From the May 18, 2006 Technolawyer Answers to Questions Issue:
1. ANDREA CANNAVINA, WORD V. WORDPERFECT ON THE FRONT LINES
TechnoLawyer member Jon Calhoun asks:
"I think for most of us that swear by WordPerfect it is the Reveal Codes feature that always puts it head and shoulders above Word. I've not worked with Microsoft Word's Reveal Formatting that Kim described as "similar to" Reveal Codes." I'd appreciate further comments from those who use Word 2002, who also are familiar with WP, as to the ease of use and other characteristics of the Reveal Formatting." the ease of use and other characteristics of the Reveal Formatting."
Alan D. Garber responded:
"The issue really is how do you fix problems in a document, because in a perfect document, nobody would need to reveal codes or formatting...."
Barron K. Henley wrote:
"As someone who has taught Word AND WordPerfect to law firms for over 10 years, I can verify everything that Mr. Garber states in his post. The mastery of styles in Word eliminates and avoids about 90% of the formatting issues one may otherwise encounter...."
Nathaniel Barber responded:
"I couldn't agree more with Barron Henley. There's nothing I can do in WordPerfect that I can't do faster, more elegantly, and with less code in Word. WordPerfect, in my view, is an "enabler" (in the pejorative, behavioral science sense) of clutter and inefficiency...."
My observations on the topic of Word vs WordPerfect:
It is WordPerfect's Reveal Code feature which makes the formatting of complex legal documents manageable from a secretary's rather than a programmer's perspective. Certainly, using Styles in Word can come close in terms of formatting, however, an issue not yet touched upon is that not all documents that pass your desk will be created by you or by someone within your firm that has a complete grasp on Word's Styles. In many instances, work will be necessary on files received from clients, adversaries, and co-counsel or which may have been revised several times by several people. "Clean up" of such documents is no small task in either application, however, given that the code is right in front of you in WordPerfect, at least it can be done by someone other than an IT programmer!
Also, it's not just the Reveal Codes feature of WordPerfect which makes it a better word processing application for those just starting their own practice or who, finally getting out there on their own, come to realize that typing and properly formatting legal documents is no small endeavor! WordPerfect is much more intuitive to use, IMHO. The FKey template that you can print out and place over your FKeys is extremely helpful to new users as the commands are right there in front of your eyes/hands.
Along with Reveal Codes and the FKey Template, WordPerfect also has an inherent print to .pdf feature so that you do not need to use or purchase expensive .pdf software. If a contact uses Word then documents need merely be printed to pdf by using "File" and "Publish To .pdf" before sending. I recommend to my clients that they .pdf everything before providing to another that way none of the information you do not mean to send (i.e., metadata), if captured by your software will be provided.
Additionally, I'm not quite certain where it got to the point that just because we can provide electronic versions of documents to clients and adversaries, we should. In the old days (and I'm not that old!) — all documents were sent hard copy — on paper or through fax, and changes were made in hand and returned to the firm that produced the document — making one "master" document that only one firm worked on. In fact, it really depended on the relationship between an adversary and our office whether or not we would supply the interrogatory questions or force them to type from scratch — our jurisdiction requires questions and answers. ;)
It only stands to reason that if several different operating systems, versions of software and people actually open and work on a document, the more likely it is to go corrupt (or even something get changed in the mix and not brought to light — do attorneys read the entire 100 page agreement after getting it back from an adversary?). Word's Track Changes feature is completely unreliable and unstable (my clients that redline documents, for the most part, use DeltaView). That's why I always recommend to my clients that they keep the original file and only provide physical documents (or pdfs) to their adversaries, clients, etc.
Regards,
Andrea Cannavina, CEO
LegalTypist, Inc.
(866) 848-2195 x101
www.legaltypist.com
Virtually@YourService!T
E: Andrea@Legaltypist.com
1. ANDREA CANNAVINA, WORD V. WORDPERFECT ON THE FRONT LINES
TechnoLawyer member Jon Calhoun asks:
"I think for most of us that swear by WordPerfect it is the Reveal Codes feature that always puts it head and shoulders above Word. I've not worked with Microsoft Word's Reveal Formatting that Kim described as "similar to" Reveal Codes." I'd appreciate further comments from those who use Word 2002, who also are familiar with WP, as to the ease of use and other characteristics of the Reveal Formatting." the ease of use and other characteristics of the Reveal Formatting."
Alan D. Garber responded:
"The issue really is how do you fix problems in a document, because in a perfect document, nobody would need to reveal codes or formatting...."
Barron K. Henley wrote:
"As someone who has taught Word AND WordPerfect to law firms for over 10 years, I can verify everything that Mr. Garber states in his post. The mastery of styles in Word eliminates and avoids about 90% of the formatting issues one may otherwise encounter...."
Nathaniel Barber responded:
"I couldn't agree more with Barron Henley. There's nothing I can do in WordPerfect that I can't do faster, more elegantly, and with less code in Word. WordPerfect, in my view, is an "enabler" (in the pejorative, behavioral science sense) of clutter and inefficiency...."
My observations on the topic of Word vs WordPerfect:
It is WordPerfect's Reveal Code feature which makes the formatting of complex legal documents manageable from a secretary's rather than a programmer's perspective. Certainly, using Styles in Word can come close in terms of formatting, however, an issue not yet touched upon is that not all documents that pass your desk will be created by you or by someone within your firm that has a complete grasp on Word's Styles. In many instances, work will be necessary on files received from clients, adversaries, and co-counsel or which may have been revised several times by several people. "Clean up" of such documents is no small task in either application, however, given that the code is right in front of you in WordPerfect, at least it can be done by someone other than an IT programmer!
Also, it's not just the Reveal Codes feature of WordPerfect which makes it a better word processing application for those just starting their own practice or who, finally getting out there on their own, come to realize that typing and properly formatting legal documents is no small endeavor! WordPerfect is much more intuitive to use, IMHO. The FKey template that you can print out and place over your FKeys is extremely helpful to new users as the commands are right there in front of your eyes/hands.
Along with Reveal Codes and the FKey Template, WordPerfect also has an inherent print to .pdf feature so that you do not need to use or purchase expensive .pdf software. If a contact uses Word then documents need merely be printed to pdf by using "File" and "Publish To .pdf" before sending. I recommend to my clients that they .pdf everything before providing to another that way none of the information you do not mean to send (i.e., metadata), if captured by your software will be provided.
Additionally, I'm not quite certain where it got to the point that just because we can provide electronic versions of documents to clients and adversaries, we should. In the old days (and I'm not that old!) — all documents were sent hard copy — on paper or through fax, and changes were made in hand and returned to the firm that produced the document — making one "master" document that only one firm worked on. In fact, it really depended on the relationship between an adversary and our office whether or not we would supply the interrogatory questions or force them to type from scratch — our jurisdiction requires questions and answers. ;)
It only stands to reason that if several different operating systems, versions of software and people actually open and work on a document, the more likely it is to go corrupt (or even something get changed in the mix and not brought to light — do attorneys read the entire 100 page agreement after getting it back from an adversary?). Word's Track Changes feature is completely unreliable and unstable (my clients that redline documents, for the most part, use DeltaView). That's why I always recommend to my clients that they keep the original file and only provide physical documents (or pdfs) to their adversaries, clients, etc.
Regards,
Andrea Cannavina, CEO
LegalTypist, Inc.
(866) 848-2195 x101
www.legaltypist.com
Virtually@YourService!T
E: Andrea@Legaltypist.com
posted by . at 9:10 AM
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