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I'm looking forward to setting up the "new" clean computer in the next couple of days. (It's within twenty miles of me, now. ) In reality, of course, it will probably take me all week to really get set up.
The "new" computer will come with a free copy of Word Perfect. I've always used Word. I haven't even looked at Word Perfect since the old green screen days (Dated myself there, didn't I?). I wasn't very impressed with it, then, but I'm sure it's changed in that length of time.
Does anybody have any thoughts on which is better?
[This message has been edited by Meredith (edited December 14, 2009).]
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I like Word Perfect because of the reveal codes option in the view menu.
Most people use MS Word, though, and conversion between them is problematic at best. Both can read each others' .rtf files, though.
My experience has been that when I have had both on the same computer, one or the other (MS Word?) creates problems so that I end up not being able to use both. It may be a resource conflict, or it may be barracuda tactics on the part of the programming in the problem-creator.
Anyway, if you're used to MS Word, stick with it, but keep Word Perfect on your computer if you have the room for it, in case someone ever sends you a WP file that you want to open.
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OpenOffice provides all fo the functionality of Microsoft Office plus the ability to convert between formats (and indeed, many other formats as well). It's also free, a big selling point.
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I HATE AND DESPISE expletive expletive WORD!!! It always screws up just when I need it most but so many things work well (sort of) with word that I use it.
WordPerfect has never had a problem for me. Except I have to translate it into WORD for internet stuff. Not all the time, but I can never seem to predict when I have to so I use the nasty WORD
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I seem to be in the minority but I like Word. I don't have problems with it and I like a lot of its features. I haven't used Word Perfect so I can't draw a comparison but if you're comfortable with Word I'd stay with it.
You don't have to buy the whole program by the way. You can download a trial version and then buy a license key from someone on e-bay.
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I've made do with Microsoft Works. It came with my first computer, and then my second. So far it's done everything I've asked it with little trouble. (Though for awhile the dictionary was out of commission but it's back in now.)
Whether any other system is better, well, you've got me. I wouldn't know.
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I use Word, WordPerfect, and other desktop publishing wordproccessor applications for printout of submissions, though WordPerfect is my preferred application for it's reveal codes feature, among other comparatively easier to use advanced features, like conformance and indexing, mail merges, database and form functions.
In one of my earlier computer hardware versions, I had regular incidents that spoiled my manuscripts in Word and WordPerfect. I turned off the autosave function and had fewer problems Now that I have a screaming bus speed and Gigabytes of memory, I still turn autosave off, but haven't had a freeze-up since.
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I like Word, but having OpenOffice is useful for transfering files. I also like Google.docs. Completely free and with you everywhere you have web access.
quote: I also like Google.docs. Completely free and with you everywhere you have web access.
I'm curious as to whether or not there are any issues with that system. Does Google make any claim of ownership on files you store on their server? I've heard of companies trying to slip in clauses that insist data possession when it's stored on their servers. That's one of the downsides of cloud computing.
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I have used for MS Word for decades. It is my word processor of choice. Perhaps because I am used to it and that it is the standard in the business world.
I used Word Perfect for a bit, but didn't like the feel of the program (a matter of taste and what I was used to).
I have NOT had the file corruption issues that others have had. Every program blows up occasionally as a result of operating system issues or user error.
If you are used to MS Word, I'd still use it--especially if you haven't had any trouble with it.
I have Scrivener (a Mac program) and can use that to write, but I am much more comfortable with Word and use Scrivener as my repository for most of my novel project work (outlines, character sketches, world building, etc.)
[This message has been edited by Owasm (edited December 14, 2009).]
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Google can deny you access to the files, but you own the copywrite for the content (you can look it up in the terms of service). So, if you do like I do and use it as a secondary file storage and occasional Word processor, you should do OK.
Posts: 823 | Registered: May 2009
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Its not that I've ever had a problem with Word, like it losing my files or something (though I've heard that happens...) it is just the annoying features of how it tries to format for you. Like adding the line after every paragraph, even when your document is double spaced. Or refusing to change all the text to the same font when you say "select all, make times new roman." Word would be great if it allowed the user more control over the features without requiring a Ph D in integrated systems analysis and advanced computer science.
Plus they changed all the menus and stuff in 2007 so now you can't find any of the features. What the @)(E%*&@$^% did they do that for??
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Did I mention that I hate WORD? Well, here's one big reason.
Comments. I like them in the pink boxes off to the side of the text. However, WORD often switches from that - with no action on my part! - to showing the comments down at the bottom of the page. It drives me crazy when it does that. I can remove the bottom of the page comments by hitting the Review Pane button. I CANNOT however bring back the pink sidebar boxes by going to Show then sliding down to Balloons and over to the selection of Always, Never, and Only for Comments/Formatting. Why not? Because WORD in its beneficence has greyed all of those choices out!!!!
How can I get back my pink sidebar comments boxes?
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I second the Open Office plug. I downloaded it on my new machine ('cause I'm too cheap to buy Word at home) and it works well. The menus are the same as older versions of Word (pre-2007) so there was almost no learning curve. The only issue I've had so far is that the word count feature came up with a very different number than the nano site.
Posts: 238 | Registered: Jul 2009
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One thing about google.docs is they reserve the right to show your work. If they want to use your documents as a display piece, they can do so, it's in the TOS. From what I understand it's more of a "...this user uses google.docs to do this..." type of thing rather than displaying an entire document. Just something to be aware of if you use their service.
Posts: 212 | Registered: Aug 2005
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I tried using OpenOffice for a while (circa 2007), and I only ever felt like it handled so, so slowly. At the time it couldn't open .docx files either, which annoyed me because 95% of the text-editing public uses word, and half of the people I interacted with had purchased their computers after Office 2007 came out and were using that. I'm assuming they've fixed this by now...
I use Jer's Novel Writer at the moment for most of my writing - my biggest complaint with Word is that it doesn't have a convenient way to navigate through chapters, which I expect to work similar to switching up files in a programming project (Eclipse/NetBeans/VS). I have word too, and when I finish things I usually handle the formatting over there.
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I'm big in the WordPerfect camp. If you have a free copy of WordPerfect I'd say use it. Try it out to see if you like it. Be sure to turn on reveal codes, it is quite nice to see what's going on. The reason I hate Word is because of all the auto things it does, not like capitalizing the first letter of a sentence, deep formatting things. It's word auto-correction takes far too much liberties. (Most of those things can be turned off, though.)
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I use MS Word because I'm use to it, no other reason. Openoffice and Abiword are good and free.
LyX is interesting for formating but I can't get it to print on my system. But it's also free.
If your going to have interweb access on the new system I use Google Chrome as a dedicated browser for writing. Wiktionary is the home page. This is a bit faster than looking it up in a book. Any secondary web browser would be good for this.
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) In reality, of course, it will probably take me all week to really get set up. 
