Poll: Which word-processing software do you use?

I stick with MS because my company does and it is not worth the hastle to fight incompatibility issues. I've given in.

If I did not have to communicate and share with others, I could be more adventuresome. But life is short, why knowlingly go there?

Some of you may be too young to remember longing for software that was compatibile with the home, your friends, and your home. I'm happy we finally got there!

Office 2007 did mix up the game but I have used for a few weeks and see the advantages and the new features.

Its OK. I liked WordPerfect better.

I use an old version of WordPerfect. I think 2000. I use it mostly to cut & paste into email, website posting etc. ( like this) If I need to send a word processing document to someone I save2 versions one is WP format and one in MS word format. I have never had a problem with anyone being able to read something I sent them in MS Word format after I had created it in WP.

I have taken several classes in how to use MS Word, but came back to WP because it has featuresI like that Word does not have(reveal codes being an important example) and the drop down menus in WP are more intuitative/logical to me than the Word's.

Corel WordPerfect x3, which will save as multiple versions MS Word. If I plan to use a document as attachment to various clients I save it as a *.doc . I never had a problem. I am an older user of computer software, so will not knock MS WORD. I just don't want to learn a new more expensive program. I do have increasing number of friends who are using suites by openoffice.org or the proprietary version of the same. WordPerfect x3 will save in that format,too. It will be interesting to see which suites become the most popular when converting to Web-based services and software.

There's no question that MS Word rules the corporate world, so you have to know how to use it. And it does some things better than WordPerfect. But I love the Reveal Codes function in WP. It's always on when I work. I also like that with WP you can set a common code such as font name or font size, and the change happens from the insert point to the end of the document. With Word, you have to block the entire section you want to change. (You CAN do that with WP, but you're not REQUIRED to.)
WordPerfect also gives you much finer control over typesetting functions, columns, tables, page numbers, and whatnot. It's just a more functional program if you know how to use it. So much so that with the online courses that my wife is taking, where the document submissions have to be in Word, she creates the document in WordPerfect and then saves it in MS format prior to sending. WordPerfect can easily do some things that are difficult or impossible to do with Word. (Which, in version 2003 anyway, didn't even have a simple Insert Horizontal Line function. I still can't believe that.)

WordPerfect is the most functional word processor around.

NT

At home, I haven't used a word processing program in years. All of my communication is via email, IM, or online forums. I don't like Word, but sometimes I am forced to use it at work.

We use Open Office on Ubuntu. Works fine, does not cost a thing and is less resource intensive than M$ office. We have been switching over to Linux both at home and the office, it takes a few days for the staff to adjust, but once they get used to the minor changes they find it easy to use and faster than the clumsy new Office that M$ came up with. Vista, plus the clutzy new Office that M$ came up with almost guarantees a good future for Open Source. Thanks Bill and all the folks at M$ for giving Open Source a big boost! Bobby B and the staff

The only word processing software!!! Word is sooo lame. Used WP since 1983 and have been forced to use Word when my lame brains send that. When will everyone learn that WP is the most professional - all the top legal assistants use it.
What more can I say .....

I do have Word but only use it occasionally.
I've used WordPerfect since the DOS days and from a law clerk's perspective, I think it's the only word processor for law firms and I've used them all.
I do wish Corel would test their products thoroughly before they market them. As with the earlier versions, X3 has countless bugs and they really get on my nerves. Here's a few:
I have to change the default font daily. It always reverts to Times New Roman. Should only have to that once eh? Okay, TNR is popular but I like Cocktail.
Find & Replace (F2) always defaults to PaperSize/Type however many times you change it. Does one need to keep finding the paper size and type? Never had to yet!
That little squirlygig that appeared to close the page after inserting a comment or making a watermark disappeared after 2 days of use.
If anyone knows how to fix these, please let me know. THX!
By the way, in case you don't already know, Corel's customer support SUCKS!

I like them just fine as long as MS isn't allowed to update and destroy my choice of programs as they have done time and again. Just this last April the boss' friend decided to upgrade to Explorer 7 and I still haven't recovered losses from his handy help.
I got a cheery phone call from the boss stating "...found 3 virus' on the computer"! My heart sank and he went on about what a cool computer wiz his awesome pal is?

Those 3 viruses were of course Corel WordPerfect Office 12, deleting my files that were not backed up, invoices, contracts and estimates along with the Quicken program listing all of the current checking account info, also not backed up. The other program was Corel PhotoshopProX that now I bought a new program and keep on the twin computer I use at home in seclusion.

In summary, it doesn't matter what anti-virus programs you have or prefer. When it all is said and done what you have is only as good as your ability to keep infiltrators and helping hands off your custom setup computer.

The boss is still apologizing for his generosity with my personal choice and organizing encroachment. What is worse is facing the destruction for months afterward and having to try to maintain daily contract writing and expenses too?

This Fool's Avice:Put it in a vault after you get it how and where YOU want it. I hope this guy doesn't show up while I'm there.

After using other types of word-processing software, I find myself returning to Word Perfect. I find it much more intuitive than Word, and easier to find how to do something, to tweak and to use. But, like art, it is all subjective...

Adobe's recently announced that it is acquiring Virtual Ubiquity - a Massachusetts start-up that makes a Flash-based word processor, Buzzword. Check out www.getbuzzword.com. Since this thing runs in the Flash Player you can imagine how it might be integrated with other capabilities including Adobe AIR.

In my office we have both Corel Wordperfect and MS Word. For me, Wordperfect is so easy to use, but Word is a horror! People in my office who were "weaned" on Word, seem to love it and say how easy it is, but they must never have used Wordperfect. With WP you can do anything you please, but with Word it has to be according to preset styles and you can't even see what's going on, as opposed to with WP, where you can see it all. Unfortunately, I understand, WP is not going to be supported any more, and our office is going to do away with it. Yikes!

I use WordPerfect. Unlike MS Word, I don't have to worry about my ability to open an old file.

By accident I found Atlantis. I am extremely pleased with it. I use it on my lap top where I don't want a program for word processing that is so obese and slow to boot up. Atlantis is slim and fast and does everything I need.
Chris

I used to use Word Perfect and loved it, but since everyone was using MS Word, I had to switch and get used to it. I am not adverse to learning new programs at all, in fact, I like the concept. However, I recently tried MS Word 2007, and it absolutely stinks. They've taken a perfectly acceptable program and made it very complicated, hard to work with, and takes up way too much room on my working screen. Very bad. I'm all for trying something else with the intention of switching.

Me hit icon. It comes on. It works. Whirrr. Whirrr. Turn off when done. It disappears. Whirr. Whirrr. Recreate document. Curse. Must stop now. Master coming. Whirr.

This is one of those when did you stop beating your wife questions.

What do I prefer? Well, up till now one pretty much had to have Word, because 85% (I believe) of users here use it, but I've discovered Pages recently (in iWork '0 and I can save my docs in a number of different formats including Word so I'm using that a lot. It's easy to use (like all Apple stuff) and looks good (also like all Apple stuff) and it can be clever if it you want it to, but it's easy to switch off the intuitive functions too.

The thing I hate most about Word is that 'intuitive' thing. And I hate it uniformly (the first thing I do when I get a new cell phone is turn off T9). The thing I hate most in the world is hanging indents I don't format myself. And it seems every time Microsoft does one of it's automatic updates I have to turn that little facility off again. When I set a default I mean it! and don't get me started on IE7, it's one big bug all on it's own.

But back to word processing.

I tried Open Office - thought it was a great product and liked using it; But I 'transport' docs between Windows and Mac, and it can be pot luck when it'll work seamlessly and when it won't. Again, it depends upon when the last lot of MS updates ran. Why it should affect everyone elses software is beyond me....but it does.

So now, I've nuked Open Office, and Word -mostly- (which is too top heavy anyway) and use Pages on my Mac and WP12 (tried X3 but it was as bad as using Word on my PC).

I loved WP on DOS and frankly wish I could still use it - they were the days when the keyboard was the right hand of god and that aggravating wretched mouse was just a pretender. As a speed typist I find having to take my hands off the keyboard to play mouse games very distracting and counter-productive, and I have way too much work to do to afford taking hours to pour over manuals or websites to find keyboard shortcuts, for every different piece of software I use throughout a day. Heaven forbid that there would ever be a standardised shortcut list.

Okay, that's my rant. Thanks

I loved my Word 2002 - but for some awful reason decided to buy
Office 2007 with Word 2007. I hate it. I still haven't figured out
how I can write a basic letter (single-spaced). I followed the instructions - placed it on (1) space - it still double spaces. This
is just one of things it takes upon itself to decide what you can do.
I am about to uninstall it and re-install my Word 2002. Hate to say
this - but Microsoft is going down hill. The mess with their "Defender" program that they enjoined with "windows live onecare" ruined a very good program. I cannot even take Defender out
now as they "joined" them on my computer without my knowledge, and it
is causing me problems.

I've never left Corel WordPerfect. Use Word only when some person cannot deal with .rtf files. Wordprocessors in general are an impediment to writing, and WP lets me concentration on what I'm saying, not a whole plethora of stupid commands. When I use Word, I turn off nearly all of its 'features' and use it as a dumb wordprocessor.

Dethroning MS-- an excellent idea! Now, if someone else comes up with some other presentation software than PowerPoint we'll be all O-K.

I use Atlantis Word Processor. Its Power Type feature (a typing assist) saved many days of my work! I also love its old-fashioned typewriter sounds.

Work: WordPerfect 10
Home: MS Word 2003 (and I have WordPerfect 12)