Word Processor Geeking

[Xelebes]

So I just downloaded OOo 3.1 and I'm actually relieved that this version has the language settings work by default and is to my language (Canadian English) such that the spell check and a rudimentary grammar check works automatically. I was pretty miffed that 3.0 didn't have it by default.

With that, I open this thread to geeking on our word processors.

 

[amicus]

Prolly not 'geek' enuf for you or anyone, but other that the original 'Dos', processor, becoming accustomed to MS Word, inherited MS Works with a new machine and hating it, and the OO, you refer to, is Open Office? Don't like that either and have been looking for an inexpensive way to install MS Word once again...Student version is about the best I have located?

Advice?

ami

 

[Carnevil9]

I've been enjoying using Open Office, and also Google Docs. Something about FREE software just totally trips my trigger.......Carney

 

[SimonBrooke]

So I just downloaded OOo 3.1 and I'm actually relieved that this version has the language settings work by default and is to my language (Canadian English) such that the spell check and a rudimentary grammar check works automatically. I was pretty miffed that 3.0 didn't have it by default.

With that, I open this thread to geeking on our word processors.

Being a Sad Git[tm], the wordprocessor I use to write my stories is a handful of scripts I cobbled together myself. It doesn't have a name, but it's extremely simple (for me) to use, and it produces beautiful, consistently typeset output.

I have OpenOffice, of course, and have used Google Docs for collaborative documents (for which they're really good). But the bells and whistles of modern word processors just get in the way when you're writing a story, and until recently OpenOffice didn't play at all nicely with the revision control software I use. I really can't imagine writing fiction without revision control!

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Let's see...MS Word 2007. Got a copy free through the plan at work. Because my employer has an unlimited license there is a program in place that allows me to install it on my machine at home, as long as both copies aren't running at the same time, it's cool.

I also have MS Word 2003, Open Office, yWrite and a host of others.

Depending on what I'm writing I use a different tool. But in the end everything gets dumped into MS Word for spell check and grammar check.

 

[Xelebes]

Being a Sad Git[tm], the wordprocessor I use to write my stories is a handful of scripts I cobbled together myself. It doesn't have a name, but it's extremely simple (for me) to use, and it produces beautiful, consistently typeset output.

So a slightly more fancy version of Notepad?

Anyways, I did like PFS First Choice software for MS-DOS, however, I don't think I could work with the higher resolutions shrinking my default text to an unusable size, unless I was willing to use Windows at 320x240 resolution once again.

 

[Xelebes]

Depending on what I'm writing I use a different tool. But in the end everything gets dumped into MS Word for spell check and grammar check.

So you haven't used or figured out OOo's spell and grammar checks?

 

[Zeb_Carter]

So you haven't used or figured out OOo's spell and grammar checks?

No, I figured them out but I use MS Word at work so I know how to drive it the best. *shrugs* But it really doesn't matter to me, I started out with WordPerfect back the the DOS 3.1 days, which I also have on one of my machines.

 

[DesertPirate]

No, I figured them out but I use MS Word at work so I know how to drive it the best. *shrugs* But it really doesn't matter to me, I started out with WordPerfect back the the DOS 3.1 days, which I also have on one of my machines.

Since all word processors are derivatives of Word Perfect 5.1 for DOS, it really doesn't matter.
I have used Open Office since 1.1 and love it. Got 3.1 a week ago and am very pleased. Right now I'm using it to edit a ".doc" file and things are great. Yes I edit storys for some authors.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Since all word processors are derivatives of Word Perfect 5.1 for DOS, it really doesn't matter.
I have used Open Office since 1.1 and love it. Got 3.1 a week ago and am very pleased. Right now I'm using it to edit a ".doc" file and things are great. Yes I edit storys for some authors.

And before WP5.1 for DOS there was Runoff for the minicomputers. And for word processing standalone there was Xerox 850/860, etc. And back then Xerox was the only one to offer a proportional font with software and a printer that could proportionally justify text.\

Damn, I'm old.

 

[SimonBrooke]

So a slightly more fancy version of Notepad?

No, not in the least. And eclectic mix of awk, sed, tidy, XSLT and prince, all decorated with CSS and tied together with a shell script.

WYSIWYG it isn't, but that's really the point. It completely separates content from presentation - I don't have to worry about what the text will look like, since I know that the layout scripts know enough about widows-and-orphans, keeping stuff together, kerning and so on that the presentation will be perfect when I go to print. Also, I can switch from standard-paperback format to large-paperback or hardback format just by using a different style sheet. It works for me. I'm not suggesting it would work for anyone else. But as a way of producing publication quality proofs quickly and flexibly without all the clutter and distraction of a modern word-processor, it takes some beating.

 

[SimonBrooke]

And before WP5.1 for DOS there was Runoff for the minicomputers. And for word processing standalone there was Xerox 850/860, etc. And back then Xerox was the only one to offer a proportional font with software and a printer that could proportionally justify text.\

Damn, I'm old.

And TeX, and all the *roff derivatives...

 

[oggbashan]

My first word processor was on an IBM 1401 mainframe in 1964.

I had to write the text to be punched on to punch cards by a punch card girl and then run the cards behind the program cards.

The printer would then produce the text on fanfold paper.

The program even included a spell checker - it would print my text followed by three question marks if it didn't like my spelling. I had to disable it because the checker's vocabulary was only about 1000 words and I was using technical terms in almost every piece of text.

Much later I was using Wordplex and helping to run the local help desk. The company was taken over by Norsk Data. If the screen started showing messages in Norwegian I knew that we had a major problem.

Og

 

[Stella_Omega]

I'm using neooffice for mac, and there are some funny little side issues. Like, when I transfer docs between it and Word, neither program will understand the other's highlights, and I can't remove them.
I've tried most mac word processors. I liked Mellel the best, I think. But I use Google Docs, and Text edit most of the time.

For actual story composing, I'm really loving Scrivener!