Subject: Re: normal mode wish list
From: Randy Kramer (rhkramer@fast.net)
Date: Tue Dec 18 2001 - 09:48:58 CST
Dennis Collins wrote:
> The following is my wish list for normal mode (not a criticism). I'm using
> 0.9.6 on win32.
>
> In Microsoft Word (and StarOffice Text Processor 6.0 beta) the sole purpose
> of normal mode is to input and polish text. To that end all page formatting
> is hidden as are any graphics and any headers or footers. All that is
> visible is text and it is wrapped to the window size whether that size is
> larger or smaller than the page size (the paragraph is wrapped as it is in
> page formatting, not line wrapped as in a plane text processor like MS
> notepad). The left margin (the area between the window edge and the first
> character on the line) is only about 4 characters wide as is the right (4
> characters to the left of the vertical scroll bar). This allows the user to
> see all of the text regardless of the window width and it maximizes the
> amount of visible text without paging or scrolling. This facilitates the
> user's focus on the task of inputting and polishing text (character
> formatting and some paragraph formatting remain visible fonts, italics,
> bold, underline, font color, background color, indents,
> left/right/center/justification, line spacing, superscript, subscript and
> so forth).
Just a few clarifications:
>
> Thus: reduce margins to absolute minimum (2 or 3 characters at most)
On Word97 on my 800x600 17" monitor, the left margin is about 3/8"
physically, or about 1/4" in "document units".
> wrap paragraphs to the window not the page (or make it optional)
In Word97, wrapping to window is an option (and it does not increase the
line length -- if the line length is less than the screen/window width,
the line is wrapped "properly" based on document units).
In Word 97, indented text is shown properly indented, outdented text
shows the nominal 3/8" (1/4") left margin.
> hide page formatting, graphics, headers and footers
>
> If all of this is already planned then all the better. My thanks to the
> programmers and I look forward to each new release.
>
> Dennis Collins
>
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