WordStar Strengths

                       by Robert J. Sawyer
                       sawyer@sfwriter.com

* The "cursor" (insertion point) can be outside of the marked 
  block: you can do whatever you want after marking text, 
  including doing editing elsewhere (try to type with a marked 
  block in Word; you'll delete the text instead of adding to it, 
  and you can't edit text elsewhere; Word forces you to 
  immediately deal with the block).

* Ten ultra-easy-to-use bookmarks that you can set and jump to 
  easily (commands ^K0 through ^K9 and ^Q0 through ^Q9).

* Non-printing comments you can easily see while editing; just 
  start a line with two periods.

* Codes that can easily be revealed (try to find where a style 
  sheet begins in Word!) -- ^OD toggles them on and off.

* A cursor that changes shape to indicate if you're in insert or 
  overwrite mode -- you don't have to hunt for a tiny indicator 
  in a status line, like in Word.  Toggle modes with ^V (or the 
  INS key).

* Your screen font doesn't have to match printout font (and yet 
  accurate print-time line breaks are still shown); you can have 
  single spacing on screen and still have double spacing in 
  printout (again, with print-time page breaks accurately shown).

* It's easy to set a soothing background color (no more glaring 
  white like Word forced you to live with for decades).

* Full absolutely compliant CUA menus and dialog boxes for those 
  who like such things (available at WordStar help level 4; issue 
  F1 twice to switch help levels), making WordStar usable by 
  absolute beginners (Word doesn't have these anymore).

* Every command is touchtypable; no need for mice, function keys, 
  or arrow keys (but all are fully supported if you like to use 
  them).

* Fully supports modern LaserJet and PostScript printers; 
  conversion to/from Word, WordPerfect, RTF, etc., via bundled 
  Star Exchange utility (issue A,S from the opening menu).

* Fully supported under Windows, Mac OS, and Linux via the free 
  and open source DOS emulator DOSBox-X: https://dosbox-x.com

For more information on the strengths of WordStar, see 
WORDSTAR.WS or https://sfwriter.com/wordstar.htm.