HELP DECIDING ON A WORD PROCESSOR FOR ULTRIX ENVIRONMENT

[Donald D Rice]

Depends on what you mean by "word processor".  If you want typeset-quality
output, and are stuck with VT100 terminals, I'd suggest LaTeX.  Its macros
make it relatively easy to teach and use, the software is basically free,
and there are "how-to" books available for it.  I think it is about the best
you can expect for getting good laser-printed documents from old-style
terminals.  This approach won't have much impact on your Ultrix system.

For student X terminals, I'd suggest looking at the Visual 14/ES models, which
are (I think) the cheapest on the market.  We have a couple running off our
Ultrix system.  Once you have an X terminal, there are more options for
word processing.  Interleaf has a good educational license program, and we
have students using Interleaf's TPS 4.0 on the Visual 14/ES terminals running
off a DECstation 5000.  This works great for small numbers of users...if
you have hoards of students running X and Interleaf off one server, though,
you'll kill it.  Our cost was $300 for TPS plus $600 per X terminal.

If you want more details, let me know.  I haven't talked to either company
for several months so the prices may vary.
-- 
Don Rice                                  Internet: ddr at flux.isr.alaska.edu
Geophysical Institute                     E-mail:   fnddr at alaska.bitnet
University of Alaska                      Phone:    (907) 474-7569
Fairbanks, AK 99775                       Loran:    64.86N 212.16E