Software Spotlight: ChiWriter 4.00
Since Mirror 1 is still down at the moment, I have chosen an older entry that is also on Mirror 2. There is plenty to say about the older releases, but there are some new things pending.
ChiWriter 4.00:
https://winworldpc.com/product/chiwriter
ChiWriter is a word processor for DOS that specializes in mathematical and scientific formatting.
Prior to applications like this, one would have to manually create a text file with markup or formatting codes, and only then feed it to a seperate rendering system or printer to see what it looked like.
ChiWriter is mostly What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get. The symbols are formatted directly on the screen, and appear the same on your printout. It does not, however, calculate formulas.
Consumer word processors generally did not support such advanced formatting, as it was considered a very niche requirement. Usually the vendors of these word processors considered a bit-mapped drawing as sufficient.
ChiWriter is relatively easy to use, operated via a menu and keyboard shortcuts. It does lack features common in bigger word processors, such as styles, and earlier versions did not include a spell checker.
It is also very customizable. It is possible to add additional symbols for almost any possible use.
4.00 Supports CGA, EGA, CGA, Hercules Monochrome, Wyse 700 / Amdek 1280, MCGA (IBM PS/2 Model 30), AT&T/Olivetti (640 x 400 resolution), and Toshiba 3100/3200/5100 (640 x 400 resolution) graphics modes.
The company that produced it, Horstmann Software, is long since out of business.
Version 4.20B for DOS was the last version, and no version was produced for Microsoft Windows.
WinWorld does not currently have 4.20, however contributions of this or earlier versions are welcome.
ChiWriter 4.00:
https://winworldpc.com/product/chiwriter
ChiWriter is a word processor for DOS that specializes in mathematical and scientific formatting.
Prior to applications like this, one would have to manually create a text file with markup or formatting codes, and only then feed it to a seperate rendering system or printer to see what it looked like.
ChiWriter is mostly What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get. The symbols are formatted directly on the screen, and appear the same on your printout. It does not, however, calculate formulas.
Consumer word processors generally did not support such advanced formatting, as it was considered a very niche requirement. Usually the vendors of these word processors considered a bit-mapped drawing as sufficient.
ChiWriter is relatively easy to use, operated via a menu and keyboard shortcuts. It does lack features common in bigger word processors, such as styles, and earlier versions did not include a spell checker.
It is also very customizable. It is possible to add additional symbols for almost any possible use.
4.00 Supports CGA, EGA, CGA, Hercules Monochrome, Wyse 700 / Amdek 1280, MCGA (IBM PS/2 Model 30), AT&T/Olivetti (640 x 400 resolution), and Toshiba 3100/3200/5100 (640 x 400 resolution) graphics modes.
The company that produced it, Horstmann Software, is long since out of business.
Version 4.20B for DOS was the last version, and no version was produced for Microsoft Windows.
WinWorld does not currently have 4.20, however contributions of this or earlier versions are welcome.
Comments
I uploaded the ChiWriter 4.20 (Not 4.20B) with good dump.
Unfortunately I don't have serial number.
(It can't be run with serial number for version 4.10 known as "C42243-ENWNU9X")
No serial number can't be found on the net.
So I downloaded installed version 4.20B from any site.
(No serial number is attached, but it was already adapted on SYSTEM.EFT)
Without S/N, the best way is to use atapted SYSTEM.EFT to run version 4.20.