Looking for free Word Processor with at least some formatting features

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around finding a free word processor that includes basic formatting features. Participants share their experiences with various software options, including Open Office, LibreOffice, Google Docs, and other alternatives, while expressing concerns about data loss and security.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses frustration with Open Office Writer due to data loss and seeks alternatives that allow for basic formatting like fonts, bullets, and tables.
  • Another participant suggests LibreOffice as a widely used alternative, noting its active user base and history as a fork of Open Office.
  • Some participants share positive experiences with LibreOffice, claiming no issues with document loss or crashes over many years of use.
  • Concerns are raised about using Google Docs, particularly regarding data security and reliance on cloud storage, with some participants expressing discomfort with the idea of storing data online.
  • Alternative software options are mentioned, such as Jarte Wordprocessor and TextMaker, with one participant suggesting they may be better than WordPad.
  • There is a discussion about the risks associated with file sharing in Google Docs, referencing concerns raised by an expert on data security.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on a single preferred word processor, as multiple competing views and concerns about different software options remain. Some advocate for LibreOffice, while others prefer Google Docs or alternative programs.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying levels of comfort with cloud-based solutions and have differing experiences with the reliability of the software mentioned. There are also references to historical context regarding the development of Open Office and LibreOffice, which may influence opinions on their current usability.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals seeking recommendations for free word processing software, particularly those concerned about data loss and security in cloud-based applications.

DaveC426913
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TL;DR
My benchmark is Word and Open Office Writer. Neither are suitable.
I've had it with Open Office Writer. Lost too many documents to spontaneous exploding. Even reflex Ctrl-S'ing every few minutes is too risky. I somehow managed to Ctrl-X a large table just before it exploded and I lost the entire thing.

I'll give up some of the more sophisticated features. I want to set fonts/styles, use bullets, make tables and colour rows.

Suggestions?

I guess Google docs is an option, isn't it?
 
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Open Office Writer got left behind when the project forked in 2010 to create LibreOffice, which is very widely used, on MS Windows, and bundled with current Linux systems. Estimated around 200 million active users.

When you come to a fork in the road, take it. - Yogi Berra.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice
There is a link on the wiki page.
 
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Baluncore said:
Open Office Writer got left behind when the project forked in 2010 to create LibreOffice, which is very widely used, on MS Windows, and bundled with current Linux systems. Estimated around 200 million active users.

When you come to a fork in the road, take it. - Yogi Berra.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice
There is a link on the wiki page.
I used Libre Office for a while a few years back. I can no longer recall why I turned my back on it.
 
I have been using LibreOffice for 10(?) years now. No problems with losing / exploding / crashing / failing documents. I only use their Writer and Calc. I think I used Impress once, successfully.

I hated MS Office. I had to spend a day shutting off all their productivity killing features every time they updated.
 
jrmichler said:
I have been using LibreOffice for 10(?) years now. No problems with losing / exploding / crashing / failing documents.
Sorry, not what I meant to imply. LibreOffice wasn't exploding or anything. I think there was confusion between the two, do to the overlap at the time - and maybe I just chose OpenOffice over LibreOffice.

I will try GoogleDocs for a bit.
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenOffice.org said:
OpenOffice.org is an open-source office productivity software suite. It originated from the proprietary StarOffice, developed by Star Division, which was acquired by Sun Microsystems in 1999. Sun open-sourced the software in July 2000 as a free alternative to Microsoft Office, and released OpenOffice.org version 1.0 on 1 May 2002.

Following Sun’s acquisition by Oracle Corporation, development of OpenOffice.org slowed and eventually ended. In 2011, Oracle donated the project to the Apache Software Foundation, which continues it as Apache OpenOffice, although that project has been largely dormant since 2015. A more actively developed fork, LibreOffice, was created in 2010 by members of the OpenOffice.org community.

Latest development news for Apache OpenOffice:
https://www.openoffice.org/ said:
03 April 2024:
Development Update - April 2024
22 December 2023:
Announcing Apache OpenOffice 4.1.15

If you want to compare releases with LibreOffice:

OOo-major-derivatives11.webp

(source)​

On the same note, I have more bad news for you: your Windows 8.1 is also obsolete. :nb):wink:
 
Greg Bernhardt said:
Why would you not want to go Google docs? The free cloud is the best part.
Yeah I guess so.

The dinosaur in me rankles at the (admittedly archaic) idea that my data is elsewhere...

("What if my Wifi goes down?" "What if there's an EMP attack that takes Google down?" )

1758385922164.webp
 
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Jarte Wordprocessor is about as good as Word and is now free. Maybe not AS MUCH AS WORD by complete duplication and quantity of features, but by my view, better than WordPad. Someway a different interface but learnable.

Other (favorite) option could be TextMaker which comes with SoftMaker Office; or you could use the free, FreeOffice.

edit: The cartoon in #8 says what some of us do and want. Or should I say, many of us?
 
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Greg Bernhardt said:
Why would you not want to go Google docs? The free cloud is the best part.
My main concern about Google docs is to avoid using the file sharing any more than possible. Sharing folders and files onto one's local drive is a substantial security risk. I've heard too many talks by Rebecca Mercuri about those risks. She makes her living in part by being an expert witness for the defense when people's hard drives have been used by the government to claim this, that or the other about them.

It probably is possible to use Google Docs without actually engaging in file sharing--but unless I misremember, Google makes that quite easy and in fact sort of invites one to do it.
 

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