The Differences between WordPerfect 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 by Gary Kukis; updated January 19, 2003 Why the Upgrade? A Summary Customization Documents Formatting General Environment Graphics Menu Navigation Tables Toolbars Tools View Web Features Miscellaneous Considerations Miscellaneous Features Summary Final Scores Addendum on WP 9 SP 4 The last three versions of WordPerfect which were put out by Corel after Corel took over WordPerfect are all three extraordinary programs. They are all designed for Windows 9x, although WordPerfect 7 and 8 were specifically designed for Windows ‘95 and WP 9 for Windows ‘98, they all seem to run quite well on Windows ‘98.1 I have loaded and run WP 9 quite successfully on Windows 2000 as well. We all have our favorites. I, having become less and less enchanted with MS products, usually use WP 7 at home, mostly because it doesn’t look like a MS product. WordPerfect’s subsequent look in versions 8 and 9 is much more like MS Word and for users of MS Word who plan to exit the overpriced upgrading of MS Word, will want to go with either version 8 or 9 (people who have used Word for a long time will want to use WP 9). I do use version 8 at home occasionally, and always in the office, however, and I use version 9 at school. Versions 8 and 9 suck up a lot of resources, which is not a problem for the newer computers (200 MHz and above with 32 RAM and higher). However, depending upon RAM and other factors, version 7 might be your best choice if you are using a computer which runs at 100 MHz. Not only is speed a factor, but stability is a factor as well. The less resources, the more often you will have to reboot (as you have no doubt found with Windows 9x in general). No matter which version you choose, most people will find any of these versions easier to use and more feature-full than any of the MS Word products on up to MS Word 2000. I see WordPerfect 7 and MS Word 2000 are being fairly evenly matched, with WP 7 as having the slight edge (they both have some good features that the other does not); WP 8 and 9 are superior to all versions of Word so far. Now you may think that with these various flavors of WordPerfect that 8 is better than 7 and that 9 is better than both 7 and 8; however, that is incorrect. From the standpoint of stability, required resources, interface, and documents created for the web, in some respects, it is almost like we have three different products here. I personally prefer the interface of WordPerfect 7, mostly because it doesn’t look like MS Word. But then I use WP 8 exclusively for saving my work as HTML documents. However, only WP 9 allows me to publish a document in PDF format and only WP 9 has instant preview, which is important to those of us who are anal retentive. Therefore, I have all three versions and have no reason to remove one version and use a different version exclusively. The differences between the three programs are often slight, but, in some areas, they are significant—important enough to cause one to purchase one rather than the other. Now, where can you get WordPerfect 7 and 8? You would have to go to ebay or some other auction or used item alternative. And, WP 7 is an outstanding product whose available supplies are limited—therefore, if you decide that is the product for you, the search may become more intensive. Why the Upgrade ? A Summary: A reasonable question is: if WordPerfect 7 is so good (and it is), why did Corel continue to put out new versions? First of all, for any software company, they are in the business to make money. You cannot put out a great piece of software and then let that be your lifetime legacy. You have to make changes (ideally, improvements) so that you can sell more products. 1 I am not exam ining WordPerfect 7 for Windows 3x, although it is by far the best word processing program designed for those who still use Windows 3x. It does take up a lot of room, and, being the size program that it is, it can by s low to load and slow when performing certain functions (assuming that you are running Windows 3x on an older computer). On a newer computer—say, 133 mHz or faster—WP 7 is a speed-demon running under Windows 3x. However, the two WP 7 programs are very different—more so than the differences between WP 7 and 9. Page -1- We will compare several features: Customization, Documents, General Environment, Graphics, Menu, Navigation, Tables, Toolbars, Tools, View, Web Features, Miscellaneous Considerations and Miscellaneous Features. If you don’t particularly want to wade through a lot of this, then check out the Summary or the Final Scores at the very end. Also, in this comparison, I made some judgment calls as to which version had the better feature. In many cases, the differences between them may not be important enough for you. Page -2- <return to WordPerfe WordPerfe WordPerfe WordPerfe top> ct 7 ct 8 ct 9 ct 10 Customization <return to WordPerfe WordPerfe WordPerfe WordPerfe top> ct 7 ct 8 ct 9 ct 10 When a key is customized to reflect the use of a macro, you may choose save the entire path. If your macros are organized on your hard drive into more than two locations, and you choose to save the Regardless of Regardless of entire path, then where the where the the entire macro macro is found, macro is found, path is placed This is just like Keyboard only the name of only the name of next to the WP 9. the macro is the macro is keystroke. saved next to saved next to Unfortunately, the keystroke. § the keystroke. § the dialogue box is so small and the path so long that what macro goes with what key is impossible to determine (unless you only use a few macros and they are all found in the same place). Ditto—it is WP 10 provides Because of the This must be easier to have a way to export long paths in Keyboard map done pretty two programs the keyboard WP 9, this can much by hand. open in order to shortcuts as a be difficult to do. do this. table. §§ You can only choose between two font sizes You can only You can only (normal or choose between choose between large) for the three font sizes three font sizes Status Bar (it is (small, medium (small, medium controlled by or large) for the or large) for the whatever Status Bar (it is You can choose Status Bar (or, Status Bar (it is settings are controlled by the font and the the Application controlled by made for whatever size for the Bar; found at the whatever Windows). settings are Status Bar (the bottom of the settings are However, a made for bar on the screen) made for different Windows). The bottom). § Windows). computer setting of small Some of the allowed me the is really small. items can be small setting as Some of the written out or well. Some of items can be given an icon. the items can written out or be shown an given an icon. icon or written out. Page -3- I would like to be able to choose my font and ov e r r id e the Windows settings for the status bar (as is allowed with Reveal Codes). Documents <return to WordPerfe WordPerfe WordPerfe WordPerfe top> ct 7 ct 8 ct 9 ct 10 I have been able to open documents created in WP 8 or 9 generally WP 9 SP 4 without incident. messed my When opening Suite this particular Comparison Most document, the document up documents page size was I have been able when I opened open fine in messed up. to open it; the problem WP 10. Opening it in documents was the page Opening several Documents WP 8 put things created in size, which was macros back to normal. WP 7, 8 or 9 completely continually shut A second without incident. customized WP 10 down for document § originally. I me (I finally created in WP 9 changed the edited them in also was totally page size, and WP 9). wack when I that immediately opened it in fixed the WP 7. In both document. cases, the documents involved a huge table. This should open MS Word This can open documents up MS Word 6/7 This should to MS This should documents and open MS Word Word 2000. Word open Word possibly documents up According to documents documents to Word ‘95 to MS one review I MS Word 97. § documents with Word 2000. §§ read, it did not an update. open all Word documents, however. §§ WP 5 files WP 5 files Heavily I haven’t opened appear very appear very formatting anything from much as they much as they documents from WordPerfect 5 WP 5 (I don’t did in WP 5. did in WP 5; WP 5 may be files know if I have Some slight some slight drastically anything left in reformatting reformatting changed by that format). occurs. § occurs. § WP 9. Formatting <return to WordPerfe WordPerfe WordPerfe WordPerfe top> ct 7 ct 8 ct 9 ct 10 Margins can be set using Ditto.