RE: What is the best word processor ?

Everyone is different, I guess. . .

 

There's a rather good office suite from Germany that may be worth a look: SoftMaker Office. The word processor module is called TextMaker. TextMaker offers a document navigation sidebar that's somewhat customizable, and that might be useful for outlining a manuscript and then moving around in it.

https://www.softmaker.com/en/softmaker-office-textmaker

https://help.softmaker.com/textmaker2021/en/index.html?navigating_with_the_sidebar.html

There's a free version, called FreeOffice. The free version includes a version of Textmaker if you want a free look at it. Unfortunately, the free version does not include the document navigation sidebar.

https://www.freeoffice.com/en/

There is also an Android version of SoftMaker Office, so those with Android phones or tablets can use essentially the same software on their portable devices and on their home computer(s). No iPhone/iPad version as yet, though.

Looks like Ultra Office is a spin-off of LibreOffice (which is a spin-off of Open Office). I haven't seen anything to tell me why Ultra Office is better than LibreOffice.

 

I started using Papyrus Author a while ago and it has some impressive features. It will create title pages and chapter headings. Has a style guide to help the writer avoid repetitious words and fluff, which tightens up the prose. There is a Pro version of you want to pay $15 a month for it but I find the free version works fine for me. IMHO, many helpful features.

 

I hadn't heard of Ultra Office so, after seeing this mention, I looked into it. The web site says that it's based on the LibreOffice code, and the screen shots look a lot like LibreOffice. That suggests to me that it probably works much like LibreOffice, as well. However, as confirmed by their customer service, Ultra Office is basically completely web-centric. It runs in "the cloud" and it saves your work to "the cloud." (All hail the Almighty Cloud!)

Not interested. YMMV.

 

Hmm. Typora and TextMaker are new to me and look possibly interesting. From the online demo of TextMaker, the customizable navigator reminds me of the one I saw the other day in the latest version of LibreWriter, which I've used and abandoned several times in the past. I do like that it looks a lot like Word before the design team started losing their way.

I used Scrivener for over a year before v3 for Windows was finished. Eventually I abandoned it because the styles didn't quite mesh right with Word, and because it measured any non-zero right margin from the left, which I thought completely brain-dead, since it immediately tied you to one particular page width on export. I still don't know whether that was a bug that has since been fixed or an undesirable feature that persists to this day.

One thing I particularly liked in Scrivener was the ability to write in white on black or charcoal.

 

I've been using Typora at work as it's easy to create beautiful documents using Markdown without the need for the mouse or weird two-or-three key combinations to get the right effect. It really is minimalist (but pretty nevertheless) and helps me focus on what I'm writing, not on how it looks. I see that Typora has now become a commercial product and needs to be purchased to use it. Our work has just purchased commercial licenses.

 

Mud? Finger?

You were lucky…

 

Apropos for the other guy, somewhere out there, using Mellel - version 5.1 just came out. Headings for the TOC, which Mellel calls Auto-titles, are nicer. I think. I haven't had a chance to really play with them.

Yes, I know. I'm all alone here. Nisus is much easier to learn, but it isn't quite as rugged. Word would be great if I were Word-compatible. I think if I stop using Mellel I'll switch to BBEdit and Affinity Publisher.

Or Softmaker. Hmm... Must look at Softmaker for Mac...

 

Speaking of SoftMaker ... I discovered pretty much by accident that SoftMaker, in addition to selling their office suite and giving away a free version that offers about 80% of the functionality of the paid version, also licenses both their free and paid versions to another German software company, Shampoo. And Shampoo is currently having a sale. If anyone wants to try the paid version of Shampoo Office, you can get it this week for $19.99 (USD).

https://www.ashampoo.com/en-us/shop?M_BT=14409974701088&campaignid=10921&email=hloomis44@gmx.com&listid=2&m_i=5VZiGif8PAQH6BtB3ZDgT5Ryj9hstaY3nvoOQ+hrllZ14IQ_56OtOpQx8miU9nD7WUYG1LODKPmzjw+7kFe7uDkfI_V_q_&x-sela=1000300&x-selj=10921&x-source=mail

A while ago I figured out that the free version of Shampoo Office was the 2016 edition of SoftMaker FreeOffice, when SoftMaker was on version 2018 of FreeOffice. I don't know if the paid version of Shampoo also lags behind SoftMaker office by one version.

 

You had MUD?

 

Regarding fountain pens, they are pretty amazing tools. I'll never be without a ballpoint, though.

My shirt pocket pen will probably always be a nice, modern, leakproof, pen. Which means I have to carry a ballpoint. The masses do not understand a pen shouldn't assault paper with jackhammer force. One must be prepared to lend a writing instrument to those benighted souls not nib-qualified.

Of course, word processors are pretty amazing things, too. As long as there's power...

 

A secretary is a writing instrument, right?

 

Only the one?

 

Yes, one is quite sufficient in my shirt pocket. I'm not one of those fountain pen nerds you hear about. Just one pen in my shirt pocket.

Still, one must be prepared for what the day brings. I might have to sign international accords. That's why there's a stub nib in my backpack. If I write in a journal with decent paper a medium or broad nib is called for, and for extended writing on modest paper stock, larger fine nib pens in deep blue and green ink. Green is nice for adding notations.

I believe I've successfully avoided the kind of addiction some fall victim to with writing instruments. I easily sail through the day on no more than four or five pens.

At least so far.

 

I use fountain pens - probably too many - for all of my drafts and edits before they get to the computer. I just enjoy them more...the line variation, color, sheen, shading, etc.

I have almost eliminated ball points entirely from my life. They are now limited to when I have to use someone else's pens like when signing in at a Doctor's office.

If I need something I can press on I use a roller ball that takes fountain pen cartridges. It is as far as I am willing to concede in my day-to-day life.

 

I started with WordPerfect then went to MS word because I was given no other choice. I still use it just because it's the content, not the tool I'm interested in. I have actually used several social media platforms, including this one, then cut and paste into Word if I consider what just spewed from me from this or that prompt to be brilliant, and worthy of expanding on. I also do computer graphics that I have copied text from. I have written directly to PowerPoint as well.

 

Haven't used fountain pens in years, but still have a Rapidograph drafting pen somewhere. I have recently started handwriting again lately. I go for long walks where carrying a note pad is handy. My cursive, never that great, really needs work after so much disuse. My block printing is better, having been the standard in my career field which included technical illustration. I often use ball point pens and mechanical pencils, .5mm my favorite on the road. At home I use my Staedtler lead holder.

 

I tried to use Rapidographs way back when but I don't think I understood the implications of india ink. They were the devil to keep from clogging up.

If I were to try one today, I think I'd see if I could use fountain pen ink. Less permanent, not generally waterproof, but also doesn't set up like cement around a gangster's feet.

Great writing tool, though. So precise.

When I switched majors from music to EE I had to print everything. That was the end of my handwriting until about six months ago. Then a humble TWSBI Eco came in the mail, followed by a couple of slightly more expensive pens. By the healing power of German nibs, my handwriting is very legible now. Nothing gets openmouthed stares more than taking notes in longhand at a meeting. A Midori Traveler's notebook is very hip, but it seems that longhand is terribly old school. Sigh. I'll never be cool.

 

It's cool, trust me.

 

I still do all of my "serious" writing on a PC, but being able to longhand is just more convenient in some situations.

 

I just saw there is a free version of SoftMaker Office. It's a subset of their paid offerings. Looks like a good usable suite, though.

Probably something I need to check out on my Linux box. Libre Office is nice. I think this might be nicer and I might end up with one of their paid versions.