It's really as easy as ABC!

ABC, by Acornsoft, is quite simply one of the easiest disc-based word processors I have used on the BBC Micro.

It isn't the one with the most features, many of which will not be of much practical use to the home computer owner anyway, but merely the one which seems to introduce the basic ideas of word processing in the simplest and most easily understood manner I have come across.

There are two main methods of entering text, onebeing called "Write", and looking for all the world like a piece of lined writing paper.

The green writing on black paper is both pleasing and easy on the eye, and the automatic word-wrapping makes the entry of writing straightforward.

Ten lines of text are visible at a time, although scrolling facilities are present.

The second style is termed "Read and Write", and resembles just four lines of the same lined paper, with a "slate" available above.

This slate is normally used for a display of any 11 lines of the current text, which can be easily scrolled up or down. Its more unusual use is as a scratchpad, when ideas or problems can be jotted down.

Once information is written into the slate,the normaldisplay may again by shown, but at any future time it is still possible to access the jotted information.

There is also a facility to view text in double-height characters, although sadly schools will not be able to exploit this fully as there is no method of editing or entering text while displaying in this way.

The print menu is reasonably comprehensive, with options to print blank lines between the text lines, and to print if required in a 35 column mode, so that the text is printed exactly as on the screen.

There is also a rather handy facility which ensures that odd lines, called "lonely lines" in the documentation, do not become stranded at the bottom of a printed page.

This helps to ensure that first lines of paragraphs, or title lines do not find themselves oddly removed from their context.

Right justification can also be introduced at the printing stage, although this cannot be shown on screen.

So far I have had little but praise for the program, and quite rightly so, with its wide range of facilities including word search/replace and block moves.

However, there are a couple of drawbacks, neither particularly vital.

Firstly, the length of text allowed for would handle a modest document of about 900 words, but even the home user might like to know the word count for certain applications.

Secondly, there is no flexibility in screen column display, but this reflects the fact that many owners will be trying this program on their televisions, and 80 column text is then usually useless. Obviously the printer can be made to print in up to 80 columns.

Otherwise, Acornsoft have aimed beautifully at the small home user, with a useful option to switch at will between tape and disc for loading and saving files. Owners of View can use a utility program included on the disc to convert an ABC file for use on View.

For £9.95 on cassette and £11.50 on disc it contains as many features as you need, and is remarkable value.

Phil Tayler