PaperClip
 | |
| Original author(s) | Steve Douglas (C64) Steve Ahlstrom (Atari) Dan Moore (Atari) |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Batteries Included |
| Initial release | 1982[1] |
| Platform | Commodore 64, 128, Atari 8-bit |
'PaperClip' is a word processor for the Commodore 64, 128 (native mode), and Atari 8-bit family published by Batteries Included in 1985. In the United Kingdom it was published by Ariolasoft.
Both the Atari and Commodore versions shared the PaperClip name, but had significant differences.[2] The Commodore 64 version of PaperClip was written by Steve Douglas[3] and was rewritten for the Atari personal computer by Steve Ahlstrom and Dan Moore. The Atari version is based upon the editor in the Action! programming language by Clinton Parker.
PaperClip is also the name given to the text editor ROM portion of the Commodore PET Execudesk office suite. The ROM was written by Steve Douglas as well.
Features
PaperClip does not use word wrap to display text on the screen, which Ahoy!'s reviewer wrote was satisfactory for Commodore 64 users with 40-column displays but drew the ire of the reviewer for Whole Earth Software Catalog while highlighting OMNIWRITER's support for same.[4] The Commodore 64 version provides an 80-column preview mode with text that was legible on a computer monitor, and supported a wide variety of Commodore and non-Commodore printers. The software was supplied with a dongle, a hardware key used for copy protection that plugged into the DE-9 joystick port.[5] A keyless version was also available.
One unusual aspect of PaperClip is that the Control key functions more like on a hand-held calculator. You have to press and release the Control key, then press the key for the appropriate function.
Reception
Ahoy! wrote that "PaperClip is one of the most comprehensive word processing programs for the C-64", but noted the $125 list price.[6] Antic stated that its staff abandoned other programs when PaperClip, "by far the best word processor ever available for the Atari" and "quite different from the" Commodore 64 version, arrived, and reported that they used it to prepare an entire issue of the magazine.[2]
References
- ^ "The Personal Computer Museum, Brantford, Ontario, CANADA - Recycle, donate, and browse your old computers, electronics, video games, and software". Pcmuseum.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-07-03. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Ciarolo, Michael; Friedland, Nat (May 1985). "Paperclip / State-of-the-art Atari word processing!". Antic. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- ^ Ellison, Peter (February–March 1985). "Canada's Atari". ROM. p. 7. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Whole Earth Software Catalog".
Why EASY SCRIPT from Commodore and PAPER CLIP from Batteries Included continue to sell for the Commodore 64 baffles me. They can't even manage to end lines on the screen without breaking words in the middle.
- ^ Kevelson, Morton (January 1985). "Paper Clip". Ahoy!. pp. 44–46. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ Nath, Sanjiva K. (September 1984). "In Search Of... A Word Processor". Ahoy!. p. 11. Retrieved 27 June 2014.