Some Alternatives to Microsoft Word

Using a word processor should be easy, right? All you do is type, right? Microsoft Word is the most commonly used word processor and it’s not very simple. While some people enjoy the variety of features of Word, others don't need all the extras.


Too many features with Word?


One bothersome thing about Microsoft Word is that many of its features are automatically applied to your document. For example, auto indentations and capitalizations. If you did not want a word capitalized or a paragraph indented you have to take extra steps to reformat your document. Microsoft Word also underlines grammatical errors and misspelling, making your document visually disorderly.


If you do not use all of the features of Word and are searching for an alternative, there are several out there. The best thing about them is that they don’t cost anything.


Free Word alternatives


WordPad may be one of the best alternatives to Word. More then likely it is already on your PC. This program has evolved from a simple text editor to a sophisticated word-processing program. Most likely it has enough features to meet most users’ needs. You can access this program through the Windows’ start button. Navigate to “All Programs,” then you can find WordPad in the "Accessories" file.


Word’s online competitors


OpenOffice.org Writer might be even better than WordPad. This program is extremely robust and has the majority of the same features as Word. OpenOffice.org Writer is also very intuitive to use. If you get annoyed with Microsoft Word, give it a try.