Lisa Phrase Files

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Phrase files allowed Lisa Office System programs such as LisaWrite and LisaCalc to separate messages for users from the actual program. These papers describe the mechanics behind phrase files and also provide several sample phrase files. Note that these files are at time humorous. For example, the LisaCalc phrase file mentions an internal menu item named “PretendToBeRod” which refers to Rod Perkins, the main designer of LisaCalc. The LisaCalc phrase file also contains an alert which talks about an “organic” problem which I assume is a pun on users causing problems. The key person behind Lisa phrase files was Larry Tesler who wrote the Lisa alert manager and also the phrase file compiler program.