I HAVE been using WordPerfect 5.1 for writing letters and documents on a personal computer. I find that sometimes the spaces between words are not evenly proportioned in some lines. Is there something I am doing wrong with the program, or is it just this particular software? When I receive letters from, for example, my solicitor, the text looks perfectly spaced. If it is the software, then could you suggest another word-processing program which has a nicer presentation. I use a Star NX-2415 24-pin printer. JOHN RHODES San Po Kong Word processors tend to produce the spaced-out effect you describe when you use perfect justification with them. This is when the ends of the lines are perfectly aligned with each other. Unless a program is smart enough to hyphenate most words well, it will simply push a difficult word over from a line and stretch that line out (or justify it). Programs for newspaper editing are good examples of this. Atex, the program the South China Morning Post uses (the XyWrite word processor is based on it and even has the same simple commands), is one. Although proofreaders keep a keen eye for ''bad spacing'', it does occur occasionally. The same is true of other word processors. To correctly space justified text, you have to do the same thing newspaper proofreaders do - go through the text and insert hyphens yourself in words at the beginning of a line following one with bad spacing in it. Or, you could take the easy way out and simply get the word processor to set all text to the left. That way, the text will be aligned on the left of the page, and ragged (or uneven) on the right. All words will be perfectly spaced, though. WordPerfect has just released version 6.0 for DOS, and this comes with a useful optional graphical user interface that looks like Windows (yet it is a DOS program). If you are a long-time WordPerfect user and are looking to upgrade, WP 6.0 would be worthlooking at. WordPerfect's distributor in Hongkong is SiS International (tel: 565-1682). DUE to urgency and necessity, I bought a 386 computer last year. It came with MS-DOS and Windows 3.1 plus an accounting software which I have taught myself to operate. However, my knowledge of software and computers is still very limited. I recently bought WordPerfect 5.2 for Windows, though I have yet to learn it. I would like to complete my requirements by eventually adding spreadsheet and database programs to my computer. Among many programs available in the market, I am at a loss to choose a sensible and compatible mix of different systems (such as Quattro Pro, Lotus 1-2-3 and Excel), preferably all under Windows. C. CHOW Tsim Sha Tsui It would be inappropriate for me to recommend one brand of software over another. What I will say, however, is that programs made by the same vendor tend to work better with each other. For example, Microsoft likes to encourage people to buy its own programs so, for various reasons (which you can figure out), Microsoft Excel will work that little bit better with Microsoft Word than with AmiPro or WordPerfect. And Lotus 1-2-3 (for the same reasons) will seem to get along better with AmiPro than with Word, or ProWrite Plus, for that matter. All the latest Windows spreadsheet, graphics, database and word processing programs are pretty much equal in the overall scheme of things - though some obviously do have their strong points. I usually watch out for special offers from software retail outlets when shopping for programs. They help you get good value for money. KPS video outlets are places to look for such bargains, as are Uni Hall book stores - among others, of course. One other tip: when buying software, always check the local support services offered by vendors first. This is where the real value tends to be, or not to be these days. And good luck! I REMEMBER having read that there is a company in Hongkong specialising in recyclable cartridges for laser printers. I need to replace mine, which is for the IBM 4019E laser printer. Our company is going towards an environmentally friendly image. Could you let me know the particulars of this company. BAUDOUIN NEIRYNCK Tsim Sha Tsui I know of two such companies in Hongkong. One is the Green Cartridge Company (tel: 873-2523) and the other is Lasermax (tel: 870-0878).
