Okay, the battle for the best word processing app for Windows and Mac OS’s is on. The criteria for the best word processor that will win the war are based on: the app’s cost, ease of usage, availability of tools to edit documents, accessibility to updates and absence of a compulsory add-ons.
Without further ado, in no particular order, these apps made the cut:
Mac
Byword is a text editor for Mac, Ipad, and Iphone; it’s simple and efficient. Documents can be written in Markdown or rich text, before being saved locally or to an iCloud account. It also offers full screen mode.
iA Writer Another word processing app similar to byword has a major feature – focus mode, which dims everything but the last three lines a user is working on. The app also supports Markdown formatting (which enables preview any time in a separate window); Documents can be saved to iCloud and also exported as a Microsoft Word, PDF, HMTL and .docx file for Pages.
Scrivener is an app that prevents the back-and-forth scenario when writing a dissertation due to difficulties in organizing workflow. The app has a well-designed straightforward interface tailored to working on a long-form piece of text. Features include a document hierarchy split into three default folders called ‘draft, research and trash’. The draw-back of this app though, is the absence of formatting options; hence users may need to transfer finished document(s) into another word processor i.e. MS word!
Storyist is a popular alternative, which offers similar experience to previous apps, but with a simpler design to wrap your head around. Might be a problem though for users as it’s mostly geared towards novelists and screen writers. If you’re aspiring author, this may be a good place to start, at $59, this is an investment that may be worth its weight in “gold”.
Pages Is an app that some users love using as an alternative to MS word; this app allows documents to be edited from the iOS version (including on icloud.com on any browser) and makes file sharing via the messaging app/formatting pane easier and faster to use. Drawback for pages is the removal of features such as ability to duplicate, delete/manage pages, using bookmarks and the import/export of .rtf files.
Windows
OpenOffice.Org is a free word processor that rivals the traditional MS word. It contains six applications that include Writer, Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), Draw (graphics), Base (Database manipulation) and Math (mathematical equations). This app also offers users the magnanimity of opening PDF files without the addition of a plug-in or commercial add-on. Maintained by a large online community, help and bug fixes are created freely and available.
AbiWord, a free word processing application platform (similar to MS word) with full cross-platform program, meaning, users can run it on Linux, Mac OSX and Windows. The software is fully compatible with MS word, OpenOffice, Word Perfect and Palm OS. It has advanced document layout capabilities and can mail merge as well, allowing users to automatically fill in specific forms in documents with information from databases and comma separated or tabbed text files. Furthermore, the software can be enhanced and expanded with freely available plug-ins that will give it more features and functions; a very pertinent feature if there are many forms to work with in the office.
Jarte is a WordPad engine with features that include Windows Vista compatibility, ergonomic tabbed interface, small resource requirements and a quick loading time. It has built-in spell checking and can export to HTML and PDF files; it also allows you to insert images, tables, hyperlinks and other features expected in word. There’re no ads, trial periods or crippled features; it’s funded through user purchases of the Jarte Plus version, which has a paid version with extra functionality.
Neo Office is an office software suite made for Mac OS X users. The NeoOffice suite allows users to view, edit and save OpenOffice documents, PDF files, and most Microsoft Word documents, PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets. The free edition of NeoOffice can’t save documents, but users can open, edit and print.
Zoho offers around 20 free online applications including Writer for word processing, it enables a linked ability with the user’s Google and Yahoo accounts. The Writer’s interface shouldn’t cause anyone problems as it is comfortably familiar. Working online can be hazardous and there’s always the threat of losing data due to lost network connection, accidental closing of the browser window or browser crash, but luckily Zoho automatically saves your documents for you, as you finish typing. You can also insert images from your local computer or from the Web. The app offers all the standard text formatting and document creation features and can export to DOCX, ODF, PDF, Latex, RTF, TXT and even HTML. It can plug into Echosign for digital signatures, publish the document to a blog or make it public for all to see.
The best word processor in my perspective would have to be OpenOffice.Org because it works both on Mac and Windows. It also has a vast array of abilities that cuts across most of the features that traditional MS word offers. My score for this app would be a 4 star on a 5 star scale, while the every other app scored below the 4 star yardstick.
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