Plus Poll!! 7.1 vs 7.5, Word vs WordPerfect!!!

[Scott Baret]

New hard drives mean new decisions. Since I'm likely going to put something over 80MB in the enclosure for my Plus (the 80MB drive died on Thursday night) I sort of want to start at square one again.

A little history--when I got the Plus in 1999, it ran 6.0.3 and Works 2.0. Shortly afterward, I upgraded it to 7.1 and WordPerfect 2. I ran Word 5.1 on it in 2001.

The Plus has 4MB RAM for those interested in the specs. Otherwise, it's a fairly ordinary Plus (on which I'm not afraid to run CD-ROMs or other things not associated with Pluses).

I'm wavering between 7.1 and 7.5 on this guy. I don't want to use 6 on it (yes, I know it would be faster, but cutting-edge is what I'm going for here, or at least as cutting-edge as you can be with 1986 technology). 7.1 ran very well on the Plus and I'm tempted to just stick with it, but part of me wants to go up another version.

I'm also debating about word processors. I have both WordPerfect and Word (also MacWrite II and Pro, but I'm not planning on using either for this Mac). The sentimental part of me wants to stick with WP, as I used it on the computer for the longest time, but the practical side of me wants to go with Word, especially since I have Word on the other two pre-OS X machines I plan on moving with me to my new place (an iBook and a PowerBook 190; they run 98 and 6, respectively).

Also, I'm planning on keeping the CD-ROM around on this computer once I'm done with the 7.5 installation if I go that route. I know it seems silly since this is a Plus and I'll probably only use it to listen to late 90s Top 40, which I've suddenly become re-addicted to.

Any thoughts? Vote now!!!

 

[max1zzz]

I run 7.5 on mine and it runs really well, I know a lot of people would say to use 7.1 but 7.5 seems to run as fast as you would expect anything to run on a 8mhz computer from '86. I will admit i have never run 7.1 on my plus, only ever 6.0.8 or 7.5, but i wouldn't think you gain much speed from using 7.1 over 7.5.

As for the word processor, i think word works very nicely on the plus, but i don't see much between word processors on it.

 

[CC_333]

I voted 7.1 and Word 5.1, but I'd like to say that maybe 7.5 and WP would be just as good.

When I tried 7.5 on one of my Pluses, it was very slow (when booted from the HD20, which, I suppose, is to be expected). 7.1 runs okay and that's as high as I'll go if I want things to be relatively speedy.

I've never used WordPerfect, just Word 5.1 (and only briefly at that), so I'm not qualified to judge there. I voted for Word, but I say go for WP if you're sentimental!

c

 

[uniserver]

I voted for 7.1

WP, because word perfect is a really well made application.

7.5 is a pig, I only use 7.5 when I may want some internet connectivity.

 

[markyb86]

7.1 Is what I was using and it ran great. 7.5 however were molasses on my plus and my SE.

 

[Byrd]

7.5 will run like an absolute dog on a Plus, even 7.1 is pushing it. And without a doubt Word 5.1 all the way.

(PS. did you get my Paypal funds?)

 

[Scott Baret]

Looks like Word 5.1 for sure. 7.1 seems to be the consensus around here for the version (I was leaning toward sticking with it).

Shame I don't have an AE HD+ drive. I'll have to use my lone set of 800K floppies to install it

 

[uniserver]

WordPerfect 3.0a ?

 

[volvo242gt]

7.1 is what my SE runs. I *think* the 40MB drive does contain Word 5.1 or 5.1a.

The 512Ke does run a little quicker under 6.0.7 (actually the System 7.0 Disk Tools disk, which happens to also be the 6.0.7 Utilities 1 disk, just renamed), except for the fact that it's booting off of a floppy.

-J

 

[IIciNov90]

If you have it, I would recommend Word 4.0e with System 7.1

Word 5.1 was the beginning of slowness and bloat. It introduced lots of gratuitous menu bars that hogged precious screen real estate on our 9" screens. It came on at least 4 HD floppy whilst the entire 4.0e program came on an 800k floppy with maybe one other 800k with a dictionary and had all of the features I ever needed for publishing scientific journal papers with graphics.

It is not a bloat overmatch for your system like 5.1 is and will scream on your Plus running 7.1 and would be even zipper under 6.0.x

I have 4.0e and 7.1 on my SE/30 and my IIci.

You need the "e" revision to run on quadras and PPC systems. The earlier revs will hang on those newer systems.

I consider it to be among Microsoft's best work ever.

Brian

 

[PowerPup]

If you want you could give FullWrite Professional a try on either 6.0.7 or 7.1. (Use System Picker for dual boot even!) This article describes using FullWrite Professional 2.0.6 under classic mode in Tiger. FullWrite supports the Claris' import/export XTNDs.

Currently my Classic II (with a 230MB hard drive) has 6.0.8, 7.1, and 7.5.3. While 7.5.3 runs fine but it does take the most RAM. (And the longest to boot obviously.) I have one or two applications that requires 7.5, otherwise 7.1 would probably be the highest I would need to go.

 

[volvo242gt]

If you want you could give FullWrite Professional a try on either 6.0.7 or 7.1. (Use System Picker for dual boot even!) This article describes using FullWrite Professional 2.0.6 under classic mode in Tiger. FullWrite supports the Claris' import/export XTNDs.
Currently my Classic II (with a 230MB hard drive) has 6.0.8, 7.1, and 7.5.3. While 7.5.3 runs fine but it does take the most RAM. (And the longest to boot obviously.) I have one or two applications that requires 7.5, otherwise 7.1 would probably be the highest I would need to go.

If you do the dual-boot thing, make sure that the Desktop Mgr INIT is installed in 6.0.x. That way, when you switch back to System 7, you don't have to click cancel as soon as the desktop rebuild dialog box appears. Otherwise, it gets about 1/5 of the way through and hangs.

My personal preference for a WP on a 68K Mac is MacWrite II... But, usually I just use ClarisWorks.

-J

 

[onlyonemac]

I voted 7.1 and WordPerfect 2.1 because that's what you ran on it for the longest time. If it was my machine that's what I would have done.