Free word processors?

Willowmound · Jun 12, 2007

I know this has been discussed before. I did a search, but couldn't find it.

And I didn't read the old one, 'cause it didn't apply to me. Then.

Now I have a new computer (ooh, shiny, sleek, spanky) and I find I need this info. Does anyone use and can recommend a free word processor?

My new Vista monster doesn't like my Office 2000, and I simply won't pay a basillion pounds for more MS products. I have to pay rent. Eat. Etc.

So anyone know anything free and good?

Thanks

Mystic Blossom · Jun 12, 2007

Openoffice.org.

Anything Microsoft Office can do, it can do better.

I'm serious here. It's awesome. I have word, and I use this instead.

Willowmound · Jun 12, 2007

Sweet.

I will check it out.

benbradley · Jun 12, 2007

Doesn't Vista come with Wordpad? That should be usable for a start.

Openoffice says it runs on Vista:
http://www.openoffice.org/dev_docs/source/sys_reqs_20.html

robeiae · Jun 12, 2007

In this thread, James Ritchie mentions a program for writers called "Dark Room." It's free and simple...and I can't quit it. Love it!

Willowmound · Jun 12, 2007

benbradley said:
Doesn't Vista come with Wordpad?

Yes. My Vista came with Works too. And is Works ever one steaming pile of elephant manure! Microsoft makes it of course. And deliberately ensure it's too crap to use. So that you'll go get Word instead.

Didn't try the 'pad, but sure it'd be no better than Works. Because MS makes that one as well.

This OpenWord intrigues me...

Willowmound · Jun 12, 2007

robeiae said:
In this thread, James Ritchie mentions a program for writers called "Dark Room." It's free and simple...and I can't quit it. Love it!

This looks interesting too.

Flashback to way back.

Cav Guy · Jun 12, 2007

OpenOffice is an open-source program that does everything Microsoft Office does, and better. It can save in just about any format you can think of, has a very small document format (I've had 500k items from Word convert down to under 100k in OpenOffice). Openoffice.org. You can't beat it.

Del · Jun 12, 2007

Another option is http://www.writeboard.com/

This is an online word processor geared toward collaboration. Some might find it interesting.

Willowmound · Jun 12, 2007

Cav Guy said:
OpenOffice is an open-source program that does everything Microsoft Office does, and better.

Does it have that charming paperclip?

Mel · Jun 12, 2007

I'm on the Open Office side. Love it.

tjwriter · Jun 12, 2007

The next computer I get, I'm not even bothering with MicroCrap office products. OpenOffice will be my preferred item because it's free.

Jamesaritchie · Jun 12, 2007

OpenOffice

I wouldn't go as far as saying OpenOffice can do everything Word or WordPerfect can do. I have all three, and I can do quite a number of things with Word and WordPerfect that I can't do with OpenOffice.

But if what you want is a good, easy to use, free word processor that has everything you need to write a novel, OpenOffice is a great choice.

Writer2011 · Jun 12, 2007

I have Windows Vista (and now I like it

But I have microsoft works and it's like the old MS Word program used to be..it's simple with not all the bells and whistles

Willowmound · Jun 12, 2007

No, it's worse than merely missing bells and whistles.

You can't, for instance, do a word count of just the selected text. If you zoom to 150% like I do, the program won't remember that till next time. And it insists on adding a line at the bottom of the document, in size 10 even though I write in size 12.

No, Works is less than just plain.

I'll give OpenOffice a try after work.

Dave.C.Robinson · Jun 12, 2007

Abiword http://www.abisource.org is also good and free. I wrote the first draft of a novel using it.

Writer2011 · Jun 12, 2007

I tried downloading open office and it wouldn't work for some reason... Besides I don't like things which are complicated

I'm perfectly happy with MS Works thank you

Willowmound · Jun 12, 2007

aspiringwriter said:
I tried downloading open office and it wouldn't work for some reason...

Could this be a Vista thing?

Sean D. Schaffer · Jun 12, 2007

I've had some good luck with OpenOffice and with Jarte. They're both pretty easy to use, although the latter is more of a WordPad style than OpenOffice is. I would recommend OpenOffice for full-featured word processing. It's pretty cool, although like Jamesaritchie said, there are some things it won't do better than, say, Word or Works.

I recall having to download OpenOffice from a mirror site because the main site was down, (this was a few months ago), and I found there were a couple extra OpenOffice applications I didn't want that I had accidentally downloaded. Be sure you get the proper program and download the version that works with your system. There is a different OpenOffice download for Mac, for instance, than there is for Windows.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

Dave.C.Robinson · Jun 12, 2007

Willowmound said:
Could this be a Vista thing?

I have Open Office on my Vista machine and it runs just fine. I use MS Office more, but OO is compatible with Vista.

ChunkyC · Jun 12, 2007

I love OpenOffice too. I've been using it for years. I installed version 2.2 on Vista and it went smooth as silk. Just be sure to go directly to www.openoffice.org and download the latest version.

James A. is right about OO not doing every thing MSOffice can do, but that's true of any piece of software, and the converse is true as well: OpenOffice does things MSOffice can't do.

In my opinion, especially for what a writer needs to do, it's just not worth paying hundreds of dollars to get a few features MSOffice has that OO doesn't.

Willowmound · Jun 12, 2007

Well I'm slowly downloading now.

So we'll see. Eventually...

sassandgroove · Jun 12, 2007

so I have my entire novel saved in Word format. If I were to get OpenOffice, could I open my novel?

Mel · Jun 12, 2007

sassandgroove said:
so I have my entire novel saved in Word format. If I were to get OpenOffice, could I open my novel?

Yes. Left click your file and point to Open With, if OpenOffice doesn't show go down to Browse right there at the bottom and click that. You should be able to find it that way.

ChunkyC · Jun 12, 2007

Or just run OpenOffice, click File/Open then navigate to your files.

OpenOffice supports dozens of different file formats. You can open/save as just about any reasonably popular word processor format out there, not to mention spreadsheets, databases, presentations....

Free word processors?

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