DeTomaso Mailing List: May 1997, Message #101
     



From: MikeLDrew@aol.com

Subject: Re: thanks Mike

Date: Sun, 4 May 1997 00:18:17 -0400 (EDT)



Capt Mike Drew

150 Westgate Dr.

San Francisco, CA  94127



Home/FAX:   (415) 334-7860



E-mail:  MikeLDrew@aol.com



William,



Thanks a lot!  Unfortunately, I'm still stuck in the stone age, and am

creating the POCA quarterly using only MS word (and a bootlegged version from

1989 at that!) and PageMaker (ditto, circa 1992)  Absolutely everything you

see is done manually, such as aligning the rows and columns, spacing of the

text around the photos, drawing the boxes for the photos to reside in, etc.

Very time-consuming and painstaking work if it's to be done properly.



I can't run any of the advanced software such as PhotoShop, Illustrator, or

more advanced desktop publishing software, etc. because my machines are also

circa 1992 and have NO memory, they're Macs which are probably equivalent to

a 286 IBM, maybe even a 186!



So yeah, it makes it a little bit harder, but mostly things just take a long,

long time.  Switching from one page to the next in PageMaker takes 30

seconds.  Once text is laid out, I can only add a few words before the

machine locks up for 15-20 seconds while the remaining text is spaced out.

Why, it takes about five minutes PER PAGE to print out on my laser printer.

When I finish the quarterly and print the rough draft, I usually go to

dinner, and when I come back it's still printing!



I'd love to have the raw computing capability the Adlers have; it would

probably cut my production time in half.  By the way, I just got my new PI

today, and it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL.  There's some good stories in there

too.  I think we keep pushing each other to get better and better, it seems

the bar keeps getting raised, which benefits everyone.  If you all aren't

members of both PI and POCA you're really missing out.



Again, thanks for the strokes.  Although its a tremendous ego trip to hold

the finished product in my hand, and while it is fun to create it as well, I

must admit there's a certain 'instant gratification' associated with writing

for this forum.  I'm glad I can do both.



Mike