LINGUIST List 6.325

Thu 02 Mar 1995

FYI: OE software, Optimality workshop, WordPerfect

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Directory

1. Cathy Ball, Hwaet! Old English software
2. Edith A Moravcsik, Optimality Workshop
3. David Denison, Referencing example numbers in WordPerfect

At the LSA Software Poster session in January, I gave out some
copies of a Macintosh 'electronic book' I developed for learning Old
English ('Hwaet! Old English in Context', Version 0.5). After I got home
I found some problems and typos, so I've made a new version - if any
readers got the old version, let me know, and I'll send you Version 0.6.
I've also converted a chunk of it to run on the Web: it's at

 http://www.georgetown.edu/cball/hwaet/hwaet06.html

This version looks best under Mosaic for Windows, which has thorn and
eth, but I haven't converted all the sound files yet. Thanks ...

 -- Cathy Ball (cballguvax.georgetown.edu)

Reminder: the deadline for registration for the Optimality Theory Workshop
scheduled for Saturday, April 8, at the University of Wisconsin-
Milwaukee is Friday, March 10. For further information, send e-mail to
edithcsd.uwm.edu

I've held back from adding my 5-cents (or 18-pounds) worth, but in
case it's of interest for users of WordPerfect 5.1/5.2, my NUM
automatic renumbering program provides well-tested and efficient
numbering of linguistic examples, etc - in a way that is FAR simpler
and quicker in practice than using WP's rather clumsy built-in
cross-reference system, and with some extra advantages, such as
automatic shortening of cross-references like "101-109" to "101-9" if
desired, simple cross-referencing between and across files, etc.
Dozens of users worldwide find NUM to be reliable, helpful, even
essential (so they tell me).

I have not (yet) upgraded NUM to work with WordPerfect 6.0/6.1,
partly from pressure of other work, partly because I have had mixed
reports on whether the advent of Counters in WP 6+ is enough of an
advance to wipe out NUM's potential advantage in speed and
convenience. I really need informed advice from linguists who
know what NUM can do with WP 5.1/5.2 and who have also used WP 6: if
a NUM upgrade worked as well with WP 6 as it does with WP 5.1, would
you use it? Let me know.

And for continuing users of WP 5.1, I'll be happy, as always, to send
info on NUM.

David Denison

_____________________________________
(Dr) David Denison e-mail: d.denisonman.ac.uk
Dept of English Language & Literature tel. +44 161-275 3154
University of Manchester fax. +44 161-275 3256
Manchester M13 9PL,
UK.