Loved reveal codes! I used them in search/replace for formatting an also with macros, back in the 5.1 days.
My wife still misses WP as it is no longer available for Mac. Word won’t handle parallel columns, short of a complex setup of text boxes. She writes scripts for stage plays occasionally and it’s a pain to get left/right stage notes/dialog columns to remain lined up.
I refuse to use Word, opting for Open Office instead (just a Microsoft thing). I use OO for anything that needs to go out to the general public or for quick and dirty docs.
I use WP whenever formatting docs for printing. Just having “Reveal Codes” available for intricate formatting makes it worth the cost. And “Make It Fit” can be a lifesaver.