you can interpret the “[B]”) who knew and was in control of it refused to have me anywhere near the machine, leave alone help me learn its use.
Despite this, I typed on this the entire material of my first book (from the first draft to the final copy), published in 1989 by Sage, New Delhi. After this long haul I even told some friends that I would go back to my typewriter instead of causing tension in my work place.
Gradually the situation improved. I was the Chairperson of the Computer Committee, and I introduced a lot of improvements, especially teaching the computer illiterates, democratising the use of computers, and so on.
A major improvement to my advantage was having a PC in my room to which no one else had access. It was good enough for my work, and we were still depending on dot matrix printing.
This long background to a review on Word is to drive home the fact that in many places its introduction has been rather recent, and as will be shown later, word processing and related activities have not yet come of age.
From WordStar, I switched to WordStar Professional. When I had a machine in my room and the Word Perfect installed in it, I tried to use it. But I was not comfortable with it.
The great but not the last Word
Then came, say about four years ago, the Word. I did not take much time to learn it. For all my correspondents, interactions with Web sites, contributions to newspapers and journals, writing books, etc., it has been an ideal tool.
I do not claim full mastery of the Word even now. It is easy to use. The files are easy to save in folders (probably invented for the first time by Microsoft). Since the Word is closely associated with Excel, it is easy to insert material (in particular tables and charts) in the Word file. I am not sure if the other related Microsoft products, Power Point and Access can be similarly used.
From Word to Books
Since the Word also has a Page Maker (or is it a separate programme?), it is ideal for publishers. My latest book (with the Printer now) of about 300 pages was typed by me within a very short time (with my son 14, and daughter 9, reading out passages from time to time as I cannot read small letters (on an understanding that I name them in the book!). Since I read what I typed more than once and made necessary corrections, when I got the proof from the Printer, to whom I had sent the text as e-mail attach, there was no need for me to read it. All that I did was give him suggestions for formatting the text in an elegant and user-friendly way.
Limitations
Despite its merits, I would still not give full marks to the Word, as it still has problems. I shall highlight some of them:
While it is easy to format material downloaded from web sites as text files, it is very difficult to format html files, as one has to spend a lot of time to delete a large number of unwanted items. The Word could do something about this.
Between Word 2000 and its Premium version the latter has an edge over the former. Despite this, in either case, when a mere install command is given and the programme is installed, it is not installed in full. For example, if one has to switch language, say, English, from the US to the UK, and use the command for it, one has to insert the CD for doing it. This is true of several other commands. Why this is so is still not clear to me.
The Spelling and Grammar is good for those who want to check spellings (it is here the US-UK problem comes in), especially the grammar part. But this part of the programme is far from adequate, and one gets the impression that the programme was prepared for Western (read English speaking) countries. There are also serious anomalies in the grammar usage and suggestions available in the programme. The same is true of names. For example, check the typed word Gandhi, the suggestion you get may be Candy.
Find and replace also has serious limitations. If one does it at one go, with one command, probably the entire text would be distorted, as some of the finds may be part of larger words. For example, try replacing “and” with &, you are in for trouble.
Indexing is a major problem, especially if one has to make index for a book of about 300 pages or so. It involves going through the entire text all over again. The resultant Index may not be compatible with what the Printer needs because of changes in pagination. I remember, in my recent case, I went to WordStar (which has an auto-index provision). But what it did was to index all the words, and my Index exceeded 300 pages. However, this was helpful. From this I could choose the Key Words which I sent to the Printer. The Microsoft could simplify Indexing procedures, and introduce commands for generating Key Words.
If my understanding is correct Word is incompatible with dot matrix printers (this is probably one of the deliberate acts for market manipulations by the multi-nationals) and one has to go for a Jet or Laser Printer.
One problem which has often frustrated me in the middle of surfing and Word use is “bugging”, and the closure of the machine. I do not know who is responsible for this, and why.
The Word’s Auto-Summary is a disaster, and one can do without it. It clearly conveys the message that despite ongoing IT revolution, there is a world of difference between man and machine, and man still calls the shots. I wish that continues, even if the Word may nag me.
Though Word is user-friendly, Microsoft could still come out with a tutorial. The Assistant (under help) often plays truant, does not really help, and tries to link the user to the Internet, which is not advisable in the middle of one’s work.