---
title: "Abacus – The Word Processor"
type: "article"
slug: "abacus-the-word-processor"
url: "http://localhost/article/abacus-the-word-processor/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/article/abacus-the-word-processor.md"
published_at: "2026-02-23T02:37:45+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-02-23T02:37:45+00:00"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20230809-041332.jpg"
excerpt: "I need Columns of Text. I need Columns that stay put when other Text is moved around them. I need to move words up and down, side to side and arrange them in order by number or by letter. I need a very sophisticated word processor and I have, alas, QUILL! Fortunately, I also have…"
category:
  - name: "NESQLUG News"
    slug: "nesqlug-news"
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    url: "http://localhost/category/periodicals/nesqlug-news/"
post_tag:
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model:
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    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/sinclair-ql/"
indiv:
  - name: "Ed Kingsley"
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    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/ed-kingsley/"
publication_r:
  id: 49611
  title: "NESQLUG News"
  type: "periodical"
  url: "http://localhost/periodical/new-england-ql-user-group/"
authors_r:
  - name: "Ed Kingsley"
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    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/ed-kingsley/"
volume: "5"
issue: "1"
issues_articles:
  - id: 50170
    title: "NESQLUG News v5 n1"
    type: "issue"
    url: "http://localhost/issue/nesqlug-news-v5-n1/"
pages: "7-9"
pubdate: "June/July 1994"
archive_link: false
---

# Abacus – The Word Processor

I need Columns of Text. I need Columns that stay put when other Text is moved around them. I need to move words up and down, side to side and arrange them in order by number or by letter. I need a very sophisticated word processor and I have, alas, QUILL! Fortunately, I also have ABACUS, and with a little ingenuity, ABACUS can do the job.