What is the best writing tools I can use with my personal computer?

[Amy10223]

I used to have WordStar on a previous computer but I'm not sure if it is compatible with my present one. Which of them are free, or not so expensive that most people can afford them? Right now, I have "Pages" and I really don't know how to navigate it. I can't get id of number pages, and the page set up of my writing is not correct.

[mstbooblover]

Among free software there's Open Office and Libre Office, but if you only need a good word processor, there's Abiword.

Very often I just use the plain Microsoft Notepad, which is very basic but excellent and more than enough to write notes, texts, drafts of e-mails and letters, etc. Notepad is very underestimated. The texts written with notepad can without any problems be imported in any other word processor.

Sure enough, there's Microsoft Word, but the latest versions are far too complicated, and too heavy to my taste, and not practical at all for average users.

[krin_m]

I use libre office.. it is free

[krin_m]

Thanks for the MHO!

[AI Opinion]

For writing tools, consider options like Microsoft Word (part of the Microsoft Office suite), which is widely used and affordable through Office 365 subscriptions. LibreOffice Writer is a free open-source alternative compatible with most formats. Google Docs is another free option, accessible online, offering collaborative features and ease of use. These platforms offer comprehensive tutorials to help you navigate and adjust settings like page numbers and layout. Each provides functionality that aligns with diverse writing needs and budget considerations.

[bowenw]

I assume you have a Mac. Pages is not that difficult to use once you know the basics. Consider watching some introductory videos to it on YouTube or getting help from an Apple store.

My favorite is word processor is Word. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite that is about $100 a year. You may want to give Google Docs a try as it doesn't cost anything.

[Amy10223]

I had to look it up on Youtube, it helped but the man talked so fast and showed everything so quickly I had to write down notes. There are too many little things you have to do, in too many places. Things go awry off you don't follow certain things, and I am one that needs a simpler tool. Thanks.

[bowenw]

You may like Google Docs better.

[Amy10223]

Most likely, yes. Much simpler to use and easier to navigate around.

[AviatorTom]

For simple text, I use Notepad++, which is free. I use Microsoft Office, which includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint, which I needed when I was working at my company. It's not cheap.

You might want to try OpenOffice, which, last I knew, was free, and reasonably compatible with Microsoft Office. I used that several years ago, and so long as you don't use some of the advanced features, you can exchange files back and forth between OpenOffice and Microsoft Office without errors.

[IslaTheWitch]

I would go with the google suite... it has everything and lets you manage shares...

[strateguy632]

The text called notepad is best. No bold letters because not needed.

[NathanDavis]

Notion...