Why bother? Isn't WordPerfect 5.1 dead, for all intents and purposes?

Absolutely not! Off-the-cuff estimates of the percentage of medical transcriptionists, for instance, still using WP51 hover around 50 percent or more. Similar numbers are given for the legal community.

So what if a lot of people use the program? Surely they won't keep using it with all the better choicees available.

People continue to use WP51, because the better choices really aren't better choices! The biggest complaint lodged against WP51's strongest competitors, even including later Windows-based versions of WordPerfect, is that speed was an overlooked design requirement, taking second place to such features as a WYSIWYG interface, correct-as-you-go spell checking, and integration with other products.

For certain users, particularly those whose mission is create a great number of well-crafted documents each day, WYSIWYG isn't either of huge benefit or of great use. For medical transcriptionists and legal secretaries, for instance, our document formats are well established and tested over a long period of time. We already know the final format will be right. What we want, what we need is speed, speed, speed! WP51 gives us that speed.

But isn't integration with other products important? You can't do that with WP51.

Oh, yes, you can! Here's the scoop: WP51, admittedly, does not have native support for other applications. How could it? The program was developed long before some of those other products even existed. That doesn't mean, however, that it can't be used with today's Windows-based programs--for instance, Excel, Access, and Outlook.

One method is to use intermediary files to carry information between applications. Another method is to compose your documents in WP51 and then merge or import them into your Windows-based applications. Yet another method is to associate a file extension of your choice (I use .wp5) with the wp.exe program. Once you've done this, you can embed WP51 files as objects in, for instance, an Excel spreadsheet or an Access database.

Using this last method, you can create powerful spreadsheet and database applications that incorporate WP51. You can even share these applications with internal and external customers who don't use WP51. They simply need to associate the file extension you're using with their word processing program of choice. Files integrated into spreadsheets and databases this way can be edited from within, basically, the hosting application and the changes can be saved into the WP51 file.

What else can you do with WP51?

Well, I've used WP51 to invoice, track receivables, automatically schedule work from a DVI system, data mine, track productivity, build databases of patient demographics, record and retrieve physician addresses, write packing slips, maintain a shipping log, and keep employee time records, just to name a few projects. You can use it for just about anything you have in mind!

If you can integrate WP51 with Windows, why don't people do it?

The answer to this question is fairly simple. The Windows-based application suites (Microsoft Office or Corel Office, for example) are natively integrated. Is this better? Well, it's certainly easier, no doubt. If you move your office or work group to MS Office, everything works together without much effort on your part. Honestly, if your mission involves working primarily with spreadsheets or databases on a day-to-day basis, then I believe you're better off using a suite of applications that work together by default.

Let's say, though, that you are an HIS manager contemplating moving your 20-person transcription department to a new suite of applications. Let's assume those 20 people are currently using WP51 and loving it. You want to be able to integrate transcribed reports into a database for your internal customers (physicians, risk management, outcome review, for instance); your other customers (the MTs) don't want to lose productivity, experience a steep learning curve, or suffer through migration of their existing keyboard expander to a Windows-friendly one. In this scenario, I think you can satisfy both sets of internal customers by doing some development work. Yes, it takes time. No, it's not awful or impossible.

What kind of resources are available on this site?

Today, the resources available are somewhat limited and include some macros, instructions, and tips. The site has, in one form or another, existed for about five years, since around 1995/1996. You'll forgive me for not remembering exactly. The site has languished for the last three years or so while I was involved in very time-consuming professional pursuits. Now, however, I'm once again self-employed, and that gives me the freedom to decide how much time to devote to the site, and I've decided to spend quite a bit of time on it. I have an extensive collection of macros, hundreds of which I plan to move to the site. As well, I intend to make available some proprietary companion programs that were used in my former company. Finally, I hope to add to the instruction and tip pages considerably. Will it happen overnight? No! A woman has to work, you know. My advice is to check back from time to time or sign up for our update newsletter (available on the macros index page). You'll notice that on the WP51 site homepage we have a table listing the most recent additions to the site. New features stay on the list for one month and then drop off. A quick glance at this page will tell you what's new on our site.

What's up with the use of the pronouns 'we' and 'I' on this site? Is this a group or an individual?

The old site (and I'm using that term loosely, as it was just one really, really long page) was a purely personal site on which I shared my little bit of WP51 knowledge and some macros. The new, hopefully improved, site contains quite a bit more, and it's linked to my business site. The business, of course, is a corporation, and it sponsors this site. So, I find myself torn between using the corporate "we" and the personal "I" as I update pages. I vacillate, I forget, and, in the end, I just use whatever flies to my fingertips in the heat of page creation. That's the explanation. For all practical purposes, we is me.

I have a specific WP51 challenge. Can you offer me personal help?

Sure. If you can't find your answer on our pages, you have two other ways of getting casual help. The first is to post a question in the WP51 forum linked off our WP51 homepage. The second is to send me email at mdponce@yourvoicepro.com.

Finally, if your challenge would be best met using more extensive outside help, I am sometimes available to consult or can refer you to another consultant. Feel free to email me about your project.

Where can I buy WP51?

We cover this question on our links page, but, briefly, WP51 can sometimes be found at used software shops in your community. On the Internet, we suggest trying Alphabest (see links page) for a WP51 license or eBay for auctions of used packages.

Will all your macros and tips work on my machine?

Maybe. Read our Terms of Use for a more detailed explanation.

Can I share the macros and software I find on this site?

Again, we cover this in the Terms of Use.

I found some useful material on your site. Can I copy it?

Nope, not ever. Everything on the site is covered by our copyright. We claim all rights to all material on the site. You may make brief quotes for review purposes, and you may certainly make brief quotes for reasonable and fair educational use. If you want to reprint entire pages, then you need to link to our site instead. For all other uses you might have in mind, please contact me by email.

I have a WP51 site. Will you link to me?

Sure, we'd love to link to your site. If you want to carry the WordPerfect 5.1 Preservation Society logo, follow the instructions on this page. If you don't want to carry the logo but still want us to link to your site, then please drop me a line.

Can you help me with Word or Corel WP X.x?

It depends on what kind of help you need. If your question relates to using WP51 with another program, I'll help when I can. If, on the other hand, you're trying to figure out how to customize Word, for example, this isn't the right place to get help.

I've lost my original WP51 manual. Where can I find another?

Good luck! Try the Corel FTP site for some downloadable sections of the manual (see our links page). Also, you might try Gordon McComb's site for the electronic version of his macro book (our link to his book), if you're looking for the macro appendices. (Gordon's book is better than the appendices!) Another option might be to locate a full WP51 package offered for resell in a used software shop. I've found those packages for around $35 most of the time. If you want the original manual, $35 is not a bad price.

I don't like or know WP51, but I'm being forced to use it by my employer. How can I learn the program?

We would refer you to an excellent online tutorial (see our links page).

Lastly, an answer to the question asked most often by my friends and colleagues:

Photographic proof that I do,
indeed, wear dresses occasionally!